Lamdag CDO

Lamdag September - October 2011

2011-10-22T03:36:00.002-07:00

Sept Oct 2011

Lamdag August - September 2011

2011-10-22T03:36:00.000-07:00

Lamdag August September 2011

Lamdag June - July 2011

2011-08-19T00:03:00.001-07:00

junejuly

Lamdag May - June 2011

2011-07-18T23:56:00.000-07:00

mayjune

Lamdag March - May 2011

2011-06-11T23:38:00.000-07:00

Lamdag March May issue

Feb-March 2011

2011-04-02T00:57:00.001-07:00

febmarch -

Lamdag Jan-Feb 2011

2011-01-31T00:49:00.000-08:00

janfeb2011 -

Lamdag Nov-Dec 2010

2010-12-31T00:30:00.000-08:00

Lamdag Nov Dec 10 -

2010-12-15T20:41:00.000-08:00

Dear friends of Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese,

Over the past month, we have been blessed with three ordinations to the diaconate for the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro. During this year 2010, we are also celebrating the 25th anniversary of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. SJVTS is the major seminary set up by the bishops in the CABUSTAM sub-region (i.e., Cagayan de Oro – Butuan – Surigao – Tandag – Malaybalay).

One highlight of the seminary’s celebration was the episcopal ordination last April of one of its first graduates, Fr. Jose Cabantan, as the fourth bishop of Malaybalay. He succeeds Bishop Honesto Pacana, S.J., a former Rector of SJVTS. Over the years, the seminary has produced around 350 priests now serving in practically all the 21 arch/dioceses of Mindanao and parts of the Visayas. At present the seminary is undertaking a 25M – for 25 years endowment fund drive to provide scholarship support for our major seminarians.

On another front, in the light of the current issue on the Reproductive Health bills, the All – Natural Family Planning Program of the archdiocese has been receiving heightened interest. Last week our NFP team was invited by the Hapag Asa program of Assisi Foundation to give a trainors’ training seminar in Tagaytay to delegates from 16 dioceses in Luzon. Many of the participants enthusiastically pointed out how this NFP program addressed to parents complements the feeding program of Hapag Asa for undernourished children.

Indeed, in a recent Forum on the RH Bill co-sponsored by the archdiocese, we pointed out that the four pastoral guidelines for our All – NFP program also explicitate the local church’s core values vis-à-vis some legislators’ proposals on RH:

(1) We are Pro-LIfe, as our first principle;

(2) We are for Responsible Parenthood, as our goal;

(3) We are for Natural Family Planning, as our means; and

(4) We are for enabling couples to make an Informed and Responsible Choice, according to the Formation of a Right Conscience.

In many ways, these core values are exemplified in the Christmas story of the Holy Family. May their message of love and life be ours to share throughout the coming year (which also marks the 60th anniversary of Cagayan de Oro as an archdiocese).

With God’s blessings,

Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J.

Pope lauds CBCP effort against RH bill

2010-12-06T18:24:00.000-08:00

Bishops ‘Encouraged’ to fight birth control

Pope Benedict XVI praised efforts of the Filipino bishops in blocking any attempts to promote contraception in the Philippines.

The pontiff said the Philippine Catholic leadership has reaffirmed its commitment to confronting any attack on the sanctity of life.

“I commend the Church in the Philippines for seeking to play its part in support of human life from conception until natural death, and in defense of the integrity of marriage and the family,” said Benedict XVI.

“In these areas you are promoting truths about the human person and about society which arise not only from divine revelation but also from the natural law, an order which is accessible to human reason and thus provides a basis for dialogue and deeper discernment on the part of all people of good will.”

Benedict XVI made the statement upon receiving in audience a group of Filipino prelates at the end of their five-yearly “ad limina” visit in Rome on November 29.

Church leaders are currently under a head on collision with proponents and supporters of the controversial Reproductive Health bill that promotes contraceptives.

The bishops noted that the church is not against population control if the sanctity of human life is protected. The CBCP endorsed natural family planning as one such birth control method.

They further recommended that government funding on contraceptives be directed towards anti-poverty, anti-hunger, and educational projects.

After gaining praise from Pope Benedict XVI, the Philippine Catholic hierarchy found more reason to oppose a proposed birth control measure.

Bishop Nereo Odchimar, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said the pope’s statement has encouraged them to fight the reproductive health bill despite a growing number of lawmakers backing it. He said the pontiff commended the church in the Philippines for its commitment to protect the sanctity of life.

“We are greatly encouraged by the words of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, on the undertakings of the Church in the Philippines,” said Odchimar.

“Pope Benedict’s message to the first group of Philippine bishops affirms the CBCP’s staunch resolve to preach and stand up for the Gospel of life in season and out of season,” he said.

Odchimar also said the pope also thanked not only the Filipino bishops, priests and religious, but also the lay persons for working to promote a just social order.

Last Monday (Vatican time), the Pontiff hailed the members of the CBCP for its strong pro-life stance by continuously opposing bills that are against human life.

“I commend the Church in the Philippines for seeking to play its part in support of human life from conception until natural death,” said the Pope in his message to the first batch of Philippine Bishops in their visitatio ad limina apostolotum to the Holy See.

The first batch of bishops was composed of prelates coming from 30 pastoral jurisdictions in Metro Manila, and Central and Northern Luzon, set from Nov. 25 to Dec. 6.

Meanwhile, an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has called for a stop on surveys on the Reproductive Health bill while the issue is still being debated by the lawmakers.

Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the CBCP’s Commission on Family and Life, fears the surveys are being conducted to influence the decision of the lawmakers.

Castro also expressed concern that surveys are being conducted as a mind-conditioning strategy of those behind the controversial measure.

“We are appealing to them (surveying firms) not to be used to mindset legislators that majority of the people is for the bill… so that it will not cause undue influence to our legislators,” said Castro.

“It is our impression now that they are trying to influence our legislators,” he further said.

Castro made the statement after the result of Pulse Asia’s latest survey revealed that seven out of 10 Filipinos are in favor of the RH bill which seeks to promote contraception.

The poll shows that 69 percent of Filipinos support the measure, seven percent oppose it, while 24 percent are undecided.

The CBCP official, meantime, questioned the manner by which the survey was done by the polling firm.

“The question is: Did the questions tackle the bill’s provisions? Or was it a general question on whether they support it or not? It would be good to ask if the people they surveyed have already read the bill or not,” he said.

Here in Cagayan de Oro, in an effort to break the impasse and attain unity for the good of every Filipino in the light of the polarization of Philippine society caused by the controversial bill, dioceses in Mindanao with the help of the organization of German bishops, held a dialogue at the Xavier University Chapel last week.

“We know (the RH Bill) is a controversial issue, fueled more lately by the Pope’s pronouncement. It is imperative upon us to dialogue so we can appreciate more objectively the differing stands of the church and other pro-life groups,” said Jun CheeKee, one of the dialogue organizer.

The dialogue, according to CheeKee, was organized by the Philippine Misereor Partnership-Cagayan, Bukidnon, Surigao, Tandag and Malaybalay dioceses (PMP-CABUSTAM).

In another development, the Loyola School of Theology (LST) and the John J. Carroll Institute on Church and Social Issues (JJCICSI) jointly issued a paper on the RH Bill that was authored by Jesuits (Fr. Eric O. Genilo, S.J., Fr, John J. Carroll, S.J., and Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J.).

Entitled “Talking Points for Dialogue on the Reproductive Health Bill (HB 96; filed July 1, 2010),” the authors pointed out that “the polarization of Philippine society over the Reproductive Health Bill has been a source of discouragement and discontent among Filipinos. It is unfortunate that the debate has focused only on whether the Bill should be passed or rejected in its present form. Either option would not be good for Filipinos.”

According to the authors, passing the bill in its present form is “unacceptable” because of “serious flaws that can lead to violations of human rights and freedom of conscience.”

“Total rejection of the Bill, however, will not change the status quo of high rates of infant mortality, maternal deaths, and abortions. It is a moral imperative that such dehumanizing conditions should not be allowed to continue,” they said.

Frs. Genilo, Carroll and Bernas stressed that a third option, which is “critical and constructive engagement” is needed.

“By working together to amend the objectionable provisions of the Bill and retain the provisions that actually improve the lives of Filipinos, both the proponents and opponents of the Bill can make a contribution to protection of the dignity of Filipinos and an improvement of their quality of life,” they said. (Mindanao Current - Compiled from reports from CBCPNews and from Bong D. Fabe/CBCPNews/Cagayan de Oro)

Nasudnong panagtagbo sa mga directors ug coordinators sa mga katekista

2010-11-19T03:43:00.000-08:00

Ni Sr. Josie Alabado, TMM

Mikabat sa kapin kon kulang usa ka gatos ug kawaloan ug lima (185) ka mga deligado nga mga Archdiocesan Directors ug Coordinators ang mitambong sa gipahigayon nga panagtagbo didto sa Archdiocesan Lay Formation Center sa Archdiocese sa Lingayen-Dagupan niadtong Hulyo 12-15, 2010. Matag tuig kausa kini mahitabo nga gipasiugdahan sa Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education (ECCCE) nga gipangulohan ni Bishop Soc Villegas, ECCE Chairman uban usab ni Sr. Jesusa Enginco, OP.

Duha ka mga deligado gikan dinhi sa atong arkidiyosesis and mitambong sila si Rev. Fr. Michael Fabello, Assistant Catechetical Director ug si Sr. Josie Alabado, TMM Coordinator. Sila nagrepresentar sa atong arkidiyosesis. Ang tema sa panagtabo karong tuiga mao ang “Catechesis by the family, with the family and for the family.” Adunay giimbitar nga mga mamumulong aron sa pagpahayag ug pagpaambit sa tema kon unsa ka importante ang pamilya sa trabaho sa ebanghelisasyon. Ang mga speakers adunay mga pari, mga miembro sa couples for Christ, gikan usab sa grupo sa Consecration of the Family Apostolate. Sa katapusang adlaw nagpahigayon ang tigdumala mga arkidiyosesis og travel tour sa Hundred Islands.

Unang panagtigum sa mga mag-uuma gipahigayon sa parokya sa Claveria

2010-11-19T03:38:00.000-08:00

Sustainable Agriculture Ministry

Malampusong gipahigayon ang unang panagtigum sa mga mag-uuma sa arkidiyosesis niaadtong Octubre 29 ug 30 sa parokya sa Birhen sa Lourdes sa lungsod sa Claveria. Kiniing unang panagtigum midala sa tema, ‘Malahutayong Pag-panguma, Haum ug Tubag sa Nagka-usab Usab nga Panahon. Si Rev. Fr. Rene D. Soldevilla, ang pangulo sa Sustainable Agriculture Ministry (SAM) miulbo sa kalipay sa nakita nga mga mag-uuma, pangulo sa SAM ug Social Action Center (SAC) sa nagkalain-laing parokya nga mikabat menos o kulang sa usa ka gatos.

Sa maong panagtigum, gipakita ni Arsobispo Antonio Ledesma ang iyang dakong gugma sa mag-uuma diin siya usa sa mamumulong.
Ang mahal nga Obispo misangpit sa mga ka puntos sa ‘Espirituhanong Gabayan sa Kinabuhi’ sama sa: ang kinaiyahan gasa sa Dios; ang kinaiyahan alang sa kinatibuk-an nga kaayohan sa tanan; ang tanang katawhan responsable ug dunay kaakohan isip piniyalan sa Dios sa kinaiyahan; ug usab, ang kalambuan sa tawo nakahan-ay diha sa iyang pagtoo sa Dios.

Dinhi usab nga panagtigum, gipirmahan sa Claveria Technical Coordinating Committee (CTCC) ang ‘Memorandum of Understanding’diin ang tuyo mao ang paglantaw sa kalambuan sa ‘Pilot Project’ sa Arkidiyosesis nga gidala sa Sustainable Agriculture Ministry sa parokya sa Birhen sa Lourdes nga mao ang ‘Bridging Claveria Small Farmers to Jollibee Supply Chain.’ Kining proyekto nga gidamgo ni Arsobispo Ledesma nga alang sa mga mag-uuma sa Arkidiyosesis, maka pa-uswag sa ilang kinabuhi pinaagi sa pag-suplay ug mga abot ngadto sa Jollibee ug ang igsoon niining establisismo nga nag negosyo pinaagi sa “food chain.”

Ang unang panagtigum sa mag-uuma, gisuportahan sa; Department of Agriculture, Municipality of Claveria, Misamis Oriental State College of Agriculture and Technology (MOSCAT), World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Landcare Foundation Philippines, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Our Lady of Lourdes Parish of Claveria, ug ang Archdiocese sa Cagayan de Oro, pinaagi sa Ad-Extra Ministry-Social Action Center. Kini usab ang hugpong nga milambigit sa Claveria Technical Coordinating Committee o (CTCC).

Ang mga pagtoon nga nakahatag ug dakong pag-laum sa mag-uuma nga gipakita sa panagtigum mao ang: “Integrated Pest Management ug Natural Farming Technology and System” nga gihatag nila ni G. Maagad ug G. de los Reyes sa Department of Agriculture; “Rice – Duck Farming’ ni Fr. Joel Lusat; ug ang ‘Onion Bulb Production for Jollibee’ nga gihatag ni G. Halasan sa Impasug-ong, Bukidnon ug sa iyang kauban sa CRS.

Sulod sa panagtigum, Gihan-ay ni Fr. Nathaniel Lerio, ang pangulo sa Ad-Extra Ministry-Social Action Center, ang mga gidamgo sa mga mag-uuma sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka parokya ug sa Distrito sa Simbahan diin usab nahasubay sa plano sa SAM ilabina ang pagmugna sa Demo Farm sa kada Distrito sa simbahan diin ang mga mag-uuma magtoon.

Gitapos ang panagtigum pinaagi sa pag-suroy, isip pag-toon sa Agro-Forestry Demo Farm sa MOSCAT, Barros’ Dairy Farm ug Mercado’s Farm.

Mga katekista iskolar sa Lourdes College

2010-11-19T03:35:00.001-08:00

Ni Sr. Josie Alabado, TMM

Ang Arkidiyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro ug ang Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry uban sa pagpaluyo sa Lourdes College nagkauyon sa paghimo ug usa ka programa ug kasabutan sa pag-umol sa mga katekista nga mamahimong professional catechists nga magtabang sa atong arkidiyosise. Kini nga programa gisugdan karong tuiga 2010 ug adunay kitay lima (5) ka mga batan-ong nga nakapulos niining maong programa nga nagagikan sa lima ka distrito: Balingasag, Camiguin City East, City West ug Initiao. Sila gitawag ug mga Catechists’ District scholars. Sila usab gibuligan sa mga kaparian sa matag distrito nga naga naka-amot sa ilang financial nga tabang. Kini sila nagkuha sa upat ka tuig nga kurso sa BS in Religious Formation. Gawas sa Academic formation, aduna usab silay Human and Spiritual Formation nga ipahigayon sa Archdiocese Catechetical Formation Team. Dili lang usab sila giumol aron mahimong hanas sa mga Doktrina sa atong pagtoo kondili mamahimo usab silang mamaayong mga katekista ug Kristiyanos. Sa pagkakaron tulo kanila nagpuyo sa Catechetical Center (former deacon’s formation house).

Mao kini ang tubag sa atong gipangandoy nga makabaton ug mga professional nga ketekista. Adunay daghan nga nagtinguha ug interesado sa maong program apan lima ra gayud ang nakuha human sa upat (4) ka screening nga gihimo. Mapasalamaton kita niini nga programa uban sa pagbulig sa atong talahurong Arsobispo Most Rev. Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J., D.D. nga maoy nagduso niini. Mapasalamaton usab kita tungod kay dili lang nga sila makatabang sa catechetical ministry kondili kita usab makatabang alang niining mga batan-on nga nagtinguha nga makahuman og kurso. Kini mao na gayud ang matag tuig nga programa sa atong Arkidioseses.

St. Eymard’s Bone Relic visits ACDO

2010-11-19T03:32:00.000-08:00

From top to bottom: Fr. Joel Lasutaz, SSS (left) holds the monstrance containing the Relic of St. Peter Julian Eymard for veneration by pilgrims; Close-up of the Relic, housed in a monstrance.

By Fr. Joel R. Lasutaz, SSS

The Pilgrimage of the Bone Relic of St. Peter Julian Eymard, the Modern Apostle of the Eucharist and Founder of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament received a warm welcome from parishioners of the Sacred Heart Parish when it arrived last September 24, 2010 from Davao with Fr. Frankie de los Reyes, SSS, who led the delegation of mostly members of the Life in the Eucharist Seminar (LITES) team.

The relic was welcomed at the Stigmatines Seminary in Upper Puerto with a motorcade from the seminary to the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Holy Eucharist (ASHE), R.N. Pelaez Blvd., Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City.

During the Mass, the shrine was filled with pilgrims who attended the Holy Hour and the veneration of the relic.

The pilgrimage was in celebration of St. Eymard’s 200th birthday on February 4, 2011 and his baptism anniversary on February 5, which for St. Eymard is far more significant than his day of birth. The pilgrimage is done to proclaim his message “to set the four corners of the world on fire with eucharistic love”.

St. Eymard’s message of Eucharistic Love resounds until these days. He desired to be embraced by Jesus’ love in the Eucharist. His belief in Divine Love celebrated in the Eucharist and contemplated in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament exposed made him the Apostle of the Eucharist when he was canonized a saint in December 9, 1962 by Pope John XXIII at the end of the First Session of the Second Vatican Council. It was this Council of the Church that declared the “Eucharist is the Source and Summit of Christian Life” (Lumen Gentium 11) following St. Eymard’s Eucharistic Spirituality and Theology.

St. Eymard’s Bone Relic visited the churches of Jesus Nazareno (Lapasan), San Antonio de Padua (Nazareth), the Cathedral, Eco Church (Kauswagan), Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Carmen), Sto. Niño de Oro (Cogon) at ASHE, Immaculate Conception (Bulua) and Nuestra Señora Virgen del Rosario (Consolacion). It was also venerated during the culmination of the City West District Catechetical Month at Country Village Hotel.

The Relic was brought to Manila and accompanied the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament during their Amplified Provincial Council Meeting attended by Parish Priests and Local Superiors of SSS Communities nationwide last October 18-22, 2010.

Pastoring the earth

2010-11-19T03:20:00.001-08:00

Fr. Casibjorn Quiacao, SSJV

With fatherly greetings, Pope Benedict XVI challenged all faithful in his New Year’s Day letter for the 43rd World Day of Peace, “If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation.” Sixteen days after this letter’s release he wrote another one in anticipation of World Communications Sunday (May 16, 2010), specifically addressed to priests. The theme Pope Benedict chose was: “The Priest and Pastoral Ministry in a Digital World: New Media at the Service of the Word.” The significance and the relation of these two letters set the atmosphere of the Signis Asia Assembly 2010, an international meeting of social communicators and media-related apostolate from various countries in Asia held on September 20-24, 2010, in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. The Archdiocesan Social Communications Apostolate (ASCA) of Cagayan de Oro was among the few select Filipino Catholic media organizations representing the Philippines at the assembly.
This is the context of this short reflection.

For starters, while this is not an exhaustive article intended to assess our pastoral approaches concerning an issue at hand, namely, that on pertinent ecological problems vis-a-vis our parochial/archdiocesan pastoral efforts - this is a reflection aimed at an advocacy. An advocacy towards choosing a fundamental compelling pastoral consideration on the issues of environment, such a one consideration that will determine all of the other pastoral priorities we make or maybe our ministerial life as a whole.

It sounds overly monumental, but in truth, it is very simple.

1. Listening to the voice of the earth. Pope Benedict is more and more vocal of his concern about protecting the environment – so that even during his vacation in 2007 in the northern mountains of Italy in front of 400 priests, deacons and seminarians from the region, he expressed his thought with a tone of urgency – “Our Earth is talking to us and we must listen to it and decipher its message if we want to survive.” Ecojustice, or justice for the Earth, has its basis in the fundamental truth that all of the natural world, every living thing has intrinsic value, hence they ought to be given the appropriate respect and rights, including the right to be heard. Because when we remain deaf to the rumblings of the earth, it might speak to us in forms of worldwide natural cataclysm being observed now as an everyday reality.

The continual deforestation at an alarming and unsustainable pace leading to the destruction of thousands of species of flora and fauna, the ongoing careless and profligate use of these natural resources, including our lands and seas, certainly confirm our lost contact with the Divine whose being we all share in a web of unity. Understanding this vital connection, St. Paul wrote to remind us that it is in Christ, the image of the invisible God, that we live and have our being: “For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible... all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col 1:16-17). Meaning, even the obscure bush and shrub at our very door have their beginnings in Christ and sustained in Christ.
What are the practical implications of this?

2. An effective shift in mentality. Pope Benedict considers protecting the environment a moral issue. During his annual address last January before diplomats to the Holy See from over 170 nations, the Holy Father denounced how world leaders at the Copenhagen climate change summit failed to address the issue. He decried, “How can we forget, that the struggle for access to natural resources is one of the causes of a number of conflicts in Africa, as well as a continuing threat elsewhere?” Calling for an adoption of a new lifestyle through an effective shift of mentality, the Pope in his encyclical ‘Caritas in Veritate’ (Charity in Truth) charges every Catholic to assert it in public spheres and in personal lives.
Therefore, enlightened by these, we should start examining our pastoral activities and personal choices through the lens of faith. So that while we “think globally, we act locally”, we cannot encase our parishes, archdiocese in isolation from the few sincere concerned people. Shifting paradigms demands not only inner conversion, but visible, credible examples – the organic farm in Agay-ayan, Gingoog Parish; the mangrove replanting by an NGO in Taytay, El Salvador; Fr. Roger Almonia’s efforts of preserving the last standing trees in the mountains of Anakan, and thankfully, so much more.

3. Voluntary simplicity. The preservation of the created world has now become an indispensable prerequisite in the preservation of peace and coexistence of humankind, meaning – no food, no peace. The Jewish notion of peace, Shalom – “the wholeness of right relations with the goodness of creation” – inspires us to take wholeness as the measure of life in abundance which is not essentially and primarily material. It is rather the stewardship, an extension of compassion to the entire created world, leading us to greater equity and unity. So that as we pray the Our Father and ask for ‘our daily bread’, we remember that this bread didn’t just jump onto our table but is acquired through a complicated process that has both economic and ecological implications. This is the very reason why our pastoral activities, and even food decisions at that, ought to be faith decisions. We celebrate food as sacramental, the bread and wine has come a very long way towards the table of the Lord, but nevertheless has arrived on time. We rely on this, the Lord provides - hence voluntary simplicity has become for us a pastoral value of inestimable measure. And in the end, as the Lord communicates himself to us in the simple form of the bread and wine, so shall the Earth speak to us through abundance, even satisfying our wayward curiosity. And we will journey through the fields, tread no longer upon the ordinary bush, but stand on holy ground.

Signis Asia Assembly underscores environmental protection

2010-11-19T03:13:00.000-08:00

From top to bottom: Signis Asia members gather for group photo during SAA 2010 in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia; Welcoming address by a local Dominican priest; Tour of Lapindo, a locality hit 4 years ago by a mudslide, which is still ongoing, due to mining activity.

By Mary Anne Padilla, FSP

Social Communications Apostolate of the archdiocese represented by Sr. Mary Anne Padilla, FSP together with Rev. Fr. Casibjorn Quiacao participated in the Signis Asia Assembly 2010 (SAA) in Surabaya, Indonesia last September 20-24, 2010. The Theme chosen for this year's assembly “Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation: Media's Role” was inspired by Pope Benedict XVI's message for World Day of Peace on January 10, 2010. The Pope said, “The environment must be seen as God's gift, and the use we make of it entails a shared responsibility for all humanity, especially the poor and future generations.”

Augustine Loorthusamy, in an address from the Signis World President heeds the pontiff's call for environmental protection interconnecting with cultivating peace. Aware of the many problems relating to man's natural environment, such as the abuse of natural resources led to climate change and catastrophic calamities, he urged all delegates and participants coming from various countries in Asia to bring in more media professionals and practitioners to their country's Signis to work collectively for peace and protection of creation.

Antonio and Elizabeth de Castro, founders of Earthworm Sanctuary, Quezon City, Philippines, keynote speakers for the first day of the conference spoke of the value of Vermiculture, an artificial rearing or cultivation of earthworms and uses worm's vermicompost for organic farming, which not only converts garbage into valuable manure but also keeps the environment healthy. Vermiculture, a newly introduced technology, counters inorganic fertilizers and consequently prevents cancer risks in consumers.

Mr. Errol Jonathans, deputy general manager of Surabaya Radio Station and speaker for the second day of the conference emphasized Media's role in cultivating peace and protecting creation. Citing Pope Benedict XVI's passage, he said “Media play a great role and responsibility in protecting the environment.”

Prevalent suggestions raised after the second day's group discussion were to come up with a common media project on environmental protection translated into different languages and share it to the different countries in Asia where Signis is established. Others also mentioned that available materials at hand can also be shared for other countries.

The third day set for local Radio and TV immersion, the delegates and observers were first brought to the district of Sidoarjo, a place where the Lapindo mudflow has caused havoc in the area since December 2006. The disastrous mud flow was the result of human error performed by an oil drilling company Lapindo Brantas Inc.

During the mudflow tragedy, the Church jointly working with the local media in the area played a significant role in awakening people's consciousness of their role and responsibility toward creation. This responsibility saves mankind from the danger of self-destruction.

The assembly continued with two day assessment reports of Signis members from South Asia, South East Asia and East Asia. A concelebrated Mass was presided by Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Surabaya to conclude the five-day meeting of Asian Catholic Communicators, the other name of Signis Asia.

Illegal mining persists in hinterland barangays

2010-11-18T18:04:00.001-08:00

Church workers from the parishes of Dansolihon and Taglimao have reported that environmentally destructive mining still persists in their respective areas despite a citywide mining ban declared in 2009 by then-Mayor Constantino Jaraula.

During a watershed preservation workshop conferred by Abp. Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J., a Dansolihon church worker stated that a big mining firm, which she refused to name, is still conducting activities in her neighborhood, having bribed the Higaonon locals for their silence. A church worker from Taglimao reported that another mining company does its blasting for copper and gold from boulders every night.

Abp. Ledesma responded by stating that the city government should investigate all concerned mining firms.
Besides the two barangays already named, illegal mining activities also persist unhindered in Mambuaya, Tagpangi, Tuburan and Tumpagon.

Initao District midaog sa Bible Quiz

2010-11-18T17:58:00.000-08:00

Ni Mark Harvey Elloren

Nagmaya ang Initao District sa ilang pagkadaog sa Archdiocesan Family Bible Quiz niadtong Oktobre 16, 2010 didto sa Lourdes College Auditorium, Cagayan de Oro City. Gipildi sa Abaday Family ug Plaga Family nga gikan sa Initao District ang napulo ka pamilya nga gikan sa laing distrito sa arkidiyosesis.

Ang Bible Quiz usa ka programa sa Archdiocesan Bible Apostolate nga gipangulohan ni Fr. Michael Fabello. Inabagan kini sa Episcopal Biblical Apostolate team nga gikan pa sa Manila ug maoy nagbuhat sa mga pangutana alang sa Bible Quiz. Sila gipangulohan ni Fr. Paul Marquez, SSP, editor sa Sambuhay ug manunulat sa CBCP Monitor.

Ang Quiz may lima ka rawon ug sa usa ka rawon may napulo ka mga pangutana nga gikan gayod sa Bibliya.

May walo ka eskwelahang Katoliko ang niapil sa maong Biblle Quiz. Sa High School Level Competition, migawas ang unang mananaog, ang St. Mary’s School sa Aluba, Macasandig. Gisundan kini sa St. Joseph Academy sa El Salvador ug sunod ang Lourdes College High School.

Si Fr. Fabello nagaiingon na ang Bible Quiz sa High School level makatabang sa pagsuta sa kapasidad sa mga tunghaan sa ilang Katolikanhong edukasyon. Si Fr. Perseus Cabunoc, SSJV, ang Ad Intra Coordinator, nagaiingon nga usa ka “encouragement” ang Bible Quiz sa mga batan-on sa pagbasa sa Balaan nga Kasulatan. Si Fr. Eddie V. Magtrayo, Catechtical Director, nagaingon, “Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ.” Mao kini ang tumong sa Bible Quiz; alang pagpaila kang Kristo ug kalambigitan sa Bibliya sa Kristohanonong kinabuhi.

CDO St. Joseph Academy writers garner 10 awards

2010-11-18T17:46:00.003-08:00

By Fr. Macky V. Ceballos, SSJV

The writers of St. Joseph Academy’s school paper, The Carpenters won 10 awards in the recently concluded Division Schools Press Conference held at Balingasag North Central School, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental on September 30 – October 2, 2010. Contestants from the Elementary Level garnered 6 places while the Secondary Level gathered 4 awards including one in the team event.

The following winners are: Nyssa Angela Jabonga, 3rd place in Feature Writing, and 2nd in Editorial Writing, both in Filipino; Kathleen June Lignes, 2nd in English News Writing; Mariel Dave Giganto, 7th in English Sports Writing; Kayllien Duran, 9th in Feature Writing and 6th place in Editorial Writing, both in English.

In the Secondary Level division, the winners are: Jean Ian Ampoyo, 8th in Sports Writing (English); Vielly Joe Fuentes, 7th in Sports Writing (Filipino); Lyndie Mae Taneo, 2nd in News Writing (English).

Meanwhile, the secondary level was also honored with 5th place in Radio Broadcasting, English category in the persons of Grace Marie Aguilar, Jean Ian Ampoyo, Joseph Martin Buray, Hazel Rowelle Mae Caylo, Vielly Joe Fuentes, Christmi Joy Lomongo, and Lyndie Mae Taneo.

Mrs. Erlinda Dael, DepEd Supervisor for English of the Division of Misamis Oriental, disclosed that only those who won the first four places in the division level will qualify to participate in the Regional Schools Press Conference. Thus, only three students from SJA will qualify to the regional competition: Nyssa Angela Jabonga and Kathleen June Lignes, both from the elementary level, and Lyndie Mae Taneo for the secondary level.

This year’s gathering of campus journalists had the theme: “Campus Journalism as a Catalyst for Change: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.” There were around 88 public and private elementary and secondary schools in Misamis Oriental and close to 1,300 participants all over the province.

As School Director and Moderator of the school paper, this writer remarks: “It was an improved performance of the SJA students as compared to last year’s participation of our school in Opol, Misamis Oriental. We got a big leap from last year’s three awards only which did not even qualify to the regional level. It was indeed a good finish.”

The Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) will be held in one of the schools in Iligan City on November 18-20, 2010.

Land ownership finally awarded to Sumilao Farmers

2010-11-18T17:35:00.001-08:00

By Louise Dumas

Most people think that their story started with the first step crossing the boundary of their farms and the highway. To many, their struggle was encompassed by the road which led from Bukidnon to the country’s seat of power in Malacañang. But in their war for social justice, the Sumilao March was only a battle.

The story of the Sumilao farmers actually began when, like the untold histories of Indigenous Peoples of Bukidnon, settlers put up ranches and grazing fields in what had been their self-sustaining communities.

In the late 1930s, Higaonon communities in Sumilao were displaced when a deed of sale was drawn and the Angeles family put up a cattle ranch in their lands. In the 1970s, part of the land went to Salvador Carlos while the 144 hectares – which would be the center of their struggle – were sold to Norberto Quisumbing. In 1990, under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) of Corazon Aquino’s government, the land was declared eligible for distribution to the farmers. But in 1996, because of loopholes in the law, the area was easily reclassified from agricultural to agro-industrial land, exempting it from CARP.

Once more denied their right to the land their forefathers had developed, the farmers staged a hunger strike in front of the Department of Agricultural Reform Central Office in Quezon City. The Office of the President, seemingly relenting, decided to award 100 hectares of land to the farmers. But as if toying with the latter, the order was again revoked and a series of promises that were never fulfilled followed.

Finally, in 2007, the farmers decided to bring their issue beyond their communities and to appeal to the rest of the country for support. They made history when they decided to walk all the way from their farms in Sumilao to personally plead with the president. But despite their historic march, their effort was countered with only a flimsy promise from the government.

This year, the long-sought Certificate of Land Ownership Agreement was finally awarded to them in a program held on October 10. The certificate was personally handed over to PANAW Sumilao Multipurpose Cooperative chairperson Napoleon Merida by DAR Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes.

“The presence of DAR secretary Gil de los Reyes indicated that the new administration intends to complete the agrarian reform,” Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ, DD, said. The church had maintained an advocacy support for the farmers through the years of their struggle. Under the new government, many more lands have been identified for distribution under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms. Most of these lands are in Negros Occidental, Isabela, Camarines Sur and Bukidnon.

Bishops to formally discuss RH Bill with PNoy

2010-11-18T17:32:00.000-08:00

By Louise Dumas

Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ, DD, cleared that there were no talks in the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) of ex-communicating President Benigno Aquino III because of his support for the Reproductive Health Bill.

Archbishop Ledesma said that in a recent dialogue with the president, together with CBCP President, Bishop Nereo Odchimar, His Eminence Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal and Bishop Chito Tagle on October 11, PNoy said that he was also against abortion and was for responsible parenthood and informed choice. The government is to provide information for family planning. PNoy reportedly said that the Philippines will not be like Thailand where pro-choice means abortion.

“The meeting was cordial and with a frank atmosphere,” said Archbishop Ledesma. “Hopefully, it will bring about convergence. There is no talk of ex-communication and it was just sensationalized by the media. We are arranging for a more formal dialogue with the president.”

The Reproductive Health Bill is an act providing for a national policy on reproductive health, responsible parenthood & population development. “It is not so much as the macro population issue,” said Archbishop Ledesma. “Rather, it is about helping low-income families to plan the number of their children. Large families are not sustainable. It [reproductive health] is a matter of social science – not of faith and morals.”

In his article, Three Challenges of Humanae Vitae, however, Archbishop Ledesma makes it clear that legislative measures should not ‘infringe on the rights of parents or resort to contraceptive methods deemed contrary to the moral law.’ Citing Humanae Vitae, 12, he stated that ‘These measures tend to devalue the true nature of marriage by artificially separating the “unitive and procreative meanings” of the conjugal act.’

The church approves the active Natural Family Planning Program. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is stated that the Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom (CCC, 2370).
The All-Natural Family Planning Program which is implemented through the Christian Family and Life Apostolate, as the name indicates, does not combine natural methods with artificial contraceptives. It includes temperature and mucus methods, sympto-thermal and lactational amenorrhea methods, the Standard Days Method and the Two Day Method.

PNoy, stating that the government would support the approach recommended by the church, however, has no bias for what kind of family planning.

Stewards of God’s Gift to All Generations

2010-11-18T17:10:00.000-08:00

Care for the environment and in particular concern over the consequences of climate change have been expressed in recent Catholic Church documents. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (2004) includes an entire chapter on “Safeguarding the Environment” (chap. 10). In his latest encyclical, Caritas in Veritate (2009), on “Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth,” Pope Benedict XVI devotes several sections to the relationship of human beings with the environment.

From the documents, we can summarize five major themes that bring out the spiritual-moral context for our discussion on climate change in the Philippine setting.

1) “The environment is God’s gift to everyone.” (CV, 48)
• In nature the believer recognizes the creative activity of God. “Nature expresses a design of love and truth,” given to us by the Creator as the setting for our life. A beautiful landscape can fill us with awe and wonder – a mirror of God’s presence in the world that He has created.
• The biblical message situates the first man and woman in a garden for them to keep and till. And with regard to every created reality, “God saw that it was good.”(cf. Gen. 1:4 f.) Man’s original innocence is best expressed in his vocation to be master of all other created beings in the universe.

2) The environment is a collective good, destined for all. (cf. CSDC, 466)
• All beings are interconnected in an ordered ecosystem that we call the “cosmos.” We are all part of a web of life that reaches out from the smallest creatures to the most complex.
• The environmental value of biodiversity must be adequately protected. Our forests, in particular, help preserve the natural balance among diverse forms of life, including our own.
• The climate itself is a good that must be protected. “One considers relations between human activity and climate change which, given their extreme complexity, must be opportunely and constantly monitored at the scientific, political and juridical, national and international levels.” (CSDC, 470)
• “Care for the environment… is a common and universal duty, that of respecting a common good.” (CSDC, 466)

3) “Human beings… exercise a responsible stewardship over nature.” (CV, 50)
• As stewards, human beings are entrusted by the Creator to conserve the environment, enjoy its fruits and cultivate it in new ways to make it more productive to accommodate and feed the world’s population.
• The covenant between Yahweh and Noah and his descendants after the flood, symbolized by the rainbow (Gen. 9), also connotes a covenant between human beings and the environment – i.e., no longer to destroy God’s creation.
• “One of the greatest challenges facing the economy is to achieve the most efficient use – not abuse – of natural resources, based on a realization that the notion of ‘efficiency’ is not value-free.” (CV, 50)
• Environmental protection at the macro level cannot be assured solely on the basis of financial calculations of costs and returns at the micro level. “The environment is one of those goods that cannot be adequately safeguarded or promoted by market forces.” (CSDC, 470)
• The adverse effects of climate change that we have experienced from recent calamities in Ormoc, Infanta, Marikina, etc. are warning signs and a call for responsible stewardship − particularly with regard to our watershed and river basin areas.

4) “Projects for integral human development cannot ignore coming generations, but need to be marked by solidarity and inter-generational justice.” (CV, 48)
• The adverse effects of environmental degradation often take place in a gradual, cumulative manner that are not immediately noticed until sudden calamities occur. Only then do communities come to realize that the effects are irreversible, affecting future generations.
• Such are the consequences of the loss of bio-diversity and the extinction of various species of wild-life. Likewise, soil erosion from the uplands and the resultant siltation of river beds and destruction of coral reefs are oftentimes irreversible and permanently damage the environment.
• Hence, “the right to a safe and healthy natural environment” is gradually receiving juridical recognition. (CSDC, 468) Likewise, the right of the children of our present generation to inherit and enjoy the blessings of an unspoiled environment has been upheld by the Philippine Supreme Court, a landmark decision that has caught the attention of other countries.
• “Intergenerational solidarity” is thus a moral value we need to uphold – for instance with regard to the search for alternative sources of energy that do not produce a greenhouse effect or global warming altering climate patterns.

5) The Church has a responsibility towards creation and integral human development. (cf. CV, 51)
• “When ‘human ecology’ is respected within society, environmental ecology also benefits.” (CV, 51)
• Human ecology refers to our understanding and appreciation for the dignity of the human person and the inter-personal value of human society. Respect for the person as the subject and goal of development also flows into respect for the environment. “The decisive issue is the overall moral tenor of society.” (CV, 51)
• “The book of nature is one and indivisible: it takes in not only the environment but also life, sexuality, marriage, the family, social relations: in a word, integral human development.” (CV, 51)
• “The way humanity treats the environment influences the way it treats itself, and vice versa.” (CV, 51) Care for the environment invites modern society to adopt new life – styles away from the prevailing spirit of hedonism and consumerism. Culture and nature are thus closely linked. A wholesome human ecology leads to a wholesome natural ecology.

In summary, our concern over the adverse consequences of climate change stems from our appreciation that:

(1) The environment is God’s gift;
(2) It is a collective good that we share with others;
(3) As human beings, we are called to be responsible stewards of God’s creation;
(4) Solidarity and inter-generational justice are key moral principles for our protection and conservation of the environment; and
(5) The Church espouses integral human development that encompasses a wholesome environmental ecology.

Inter-Diocesan College Seminary Assembly gipahigayon sa CdO

2010-11-18T17:05:00.000-08:00

CABUSTAM seminary formators celebrate Holy Mass at the Carmelite Chapel in Camaman-an, Cagayan de Oro City.

Ni Jan Crispin Adrian O. Rayon

Nagkatigum-tigum pag-usab ang mga seminarista sa diyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Surigao, Tandag ug Malaybalay alang sa ika-lima nga Cagayan, Butuan, Surigao, Tandag, Malaybalay (CABUSTAM) Inter-Diocesan College Seminary Assembly nga nahitabo niadtong Oktubre 15 - 17, 2010 sa San Jose de Mindanao Seminary, Camaman-an, ubos sa tema, “The Call to Nurture the Encounter of the Sacred in the Human Experience Thru Prayer.”

Dako ang kalipay ni Rev. Fr. Othelo Polinar, SSJV, rector sa San Jose de Mindanao Seminary (SJMS) nga mao ang pinaka-una nga nagpasiugda sa tinuig nga kalihukan upat na katuig ang milabay. Sa iyang mensahe, miingon siya “it’s good to be back here, where we all started this assembly…” Ang SJMS ang pinaka-una nga nagdumala sa CABUSTAM Assembly niadtong tuig 2006, ang Golden Anniversary sa SJMS. Gisundan dayon kini pagdumala sa Bukidnon (2007), Surigao(2008) ug Butuan (2009).

Ang unang parte sa kalihukan mao ang makatandog nga pakigpulong ni Rev. Fr. Raul Dael, SSJV sa SJMS chapel. Sa iyang pakigpulong, gipunting niya ang kamahinungdanon sa pag-ampo ilabi na gayod nga ang mga seminarista ang mamahimong mga pari ugma damlag. Gisundan kini sa Santos nga Misa nga gipangulohan ni Rev. Fr. Othelo Polinar, SSJV kauban ang mga seminary fathers sa nagkadaiyang seminary sa CABUSTAM Region. Bibo usab kaayo ang mga participante sa assembliya nga bisag nibundak ang kusog nga ulan ug napalong ang kuryente sa ikaduhang hugna kamulo ang programa, wala gihapon magpapugong ang mga seminarista sa pagpasiklab sa ilang mga talento sa pag-awit ug pagsayaw sa gipahigayon nga Choral Contest ug Interpretative Dance Contest. Naangkon sa St. Peter College Seminary ang unang gantimpala sa Choral contest ug ang San Jose de Mindanao Seminary ang nakakuha sa unang gantimpla sa Interpretative Dance Contest.

Sa ikaduhang adlaw sa panagtigum, gipangulohan ni Most Rev. Fr. Antonio Ledesma, SJ, DD ang Santos nga Misa. Gipunting sa Obispo ang pagtimbang-timbang sa mga prioridad sa kinabuhi isip mga umaabot nga mga pari ugma damlag. Wala usab nawala ang tradiyonal nga sportsfest nga didto gihimo sa Kong Hua High School, Kauswagan. Naangkon sa St. Peter College Seminary ang over-all champion sa Sports fest.
Kapin sa gatos ang mitambong sa gipahigayon nga assembliya. Otsentay sais (86) ka seminarista ang mitambong gikan sa St. Peter’s College Seminary-Butuan (23 kanila gikan sa Tandag Diocese), singkwentay tres (53) ang gikan sa Pope John XXIII College Seminary-Malaybalay, trantay otso (38) gikan sa Maradjao Magbalantay College Seminary-Surigao City ug adunay sitentay siete (77) ka mga seminarista ang gikan sa San Jose de Mindanao Seminary-Cagayan de Oro (18 kanila gikan sa Tandag Diocese).

“Malipayon kaayo ko sa asembliya…Nadasig ko pag-ayo nga magpadayon sa akong bokasyon”, miingon si Mark Tiu, usa sa mga seminarista gikan sa diyosesis sa Surigao nga mitambong sa gipahigayon nga panagtigom. Excited napud ang tanan sa sunod nga CABUSTAM assembly nga pagahimoon didto sa Malaybalay, Bukidnon sunod tuig. Kining tanan gihimo alang sa kalamboan sa bokasyon ug sa paglig-on sa communal life sa mga seminarista sa CABUSTAM.

MSPC XIV - “Word of God in Mindanao: Creation and Peace”

2010-11-18T16:59:00.000-08:00

Ni Erdman Pandero

Digos City, Philippines – 213 ka mga deligado gikan sa nagkalain-laing mga diyosesis ug arkidiyosesis sa pulo sa Mindanao ug Sulu ang mitambong sa ika-14 nga Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference (MSPC) nga gipahigayon niadtong Oktubre 18 – 22, 2010 sa Crisbel Crown Center dakbayan sa Digos.

Ang MSPC usa ka panagtigum sa mga Obispo, Kaparian, Kamadrehan ug mga Laygo nga nahisakop sa pulo sa Mindanao ug sa Sulu. Ang unang MSPC nahitabo niadtong Nobyembre 17 – 21, 1971 didto sa Arkidiyosesis sa Davao. Ang MSPC mahitabo kausa sulod sa tulo ka tuig.

Ang atong Arkidiyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro nagpadala og napulo ka opisyal nga mga deligado nga gipangulohan ni Msgr. Columbus Villamil, SSJV (Vicar-General). Uban kaniya mao sila si Fr. Florencio Salvador, SSJV, SLD, (Vicar-Genereal), Fr. Perseus Cabunoc, SSJV (Ad Intra Ministry), Fr. Nathan Lerio, SSJV (Ad Extra Ministry), Fr. Eddie Magtrayo, SSJV (Catechetics), Fr. Roy Barros, SSJV (BEC), Fr. Butch Zayas (SJVTS Vice-Rector), Sr. Mary Anne Padilla, FSP (Social Com), Ms. Myrna Siose (ACCESS), Ms. Ann Pielago (All-NFP), ug Mr. Benny Sy (Alpha, BEC). Si Sr. Padilla wala nakatambong hinuon gipulihan siya ni Bro. Erdman Pandero (Vice-Chancellor).

Ang tema sa ika-14 nga MSPC Word of God in Mindanao: Creation and Peace. Giablihan ang maong kumperensya sa usa ka Santos nga Misa nga gipangulohan sa atong talahuron nga Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams. Sa iyang maanindot ug lawom nga homiliya, iyang gidapit ug gipahinumduman ang mga kaparian nga ang Pulong Sa Dios nga kanunay gibasa ug gisaulog diha sa Santos nga Misa mamahimo untang buhi diha sa kinabuhi sa mga kaparian.

Ang 21 ka mga Obispo, 71 ka mga kaparian, 3 ka mga relihiyosong lalaki, 25 ka mga madre, ug 93 ka mga laygo maiiniton nga gidawat ug gihatagan og luna nga kapapahulayan sa mga foster families. Sulod sa tulo ka adlaw, ang mga deligado masubsob nga namalandong mahitungod sa (1) Pulong sa Dios, (2) ang Kabuhatan ug Kinaiyahan, (3) ug Kalinaw. Gibahin sila ngadto sa 16 ka mga grupo ug uban sa ilang pinili nang daan nga facilitators, ilang gipadayag ang ilang mga pamalandong ug mga kasinatian. Aduna usab Plenary Session ug Synthesis sa matag adlaw.

Usa sa mga maanindot nga punto nga gihatag ni Bishop Romulo T. dela Cruz, DD mahitungod sa Pulong sa Dios mao nga ang Pulong sa Dios Buhi. Kini buhi tungod kay ang Pulong sa Dios adunay (1) tingog (voice), (2) hulagway (face), (3) balay (home), ug (4) nagpadala kanato ngadto sa misyon (sends us to mission). Ang Pulong sa Dios Buhi tungod kay adunay tingog nga nasinati diha sa creation story, sa mga propeta, ug sa mga sulugoon sa Dios, adunay hulagway diha sa atong Ginoong Jesukristo, adunay balay diha sa mga katilingban sa mga matuohon, ug nagpadala sa misyon ngadto sa mga pamilya ug katilingban.

Sa pagtapos sa MSPC XIV, nauyonan sa mga deligado nga ang sunod nga MSPC nga mahitabo sa tuig 2013 pagahimoon sa Arkidiyosesis sa Zamboanga.

Paglaum sa mga gagmayng mag-uuma miabot na

2010-10-10T19:43:00.001-07:00

Sustainable Agriculture Ministry

Miabot na ang pagla-um sa mga gagmayng mag-uuma pinaagi sa usa ka proyekto nga gipangayo sa mahal nga Arsobispo Antonio Ledesma. Ang proyekto mao ang ‘Bridging Claveria Small Farmers to Jollibee Supply Chain’ nga gitagana sa Catholic Relief Services (CRS) ug gidumala sa Sustainable Agriculture Ministry (SAM) Team nga gipangulohan ni Rev. Fr. Rene D. Soldevilla.

Ang ‘Memorandum of Agreement’ gi-lagdaan niadtong Hunyo 15, 2010 sa atong Arsobispo ug sa pangulo sa CRS, ug ang unang tigum gihimo sa Hunyo 29, 2010 aron sa pag-hapsay sa mga gimbuhaton uban sa CRS Mindanao nga gi representahan ni G. Randy Paler.
Ang mga opisyales sa proyekto mao sila si: Rev. Fr. Rene d. Soldevilla – Project Supervisor, Nelson Tomonglay (lumad sa Claveria) – Project Coordinator ug Famela Rivera – Finance/Administrative Officer.

Ang tumong sa proyekto mao ang pag-sanay sa gilantaw nga 100 ka mga gagmayng mag-uuma aron sa pagtanum sa sibuyas bombay nga gikinahanglan sa Jollibee Food Chain ug usab sa local nga merkado dinhi sa Mindanao, aron ilang kahimtang moharuharay nga mao usab ang panglantaw sa SAM.

Usa ka pagtu-on ang gipahigayon sa unang napulo’g pito (17) ka mga mag-uuma niadtong Hulyo 28, 2010 sa taga CRS ug usab sa mga gilantaw nga tumatabang sa pag-palambo sa proyekto niadtong Hulyo 29, 2010. Ang maong pagtu-on giubanan sa mga NGOs, Academe, LGUs ug GAs nga gitawag ug ‘Site Working Group’ (SWG).

Tungod niini, adunay usa ka ‘Field Study Tour’ nga gihimo niadtong Agosto 17, 2010 didto sa Impasug-ong, Bukidnon aron masinati sa mga mag-uuma, SWG ug SAM Team sa mga paagi sa ug kahapsay kabahin sa proyekto nga gisugdan sa Kaanib Foundation – local NGO partner sa CRS nga nagalihok sa Impasug-ong.

Sa tigum sa Ad-Extra Ministry, miingon si Rev. Fr. Rene Soldevila nga kining proyekto sa Arsobispo, dako kaayong makatabang dili lamang sa mga gagmayng mag-uuma sa lungsod sa Claveria, kon dili sa tanang mag-uuma sa probinsya sa Misamis Oriental.
Matud pa ni Rev. Fr. Rene D. Soldevilla, nga adunay dakong pag-pasundayag o ‘launching’ sa proyekto sa umaabot nga bulan, pagkahuman sa usa ka ‘demo farm’ nga gi-tukod diha sa hawanan sa parokya sa Our Lady of Lourdes Parish sa Claveria. Kining dakong pag-pasundayag tambungan sa mga opisyales sa simbahan nga pangulohan sa atong mahal nga Arsobispo, Msgr. Antonio Ledesma ug mga opisyales sa CRS sa kaulohan ug sa Mindanao.

Ang Pagkakabig ni San Agustin: sumbanan sa atong kaugalingon ug katilingbanong pagkakabig

2010-10-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

(homiliya ni Padre Boy Salvador, atol sa Misa Concelebrada sa Katedral sa Pangilin ni San Agustin, Aug. 28, 2010)

Sa tuig 1986, ang Simbahan misaulog sa ika-napulo’g unom nga centenaryo sa conversion o pagkakabig ni San Agustin. Sa maong tuiga, si Papa Juan Pablo II mihimo og sulat apostoliko Augustinum Hipponensem. Nahinuklog ako sa pagkaamgo nga sa mao gihapong tuiga 1986, kami nila ni Fr. Raul Sesante ug Msgr. Lolong Isnani naordinahan nga mga pari. Ang maong tuiga gihapon, mahinumduman ninyo, ang tuig sa makasaysayanon ug malinawon nga “Rebolusyon sa EDSA” nga nakausab sa panagway sa Pilipinas. Ang pagkatakdo sa maong mga panghitabo sa usa lang ka tuig daw nagpaamgo kanato nga kon kita, isip mga sumusunod ni Cristo (isip pari ug laygo) ug isip usa ka katawhan, kon kita buot ni-anang malungtaron nga kalinaw ug lawom nga kalipay, kinahanglan nga suhiron nato ang susamang dalan sa conversion nga gilaktan ni San Agustin, atong “Dakung Amahan”.

Niining pagsaulog nato sa kapistahan ni San Agustin, atong pamalandongan ang mga naglangkob sa iyang pagkakabig, pinasikad sa maong sulat ni Papa Juan Pablo II, ingon man sa pagpanudlo sa atong kasamtangang Papa Benedicto XVI. Atong hisgutan ang tutulo (3) ka aspeto niining conversion ni San Agustin, nga mahimo natong sumbanan sa atong tagsatagsa ka personal ug sosyal nga pagkakabig. Ang dalan sa pagkakabig nga gisubay ni San Agustin, una, usa ka dalan padulong sa kamatuoran; ikaduha, usa kini ka dalan padulong sa maalagaron nga paghigugma sa isig-katawo; ug, ikatulo, usa kini ka dalan nga naghatud kaniya ngadto sa mapaubsanon nga pagsalig sa Diosnong kaluoy. It was an itinerary towards embracing the truth, expressed in loving and humble service to others and total trust in Divine Mercy.

I. Ang dalan sa kamatuoran

Si San Agustin malarawan nato nga usa ka tawo nga kanunay gayud nagpangita sa kamatuoran. Ang iyang tibuok nga kinabuhi usa ka walay pagkaugdang nga pagpangita sa maong kamatuoran. Kinsa man ang tao? Asa man siya gikan? Unsa may iyang tumong niining kalibutan? Asa man niya makaplagan ang tinuod nga kinabuhi? Kini ang mga lintunganay ug sukaranang mga pangutana nga naghimo sa tibuok kinabuhi ni San Agustin nga pagpangita og tubag niini.

A. Ang maong pagpangita sa kamatuoran, naghatud kaniya ngadto sa lain-lain nga mga matang sa pagpanaw:

1. Una anaa ang intellectual nga pagpanaw. Iyang gi-abraso ang nagkadaiyang panlantaw sa kinabuhi ug sistema sa panghunahuna sama sa Platonismo, sama sa Manikeanismo ug uban pang mga pilosopiya sa iyang panahon.

2. Ang maong pagpangita sa kamatuoran usab naghatud kaniya sa pagpanaw ngadto sa mga lain-laing dapit (geographical): gikan sa Tagaste (ang iyang natawhan nga lungsod), ngadto sa Cartagena, tabok ngadto sa Roma, ngadto sa Milano, dayon balik sa Africa, hangtud na sa iyang pagka-obispo ug pagkamatay didto sa Hippo.

3. Ang maong pagpangita sa kamatuoran nagtulod usab kaniya sa pagpangita niini diha sa mga katahum kalibutanon sumala sa iyang gihisgutan diha sa iyang sinulat nga The Confessions; mga katahum kini nga minugna sa Ginoo apan sa iyang pagsunod-sunod niini nagpalayo na hinuon siya gikan sa kamatuoran. Nasayod kita sa iyang kinabuhi: aduna siya’y kapuyo gikan kang kinsa nahimugso ang usa ka anak nga si Adeodatus; iyang gisubay ang dalan sa kahilayan. Apan kining tanan naghatud lamang kaniya sa dugang kauhaw ug kagutom sa tinuod nga kamatuoran.

4. Hangtud nga nahi-abot siya sa tiilan ni San Ambrosio, ang balaan nga obispo sa Milan. Didto nahipalgan niya ang kamatuoran nga iyang gitawag “katahum nga kanunay karaan ug kanunay bag-o” (Late have I loved you, o Beauty ever ancient, ever new!)

B. Sa iyang pagpaminaw sa makinaadmanon nga mga pagwali ni San Ambrosio, nasud-ong niya pagbalik sa labing tataw nga paagi, ang larawan sa Diyos-nga-nahimong- tawo. Ang misteryo sa incarnation, ang pagpakahimong tawo sa ikaduhang persona sa Diyos, mao ang naghatag og kahayag ug nagpatin-aw sa tanan niyang pagpangita sa kamatuoran.

1. Ang iyang pagpamalandong sa pagkahimong tawo sa Diyos naghatag kaniya nianang harmoniya (synthesis), kon panagdugtong sa misteryo sa Diyos ug sa tawo. Ang Dios iyang nahikaplagan nga dili diay halayo sa tawo. Iyang nasud-ong ang Diyos nga kanunay naghunahuna ug nahigugma sa tawo, ug iyang nahinuklogan nga ang tawo walay pagkamao gawas kung siya nahiusa sa Ginoo. (intimo intimeor meo) Ang Diyos, matud pa niya, “is intimate to me, more intimate than I am to myself”. Hilabihan ka duol ang Diyos kanato, mas duol pa kay sa kasuod nato sa atong kaugalingon. Mao nga nagtudlo si San Agustin kanato sa pagpangita nianang kamatuoran, dili sa “gawas” kondili sa “kahiladman” sa atong kaugalingon. Balik sa imong kaugalingon ug didto nimo mahikaplagan ang kamatuoran, ug diha sa paghikaplag nimo sa kamatuoran, makaplagan nimo ang Diyos. (Ubi inveni veritatem, inveni Deum). Alang kang San Agustin, ang dalan padulong sa Diyos sa kahitas-an kinahanglang motidlum diha sa dalan sa kahiladman sa tawo. Ang Simbahan, sa kabag-ohan, labina diha sa sinulat ni Juan Pablo II, Redemptor Hominis, mipahinumdum man usab niining panagtagbo sa dalan sa Diyos ug tawo: “the way for the Church to walk is man”. Ang dalan nga subayon sa Simbahan, mao ang dalan sa tawo, kay ang Dios sa hingpit nakighiusa sa tawo.

2. Sa pagkaampo niya sa harmoniya sa misteryo sa Diyos ug sa tawo, nakaplagan usab ni San Agustin ang panagdugtong sa pagtuo ug sa rason (faith and reason). Gibilin ni San Agustin ang usa ka pedagohiya alang sa siyensiya sa teolohiya: Crede ut intelligas, intellige ut credas (Believe, so that you will understand; understand, so that you will better believe). Alang kang San Agustin, ang intelihensiya sa tawo, inay magpahilayo kaniya sa Diyos, maghatud hinuon sa tawo balik ngadto sa iyang Magbubuhat. Kini man ang kahulogan sa pagkahimong usa ka “Doktor sa Simbahan”, sama ni San Agustin: ang kalapad ug kalawom sa iyang kinaadman naghatud kaniya sa dugang nga kabalaan, sa dugang nga pagkaamgo sa kagamay sa tawhanong panabot atubangan sa kabantugan ug kagamhanan sa Diyos.

Ang kamatuoran nahibalag ni San Agustin diha sa Dios-nga-nahimong-tawo. Dili ba kini man usab ang “dakung proyekto” nga gitanyag ni Papa Juan Pablo II alang sa tibuok kalibutan niining ikatulong milenyo. Nalimtan na sa kalibutan sa kabag-ohan ang panagway ni Hesus, ang Dios nga nahimong tawo; ang tahas alang kanato mao ang pagtanyag ngadto sa katawhan sa kalibutan ug sa atong panahon karon niining larawan sa Dios nga nahimong tawo. Sama ni San Agustin, kita usab gihagit sa paglakat niining pagbiyahe sa kamatuoran nga iyang nahipalgan diha sa Dios nga nahimong tawo.

II. Ang Paghigugma sa Isigkatawo

Ikaduha, ang dalan sa conversion ni San Agustin naghatud kaniya ngadto sa matinud-anon og mahigugmaon nga pagsilbi sa isig-katawo. Human sa iyang pagkakabig sa tuig 386, ug sa pagbunyag kaniya ni San Ambrosio sa sunod nga tuig sa 387, mibalik siya sa Africa diin mitigum siya’g komunidad nga magpadayon sa pagpuyo subay sa kamatuoran nga iyang nahikaplagan. Mga tulo ka tuig kadto nga malinawon ug hilum nga kinabuhi, uban sa mabungahon nga pagpamalandong nga iyang gipangsulat. Nagtuo siya nga nakaplagan na gayud niya ang kahingpitan sa pagkabalaan pinaagi niining pag-ampo, pagpamalandong ug pagsulat, sulod sa maong katilingban sa mga laygo. Apan usa ka adlaw niana, miadto siya sa dakbayan sa Hippo, ug sa iyang pagsulod sa katedral sa Hippo, mao gayo’y pagsulti sa obispo nga nanginahanglan siya og tawo nga maayo mosulti sa Linatin. Ang ilang sinultian kaniadto Linatin, samtang ang maong Obispo usa ka Griyego. Sanglit nailhan naman si San Agustin isip banggiitan nga magtutudlo ug haniti sa Latin, gibira siya sa mga tawo ug gipugos pagpaatubang sa Obispo. Sa wala madugay, gi-ordinahan siya nga pari.Human niining “pinugos nga ordinasyon”, misulat siya ngadto kang Obispo Valerio: “I was constrained ... to accept second place at the helm, when as yet I knew not how to handle an oar. ... And from this derived the tears which some of my brethren perceived me shedding in the city at the time of my ordination” (cf. Letter 21, 1ff.).

Tulo ka tuig human niadto, nahimo siya og obispo sa Hippo. Ang iyang hilum nga kinabuhi sa kontemplasyon (sa pagpamalandong, pag-ampo ug pagsulat), nahunong ug nahimong sa usa ka aktibo nga kinabuhi sa pastoral nga pag-alagad sa Simbahan. Matag karon ug unya, sa iyang mga sermon ug sulat, iyang gipadayag ang iyang nagpahiping pangandoy nga mobalik ngadto sa malinawon nga kinabuhi sa pag-ampo ug pagsulat. Sa iyang usa ka sermon, gilarawan niya ang kabug-at sa iyang opisyo isip usa ka Obispo: “Continuously preaching, arguing, rebuking, building God’s house, having to manage for everyone -- who would not shrink from such a heavy burden?” (Sermon 339, 4). Matag adlaw, nagkinabuhi siya uban ni Kristo alang sa iyang panon. Ang iyang nagdilaab nga tinguha sa malinawon nga pagpamalandung ug pagsulat natugaw sa daghanang niyang mga katungdanan pastoral: “reprimanding the undisciplined, comforting the faint-hearted, supporting the weak, refuting opponents ... encouraging the negligent, soothing the quarrelsome, helping the needy, liberating the oppressed, expressing approval to the good, tolerating the wicked and loving all” (Sermon 340, 3).

Hinikling ang iyang kaugalingon damgo sa personal nga kalinaw, gi-abraso ni San Agustin ang kinabuhi sa tininuod nga pagsilbi pastoral sa Simbahan. Kaniya nagsumikad ang paglarawan hangtud karon sa pagpangalagad pastoral sa mga ministro sa Simbahan (mga Obispo ug pari) isip officium amoris, opisyo sa gugma.

Naamguhan ni San Agustin nga ang pagkakabig dili matapos diha sa personal nga paggakus sa kamatuoran, kondili diha sa matinudanon ug mahigugmaon nga pagsilbi sa kaigsuonan. Dili ba kini man usab ang dalan sa conversion alang sa mga pangulo ug sakop sa Simbahan ug katilingban. Kung matinud-anon kitang nangandoy alang sa Pilipinas sa usa ka buhilaman sa malungtarong kalinaw, kalipay ug kausbawan, gikinahanglan nga ang tanan, mga pangulo ug lungsuranon, moagi nianang sosyal nga pagkakabig, ang pag-usab sa atong mga kasingkasing ngadto sa pagka- makadiyos, makatao, makabayan! Siya nga gipahiluna isip pangulo sa katawhan, apan wala magbaton niining disposisyon sa pagkamaalagaron, nahisama sa usa ka “tawo-tawo” (scarecrow) nga nagbarug sa tungatunga sa uma, matud ni San Agustin. Ang tinuod nga pakighiusa uban sa Ginoo nga atong gidawat isip ang kamatuoran nga nagahatag og kaluwasan kinahanglan mamonga diha sa matinud-anon nga pagsilbi sa isig-katawo. Ang itineraryo sa matuod nga conversion moagi sa dalan sa matinud-anon nga pag-alagad sa mga igsuon.

III. Ang pagsalig sa Diyosnong Kaluoy

Ang ikatulong ang-ang sa pagkakabig ni San Agustin mao ang iyang mapaubsanon ug hingpit nga pagtugyan sa iyang kaugalingon ngadto sa kaluoy sa Dios. Ginaingon nga siya nakasulat kapin kun kulang mga tres o kuwatro mil ka mga mensahe, mga sermon, mga theological treatises ug uban pa. Apan, mga 1000 lang ang nahabilin sa atong panahon karon. Kining tanan maisip nga usa na ka library mismo. Ang makapatandog mao nga human sa kadaghan sa iyang sinulat, iya kining gibalikan sa katapusan yugto sa iyang kinabuhi. Misulat siya sa Retractationes diin iyang gikutihan pagbalik-lantaw ug paghimo’g pag-usab kung gikinahanglan sa iya nang mga nasulat. Ang tanan nga naabot sa halapad ug lawom niyang pagpamalandung iyang giisip nga hilabihan ka gamay kung itandi sa walay kinutuban nga Gugmang Diyosnon. Mao nga miingon siya: “I have understood that only one is truly perfect, and that the words of the Sermon of the Mount are completely realized in only one, in Jesus Christ himself. The true Church instead, including the apostles must pray everyday, forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”

Sa katapusan mga adlaw sa iyang kinabuhi, samtang ang iyang dakbayan gisulong sa mga Vandals, si San Agustin migugol sa tanang nahibiling panahon niya diha sa pagpenitensya ug paghinulsol sa iyang mga sala. Iyang gisugo ang iyang mga kauban pari ug monghe nga isulat sa dagko nga mga letra ang salmo sa pagpenitensya palibot sa bongbong sa iyang lawak. Iya kanunayng gilitok kining mga penitential psalms hangtud sa pagkabugto sa iyang gininhawa. Siya nagatudlo kanato nga ang conversion dili kausa lang (one and for all) nga panghitabo; usa kini ka mapadayonon nga pagbaktas diha sa dalan sa pagpenetensiya; ang tawo kinahanglan nga mahugasan kanunay nianang diyosnon nga kaluoy.

Ang permanenteng panginahanglan sa makanunayong pagkakabig mao man usab ang gipahinumdum kanato isip Simbahan: ecclesia reformata sed semper reformanda (the Church reformed but always in need of being reformed). Ang Simbahan nga nabag-o na, apan kanunay nagkinahanglan nga bag-ohon. Ug alang kanato nga naningkamot sa pagsubay sa maong dalan sa pagkabig, ang Sakramento sa Pakig-uli kanunay gitanyag kanato. Kita nga mga nangandoy sa hingpit nga kalinaw diha sa pakighiusa sa Ginoo makalaum niana kanunay kung manghapa kita nga mapaubsanon ug masaligon atubangan sa Diyosnong Kaluoy.

Ang estatwa ni San Agustin sa likod sa altar niining katedral nagpakita sa usa ka obispong Afrikano, nga miisa ang iyang kasingkasing diha sa akto sa paghalad niini ngadto sa Diyos sa kahitas-an. Sa iyang usa ka sermon mahitungod sa pag-ampo sa “Amahan Namo”, iyang gikomentaryohan ang kahulugan sa mga pulong “Amahan namo nga naa sa mga langit”. Unsay kahulugan sa langit? Ug ang iyang tubag, mao kini: ang langit anaa sa mga santos ug mga matarong. “Heaven is in the saints and in the just.” Kung ang langit mao ang kinatas-an nga bahin sa kalibutan, nan ang Ginoo unta mas duol sa mga langgam tungod kay sila nagpuyo man sa ibabaw. Matud pa niya, ang salmo wala nag-ingon nga ang Ginoo anaa sa pundok sa mga langgam, kondili sa panatigum sa mga santos ug mga matarung. Ang salmo nag-ingon nga ang Ginoo duol sa mga mapaubsanon sa kasing-kasing (broken-hearted). Dayon miingon siya, kung ang makasasala kalibutanon, nan ang santos ug matarong, langitnon.

Ang iyang pagkakabig usa ka pagpanaw dili ibabaw sa geograpiya sa mga dapit, kondili sa geographiya sa kasingkasing. Himoon nato kining rebolto ni San Agustin isip usa ka buhing pahinumdum kanatong tanan nga kinahanglan suhiron usab nato ang mga dalan sa conversion. Atong ihalad ngadto sa Ginoo ang atong tagsatagsa ka kasingkasing. Kasingkasing kini nga gibugkos sa kamatuoran sa Dios nga nahimong tawo, kasingkasing nga nakabig ngadto sa matinud-anon ug mapaubsanon nga pangalagad sa mga igsoon, kasingkasing nga kanunay miangkon sa iyang kaubos ug kanunay nagpangayo sa Diosnon Kaluoy.

Gipanghimantug nato ang atong dakbayan sa Cagayan de Oro isip “dakbayan sa bulawanong panaghigalaay” (city of golden friendship). Magpadayon kita sa panagtambayayong sa pagmugna’g “dakbayan sa diosnon nga panaghigalaay”. Matud pa sa atong “Dakung Amahan” diha sa iyang gisulat De Civitate Dei, ang dakbayan sa tawo mahimong tinuod nga dakbayan sa Diyos kung gipatuman niini ang balaod sa gugma. Mag-ampo kita alang sa mapadayonong conversion sa mga Kagay-anon, mga lungsuranon nga nakabaton og mga kasingkasing nga makatao, makadiyos, makabayan. Malipayong piyesta kanatong tanan!

Image of Our Lady of Fatima from Portugal visits Cagayan de Oro

2010-10-10T19:26:00.001-07:00

By Mary Anne Padilla, FSP

The International Pilgrim Statue of the Our Lady of Fatima from Portugal arrived in the Philippines last June 30, 2010. It was brought to the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro last August 11 for the devotees to get close, view and pray to the miraculous image. The image visited St. Augustine Cathedral, San Antonio Parish, Our Lady of Fatima Church in Camaman-an, Jesus Nazareno Parish, Consolacion Chaplaincy, Holy Rosary Parish in Agusan, Sta. Maria de la Candelaria Parish in Tagoloan, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Parish in Villanueva, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and Immaculate Conception Parish in Bulua.

The image also visited other Dioceses in Mindanao such as Tandag, Malaybalay and Iligan. The image has also crossed the Dioceses of Dipolog, Cebu, Dumaguete and the whole of Eastern and Central Visayas. The Pilgrim Visitation started in July 1, 2010 in the Dioceses of Paranaque, Cubao, and the northern parts of Luzon.

The objectives of the visit besides spreading the message of Fatima are: 1. To encourage other Dioceses to start organizing World Apostolate of Fatima - WAF especially in Mindanao 2. To present WAF’s proposed program in each parish and dioceses they visited. Part of their program is to give orientation to the viewing and praying public about the message of Our Lady of Fatima, the reason why the image goes on pilgrim visitation.

Mr. Vincent Aranas, President of the WAF Ecclesiastical Province of Manila, Nida Ruiz, WAF-Pilgrim Visitation head, and the Society of the Angels of Peace in coordination with Msgr. Tex Legitimas, PC, director for youth and adult WAF-CDO and Ms. Mila Mercado. president WAF-CDO organized the visit of Our Lady of Fatima in Cagayan de Oro.

262nd Death Anniversary of Venerable Ignacia del Espiritu Santo

2010-10-10T19:23:00.001-07:00

By Edorni Betita

The Mother Ignacia Movement of Northern Mindanao Region conducted “Ignacian Conferences” on August 22, 2010, from 8:30am to 4:00 pm at St. Mary’s Academy Gymnasium, Carmen to commemorate the 262nd Death Anniversary of Ven. Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, foundress of the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) with the theme “Treasuring the Ignacian Legacy.”

The conference was participated by 692 parishioners and students from Labason, Zamboanga del Norte and Gingoog City, as well as Mother Ignacia Movement units from Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro City. Forty two RVM sisters also joined the activity.

The first talk was on “ Ignacian choices for Today’s Youth” given by Fr. Raul Dael. He emphasized that Mother Ignacia’s act of disobeying her parents because she was listening to God’s call in her life was not disobedience. He challenged the youth, stating that attending Mass or performing one’s duties may not seem pleasant at first but its impact will be felt when they mature. Fr. Raul passionately shared how the RVM influenced his vocation and those of other diocesan priests who were graduates of RVM schools in Misamis Oriental. The second talk was on Ignacian Courage for Today’s Woman, given by Maria Teresa Echavez, M.D. The talk focused on upholding one’s chastity and that sex will only be expressed in marriage. She challenged the youth to protect and uphold life. The third talk was on Ignacian Faith for Today’s Family given by S. Ma. Lucia G. Lucine, RVM. She stressed the role of the family as the seed bed of faith. More so, the need for the family to be intact. For children, love means time and presence of their parents not provision of material things.

The activity concluded with a Eucharistic Celebration officiated by Fr. Gil G. Escalante.

ECID nagpatawag sa Catholic Peacebuilding Workshop sa CDO

2010-10-10T19:20:00.001-07:00

Ni Lorena Dagatan

Ang Episcopal Commission on Inter-religious Dialogue kon ECID sa Catholic Bishop’s Conference sa Pilipinas (CBCP) mipahigayon sa gitawag nga Peacebuilding ug Reconciliation Workshop didto sa Country Village Hotel ning siyudad sa Cagayan de Oro niadtong Agosto 11 ngadto sa 13, 2010. Ang maong workshop misagop sa tema nga “Enhancing the study and practice of Catholic peacebuilding in Mindanao” nga kon badbaron sa binisaya magkanayon: “Ang Pagpalambo sa pagtuon ug kasinatian sa pagpatunhay sa kalinaw sa Mindanaw”. Ang maong Workshop gitambongan sa kap-atan ug pito (47) ka mga partisipante gikan sa mga Diyosises sa Iligan, Malaybalay, Marawi, Pagadian ug sa Arkidiyosises sa Cagayan de Oro. Miabag sa panaghisgot-hisgot mao sila si Rev. Fr. Bob Schreiter, S.J., ug si R. Scott Appleby, Ph.D., sa Catholic Peacebuilding Network kon CPN sa Unibersidad sa Notre Dame, Indiana, U.S.A. Didto usab sa maong panagtigum ang representante sa ECID ug sa Catholic Relief Services kon CRS.

Ang mga partesipante sa maong panagtigum gibahin sa tulo ka grupo. Sa unang adlaw, ang hisgutanan nakatutok sa atong mga biases mahitungod sa mga muslims, ang atong kasaysayan sa Mindanaw ug ang mga pamaagi aron makab-ut ang pag-inilhanay ug pagsinabtanay dili lamang diha sa tagsa-tagsa ka kaugalingong katilingban kon dili diha usab sa atong relasyon sa mga kauban natong mga muslim. Sa ikaduhang adlaw, adunay gipasundayag ang mga tigpasi-ugda sa workshop nga usa ka salida nga nag-ulohan ug, “The Imam and the Pastor”. Pagkahuman sa among salida, gi-aghat ang tagsa-tagsa ka mga miyembro sa matag grupo sa pagpahayag sa ilang mga hunahuna mahitungod sa tema nga gihanyag sa maong salida. Sa ika-tulo ug katapusang adlaw, gituki sa mga partesipante ang mga hagit ug mga tumong ug tinguha sa pagmugna sa kalinaw. Ang mga tumong ug tinguha nga nakita naglangkub sa pagkutay-kutay sa susamang mga tinguha ug mga buluhaton kon networking kauban sa nagkalain-laing mga simbahan, pagpahigayon sa tinuig nga hiniusang panagtigum, ug pagpangita ug igong panalaping suporta alang sa mga umaabot pa nga mga susamang panagtigum ug panahisgot-hisgot.

“Sa akong pagpaminaw sa mga partesipante sa lima ka mga Diyosises, akong nakita nga ang Simbahan nakapahimutang na sa pundasyon sa pagmugna sa kalinaw.” Kini ang pamahayag ni Fr. Schreiter nga midasun usab pagsugyot sa makakunayong edukasyon isip usa ka importanteng solusyon sa problema sa kalinaw sa Mindanaw. Sa iyang kabahin si Dr. Appleby mi-aghat sa paglantaw sa nagkalain-laing pamaagi sa pagpahiluna sa kalinaw, ilabi na kadtong pamaagi nga nakita nga adunay kaayohan nga matataw. Gipangusgan usab ni Dr. Appleby ang pagpasabot sa kahinungdanon sa “evaluation” aron masuta kon asa na taman ang mga nahimo na.

Ang atong Arsobispo sa Cag. De Oro, si Most Rev. Antonio J. Ledesma, D.D. mipadayag sa iyang pasalamat sa lima ka mga Diyosises nga mitambong sa maong panagtigum, ug mi-aghat sa mga partesipante sa pagpadayon sa ilang mga buluhaton tali sa pagpatunhay sa kalinaw dinhi sa Mindanaw.

May mga 19 ka mga partisipante sa atong arkidiyosesis ang niapil sa maong workshop. Mao sila Abp. Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J., Fr. Nathaniel Lerio, Fr. Perseus Cabunoc, Fr. Remel Mag-usara, Fr. Raul Dael, Fr. Othelo Polinar, Fr. Roy Barros, Msgr. Rey Monsanto, Sr. Josephine Alabado, TMM, Sr. Mary Anne Padilla, FSP, Jocelyn Acierto, Ingrid Daba, Anna Leah PIelago, Maristela Camaddo, Dr. Benie Sy, Analyn Banguis, Sr. Grace Barcinas, DC, Fr. Florencio Salvador, ug si Alberto Fabe.

SJVTS nagsaulog sa ika-25 nga anibersaryo

2010-10-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

Ni Mark Harvey Elloren

Gisaulog sa St. John Vianney Theological Seminary (SJVTS) ang ika-25 nga kasumaran sa pagkatukod niini. Ang kasaulogan gidungan sa tinuig nga Alumni Homecoming niadtong Augusto 23-25, 2010. Giaghat ni Obispo Antonio Ledesma ang 190 ka mga alumni nga niapil sa maong kasaulogan sa dakong pagpasalamat.

Sa 25 ka tuig, ang SJVTS nakapamunga ug 370 nga kaparian nga nag silbi sa nagkalain-lain nga diyosesis sa Mindanao ug Bohol. Saysentay sies nga porsyento (66%) nga kaparian sa atong arkidiyosesis gikan sa maong seminaryo.

Sa unang gabii sa selebrasyon, si Rev. Fr. Celerino Reyes, SJ, ang bag-ong rector sa seminaryo, opisyal nga gidawat ang katungdanan isip rector ug nanaad sa sulod sa misa sa pag-atiman sa seminaryo. Ang installation gipangulohan ni Bp Ledesma uban sa tulo ka Obispo nga si Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, Bp. Honesto Pacana, ug Bp. Jose Cabantan. Si Fr. Reyes inila na daan sa seminaryo tungod kay napili siya isip Vice-Rector niadtong 1991.

Sa unang higayon karong tuiga, ang seminaryo naghatag ug St. John Vianney Award (posthumously) sa tulo ka tawo nga may dakong kalambigitan sa kinabuhi sa maong seminaryo. Ang mga awardees mao si Most Rev. Patrick Cronin, ang founder sa seminaryo; Rev. Fr. Giuseppe Raviolo, S.J., ang unang rector; ug si Madame Laureana Rosales, usa ka benefactor. Ang awards para kang Bp. Cronin gidawat ni Fr. Patrick O’Donoghue, Provincial Superior sa mga Columbans; kang Fr. Raviolo, si Rev. Fr. Jose Magadia, Provincial Superior sa Jesuits; ug kang Madame Rosales, si Mrs. Fe Juarez, iyang babaeng anak. Ang mga awardees natagaan usa ka estatuwa ni St. John Vianney nga gikulit ni Mr. Antonio Sescon, batikan nga mangungulit.

Paghuman sa awarding ceremony, gisunod dayon ang usa ka monologue nga gisulat ni Ameta Suarez-Tagochi, Palanca Awardee. Ang monologue kay pahinungod kang St. John Vianney, patron sa mga kura paroko. Gibidahan kini sa mga seminarista, mga formators ug mga seminary workers. Ang monologue kabahin sa pagkamaayo ni St. John Vianney ug kalabutan sa iyang kinabuhi sa atong modernong simbahan.

Sa ikaduhang adlaw, gipalawoman ang tema sa selebrasyon, “Rediscovering the essence of Ordained Priesthood through example of St. John Vianney,” ni Most Rev. Gaudencio Rosales, Obispo sa Manila didto sa Grand Caprice Restaurant, Limketkai Center. Gitagaan niya ug pagpatin-aw ang tulo ka importante nga “klase sa hangin” nga maoy makatukmod sa parianong paglayag: mao ang Pulong sa Ginoo, ang Sakramento ug ang Gugma.

Si Bp. Jose Cabantan, Obispo sa Malaybalay ug usa ka alumnus sa seminaryo, gaingon sa iyang homiliya na angay ang alumni nga mga pari mobalik ug magpasalamat sa seminaryo tungod kini nahimong “seedbed” sa ilang bokasyon. Si Bp. Cabantan, sa batch sa “Unang Bunga,” ang unang produkto nga nahimong Obispo sa seminaryo.

Sa iyang Rector’s time sa katapusang adlaw, si Fr. Celerino Reyes nagpahayag sa atubangan sa mga alumni na ang seminaryo nagkinahanglan ug P150 million nga Trust Fund para malungtaron ang pagpadagan niini. Sa kadugayon na sa seminaryo, may mga gambalay nga angay usbon. Nagplano usab ug pag-ayo sa library. Iyang sugyot sa mga alumni na unta makatigum ang usa ka batch ug P1 million para sa seminaryo. Mangita lang ang usa ka alumnus ug 50 ka pamilya sa ilang parokya nga makacontribute ug P1000 para makatigum ug P50,000. Kini dako na ug tabang sa kaugmaon sa seminaryo ug sa mga seminarista.

Ang SJVTS usa ka tunghaan sa teolohiya nga natukod niadtong 1985 una didto sa Manresa. Sa sunod tuig 1986 nabalhin kini sa Camaman-an, Cagayan de Oro City. Gitukod kini sa mga Obispo sa CABUSTAM uban sa giya sa mga Heswita nga maoy nagdumala sa seminaryo ug nagporma sa mga parionon nga nangalagad sa mga diyosesis sa Mindanao ug Bohol. Ang seminaryo gitukod alang tubag sa dinalian nga kinahanglanon sa Mindanao sama sa “Interreligious Dialogue."

Karong tuiga may 80 ka seminarista ang SJVTS.

Women’s Ministry, Tubaga Movement picket cybersex trial

2010-09-15T00:10:00.001-07:00

“If we hadn’t been constantly drawing attention to this cybersex scandal, they probably would have dropped the case a long time ago,” said Lalae Garcia, coordinator of the Tubaga Movement, a local feminist group with ties to the Archdiocesan Women’s Ministry.

Sr. Erline Bacol, RGS represented the aforementioned ministry during Tubaga’s picketing outside Regional Trial Court 41 on the morning of July 28, 2010, where two Swedes were being tried for coercing 18 girls into performing sexual acts over the Internet.

The girls, aged 19-25, were lured to Cagayan de Oro from all over the Philippines with promises of employment abroad. Instead they were locked up and forced to strip before webcams for paying customers until the police raided the premises in April 2009.

Currently detained in Lumbia Prison, the Swedes and their Filipino cohorts are expected to face another hearing at a date yet to be announced, sometime this year.

Archdiocesan Youth Day 2010 gipangandaman

2010-09-15T00:04:00.001-07:00

Ang Archdiocesan Youth Apostolate (AYA) nangandam sa umaabot nga Archdiocesan Youth Day 2010 nga ipahigayon sa Holy Cross Parish, Alubijid, Misamis Oriental karong Oktubre 28-31, 2010.

Ang mosunod nga Youth Day opisyal nga gipadayag sa miaging Archdiocesan Youth Leaders and Ministers Forum (AYLMF) sa parokya sa Immaculada Conception, Jasaan, Misamis Oriental niadtong Hulyo 17, 2010. Dunay 89 ka mga batan-ong lider nga gikan sa nagkalain-laing parokya sa arkidiyosesis ang mitambong sa AYLMF. Ang AYLMF usa ka panagtigum sa mga batan-ong lider sa Arkidiyoses matag tulo ka bulan sa tuig. Kining panagtigum usa ka oportunidad sa pag-umol sa mga batan-ong lider aron sila maandam sa pagsagubang sa mga isyu nga giatubang sa mga batan-on. Panahon usab kini nga nagsandurotay ang mga batan-ong lider ug napaambit ang mga kalihukan nga nahitabo sa ilang tag-tagsa ka parokya.

Upat ka mga dugang pagtulon-an ang gihatag sa mga batan-ong lideres niadtong AYLMF: “Bulawanong Ako” nga gihatag ni Loyd Solana; “Clean, Peaceful and Honest Elections” ni Hon. Bernabe Ely, Vice Mayor sa Manticao; “Me, Church, and the State” ni Carl Cabaraban; ug “My Commitment-my Renewal” ni Rev. Fr. Remel Mag-usara. Si Fr. Mag-usara, ang bag-ong Youth Director sa Arkidiyosesis nga nihulip kang Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Lerio adtong Hunyo ni-ining tuiga maoy nangulo sa panagtigum. Gisugyot niya nga sa iyang pagdawat sa katungdanan, nanghinaut siya sa mga batan-on nga mutobo sila sa ilang panaad ug pagtugyan sa ilang kaugalingon sa pag-alagad sa Simbahan.

Sa wala pa mahuman ang AYLMF, gitugyan sa AYA ang pagdumala sa AYD cross sa Parish Youth Coordinating Council-PYCC sa Jasaan nga gipangulohan ni Carl Lloyd Salcedo, ang ilang PYCC Coodinator. Ang PYCC-Jasaan maoy maghatud sa AYD cross didto sa Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental. Kini nga buluhaton usa ka tradisyon diin ang AYD cross mobisita sa tagsa-tagsa ka mga parokya sa dili pa magsugod ang AYD. Ang Archdiocesan Youth Day usa ka panagtigum sa mga batan-on sa tanang parokya sa Arkidiyosesis aron mag-ampo, mamalandong, ug masandurotay. Kini mahitabo kausa sa duha ka tuig. Ang miaging AYD 2008 gipahigayon didto sa St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. Ang tanang mga batan-on gidapit sa pag-apil sa AYD 2010.

XU outreach program sends 7 volunteers 2010-2011

2010-09-14T23:55:00.001-07:00

By Mark Harvey Elloren

“Year of Service-YOS is a preparation for further service which is the Parish Ministry.” This is the message of Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ to seven Philosophy graduates as volunteers for the Year of Service (YOS) Batch 17 during the sending off Mass last July 14, 2010 at the Immaculate Conception Chapel, Xavier University. Archbishop Ledesma celebrated the sending off Mass with the Seminary Fathers of San Jose de Mindanao Seminary and some Parish Priests.

Xavier University’s Community Outreach and Resource Development Volunteer Program (CORDVP), the new name for YOS, is a one year program for fresh college graduates to work for development of rural sector and communities.
In his homily, the Archbishop who was the founder of YOS way back 1991, reminded the seven volunteers the main objective of YOS is Service. “This is a year for helping the local communities,” he said.

Six of the volunteers are seminarians from San Jose de Mindanao Seminary namely: Aldin Dumio who is assigned in Taglimao, Cagayan de Oro City; Jefferson Opaon in Initao, Misamis Oriental; Bryan Pacanut in Guinsiliban, Camiguin; Julian Raut-raut Jr. in Claveria, Misamis Oriental; Gil Sucupayo in Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental; Mark Joshua Zaportiza in Baliwagan, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. Chandy May Palas, the only female volunteer , is assigned in Zamboanga Sibugay.
San Jose de Mindanao Seminary recently linked with the CORDVP, sending their seminarians as volunteers before giving them recommendation to study theology.

As part of the preparation, the volunteers were trained for 30 days and were exposed in different local communities in Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte and Misamis Oriental.

CORDVP is sending volunteers yearly as human resource to various NGOs, dioceses and parishes to promote more development in rural communities in Mindanao. This year’s batch is focused more on the development of BECs in the parishes where they are assigned with the help of the Parish Priests as their supervisors.

ACCESS, XU host water pricing forum

2010-09-14T23:50:00.001-07:00

By Louise Dumas

The Archdiocesan Center of Concern, Empowerment and Social Services (ACCESS), in partnership with the Xavier University – Research and Social Outreach Cluster held a forum on the possibility of raw groundwater pricing to improve efficiency in the water consumption of the city.

This was organized particularly after Cagayan de Oro was identified as among the nine cities in the Philippines with anticipated serious groundwater constraints. Representatives from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) presented a study showing the depletion of the city’s groundwater levels.

“Through raw water pricing, efficient allocation and utilization of water will be promoted,” said Dr. Rosalina P. Tan of the Department of Economics of Ateneo de Manila University. “This is in addition to the generation of revenue that could be used to ensure the sustainability of the water supply.”

The raw water price refers to the depletion cost of water since it is already apparent that this supply is no longer abundant in quantity and quality. “Among the causes of depletion are forest degradation and urban development,” Dr. Tan said. Northern Mindanao was also identified as a hot spot for total dissolved solids (TDS) and coliform contamination.

Dr. Tan also explained that the pricing should not be seen as a fee but as a contribution. “We should all do our part to address this problem,” she said. “Let us view it as a contribution for the conservation of a resource we benefit a lot from.” Luis S. Rongavilla of the NWRB explained that part of the funds will go to the local government unit for local water development such as equipment and monitoring. Only a small percentage will go the NWRB which will allocate the funds for skills training and other necessary preparations.

Participants from Non-Government Organizations, the academe, church, and business sector also suggested other alternatives that would not raise water pricing but bank on people’s consciousness to save water.

Among the solutions was the use of treated rain water for some months in a year to allow the city’s aquifers to replenish. Another had been to promote individual rain catchments that residents and industries could use to utilize rain runoffs. Finally, a suggestion to improve first the distribution efficiency of the water district was raised to reduce the amount of water wasted.

“Preach the Gospel in the Digital World” - Abp. Ledesma

2010-09-14T23:41:00.000-07:00

Most Reverend Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ, Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro, echoed the message of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI urging his priests to be present in the digital world and communicate the Gospel during the concelebrated Mass on the occasion of the 44th World Communications Day on July 13, 2010, at St. Augustine Cathedral.

In his homily, the bishop pointed out 3 insights from the theme of the Pope’s message, “The Priest and Pastoral Ministry in a Digital World: New Media at the Service of the World.” First, the Theology of Priesthood, second, its Christology, third, the theology of culture. He said that the priest, as a man of God has the primary duty to proclaim who Jesus Christ today. His understanding of Jesus Christ is the focal point of his listening to the Word being proclaimed. One’s culture has to be in line with the Gospel and not the culture of his own interests. He added that the web is a place where the priest can bring Christ’s message to all people, and it is also the place where he can proclaim the new life which comes from the Word.

The mass was also attended by the students and faculty of Communication courses of Xavier University and Lourdes College. Present were representatives from the media namely: The Sunstar Daily, Mindano Gold Star Daily, Mindanao Current, Golden Banner, The Corridor, ABS CBN-CDO, RGMA, RPN5, Bombo Radyo, DXCC, and DXIM Radyo ng Bayan.

The celebration was spearheaded by the staff of Social Communication Apostolate of the archdiocese and the Daughters of St. Paul.

AWRACO elects new set of Officers for 2010-2011

2010-09-14T23:28:00.001-07:00

By Mary Anne Padilla, FSP

The Association of Religious Women in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro (AWRACO) has elected its new set of Officers for the Calendar Year (CY) 2010-2011 during the AWRACO General Assembly held at the Lourdes College Gymnasium, Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro last July 24, 2010.

The newly elected officers were: Chairperson – Sr. Maria Helen F. Soliven, RVM; Vice Chair - Sr. Maria Marilyn C. Ubaldo, RVM, Secretary – Sr. Mary Grace M. Barcinas, DC; Asst. Secretary – Sr. Ranette L. Angot, ODN; Treasurer – Sr. Rebecca A. Loquias, MCM, Asst. Treasurer – Sr. Angelaine S. Caharlan, OSA.

For the Sectoral Committee Chairpersons the following were elected: Ad Intra Ministries Coordinator – Sr. Janette D. Porras, MSHF; Asst. Ad Intra Ministries Coordinator – Sr. Ma. Vemagrace E. Ragmac, TMM; Ad Extra Ministries Coordinator – Sr. Mary Regina Pil, RGS; Asst. Ad Extra Ministries Coordinator – Sr. Maria Arabella C. Balingao, RGS.

The new officers took their oath of allegiance during the Holy Mass officiated by Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ. In his homily, he gave 6 dimensions in working for a culture of peace where the association could focus in their engagement for peace namely: 1. The need for personal and family integrity. Peace has to start in the home to address issues on domestic violence and issues on personal integrity. 2. The promotion of human rights and democracy. There is a need for education in schools and public discourse in government especially on education for responsible voting. 3. To work on poverty reduction. To attend to the basic needs of everyone in society particularly the internally displaced persons. 4. The need for Inter-cultural understanding and solidarity. To appreciate each other’s culture and to come into dialogue between cultures. 5. The need for disarmament and cessation of hostilities, and 6. The need for environmental protection.

Impressions on the International Encounter for Priests on the Occasion of the Closing of the Year for Priests

2010-09-14T23:16:00.001-07:00

by Msgr. Rey Manuel Monsanto

I. ON THE PARTICIPATING PRIESTS:

-Touching to see so many priests – secular and religious – gathered together to reflect together for two days (June 9-10) before the official closure of the year-long celebration to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the pious death of ST. JOHN MARIE VIANNEY, THE HOLY CURE D’ARS, who was proclaimed the PATRON OF ALL THE PRIESTS.

-The number of participants went beyond the expectation. Thus, the kits were not sufficient, more had to be added: many did not have the very simple official logo of the gathering anymore; and instead of just having one venue, there were two: 1) the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (which was originally the only venue; we were in this basilica since the English-speaking groups were here, although the talks were still not in English); 2) the Basilica of St. Mary Major. And the number even became greater (15,000 according to reported estimate) during the final Mass (June 11) at St. Peter’s Square in front of the Basilica of St. Peter.

II. THE ACTIVITIES OF THE TWO-DAY ENCOUNTER (JUNE 9-10) AND THE FINAL MASS ON THE THIRD DAY (JUNE 11):

- THE ACTIVITIES CONSISTED MAINLY OF:

• Reflections on the meaning of and challenges to the priesthood in the light of present circumstances:

■ “Conversion and Mission”

■ “The Cenacle: Invocation of the Holy Spirit with Mary, in Fraternal Communion”

• Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction

• Celebration of the Eucharist

• Confessions

• On the second night there was the encounter with the Holy Father at the Piazza di San Pietro. Some priests coming from different continents of the worlds asked questions which the Holy Father answered.

• The afternoons were free. The Opera Romana that took care of the running of the encounter offered paid tours to religious places around Rome. (We, the Cagayan group, had our own organized tour, most notably the tour of the Vatican Museum and the Basilica of St. Peter including the visit to the tombs of St. Peter and of the Popes.)

IMPRESSIONS:

• It was really moving to see how the priests, despite the inconvenience of language and not so clear sound system, tried to follow the talks and activities in respectful silence. The attendance in reflective spirit and silence was just impressive. And the long lines for confessions very touching. The priests were even at St. Peter’s Square for that evening with the Holy Father. In short, priests were there to reflect!

III. THE FINAL MASS ON THE THIRD DAY (JUNE 11 – SOLEMNITY OF THE SACRED HEART):

-This was the time when according to estimate there were approximately 15,000 priests concelebrating with the Holy Father for an outdoor Mass at the Piazza. That was because many priests who were in Rome even if they did not join the two-day encounter joined the concelebration. Because the sun was really shining, the priests, while dutifully following the Mass in Latin, used all their ingenuity to cover themselves from the hot and biting rays of the sun. Vatican gave out bottles of water to the priests during the Mass. It was for me sort of a minor miracle that nobody collapsed because of the heat. The Mass that began at 9:00 a.m. finished at noontime.

CLOSING HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER:

The Mass presided by the Holy Father to formally put a closure to the yearlong celebration was: MASS FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE SACRED HEART

a. It is to be remembered that he also formally opened the special year for priests on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart last year (2009): intentionally to put the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the source and summit of the holiness of the priest as St. John Vianney made it in his own quest for sanctity. Thus, the theme of the celebration: “FAITHFULNESS OF CHRIST, FAITHFULNESS OF PRIESTS”. The wounded yet perseveringly and lovingly faithful Heart of Jesus to do the will of the Father for the salvation of humanity whatever it costs should be the pattern for the heart of a priest in his own journey to obey the Father in shepherding the faithful. St. John Vianney offered everything he was and had in imitating the Sacred Heart.

b. Thus the homily of the Holy Father (which I can term the summation of the reflections of the whole year and of the reflections during the encounter) was focused on two points: 1) St. John Vianney and the Priesthood; and, 2) what I term, the “Shepherd’s Heart of Jesus”.

i. The first part of the homily was more a meditation with the life of Vianney in mind:

1. “We have to let the Cure of Ars guide us to a renewed application of the grandeur and beauty of the priestly ministry. The priest is not a mere office-holder… he does something which no human being can do of his own power.”

a. “In Christ’s name he speaks the words which absolve us of our sins…”

b. “Over the offerings of bread and wine he speaks Christ’s words of thanksgiving, which are words of transubstantiation.”

2. “The priesthood… is not simply ‘office’ but sacrament: God makes us poor men in order to be, through us, present to all men and women, and to act on their behalf.”

“…this audacity of God is the true grandeur concealed in the word ‘priesthood’… this is what we wanted to reflect upon and appreciate anew over the course of the past year”.

3. “…God is indeed waiting for us to say “yes”. (then his short exhortation to pray for more vocations)

4. Then his thoughts turned to the “sex scandals” of today. Here I would like to quote his words to show the perspective of these sad events, the pains the Church experiences and what we have to do about them.

a. The Perspective:

“It was to be expected that this new radiance of the priesthood would not be pleasing to the “enemy”; he would have rather preferred to see it disappear, so that God would ultimately be driven out of the world. And so it happened that, in this very year of joy for the sacrament of the priesthood, the sins of priests came to light – particularly the abuse of the little ones, in which the priesthood, whose task is to manifest God’s concern for our good, turns into its very opposite.

b. The Sorrow and Contrition:

“We… insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved, while promising to do everything possible to ensure that such abuse will never occur again…” (Here I think of the promise of the Holy Father that the sins or “crimes” of the priests will have to be seriously dealt with. Thus, the Pope came out with instructions on even imposing the heaviest canonical penalty of dismissal from the priesthood on three grounds; and very recently revised and updated the canonical rules on the so-called “de graviorbus delicitis”, especially on child abuse.)

c. The Actions to be Taken:

“in admitting men to priestly ministry and in their formation we will do everything we can to weigh the authenticity of their vocation and make every effort to accompany priests along the journey, so that the Lord will protect them and watch over them in troubled situations and amid life’s dangers.” (Here I remember the instruction on admitting to the seminary and to ordination those with very strong inclinations to active homosexuality. And the helps now for priests, like the CBCP’s “Assist Program”.)

d. The Humble Reflection:

“Had the Year for Priests been a glorification of our individual human performance, it would have been ruined by these events. But for us what happened was precisely the opposite: we grew in gratitude for God’s gift, a gift concealed in “earthen vessels” which ever anew, even amid human weakness, makes his love concretely present in this world.”

e. The Call:

“So let us look upon all that happened as a summons to purification, received from God. In this way, his gift becomes a commitment to respond to God’s courage and humility by our own courage and humility. The word of God, which we have sung in the Entrance Antiphon of the liturgy, can speak to us, at this hour, of what it means to become and to be priests: ‘Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Mt. 11:29)

ii. The second part of the homily (which I will just briefly touch) focused on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart and its connection with the priesthood:

“The liturgy interprets for us the language of Jesus’ heart, which tells us above all that God is the shepherd of mankind, and so it reveals to us Jesus’ priesthood, which is rooted deep within his heart, so too it shows us the perennial foundation and the effective criterion of all priestly ministry, which must always be anchored in the heart of Jesus and lived out from that starting-point.”

Then, the Holy Father meditated on some salient points the Psalm of the Mass: Psalm 23: “The Lord is My Shepherd”, always referring the points to the meaning and challenges of our priesthood.

1. “The Lord is my shepherd.”

“God wants us, as priests, in one tiny moment of history, to share his concern about people… take care of them and provide them with a concrete evidence of God’s concern.”

2. “He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.”

“By walking with Christ, we experience the joy of Revelation, and as priests we need to communicate to others our own joy at the fact that we have been shown the right way of life.”

3. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me.”

“Help us priests, so that we can remain beside the persons entrusted to us in these dark nights, so that we can show them your own light.”

4. “Your rod and your staff – they comfort me.”

“Today we can see that it has nothing to do with love when conduct unworthy of the priestly life is tolerated. Nor does it have to do with love if heresy is allowed to spread and the faith twisted and chipped away… once again (the need for) the shepherd’s staff – a staff which helps men and women to tread difficult paths and follow the Lord.”

5. “You set a table before me… You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

“How can we not rejoice at the fact that he has enabled us to set God’s table for men and women, to give them his Body and Blood, to offer them the precious gift of his very presence?

iii. Concluding Reflection of the Holy Father:

The Holy Father ended his homily saying that we, priests, like any other Christian and even more than the others, should be the “wellspring”, “sources” of life:

“Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water” (cf. Jn 7:37ff). In faith we drink, so to speak, of the living water of God’s Word. In this way the believer himself becomes a wellspring which gives living water to the parched earth of history. We see this in the saints. We see this in Mary, this great woman of faith and love who has become in every generation a wellspring of faith, love and life. Every Christian and every priest should become, starting from Christ, a wellspring which gives life to others. We ought to be offering life-giving water to a parched and thirsty world. Lord, we thank you because for our sake you opened your heart; because in your death and in your resurrection you became the source of life. Give us life, make us live from you as our source, and grant that we too may be sources, wellsprings capable of bestowing the water of life in our time. We thank you for the grace of the priestly ministry. Lord, bless us, and bless all those who in our time are thirsty and continue to seek. Amen.”

Ad Intra, Ad Extra ministries gather for reflective assessment

2010-09-08T01:29:00.001-07:00

Heads and representatives of the Ad Intra and Ad Extra ministries and programs met last July 6, 2010 at the Patrick Cronin Formation Hall and shared their reflections on the achievements, difficulties and proposals in accordance with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan.

Abp. Ledesma gave an overview of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan, which called for the creation of the Ad Intra and Ad Extra Commissions and noted that the accomplishments, difficulties, and resolutions presented by the ministries will be included in his Quinquennial Report to be delivered in Rome before Pope Benedict XVI early next year.

It was noted that volunteerism is a strength and a good number of individuals expressed their desire to become active in their faith, but they cannot devote themselves fully due to other personal concerns. Others remained indifferent. Some pointed out that coordination is poor among ministries, parishes, and lay organizations.

Both Ad Intra and Ad Extra ministries agreed that there must be improved communications between ministries and parishes. They also resolved to form volunteers both in faith and in practical knowledge.

The day-long assessment ended with the announcement of Fr. Perseus Cabunoc’s appointment as Ad Intra Director, who looked forward to improving his own ministry by assuming the post.

Fr. Salvador convenes with lay organizations on new commission formation

2010-09-08T01:17:00.000-07:00

By James Sia

Fr. Florencio Salvador and several representatives from various lay ecclesial movements convened in the Patrick Cronin Hall on July 17, 2010, from 2 pm to 4 pm, to discuss the formation of the tentatively-named Commission of Lay Ecclesial Movements in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro (CLEMACO). Organizations represented during the meeting include Alpha Course in the Catholic Context, the Association of Pauline Cooperators (APC), the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP), Elim Communities, Couples for Christ (CFC), the Divine Mercy Apostolate, Kahayag sa Dios (KSD), the Order of Discalced Carmelites, Secular (OCDS), and the Worldwide Marriage Encounter.

Fr. Salvador, who was recently succeeded by Fr. Perseus Cabunoc of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish as Ad Intra Director, has accepted an appointment by Abp. Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J. to spearhead this new commission, which is to embody “the spirit of renewal and lay participation” articulated in the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan.
“Abp. Ledesma wants me to focus on coordinating the various lay organization in the Church. We discovered that the greater work really is among you,” Fr. Salvador said as he opened the meeting. “It is here where we have differences that need to be ironed out, and it is here that we still have to do a lot of work in terms of integrating into the ministerial structure and activities of the local Church.”

During the meeting, Fr. Salvador defined a lay ecclesial movement as “a Catholic organization, such as a renewal movement, a mandated organization, or a devotional group.” He also noted that according to a recent report by the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on the Laity, it was discovered that Cagayan de Oro’s lay groups are not represented in the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas. “So we thought, rather than waiting for Basic Ecclesial Communities to be formalized in order for us to form a council of the laity, we thought that we should have a separate structure for them,” Fr. Salvador added.
Furthermore, Fr. Salvador stated that organizing the various Catholic lay communities, covenant groups, and organizations within the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro into a unified commission will greatly bolster the Ad Intra and Ad Extra Commissions in carrying out the goals of the Pastoral Plan, as lay participation and volunteerism will be greatly encouraged among individuals belonging to member lay ecclesial movements.

The new commission’s hierarchy will consist of Fr. Salvador as director, designated priests as spiritual directors, and a council to be elected from the lay ecclesial movements. The council will operate independently of parish councils and BECs. However, to ensure effective coordination among members, lay ecclesial movements must select representatives for the parish, district, and diocesan levels.

Abp. Ledesma was present during the meeting’s last hour to thank those present and to further explain the new commission’s purpose. “Linking the ecclesial lay movements can help strengthen the Ad Intra and Ad Extra Ministries, and a number of you are already helping with that. In one sense, a particular strength that you have is that you are professionals. Many of you are perhaps retired with a lot of extra time, and many of you are also involved in your own particular areas. You can bring all your efforts into the wider picture of the life of the local Church,” he said.

Abp. Ledesma also proposed that an archdiocesan synod be convened, “with as wide a participation as possible,” in order to collate proposals and policy guidelines from all segments of the archdiocese “to take care of different resources we have in the archdiocese.”
Abp. Ledesma also expressed openness to extending participation in the new commission to NGOs not explicitly Catholic, but whose vision, mission, goals, and activities concur with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan.

With the new commission’s constitution and bylaws yet to be finalized, Fr. Salvador has called for another meeting on August 21, 2010 to allow participants to study the proposed draft further.

The Empty Tomb in Bontoc

2010-09-08T01:08:00.000-07:00

Bishop Francisco Claver, S.J., passed away on July 1st, 2010. My last visit to him in the infirmary of Loyola House of Studies was towards the end of May. I brought him the latest issue of our archdiocesan newspaper, Bag-ong Lamdag (New Light), which featured the installation of Bishop Jose Cabantan on May 15th as the fourth bishop of Malaybalay. He did not know Bishop Joe personally, but was interested to know more about him. He was glad to know that Bishop Joe came from the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, which was the mother diocese of Malaybalay. On my part, I mentioned to him that Bishop Joe was succeeding an illustrious line of bishops of Malaybalay, starting with himself followed by Bishops Gaudencio Rosales and Honesto Pacana, S.J.

A Missionary Church
In 1969 when the Jesuit Mission District in Bukidnon became the Prelature of Malaybalay, there were only 16 parishes manned for the most part by Jesuit missionary priests. (Now, after four decades, Bukidnon has 45 parishes with 87 diocesan priests.) Its first bishop appointed was Bishop Cisco. At the age of 40, he was one of the youngest bishops to be appointed. Indeed, Cisco was still finishing his graduate studies in cultural anthropology at the University of Colorado. One evening as he took his turn cooking and carrying the food to his small community of Jesuits in Colorado, he casually broke the news to them: “Your cook has been made a bishop.”

It was this casual, yet forthright, manner that characterized Bishop Cisco’s “episcopating” style – a term that he uses in his latest book   with a touch of humor and self-criticism. Since he came from Bontoc in the Mountain Province and was going to Bukidnon (meaning, a place of mountains), he aptly chose for his episcopal motto the Psalmist’s prayer: “Levavi oculos in montes.” (“I lifted my eyes upon the mountains.”)

During the summers of 1969 and 1970, as a scholastic regent based in Xavier University, I organized and supervised a “Summer-of-Service” (S.O.S.) program in Bukidnon. We contacted several Jesuit-run parishes to host our student volunteers for four weeks of community immersion and development work. It was in this setting, traversing what were then the bumpy and dusty roads of Bukidnon, that I got to know more about the diversity of strong characters among the missionary parish priests.

There were Italian Jesuits like Frs. Venere, Leoni and Caroselli expelled from China, and now learning another foreign language, Bisaya, to shepherd their adopted parish flocks. There were American Jesuits, outspoken, erudite, former professors or novice masters – like Frs. Horgan, Shea, Groenendael, Cunningham, Poulin, Fitzpatrick, Risacher, Kirchgessner, Cullen, Bittner, Stoffel. And there were Filipino Jesuit priests as well – like Frs. Flores, Balansag, Jimenez, Alingal – who likewise manned several of the newly-formed parishes. At that time, there were only two Filipino diocesan priests; one of them was Fr. Jose Manguiran who is now Bishop of Dipolog.

A Church under Martial Law
It was in this context of a pioneering, missionary, localizing church still spreading its roots that Bishop Cisco had his hands full. But it was probably the declaration of Martial Law in September 1972 that transformed the casual manner of Bishop Cisco in dealing with his brother priests into his forthright manner of condemning the excesses of military rule and the violations of human rights. The prelature’s radio station was closed. Its newsletter, Bandilyo, was banned. And Fr. Cullen who was supporting the Federation of Free Farmers was detained at the Constabulary headquarters. Bishop Cisco had no other recourse but to write his weekly pastoral letters that were distributed and read from pulpits throughout the prelature.

During Holy Week in April 1981, Fr. Godofredo Alingal, S.J., a known critic of Martial Law, was gunned down inside his convento in Kibawe by hired killers suspected to be close to a local politician. Fr. Alingal’s remains were to be buried in Kibawe, but upon the pleas of a sorrowing mother, the Jesuit Provincial allowed the remains to be brought to Dapitan to be buried in his hometown. Bishop Claver nonetheless celebrated the funeral Mass in Kibawe and delivered a homily, entitled, “The Empty Tomb in Kibawe.” It was as much a stirring indictment of continued violations of human rights under Martial Law as it was also a renewed pledge to continue the struggle for justice and peace in the light of the Easter promise of the Resurrection.

Among his fellow bishops, Bishop Cisco came to be counted with the “Magnificent Seven” who were critical of Martial Law from the start. Gradually, as the years of Martial Law deepened, more and more bishops distanced themselves from the martial law regime. By February 1986 at the culmination of the snap elections pitting the widow Cory Aquino against the incumbent martial law President Ferdinand Marcos, the bishops finally came together in a special meeting to condemn the conduct of the polls: “In our considered judgment, the polls were unparalleled in the fraudulence of their conduct… According to moral principles, a government that assumes or retains power through fraudulent means has no moral basis.” The chief drafter of the bishops’ statement was Bishop Claver.

But what was distinctly characteristic of his outlook was reflected in the bishops’ “response in faith”:

“We therefore ask every loyal member of the Church, every community of the faithful, to form their judgment about the February 7 polls. And if in faith they see things as we the bishops do, we must come together and discuss what appropriate actions to take that will be according to the mind of Christ.” In effect, the bishops were saying that they would not take the lead for the people but they would “stand in solidarity   with them in the common discernment for the good of the nation.”

It was this same principle of people’s participation   and communal discernment that Bishop Claver would stress in drafting the bishops’ “1997 Pastoral Exhortation on Philippine Politics”:

“As at EDSA in 1986, so today: We must reason together for the common good, we must pray together and act together to transform politics into a means of national renewal, a means of just and integral development for every Filipino and for all Filipinos.”

This practice of praying, discerning, and acting together would also be for Bishop Cisco the distinguishing marks of Basic Ecclesial Communities. In his recently-published book, “The Making of a Local Church,” that synthesizes his four decades of pastoral experience, Bishop Cisco describes BECs as “worshipping communities of faith-discernment and - action at the lowest levels of the church that try, in a participatory way and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to put life and faith together into an integrated whole.”

Journey to Bontoc
In January 1982, while I was on tertianship formation in Baguio, Bishop Cisco invited me and another tertian to ride with him to his hometown in Bontoc. We didn’t mind skipping one day from our tertianship sessions in exchange for the chance to see his native place. It was for me an eventful ride, passing at one point the highest section of the Philippine highway system. When we reached Bontoc, Bishop Cisco introduced us to an elderly Belgian ICM Sister who was maintaining a local museum of native Igorot culture. Then he brought us around some of the Igorot homes built in traditional style – some with a designated spot beside the house for the future burial site of the head of the household. In going up and down the narrow lanes, we noticed the solid stone walls that are part and parcel of Igorot culture − and a trademark skill of Bishop Cisco wherever he was assigned for some length of time. In visiting his hometown, little could I foresee that Bishop Cisco would be appointed in 1995 as Vicar Apostolic of Bontoc-Lagawe. He had come full circle and returned to his roots in the Cordillera – where, as he himself had once expressed in a meeting of local superiors, only native priests can truly bring about the inculturation of the Christian Faith for their own people.

A few months before he died, Bishop Cisco sent a letter to the Jesuit Provincial asking that his remains be buried in the Jesuit cemetery in Novaliches. In one sense, he was going against the cultural practice of his people. But in another sense, the empty tomb in Bontoc signifies that Bishop Cisco belongs to us all now – together with his message of hope in the midst of adversity and his faith in the communal strength of little people. May his spirit of casual yet forthright service continue to encourage us in our own pastoral concerns and actions for the People of God today.

150 ka mga kaparian nagkatigum sa Cagayan de Oro

2010-09-08T00:47:00.000-07:00

Ni Mark Harvey Elloren

“We have to claim our identity as a priest and everything will follow.” Kini ang sugyot ni Most Rev. Jose Cabantan, Obispo sa Malaybalay, sa iyang homiliya sa unang adlaw sa pagsaulog sa Adlaw sa mga Pari niadtong Augusto 2-4, 2010, didto sa Xavier Estates, Cagayan de Oro. Mao kini ang unang panagtigum sa 150 nga kaparian sa Diyoseses sa Cagayan de Oro ug Malaybalay atol sa kasaulogan sa pagtapos sa Tuig sa mga Pari.

Nagsugod ang panagtigum sa usa ka rekoleksiyon diin ang unang tigpamulong si Msgr. Rey Manuel Monsanto, nga nagbalik lantaw sa ilang panaw sa Roma, uban sa mga kaparian sa Cagayan, niadtong miaging Hunyo, sa pagtapos sa Tuig sa mga Pari. “It was moving to see how the priest, despite the inconvenience of language and not so clear sound system, tried to follow the talks and activities in respectful silence. “ Gipahimangnuan ni Msgr. Monsanto ang mga pari sa sugyot ni Santo Papa Benedicto XVI nga ang tahas sa pari dili usa ka “office” kondili usa ka sakramento.

Ang ikaduhang tigpamulong, si Rev. Fr. Florencio Salvador nagsugyot nga ang pari “motambong sa miting ug maalampoon.” Gipakita sa usa ka powerpoint ang resulta sa survey sa 3,500 ka Lay Ministers sa unom ka distrito sa Arkidiyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro. Ang resulta nag-ingon nga ang mga tahas sa usa ka pari nga maoy makatabang sa pagpalambo sa Kristohanong katilingban mao ang mga mosunod: dili hangol, aktibo sa social action, undanon, nagtuon, ug nahigugma sa parokyano. Ang mga tahas nga wala makatabang: dili moapil sa miting, okupado kaayo, dili na maabot, walay paki,” ug uban pa. Sa katapusan ang survey naga-ingon nga “angay dawaton ang pari bisan pa sa ilang kahuyang.

Ang ikatulo nga tigpamulong mao si Rev. Fr. Karl S. San Juan, S.J., sa Center for Ignatian Spirituality. Gihisgutan niya ang “Pastoral Leadership and Management.” Gihatagan niya og kalainan ang kahulogan sa “Leadership” ug “Management.” Ang pari usa ka lider ug usa ka manager. Namalandong ang tanan sa iyang pangutana kon unsa man ang mas maayo; ang pagka-lider o pagka-manager; ug kon unsa man nga stilo ang gigamit sa pagdala sa mga parokyano.

Sa ikaduhang adlaw, gihimo ang pagpa-ugnat sa kusog sa mga pari. Dunay basketball, tennis, table tennis ug bowling nga gipahigayon alang sa mga kaparian.

Gitapos ang selebrasyon sa usa ka misa nga gipangulohan ni Most Rev. Antonio Ledesma didto sa St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. Sa iyang homiliya iyang gibalik lantaw ang kasaysayan sa Diyosesis sa Malaybalay ug gihatagan niya og pahinungod ang unang Obispo sa Malaybalay nga mao si Most Rev. Francisco Claver.

Gipangandoy usab ni. Most Rev. Jose Cabantan, Obispo sa Malaybalay, uban sa Obispo sa Cagayan de Oro, Most Rev. Antonio Ledesma, ang dako nga panagtigum sa mga kaparian sa CABUSTAM ugma damlag.

CdO River Management gihatagan og igong pagtagad

2010-09-08T00:39:00.000-07:00

Ni Louise Dumas

Ang Arkidiyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro, pinaagi ni Arsobispo Antonio J. Ledesma, D.D. nga mao ang nagpahigayon sa Climate Change Congress sa Pilipinas ug ang ACCESS, kasamtangang nagtambayayong uban sa nagkalain-laing grupo gikan sa mga tulunghaan ug mga ahensiya sa kagamhanan aron mugnaon ang Cagayan de Oro River Basin Management Council.

Ang Technical Working Group sa bag-ong namugna nga Konseho, nagkatigom niadtong petsa 30 sa Hulyo, 2010 sa SEARSOLIN aron paghisgut sa mga gamitong mga mapa aron matan-aw pag-ayo ug matun-an ang kahimtang sa suba sa Cagayan de Oro - gikan sa iyang tinubdan ngadto sa Macajalar Bay nga sa ingon makagama gilayon ang maong grupo og usa ka hiyograpiya sa Cagayan de Oro Riverbasin. Kining hiyograpiya gikinahanglan ihan-ay aron makahimo ang siyudad og mga lakang pagpangandam sa pag-abot unya sa mga kalamidad nga epekto sa mga pagka-usab sa Klima o Climate Change, sama sa pagbaha, pagkamala sa atong mga katubigan ug uban pa.

Ang mga institusyon nga mipasiugda og mga kasamtangang pagtuki mihatag sa ilang pasiunang mga pamahayag. Ang gitawag nga Ridge to Reef Initiatives (R3) mipasabot sa ilang mga paningkamot pagsunod sa giagian sa mga binanlas nga yuta nga nagsumikad sa nakutkot nga mga kabukiran sa Bukidnon. Apil usab sa maong pagtuki ang kahimtang sa Iponan River diin ang kanunay’ng pagkabanlas sa yuta sa kabukiran tungod sa pagbuhagay sa tubig inig baha nakadugang na sa gibana-bana nga 1000 cubic meters nga yuta sa Iponan River. Ang resulta usab sa gipahigayong mga “water tests” mipakita og 3000mg/L nga “suspended solids” sa pipila ka mga adlaw sa pagtuki. “Sa tibuok tuig, adunay mga 420 metric tons nga mga binanlas ang matapok sa Iponan River ug sa Macajalar Bay”, pamahayag ni Genaro P. Apog, ang nangulo sa Engineering Team. “Kini basi lamang sa mga resulta sa pagtuon sa ting-init ug siguradong mosamot pa ang gidaghanon niini sa panahon sa ting-ulan.”

Mihatag usab og mga pamahayag ang grupo sa Environmental Science for Social Change (ESSC) sa maong panagtigum sa Technical Working Group. Ilang gihulagway ang kahimtang sa atong kalasangan sa Amihanang Mindanao. Matud ni Rev. Fr. Pedro W. Walpole, SJ kinahanglan nato masabtan pag-ayo ang kalihukan ug tumong sa atong mga kalasangan. Adunay mahinungdanong papel ang mga kalasangan sa pag-apod-apod sa tubig. Midugang pagpasabot si Fr. Walpole nga makita sa atong kaagi sa nasud ang kakulangon sa ensaktong pagplano ug kakulangon sa implementasyon sa mga plano tali niini nga mga panghitabo.

Angay natong lantawon ang malukpanong pagkabanlas sa yuta sa mga kabukiran, ang pagkamabaw sa atong mga kasubaan ug ang mamahimong dakong kausaban sa hulagway sa palibot, Gikinahanglan nato ang malangkubon nga kasulbaran niini nga suliran.

Pontifical Mission Societies – Philippines hold 57th General Assembly

2010-07-25T23:36:00.001-07:00

By Rev. Santiago E. Panilagao

The Pontifical Mission Societies in the Philippines held its 57th General Assembly for Mission Directors last June 21-25 in Sto. Nino Spirituality Center in Consolacion, Cebu City with the theme, “A Dynamic Philippine Church-In-Mission.”

The objectives of the assembly is to have a common understanding of mission in our present times; to deepen our understanding of our role and work as diocesan Mission Directors in our local Churches and in promoting the Four Pontifical Societies and; to learn some skills in making localized modules on mission.

The 5-day gathering was focused on current trends of the mission particularly the Philippine setting. The missionary work of the church nowadays is very much affected by the advancement of science and technology, thus, widened the gap between the rich and the poor.

To challenge missionaries to effectively work in their Mission Directors themselves must have a heart for the mission. He has to be appointed full time since he has to establish missionary work within the structure of the diocese. Through animation he makes mission as the heart of the diocese.
To conclude, some recommendations were made: 1. The Mission Director must be appointed from 4-5 year term for him to establish mission plan, programs and activities to the parish level and school base. 2. The four PMS association shall be given primary concern - the Propagation of the Faith, Holy Childhood, St. Peter the Apostle and Missionary Union. 3. The mission envelopes must be distributed on Mission Sundays. These envelopes which are forms of mission awareness serve as the parishioners’ contribution to the mission. 4. To encourage the priests to center their homilies on the missionary work of the Church during the month of October.

For the past three years, the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro ranks the 5th among the highest remittance of contribution to PMS. The venue for the next general assembly is Davao City.

Gusa Parish hosts mass wedding

2010-07-25T23:22:00.001-07:00

By Ma. Corazon Siojo

Nine couples were wed at the San Isidro Parish in Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City, sponsored by the Lourdes College Batch ‘75 on June 26, 2010. Parish priest Fr. Fermin Tan officiated the wedding rites.

The sponsorship covered expenses such as seminar fees, civil registry application/documentation fees, church decorations, transportation for the brides, and a hotel room for make-up and preparation, as well as the lechon and wedding cake served during the reception. Batch ‘75 volunteered as the choir during the wedding ceremony.

On behalf of Batch ‘75, which has a history of working on charitable projects with San Isidro Parish , Batch President Grace Fernan would like to extend her gratitude to San Isidro parishioner Corazon Almirante Siojo, Fr. Fermin Tan, and Sr. Tess Dalugdugan for their kind collaboration.

Bag-ong tuig tingtungha sa SJVTS gibuksan sa Santos nga Misa

2010-07-25T23:20:00.001-07:00

Ang mga gasa sa Espiritu Santo may dakong kalambigitan sa kinabuhi sa mga seminarista. Mao kini ang taho sa Misa sa Espiritu Santo ni Arsobispo Antonio Ledesma sa mga seminarista sa St. John VianneyTheological Seminary niadtong Hunyo 25, 2010. Ang Misa sa Espiritu Santo maoy “official” nga pag-abri sa tunghaan 2010-2011 ug pag-ilaila sa mga tig-umol, seminarista, ug tanang lumilihok sa seminaryo sa kanhng Obispo.

Gi abi-abi ni Arsobispo Ledesma ang bag-ong rector sa seminaryo nga si Rev. Fr. Celerino Reyes, S.J. May bag-o usab nga mga tig-umol sa mga seminarista nga mao sila: Rev. Fr. Demlie Valmores ug si Rev. Fr. Julius Clavero sa Arkidiosesis sa Cagayan de Oro. May siyam ka mga pari ug usa ka laygo nga moumol sa mga seminarista ug modumala sa seminaryo.

Karong ika 25 ka tuig sukad natukod ang seminaryo dunay 58 ka mga seminarista sa Vianney: Cagayan de Oro 8; Butuan 11; Dipolog 2; Tagum 6; Malaybalay 11; Tagbilaran 6; Talibon 3; Iligan 3; Cotabato 2 ug Tandag 6.

Gipasabut sa Arsobispo nga ang lihok sa Espirito Santo dili lang paghiusa sa tibuok simbahan kondili mao usab ang paghatag sa kusog ug paggiya sa lokal nga simbahan.

AGGAp, consumer group host forum on power rate hike

2010-07-25T23:19:00.001-07:00

By Louise Dumas

The Konsumanteng Kagay-anon, partnered with the Archdiocesan Good Governance Apostolate conducted a public forum on the Ancillary Services Charges of the National Grid Corp. (NGCP) imposed on Mindanao consumers.

After the power problem experienced by the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro - and in fact the rest of Mindanao- since February, consumers were shocked to find that their electric bills have doubled. Parishioners of the Our Lady of Fatima Parish who attended the forum decried the fact that their bills went up but they could not understand the items listed on their billing statements. The representative from the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company, however, said that they had issued a memorandum about the increase and that it had been due to the ancillary services charged by the NGCP.

Engr. Cerael Donggay, former NPC vice president for Mindanao, explained the dynamics of the ancillary services. A discussion paper made by Engr. David A. Tauli was also handed out to the audience. Among the arguments presented questioning the validity of the ancilliary charges had been that the power barges of Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) were operated as base load in February. Since this had been the case, charging should not be as ancillary service which is higher than for the base load operations.

Engr. Tauli’s paper also reasoned that the Ancillary Services is only to support the main transmission service. It includes Contingency Reserves, Reactive Power support and Black Start capability. The main problem during the power crisis, however, had been the actual supply for distribution to consumers and not reserves. The power plants in Mindanao, according to the discussion, had also no need for support in their Black Start capability. Black Start capability refers to the process of recovery from a Total System Blackout using a generating unit without an external power supply.

Other points were discussed including the validity of NGCP going into a contract with providers instead of the NPC or the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corporation which was set up to manage the power sector of the Philippines after the government decided to restructure the sector through privatization.

According to Engr. Tauli’s discussion paper, the Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement between the NGCP and TMI was only given a Provisional Approval. Presently, the Energy Regulatory Commission is conducting hearings for the approval of the ASPA. The multi-sectoral audience which attended the forum agreed to form a group which would lobby legislations that would solve the power problem in Mindanao and at the same time find ways to stop the approval of the ASPA of NGCP and TMI.

Aligning for Interfaith Dialogue

2010-07-25T23:17:00.000-07:00

During the first quarter of this year on March 16-18, senior officials from the 118 member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) met in Manila. In this special ministerial meeting at the Philippine International Convention Center, the heads of delegations declared their understanding and support for the extraordinary theme chosen for their conference: “Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development.”

The theme was extraordinary because the Non-Aligned Movement was originally a political grouping of nations organized more than half a century ago that did not want to align themselves with either the Communist Bloc or the Free World, political aggregations that divided the world at that time during the era of the Cold War.

But now, the NAM countries were all aligning themselves behind the call for interfaith dialogue – an implicit admission that the fault lines threatening the world’s unity today may no longer run across ideological lines, but rather more profoundly across religious lines.

Manila Declaration
Thus, the Manila Declaration adopted by the NAM delegates stressed the need for “dialogue among cultures, civilizations and religions” in direct opposition to the “clash of civilizations” theory propounded by some political observers at the coming of the third millennium. Along with this call for dialogue was the reaffirmation of common fundamental values contained in the United Nations’ Millennium Declaration: “freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature and shared responsibility.”

Coming mostly from the Asian, African, and Latin American continents, the NAM delegates affirmed religious freedom and the protection of all human rights that are “universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated.” They expressed their commitment to promote “a culture of peace and dialogue,” seen not as an option but as an imperative in today’s world.

In particular, initiatives already taken along these lines were recognized coming from several NAM member countries such as Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and the Sudan.

Speaking for the Philippines in her keynote address, President Gloria M. Arroyo cited the example of the Bishops-Ulama Conference which over the past 14 years has brought together Christian bishops and Muslim ulama in dialogue and a common search for peace in Mindanao. Together with Pakistan, the Philippines has also pursued the promotion of interfaith and intercultural dialogue at the United Nations General Assembly since 2004.

Voices of NAM member states
Described by President Tito of the former Yugoslavia as the “conscience of mankind” at its inception, NAM has indeed evolved into a continuing forum for world peace. It is instructive then to listen to some of the representative voices at the NAM conference:

• “We should champion tolerance rather than discrimination, communication rather than rejection, and co-existence rather than confrontation.” (China)
• “All religions are rooted in common ground and share a diversified world. They all call for freedom, human dignity, equality, tolerance, harmony and acceptance of others.” (Qatar)
• “All the great religions of the world essentially represent what the Vedas postulate: The Truth is One, the wise call it by many names…. Mahatma Gandhi once said, ‘Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.’” (India)
• “Dialogue among civilizations and cultures, but most importantly religions, is an effective remedy to prevent conflicts…. Even in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, faith communities should be seen as vital partners.” (Suriname)
• “Mainstreaming of interfaith principles into education systems – religious and secular, formal and informal – is central to sustained generational change.” (Tanzania)
• “Promotion of understanding among cultures and faiths is a political and moral imperative in our globalized world…. We must be ready to move beyond dialogue and translate this goodwill into concrete actions to create peaceful, tolerant and harmonious societies.” (Pakistan)
• “All great religions advocate love; all great religions hold life to be sacred; all great religions profess peace and promote understanding.” (Philippines)

Civil Society and Faith-Based Organizations
A day before the opening of the Special NAM Conference, religious leaders and representatives of Faith-Based Organizations converged to underscore a complementary theme: “Strengthening partnerships with governments on interfaith dialogue and cooperation.”

Their joint statement noted the continuing situation in some countries of religious sectarianism and discrimination, persecution of minority groups and acts of terrorism in the name of religion. “There is no peace without development, and no development can come without peace,” noted the representatives of Civil Society, “but neither can be achieved without interfaith dialogue.”

In particular, the participants pointed out that:

• Religious minorities can become active partners in peace building with government assistance;
• Intra-faith dialogue according to one’s religious traditions should be a prerequisite step to inter-faith dialogue; and
• What is needed is a deeper appreciation for the spiritual bases for peace in all our religious traditions.

I was privileged to be a co-convenor of the first day’s discussions among faith-based organizations. At the NAM conference itself, I attended as representative of the Holy See which has an observer status in this international body.

It is in this light that I fully agree with Dr. William Vendley, Secretary General of the World Conference of Religions for Peace, who summarized three courses of action for NAM member countries in the coming years:

1. Religious communities themselves can come together through interfaith dialogue and multi-religious cooperation for peace;
2. Governments should enter into principled partnership with religious bodies in the service of the common good; and
3. Personal morality and common values found in all religions need to be translated into a new political paradigm. Such is the concept of “shared security” where the security of one country depends on the security of other countries.

Bag-ong diakono mangalagad sa Jolo

2010-07-25T23:11:00.000-07:00

Rev. Ricky Bacolcol

Ni Mark Harvey Elloren

Si Sem. Ricky Bacolcol, 34, giordinahan pagka-diakono ni Most Rev. Fr. Angelito Lampon, O.M.I., D.D., Obispo sa Vicariate sa Jolo, didto sa San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish, Mambajao, Camiguin, niadtong Mayo 29, 2010. Siya sakop sa SAHA batch sa St. John Vianney Theological Seminary nga nigradwar niadtong Marso 2010.

Si Ricky nga natawo sa Mambajao mibalhin sa Vicariate sa Jolo tungod kay nakita niya ang dakong panginahanglanon ug tawag sa pagkapari didto sa maong dapit apan buot gihapon niya maordinahan sa iyang yutang natawhan, ang Mambajao, Camiguin.

Sa homiliya ni Obispo Lampon, ang pagbalhin ni Ricky usa ka “risgo” tungod kay iyang gibiyaan ang “comfort zones” diri sa Cagayan aron mangalagad sa lugar diin siya gikinahanglan.
Sa 15 katuig niya sa pormasyon, nakaingon si Obispo Lampon nga si Ricky usa ka mapailubon nga tao. Sa kataas sa tuig nga iyang gitagana sa pormasyon siya nagpakita ug determinasyon ug wala nawad-an sa paglaum.

Si Ricky nisulod sa San Jose de Mindanao Seminary niadtong 1995. Nakahuman siya sa kurso nga Sociology sa Xavier University. Niadtong 2000, misulod siya sa St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. Unum katuig siya nagtudlo didto sa Jolo isip iyang Ministry Year.

Si Ricky maordinahan pagkapari sa Vicariate sa Jolo.

Tunghaan sa Arkidiyosesis migamit og stratehiya pagpataas sa motungha

2010-07-25T22:58:00.000-07:00

Students doing research at Xavier Academy in Initao, one of the parochial schools under Archdiocesan supervision.

Ang Commission on Catholic Education sa Arkidiyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro mihan-ay ug mga bag-ong pamaagi aron pagsulbad sa nikunhod nga motungha sa mga parokyanong mga tulunghaan karong tuig ting-eskuwela.

Sa usa ka pakighinabi, miasoy si Rev. Fr. Rolando Gabutera, SSJV, ang Superintendente sa Komisyon sukad pa niadtong 2008, nga gawas sa preschools nga nakakuha og taas nga motungha, ang pagkunhod sa motungha sa tanang mga ang-ang naka apekto gayud og dako sa mga parokyanhong mga tulunghaan ubos sa iyang pamunoan.

Matud ni Fr. Gabutera, ang usa ka dakong hinungdan sa pagkunhod sa motungha karong tuiga mao ang pagsaka sa mga nagkalain-laing mga balayranon kon miscellaneous fees. Midugang og sugid si Fr. Gabutera nga adunay nga dagkong parokyanhong tulunghaan dinhi sa atong Arkidiyosesis nga mikunhod gayud ang motungha bisan pa sa gihatag nga hinabang sa Department of Education aron mabuligan ang mga ginikanan nga mahatagan ang ilang mga anak og makadiyos nga edukasyon.

Kabahin niining gipatunhay nga mga kabag-ohan, adunay tulo ka mga pamaagi nga gipahimutang karon sa Komisyon aron dili magpadayon ang pagkunhod sa motungha. Usa niini mao ang pagpalit ug mga computers aron nga makapahigayon sila ug mga computer classes nga wala sa nga publiko nga tulunghaan. Gihunahuna nga kini nga pamaagi makapataas sa motungha sa parokyanhong mga eskuwelahan.
Ang ikaduha nga pamaagi mao ang istrikto nga pagpatuman sa paggamit sa inandam na daan nga talaan-panun-anan sa tanang parokyanhong tulunghaan. Kini sukwahi sa nabatasan na sa mga magtutudlo nga sila ang magbuot ug mag-andam sa ilang itudlo sa matag hilisgutan kon subject. Kining ikaduha nga pamaagi gilantaw gihapon nga makataas sa kalidad sa edukasyon sa parokyanhong tulunghaan sa Arkidiyosesis.

Ang ikatulo nga pamaagi mao ang paghatag og dugang pagpahinungod sa makadiyos nga edukasyon nga maoy makahatag sa mga kabatan-onan og husto nga pag-umol sa pagtuo og pamatasan. “Ang atong tumong mao man ang pag-umol sa kinatibuk-ang pagkatawo; atong gilantaw ang pag-edukar sa hunahuna, sa kasingkasing ug sa pagpanginabuhi sa matag magtutuon,“ kini ang pamahayag ni Fr. Gabutera. Tali niini, ang mga estudyante gi obligar nga moduyog sa mga makataong buluhatong-pagpakiglambigit ug sa First Friday nga pagsaulog sa Eyukaristiya kon misa.

Gipangusgan ni Fr. Gabutera nga mapaabot ngadto sa mga ginikanan kini nga mga kabag-ohan. “Buot natong malantaw sa mga ginikanan nga husto ang ilang pagdesisyon sa pagpatungha sa ilang mga anak sa atong parokyanhong mga tulunghaan,” pamahayag ni Fr. Gabutera.

“Peacebuilding seminar” sa mga Obispo gipahigayon sa CDO

2010-07-25T22:51:00.000-07:00

Professor John Paul Lederach (far left) shares his perspectives on forging peace in Mindanao with bishops and other participants. This seminar held in SEARSOLIN in Cagayan de Oro is the first of several to follow in coming months.

Ni James Sia

Usa ka seminar mahitungod sa paggambalay sa kalinaw diha sa pagkulokabildo sa nagkalain-laing pagtuo ang gipahigayon niadtong Hunyo 1-2, 2010 didto sa Southeast Asian Rural Social Leadership Institute (SEARSOLIN), ning siyudad sa Cagayan de Oro. Kining maong seminar, nga gitambungan sa atong halangdong arsobispo sa Cagayan de Oro, si Most Rev. Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J., D.D. gipangulohan ni Ginoong John Paul Lederach, usa ka banggiitang magtutudlo sa Kalibutanong Paggambalay sa Kalinaw didto sa Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies sa Unibersidad sa Notre Dame sa Indiana, Estados Unidos.

Kuyog ni Arsobispo Ledesma ang upat pa ka mga obispo sa atong Katolikong Simbahan sa nasud. Kining mga obispo mao sila si Most Rev. Colin Bagaforo, D.D. sa Arkidiyosesis sa Cotabato, si Most Rev. Angelito Lampon, D.D. sa Apostolic Vicariate sa Jolo, si Most Rev. Martin Jumoad, D.D. sa Prelature sa Isabela ug si Most Rev. Elenito Gallido, D.D. sa Diyosesis sa Iligan. Uban usab sa grupo sa mga Obispo sila si Rev. Fr. Stephen Broncano sa Diyosesis sa Butuan ug si Ms. Myrna Siose nga mirepresentar sa Episcopal Commission on Indigenous People (ECID) sa Arkidiyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro. Mitambong usab sa maong seminar ang representante sa Catholic Relief Services nga mao si Ms. Myla Leguro.

Ang pagkulokabildo nakapunting sa lima ka mga punto. Una, ang Kinatibuk-ang Kahulugan o Context (Unsa man ang mga kalihokan ug mga panghitabo didto sa matag Diyosesis sa mga nanambong nga mga Obispo ug Arsobispo). Ikaduha mao ang mga buluhaton ug mga panglimbasog o Efforts (Gi-unsa nila pagtubag ang mga situwasyon sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka mga lugar). Ikatulo mao ang Entry Points (Unsa ang mga gilauman gikan sa bag-ong administrasyon). Ang ikaupat mao ang mga Kabatid nga makuha (Unsa man ang mga pagtulun-an ug mga kaalam nga makuha sa mga nanambong gikan sa mga kasinatian sa taga gawas sa atong nasud). Ang ikalimang punto mao ang Padayong Paglawig o moving forward (Unsa man ang mga plano nga ilang gihunahuna nga angayang buhaton sa umaabot).

Aduna nay mga kalambuan dinhi sa atong rehiyon tali niini nga pagkulukabildo sa nagkalain-laing Pagtuo. Sa Jolo, kini nga matang sa pagkulokabildo gipasiugdahan pinaagi sa pagtinabangay sa nagkalain-laing kahugpungan sa mga prohektong kalabot sa pagsugpo sa sakit nga HIV. Dinhi usab sa Arkidiyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro, ang atong halangdong Arsobispo mirepresentar sa Vatican isip usa ka Tigpaniid o Observer didto sa tigum sa mga Non-Aligned Movements nga dinhi gipahigayon sa Pilipinas. Gipaabot ni Arsobispo Ledesma ngadto sa mga tumatambong niini nga katiguman ang impormasyon nga ang mga Pilipinhong delegado ngadto sa United Nations nga halos tanan Katoliko, ug usab ang gikan sa Pakistan nga mga Muslim miduso sa mga programa tali sa Interreligious Dialogue kon Pagkulokabildo sa Nagkalin-laing Pagtuo.

Sa laing bahin, nahisgutan usab sa maong pagkulokabildo ang mga kalisud nga nasinati sa Diyosesis sa Isabela, Iligan ug Cotabato kabahin sa pagpalambo sa relasyon tali sa mga Kristiyanos ug mga Muslim. Sa tuig 2002, gikasugid nga adunay pakyas nga mga paningkamot nga gihimo sa Isabela. Nahisgutan ni Obispo Jumoad ang pipila ka mga pagpanghasi sa mga Muslim, apil na niini ang pagdagit sa tulo ka Kristiyanos sa dihang mibiyahe sila sa Basilan, ug ang pagkamatay sa usa ka Kristiyanong mayor human mihimo kini ug sugyot ug mga lakang sa pag-irog sa usa ka mosque aron maluag-luagan ang usa ka kalsada duol sa nahimutangan sa maong mosque. Sa Iligan, pipila usab sa mga kaparian ang nakasinati ug mga pagpanghasi sa ubang mga Muslim. Sa Cotabato, gisugid usab ni Obispo Bagaforo nga ang pagbomba sa Katedral sa Imaculada Concepcion sa Cotabato gituhoan nga usa ka pagbansay kon “test mission” sa mga bag-ong mga sakop sa Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Hinuon, nasinati usab niining mga lugara ang pagserbisyo sa daghang mga Muslim isip nga PPCRV volunteers sa mga lugar nga walay mga Kristiyanos.

Human gipakita ngadto sa mga namambong sa maong seminar ang uban pang mga panghitabo sa panagbangi didto sa South Africa ug Northern Ireland, misugyot si Professor Lederach ngadto sa mga Obispo nga lantawon nila ang mga maayong kasinatian tali sa IRD dinhi sa Mindanao, ipatunhay ang pagpakiglambigit sa mga kaparian ug mga Imam ug ang pagsugyot ngadto sa mga Kristiyanos ug mga Muslim nga walaon na ang mga armas ug sa pagsugod pagkinabuhi sa kalinaw. Agig pagsunod sa maong sugyot, ang mga Obispo mopahigayon og lain na usab nga seminar sa sunod nga bulan uban na usab sa laing katolikong autoridad sa pagpalambo sa kalinaw nga mao si Fr. Robert Schreiter, C.PP.S. ug ang professor sa Kroc Institute nga si Scott Appleby.

Sa laing bahin ang ECID mopasiugda usab og mga pagpahigayon sa mga pamalandong pastoral sa mga lugar diin daghan ang mga Muslim nga mga lumolupyo.

Archdiocese to celebrate 44th World Communications Day

2010-06-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

By Mary Anne Padilla, FSP

The Archdiocese will celebrate the 44th World Communications Day on July 13, 2010 with Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ, the main presider of the concelebrated Mass at St. Augustine Cathedral. The event will be participated by Catholic Communicators, media practitioners, Mass Communication students, seminarians, and religious men and women.

Each year, the Holy Father sends out a message to all the faithful for this special day. On this occasion, he has focused on the importance of digital communications, in which priests can discover new possibilities for carrying out their ministry to and for the Word of God.

The Pope sees the necessity to link together technology and sound theological insights. Priests who are working in the digital communication should be known more of their priestly heart and closeness to God than their knowledge of information technology.

The Social Communications Apostolate (SCA) of the Archdiocese will soon come out with plan of activities for priests and seminarians that will enhance their computer literacy: blogging, Microsoft Office and photoshop programs.

Fr. Celerino Reyes, S.J. new SJVTS rector

2010-06-24T20:03:00.000-07:00

Fr. Celerino Reyes, S.J.

Theology professor Fr. Celerino Reyes, S.J. has assumed his duties as the new rector of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary (SJVTS) in Camaman-an Hill, Cagayan de Oro City on May 25, 2010. Fr. Reyes, who turned 53 years old this year, is no stranger to Cagayan de Oro, having taught at the Xavier University High School from 1984 to 1986. He was also vice-rector at SJVTS from 1991-1993.

Prior to this new assignment, Fr. Reyes served as treasurer at the San Jose Seminary and as Executive Director of the Center for Ignatian Spirituality in Quezon City.

Fr. Reyes finished high school at the Ateneo de San Pablo in 1973 and graduated with a degree in Business Management from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1977, where he would also receive his MA in Theology. Fr. Reyes finished his Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Loyola School of Theology (LST) and holds a Doctorate in Ministry from the University of Toronto in Canada.

Bishop Cabajog to the new bishop: “Lead your priests into ‘general interior renewal’”

2010-06-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

Bp. Antonieto Cabajog delivers his homily during the ordination of Bp. Cabantan.

By Arthur Mondigo

In his homily during the Episcopal ordination of Fr. Jose Araneta Cabantan last April 30, Bishop Antonieto Cabajog, Bishop of Surigao, considered the Episcopal Ordination as a gift to the whole clergy and to St. John Vianney Theological Seminary.

The Episcopal ordination of Fr. Cabantan, according to Bishop Cabajog, was “quite special because it coincides with the big occasions in the life of Church.” First, the Episcopal ordination happens during the Year of Priest, as declared by our Pope; and second, this year is the silver jubilee of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, of which the newly ordained bishop is an alumnus.

Bishop Cabajog acknowledged all the pastoral assignments of Fr. Cabantan in twenty years of service as a priest. “Fr. Joe has served the society silently, diligently and lovingly, in spite of his high educational attainment and status in Archdioceses,” he said with unconcealed esteem.
After citing the laudable traits of Fr. Cabantan, Bishop Cabajog added, “This just goes to show that the world today has much more need of real witnesses, not just preachers.” With this, the bishop went ahead to expound Pope Benedict’s message for the Year of Priests, encouraging the priests present to live a life of integrity despite the scandals that have stained the dignity of the priesthood.

Bishop Cabajog exhorted his newly ordained confrere, Bishop Cabantan, to lead his priests into “general interior renewal.” This implies that the clergy have “to go through daily interior conversion in order to become faithful ministers to his people.”

“In the eyes of the world, you are going up the ladder of the hierarchy, but in the priestly ministry, you are actually going a step lower in order to serve men,” Bishop Cabajog fraternally reminded the new bishop of Malaybalay.

ACDO Chancery attends 6th Diocesan Chancellors’ Convention

2010-06-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

Rev. Panilagao representing Cagayan de Oro at the 6th Diocesan Chancellors’ Convention.

By Rev. Santiago Panilagao

The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro Chancery Office represented by this writer, attended the 6th Annual National Convention of Diocesan Chancellors of the Philippines at the MGM Resort and Convention Center in Boracay, Aklan last April 13-16 with the theme “Faithfulness of Priests and Lay Workers in the Chancery Ministry.” Around 90 participants attended, 80 of which were chancellors and vice chancellors.

The convention was aimed to strengthen ties between diocesan chancellors and chancery employees from all over the Philippines. This was to enable them to work as a community in service of the Church. The 3-day convention include discussions on wellness given by alternative medicine proponents Drs. Ibarra and Christine Gonzales; “Spirituality and Faithfulness” by Auxiliary Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of Jaro; “Fr. Erwin Balagapo, chancellor of the Diocese of Naval spoke on Canon Law Re-admission to the Sacred Ministry”. The election of officers for the 2011-2012 terms was also discussed.

The new officers for the next term are: President - Msgr. Paul Cuison (Archdiocese of Davao); Vice President for Luzon - Fr. Romulo Felix (Diocese of Bayombong); Vice President for Visayas - Fr. Bernie Barrios (Archdiocese of Capiz); Vice President for Mindanao - Fr. Celso Singson (Diocese of Mati); Secretary - Fr. Tomas Avila, Jr. (Diocese of Tagum); and Treasurer - Fr. Antonio Sila (Diocese of Digos).

The convention was organized by the National Association of Diocesan Chancellors. Next year’s convention will be held in the Archdiocese of Davao.

PPCRV-ACDO meets difficulties despite new electoral system

2010-06-24T18:37:00.001-07:00

by Louise Dumas

Despite the seemingly successful first automated elections in the country, various irregularities were monitored by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting – Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro Chapter (PPCRV-ACDO).

In Alubijid, a voter returned his ballot to the Board of Election Inspector (BEI) because the section for the local slate has already been shaded in favor of candidates belonging to the Lakas-Kampi party. These pre-shaded ballots apparently were all over the archdiocese and the rest of the country, as reported by other media outfits and electoral watchdogs.

Other than this, numerous Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines have bogged down on the morning of election day. Machines in Balingasag, San Simon, and Jasaan have jammed or shut down. In Sagay, Camiguin, after 60 voters, the machine stopped receiving ballots and had to be restarted.

Fr. Nathaniel C. Lerio, head of PPCRV-ACDO expressed his concern that even if the machines get replaced eventually, the time wasted would mean lesser voters accommodated. “Fastest replacement takes 45 minutes to one hour,” he said. “During that time, no one is able to vote and this is in addition to the slow turnover of voters inside the precinct. We tried calling the local Smartmatics but they would not answer our calls.”

Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma likewise expressed his concern over the accommodation of the entire voting population. “When I voted earlier today, I noted that it takes two to five minutes to process per vote,” he said. “At this rate, they will only be able to accommodate around 12 voters per hour. I suggested that they add more people to facilitate the first step - the checking of records of the voters, which is the bottleneck of the process.”

The PPCRV, coordinated primarily by the Archdiocesan Good Governance Apostolate (AGGAp), had six desks monitoring the districts under the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro. Additionally, there had been a roving team which gave support to areas with few volunteers and made report-gathering faster. “It is very necessary that we get the reports promptly,” said Fr. Lerio, referring to the fourth copy of the official election results accorded to the PPCRV. “The new election process has fast outputs. We have to countercheck the reports as fast as we can and we cannot afford delays.”

In Lanao del Sur, dubbed “the cheating capital of the country,” despite the strict barring of people from the canvassing area which is at the Capitol Grounds of Marawi City, among the groups allowed to enter the place had been the PPCRV. The PPCRV, in the province, however, had no established secretariat and their reports are consolidated by the regional group in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

The PPCRV, headed by Rev. Teresito L. Soganub, in this largely Islamic province had also noted the high inefficiency of many of the PCOS machines. “Many of the machines were brought to the polling precincts only in the morning of May 10,” he said. “Additionally, they should have done the testing months back to allow the people to familiarize with the process and give allowance for the replacement or repair of the defective machines. These problems are playing to the advantage of some politicians who are using the ignorance of the people especially as it is the first automated elections.”

The province also saw several gunfights between warring parties. The worst case had been at the municipality of Tugaya where two people died. Six municipalities were not able to conduct their elections on May 10 due to several reasons, the absence of the BEIs, COMELEC officials, and PCOS machines and CF cards among them.

Pastoral message: Two Bishops-elect

2010-06-21T01:55:00.000-07:00

for May 2010

Last February, over the space of a fortnight, we received in Cagayan de Oro the announcements from the Vatican of two bishops-elect coming from our archdiocese – a most unusual occurrence that was met with much joy and thanksgiving. The two priests were actually working in neighboring parishes on the extensive upland area of Cagayan de Oro, comprising practically half of the city’s land area.

Fr. Jose Cabantan was parish priest of Lumbia, which includes the airport, the city jail, and a House of Hope for the mentally sick. The parish itself, including the sub-parish of Taglimao, has 32 kapilyas scattered among twelve rural barangays that used to be a logging area. Now that the trees are gone, another “invasion” is taking place in the guise of small-scale and medium-scale mining operators. Most destructive of all these operations is the unabated hydraulic flush mining that continues to color Iponan River reddish-brown even during the dry season.

Conserving the environment was one advocacy that preoccupied Fr. Joe as the Social Action Director of the archdiocese. Under his coordination were several “ad extra” ministries – i.e., social action services directed to anyone in need, and not only to Catholics. These ministries included: Sustainable Agriculture, Enterprise Development, Good Governance, Women’s Desk, Migrant Workers, Prison Inmates, Social Communications, several orphanages and a home for the elderly.

Lumbia Parish also became a training ground for seminarians from St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. They would spend their weekends there to help form Basic Ecclesial Communities under the guidance of Fr. Joe who was also teaching on weekdays at the seminary. With a licentiate from Loyola School of Theology, Fr. Joe as professor-cum-parish priest was able to make Lumbia parish the social laboratory for future pastors, steeped in the social teachings of the Church.

Before entering the seminary himself, Fr. Joe had been working as a chemical engineer. He also taught science subjects briefly at his alma mater high school run by the RVM sisters in Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental. Upon entering San Jose de Mindanao College Seminary, he took philosophy courses at Xavier University. He then joined the first batch of theology students for St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, founded by the bishops of Northeastern Mindanao in 1985. Fr. Joe thus becomes the first alumnus of SJVTS to be raised to the episcopacy, coinciding with the seminary’s silver anniversary this year. He is also the first diocesan priest from Cagayan de Oro to become a bishop.

In his 20 years with the Oro clergy, Fr. Joe came to be respected as a natural leader. With his height, he would usually play center for the Oro clergy basketball team. In his unassuming way, he took up various parish posts in Catarman, Lumbia and other places. He was elected for a term as President of the Society of St. John Vianney, a voluntary association of Oro diocesan priests for mutual support and spiritual growth after the example the patron of all priests. Over the past three years, I appointed him one of three Vicars-General in the archdiocese with the task of coordinating the various social action activities.

One of the lasting legacies left behind by Fr. Joe in Lumbia will be the nearly-completed formation center using the Interlocking Compressed Earth Block (ICEB) technology, which he picked up from a housing foundation in San Carlos diocese. This technology uses a mixture mostly of limestone with cement to produce low-cost building materials that are durable and also pleasing to the eyes. Other parish priests are beginning to adopt this technology for building their chapels through bayanihan labor.

Another form of bayanihan spirit was adopted by Fr. Vilsom Basso, the second bishop-elect, in building up the kapilya communities in his chaplaincy of Dansolihon. This is an area comprising five barangays that was carved out from Lumbia Parish. The building block used by Fr. Vilsom was an 84-page catechetical booklet entitled, “Ngano man? Ang mga pangutana sa mga kristianos!” (“Why? Questions raised by Christians!”)

Despite his being a Brazilian missionary, who first had to learn the local language, Fr. Vilsom was able to produce his catechetical librito wholly in Bisaya. This consists of 25 concise chapters filled with biblical quotations and short explanations. Each chapter title starts with a basic question: “Why is it important to pray? . . . Why is there Baptism? . . . Why are there saints? . . . Why do we go on mission?” A low-cost librito (worth P20 in price) in every home was the strategy of Fr. Basso. And it has indeed helped catechize all the Catholic households in his area. When I joined their fiesta celebration in honor of Señor Jesus Nazareno last year, I could feel the fervor of the parishioners’ participation, starting with the songs composed by Fr. Vilsom himself with a Brazilian beat and culminating with the confirmation rites for two kapilya communities.

Fr. Vilsom is a Priest of the Sacred Heart (SCJ). Before his assignment over the past two years in Cagayan de Oro, he was briefly stationed in Kumalarang Parish in Ipil Prelature. However, he had to be pulled out because of the kidnapping of Fr. Giancarlo Bossi, PIME, in nearby Payao. Before coming to the Philippines, Fr. Vilsom spent 16 years working in mission stations in the north-eastern part of Brazil and four years in the nationwide Youth Ministry of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Brazil. His new appointment will bring him back to Brazil as Bishop of Caxias, Maranhào.

The diocese covers 35,000 square kilometers, equivalent to one third of the island of Mindanao. “It is a challenging missionary area,” remarks the 50-year old Fr. Vilsom, “and I consider it an opportunity to serve the people, especially the poor.” His episcopal motto is “Ecce venio, Domine” (“Here I am, Lord”), which summarizes for him his motivation for accepting this unexpected assignment: humility, simplicity and service.

On the other hand, the 53-year old Fr. Joe chose as his episcopal motto the title of Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical, “Spe salvi sumus” (“In hope we are saved”). It is a reminder of the whole of creation-environment groaning in pain, awaiting the fulness of God’s redemption.

Fr. Joe Cabantan was ordained bishop on April 30, 2010, in Cagayan de Oro and installed on May 15 as Bishop of Malaybalay consisting of 45 parishes. Fr. Vilsom Basso was ordained bishop on May 30 in Tuparendi, Rio do Sul, in southern Brazil. He will be installed as Bishop of Caxias on June 19.

Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese has lost two faithful servant-priests from its ranks. But the universal Church has gained two new bishops in different parts of the world. May God’s providence always be with them in their new-found sees.

Abp. Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J.

48 ka mga katekista mitapos sa 2010 Catechetical Summer Classes

2010-06-21T01:48:00.000-07:00

Ni Sr. Ma. Josie P. Alabado, TMM

Kwarenta’y otso ka mga partisipante gikan sa unom ka mga distrito sa arkidiyosesis ang nitapos sa 2010 Catechetical Summer Classes niadtong Abril 12 – Mayo 15 didto sa St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. Kining tinuig nga pag-umol sa mga katekista gipasiugdahan sa Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry (ACM) sa Arkidiyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro.

Karong tuiga, gitutukan sa mga tigpasiugda ang pagtuon sa doktrina sa atong Simbahan nga mao ang Revelation and Faith, Holy Trinity, ug ang Catechetical Pedagogy. Kabahin sa pagtuon mao ang senemanang “Social night” aron paghatag kanila sa kahigayonan sa paglambo sa ilang mga talento sa pag-awit, pagsayaw ug pagdrama, ug usab gihimo ang “BEC groupings” nga anaa ang pagtinabangay ug pagsandurotay sa matag usa, uban sa katilingabanong pag-ampo, pagrosaryo ug “outing.”

Gitapos ang kalihukan sa usa ka integration pinaagi sa usa ka retreat nga gipahigayon ni John Dwight B. Pimentel. Gitapos ang Catechetical Summer Classes pinaagi sa usa ka Misa nga gipangulohan ni Arsobispo Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ didto sa kapilya ni San Juan Maria Vianney sa 6:00 sa buntag diin gidawat usab sa matag katekista ang sertipiko, pagmatuod sa ilang pagtapos sa pag-umol sa mga katekista sa arkidiyosesis. Ang Misa gitambungan usab sa ilang mga kabanay ug mga coordinators sa parokya.

Ang mitabang sa ilang pagtuon ug pag-umol mao sila si: Sem. Erdman Pandero – seminarista sa St. John Vianney nga bag-o lang nitapos sa iyang pagtuon sa teolohiya; Rev. Fr. Michael Christopher Fabello – Assistant Catechetical Director ug Parochial Vicar sa Mt. Carmel Parish, John Dwight B. Pimentel – Campus Minister sa Xavier University; Sr. Tess Balberan, C.M. - Campus Minister sa Capitol University; Rev. Fr. Hawthorne Galas – Director sa Student Catholic Action ug Parochial Vicar sa St. Augustine Cathedral; Dr. Mila Napiere – Research and Development Planning sa Lourdes College, diin nitapos sa pagka katekista sa Mother of Life.

Kaparian sa CDO mikondenar sa kahugaw nga gihimo sa piniliay

2010-06-21T01:44:00.000-07:00

Ni Mark Harvey Elloren

Mga 25 ka kaparian sa Arkdiyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro mipirma sa usa ka Pahayag pagkondenar sa kahugaw nga gihimo panahon sa piniliay diin ang mga “paraphernalia” niini nakit-an sa Ramirez Junkshop sa Barangay Puntod. Ang lokal sa COMELEC miingon nga ang nakit-ang mga kabtangan sa eleksyon mao ang nangawala sa ilang opisina.

Ang 25 nga mga pari mao sila si: Fr. Nathan C. Lerio, Fr. Remel O. Mag-usara, Msgr. Rey Monsanto, Fr. Ronald Ledesma, Fr. Neil B. Limbaco, Fr. Alex Borres, Fr. Amie P. Balacuit, Fr. Julito S. Cabactulan, Fr. Perseus P. Cabunoc, Fr. Raul B. Dael, Fr. Joel Oga, Fr. Raul G. Sesante, Fr. Ruel M. Binaisan, Fr. Allan Chabit, Fr. Raoul Magracia, Fr. Wilson Legaspi, Fr. Lyndon G. Zayas, Msgr. Tex Legitimas, Fr. Reno Alima, Fr. Ricardo A. Dancela, Fr. Rene D. Soldevilla, Fr. Joseph Schwegmann, Msgr. Abelardo S. Cabillan, Fr. Gil Escalante, ug si Fr. Ricardo A. Pagatpatan.

Isip mga pangulo sa Parish pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) sa nagkalain-laing mga parokya, ang mga kaparian mipakusog sa ilang buhat sa pagbantay sa moralidad sa pagpangita sa kamatuoran. Ila usab gipatawag ug gidapit ang lokal sa City Police ug uban pang mga ahensya sa pagduso sa ilang kaugalingong kusog aron mahibaw-an ang kamatuoran sa nahitabo. Sila usab nangusog sa pagpangayo sa usa sa ka tinuod nga pag-imbestigar aron madakpan ang mga naghimo niini sa madali nga panahon.

Kinasingkasing usab nilang gihangyo ang national COMELEC nga mahukman na ang mga panghitabo. Ang ilang gipahayag miingon, “Kung kinahanglanon, ipapahawa ang mga lokal sa COMELEC tungod sa ilang wala pagbuhat sa ilang responsibilidad isip opisyal sa gobyerno.” Ila usab nga gihangyo ang uban pang mga grupo sa paghimog mga lakang kabahin niini.

Hinoon, ilang gihangyo ang lokal COMELEC sa pag kooperar sa gihimo nga imbestigasyon aron dili sila ma-markahang ‘partisan’. Kinasingkasing usab sila nga mihangyo sa mga ‘media’ sa pagtaho sa kamatuoran ug dili sila maglalisay ug hinoon maghiusa sa pagpangita sa kamatuoran. Mihangyo usab sila sa mga partidong politikal nga padayonon sa COMELEC ug PPCRV ang pag-kooperar sa nagpadayong imbestigasyon ug mohulat sa resulta niini nga dili mohimog mga lakang nga makasamot sa kagubot.

Sa katapusan, mihangyo sila sa publiko sa pagpadayon sa ilang pagkamalinawon ug magpadayon sa ilang pag-ampo sa Dios alang sa paggiya sa mga nag-imbestigar nga mga ahensya alang sa kamatuoran. Ang ubang mga kabtangan sa elekston gipadala sa PPCRV Manila alang sa dugang imbestigasyon human niadtong gihimong inbentaryo sa Mayo 19, 2010. Ang ubang kabtangan, sama sa flash (cf) cards, gipatagoan sa mahal nga Arsobispo Antonio J, Ledesma.

Diyosesis sa Malaybalay mainitong midawat sa bag-ong obispo

2010-06-21T01:40:00.000-07:00

Bp. Jose Cabantan during the greetings from the diocesan clergy of Malaybalay during his Canonical Installation. Inset: The newly-installed bishop officially occupies the episcopal chair of Malaybalay. (Photo by Aye Navarro)

Ni Maris Stela Camaddo

Si Most Rev. Jose Araneta Cabantan, D.D nilingkod na sa pangatungdanan isip bag-ong obispo sa Diyosesis sa Malaybalay pinaagi sa usa ka seremonyas diha sa Santos nga Eukaristiya nga gisaulog sa Katedral ni San Isidro Labrador, Malaybalay niadtong May 15, 2010, ang piyesta sa santos nga patron sa maong lugar.

Ang seremonyas gitambungan sa mga Obispo nga mao sila si Most Rev. Antonieto D. Cabahug, D.D. sa diyosesis sa Surigao, Most Rev. Elenito R. Galido, D.D. sa Iligan, ang presidente sa CBCP nga mao si Most Rev. Nerio P. Odchimar, D.D., Obispo sa Tandag, si Most Rev. Honesto C. Pacana, D.D., ang Obispo Emeritus sa diyosesis sa Malaybalay, ug si Most Rev. Antonio J. Ledesma, D.D. ang Arsobispo sa Arkidiyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro, diin nagagikan ang bag-ong Obispo.

Sa iyang homiliya, si Obispo Emeritus Honesto C. Pacana D.D. mipasalamat sa tanang mga miduyog sa pag-abi-abi sa bag-ong obispo ug sa mga mitambong sa seremonyas sa paglingkod sa pangatungdanan ug sa pagsaulog sa Eyukaristiya. Matud pa niya nga ang pagtambong sa tanan sa mga kalihukan sa pagdawat, nagpakita sa pakighiusa sa tanan sa buluhaton sa simbahan.

Mainitong gitagbo si Bishop Cabantan sa Diyosesis sa Malaybalay niadtong buntag sa bisperas sa kapistahan ni San Isidro Labrador, Mayo 14, 2010. Nag-linya ang mga salakyan nga naghatud kaniya gikan sa Cagayan de Oro paingon sa Malaybalay.

Usa usab ka mabulokong tulumanon ang gipasundayag sa mga taga Bukidnon alang sa bag-ong obispo nianang gabhiona. Gitambungan kini sa mga opisyales sa siyudad sa Malaybalay, sa mga representante sa nagkalain-laing tulunghaan sa siyudad, sa mga kaparian, kamadrehan ug mga laygo sa probinsiya. Daghang mga bisita gikan sa siyudad sa Cagayan de Oro, ilabi na sa lungsod sa Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental, ang lungsod nga natawhan ug gidak-an sa bag-ong obispo.

Si Most Rev. Jose Araneta Cabantan, D.D gi-ordinahan isip Obispo niadtong petsa 30 sa Abril, 2010 ni Most Rev. Joseph Adams, DD, Apostolic Nuncio sa Pilipinas didto sa kaulohang katedral ni Senyor San Agustin sa Arkidiyosesis sa Cagayan de Oro.

72 CDO Clergy attend Alpha Course

2010-04-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

CDO diocesan priests (above) attend the Alpha Course for the Clergy seminar

Relishing the spirit of the “Year of the Priest,” 72 CdO clerics including Archbishop J. Ledesma, SJ attended the Alpha Course for the Clergy organized by the Commission on Faith and Evangelization (Ad Intra Ministries) of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, Alpha Course Philippine Foundation Inc. , Alpha Asia Pacific, and Kahayag sa Dios Community at Pearlmont Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City last March 9– 10, 2010.

The 2-day course was also participated by 16 more priests, 7 religious women (five are from Cagayan de Oro) and 13 lay participants coming from the Dioceses of Cagayan de Oro, Malaybalay, Tandag, Iligan and Tagum.

Rev. Fr. John Gnanapiragasam, the spiritual adviser of Alpha Catholic Context came all the way from Malaysia to facilitate the course and shared his conviction on Alpha as a timely movement of the Holy Spirit where the Catholic Church is in need of re-evangelization and conversion. Ms. Caroline Soon, the adviser and Catholic Coordinator of Alpha Catholic Context in Asia Pacific also helped facilitate the seminar.

Rev. Fr. Boy Salvador, Director of Ad Intra Ministry and Spiritual Director of the Alpha Course Philippine Foundation, Inc., in his homily delivered during the culminating Mass of the Alpha course said Archbishop Ledesma is strongly recommending the Alpha Course to be used as basic formation for the BECs and other apostolate in the archdiocese. He said further that the bishop has appointed him and Architect Benny Sy, Director of Alpha Course Philippines to manage and coordinate the alpha implementation to all the parishes.

The Alpha Course for the Clergy was designed for parish priests, heads of ministry and apostolate and parish lay leaders.

By Mary Anne Padilla, FSP

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Serial conman Bernard Alejo aka Dominic Tacleon apprehended

2010-04-19T02:37:00.000-07:00

THIS IS THE PICTURE OF SUSPECT DOMINIC TACLEON AKA “BERNARD C. ALEJO” TAKEN MARCH 28, 2010 AS HE WAS BROUGHT FOR TEMPORARY DETENTION IN CAGAYAN DE ORO SHORTLY AFTER HIS ARREST FOR THEFT CASE.

THIS MAN IS A SUSPECT AT LARGE . HE FOUND TO HAVE STOLEN VALUABLE THINGS FROM MANY RELIGIOUS HOUSES AS HE FREELY GOES AROUND THE COUNTRY DISGUISED AS: 1) 2) AN APPLICANT FOR BROTHERHOOD/PRIESTHOOD; OR 2) A BROTHER BENEDICTINE or A MEMBER OF THE CONTEMPLATIVES OF PIERCED HEARTS WHO REGISTERS IN RETREAT/HERMITAGE HOUSES FOR RETREAT/VOCATION DISCERNMENT/OTHER SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES.

WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF HE POSTS BAIL AND BE RELEASED WHILE WAITING FOR HIS TRIAL…

WE APPEAL TO YOU TO BECOME PART OF OUR TEAM FORCE. You can do it in two ways:

1) AS A PRAYING ANGEL: Pray for our case.

2) AS AN ACTIVE COMPLAINANT:

Ø Report your case in the POLICE STATION responsible for the area where the crime/offense was committed.

Ø ASAP WHILE HE IS TEMPORARILY DETAINED!!!

YOUR CASE MEANS AN EXTENSION OF HIS DETENTION IN JAIL… WE DO NOT WANT HIM TO VICTIMIZE MORE OF OUR INNOCENT SISTERS AND BROTHERS. LET US WORK TOGETHER FOR THIS NATIONAL CASE!

May the power of Christ's resurrection sustain us in our bold witness to truth and justice.

SINCERELY YOURS,

S. MAI, RVM

RVM REGIONAL HOUSE

* * * IMPORTANT EMAILS TO FOLLOW * * *

PLEASE PRINT & FORWARD TO YOUR RETREAT HOUSES AND COMMUNITIES

Dear Fellow Religious,

Team effort captured thief Bernard Alejo aka Dominic Tacleon in Cagayan de Oro City. Through the courageous move of Sr. Mai, RVM, her fellow RMV Sisters, other religious and the police in CDO, Bernard aka Dominic was cornered and captured at the canteen of the port of Cagayan de Oro. The capture followed after a car chase and frantic communication.

Bernard aka Dominic registered himself as a retreatant. Somehow he managed to borrow money from Sr. Mai and promised to pay her back. (this is a story worth telling, but in another e-mail). When he did not come back, Sr. Mai felt suspicious. She reviewed the e-mail circulated regarding a man who was victimizing religious and there she confirmed him to be the same man.

More information and heart-stopping drama will reach you but for now, please help keep him in detention by FILING cases against him in YOUR PLACES.

In Cagayan de Oro City, two cases were filed after the capture of Bernard aka Dominic. One was estafa and the other theft. The estafa case could not detain the thief; he could be released! But the Theft Case did detain him temporarily at Maharlika Detention Center. (If he is detained longer, he will be committed to Lumbia Rehabilitation and Detention Center, Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City. But theft is a bailable offense, and in this particular filed case, the bail was set at P24,000. Apparently, the bail is computed as one half of the declared amount stolen. We feared that Bernard aka Dominic could simply use the money he stole for his bail.

Fortunately, the owner of Cagayan de Oro checks found in Bernard aka Dominic's bag was traced. The owner confirmed that she owned those checks and that they were stolen from her along with cash from the retreat house she administers. The case we will file this morning, Holy Wednesday, is robbery, because some force was used to open the locked door where the valuables were kept. Robbery is a "higher" case compared to theft. Our estimate is that the bail may reach as high as P90,000.

This is when we realized that if we want Bernard aka Dominic to stay in jail, he must not easily post bail. The way to do that is to raise the bail amount. If he bails himself out and pay the P24,000, he could not be released until he posts bail in the P90,000. So we contacted the Charles Borromeo Sisters in Tagaytay and the Adorno Fathers in Bicol (both groups have been victimized and were already informed of the capture) to file the cases in their places and inform Cagayan de Oro that a case has been filed against Bernard Alejo aka Dominic Tacleon. We trust that they will ask the proper authorities how to properly inform Cagayan de Oro and who to inform and what documents to send. One the cases are filed and Cagayan de Oro properly informed, should Bernard aka Dominic post bail on the P24,000 and (God forbid) his cohorts bail him out of the P90,000 as well, other cases reported to Cagayan de Oro with corresponding bails will prevent him from being released.

Bernard aka Dominic could stay in jail only if the bails are not posted. He is not yet a convicted criminal and conviction comes only after trial. Imprisonment comes only after a verdict of guilty. Since we are not yet in the trial phase, the only way we can keep him in jail now is to increase the number of cases and the amount of the bail. If he bails himself out and is released, it will be next to impossible to get him to trial, unless another capture is made should he strike again.

The receipts he left in Davao say that Bernard aka Dominic purchased religious items at the Basilica of Sto Nino in Cebu. It has been confirmed that prior to coming to Cagayan de Oro, this thief came from Bohol. A retreat house there has confirmed that they were also victimized.

We appeal to all of your sense of justice and moral sense, during this Holy Week, that if you or your communities or retreat houses have been victimized, please file appropriate cases against Bernard aka Dominic. We realized it is not enough to register a blotter in the police station. A criminal case has to be filed. The Charles Borromeo Sisters and the Adorno Fathers are doing exactly that this Holy Wednesday morning. It will require a small effort and expense from you, but you will help stop a man continue doing his criminal activities that has reached national in scope. You will help stop this man who takes advantage of our very welcoming spirit. We need to learn our lessons, yes, and in the meantime let us keep this criminal in jail. Team effort captured this man. We ask you to be part of the team.

Bernard aka Dominic's modus operandi seems to be this. He poses as either a retreatant or a vocation applicant. He brings gifts ( he brougt crabs to the sisters and a large container of ginamos), helps around the house (sweeping, mopping, do the dishes, helps fix the fence etc), shows himself giving away his own clothes to the beggars that come to the door--in order for us to be impressed and be comfortable with him. In at least once instance, he took the entrance exam and passed.

(This guy seems smart but apparently has no conscience, no feeling of remorse. I personally heard him reverse the situation and tell another person that the Sister took his money and was ungrateful after all that he had done to her!)

And then when we are not looking, he strikes and robs us of our valuables. He escapes by pretending that he will go out to buy a cellphone load, or gives money to the security guard to buy bread then leaves when the security guard is away, or goes out to meet somebody--and he never comes back. Often he leaves something behind--a bag, a pair of shoes, clothes, some documents, IDs, etc.

Attached is photo of two IDs he has used. We obtained a photo from the police station but I am experiencing technical failure in transferring the photo on my cellphone to the computer. But as soon as I resolve this, I will email this latest photo of Bernard aka Dominic. After the capture of Bernard aka Dominic, Sr. Mai called me up in Davao. Later she requested if I could come to CDO to listen to the reading of the inquest at the Hall of Justice CDO. So I brought with me to Cagayan de Oro two people in our house in Davao who entertained Bernard aka Dominic. Both of these witnesses confirmed that the Dominic Tacleon who was captured in Cagayan de Oro is one and the same person calling himself Bernard Alejo who victimized us in Davao.

Before we went to the Hall of Justice yesterday afternoon, we paid a courtesy call to Archbishop Antonio Ledesma who listened to us and gave us his blessing. Thank you, Archbishop Ledesma.

Witnessing all these incidents happening just at the right time, we are awed by the timing and we all attribute these to the guiding hand of God. It will certainly be a profound Holy Week experience for me on how my own sins have caused many people to suffer.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, for by Your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world. And advanced Happy Easter to all!

BR. AMADO S. ANCLA, CFA
Director of Community
Alexian Brothers Formation House

Dear Fellow Religious,

Attached is the photo of the man who victimized us, aged between 20-30 years old, Tagalog-speaking who pretended to be a candidate. He stole some valuables from us. To us he introduced himself as "Bernard Alejo, from Pangasinan who has relatives in Cebu."

WE later learned that the Charles Borromeo Sisters in Tagaytay were also robbed. To them "Bernard" pretended to be a monk and a vocation director on individual retreat. The CB Sisters called us because "Bernard" mentioned our congregation. Photo on ID card was provided by the CB Sisters.

It seems like he namedrops congregations like the Camillians. I was informed that he is also presents himself as a priest, because somehow the archbishop's house in Davao is also looking for him.

Please beware. Please pass to your houses and print a copy of his ID for posting.

BR. AMADO S. ANCLA, CFA

Director of Vocations
Alexian Brothers
PO Box 80736
9 First Street, Jereza Subd., Bajada
8000 Davao City
The Philippines

Telephone +63 82 2214173
Fax +63 82 2223149
Mobile +63 917 7020769

Interview with Bishop-Elect Vilsom Basso, SCJ, Bishop-Elect of Caxias, Maranhão

2010-04-19T02:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks to that modern innovation called the Internet, we were able to get in touch with Bishop-Elect Vilsom Basso, who has left this country. Here is our correspondence with the former missionary to Dansolihon, who never expected himself to be elevated to the episcopacy:

1. How did you receive your appointment as Bishop of Caxias, Maranhão?

I was surprised when I received the appointment, because I was working as a missionary in the Philippines, and I never thought that I would be called back so soon to Brazil.

2. What was your immediate reaction when you received the appointment?

I requested to be given time to pray and to think about it. Eventually my answer was: “I accept it with humility, simplicity and joy.”

3. What preoccupations do you have in regard to this appointment and what do you consider as your greatest source of strength?

I am at peace because I believe that the grace of God will always be present in my life and will enable me to continue serving Him by serving His people, washing their feet, in fulfillment of the mission God has entrusted to me.

4. Can you tell us something about the Diocese of Maranhão, Brazil?

The Diocese is called Caxias. It is a territory I am familiar with, because I have visited it many times in the past when working in Youth Ministry. It is a big area of about 35,000 square kilometers, almost one third of the main island of Mindanao; moreover, it is a challenging missionary area and I consider it an opportunity to serve the people, especially the poor.

5. What have you chosen as your Episcopal motto?

The motto I have chosen is: ECCE VENIO DOMINE - HERE I AM LORD! The three words that came to my mind when I chose it and which summarize my motivation were: humility, simplicity and service.

6. You are a religious belonging to the SCJ order, how do you feel about leaving the SCJ community in order to serve as bishop of a diocese?

I will continue to be a Dehonian, SCJ, in my heart, because the spirituality of SCJ Congregation will continue to inspire me to serve, to walk and “to go to the people”. The motto I have chosen is part of the SCJ spirituality and Charism and defines the way I want to live, that is, repeating everyday: “Here I am Lord to do Your will.”

7. Can you briefly share something of your vocation story.

I was born on February 16, 1960, in Lageado Capivara, Cinquentenario, Tuparendi, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and was ordained on December 28, 1985. I spent 16 years working as a missionary in the north-eastern part of Brazil and 4 years in the nationwide Youth Ministry of the CBCB-Catholic Bishops Conference of Brazil. In December 2006, I was sent outside Brazil to serve the Filipino people. In the last two years, I was working as formator in SCJ Formation House of Aluba, and as parish priest of the Dansolihon Chaplaincy.

8. What is your message to the People of Cagayan?

What I would like to say to the Filipino people is that I enjoyed working as a missionary in the Philippines. I learned a lot from serving you and being with you. Thank you for your kindness, for your constant smile, for your patient endurance and endless hope. I am thankful to God, to the SCJ District of Philippines, to the Most. Rev. Antonio Ledesma, SJ, to the clergy, religious, and lay people. In addition, thank you, dear people of Dansolihon Chaplaincy for welcoming me, loving, and supporting me. Dear people of Cagayan de Oro Diocese and of the entire Philippines, I will keep you and this nice missionary experience in my mind and in my heart. May the Lord God continue to bless all of you. Amen.

- conducted by Mary Anne Padilla, FSP

Pastoral Message: Electing Our Future

2010-04-19T01:48:00.000-07:00

for April 2010

The Easter message of Christ’s resurrection and victory over sin and death offers us the promise of rising above our own brokenness and rebuilding the structures of our fragmented society. It is fitting then that our coming elections should take place during this Easter season. For Easter is the season of hope – and concrete action for building the future.

The apostles were filled with joy, mixed with initial incredulity, as the first witnesses of the Resurrected Christ. But they were also impelled by the Holy Spirit to share this joy and conviction over the good news of Christ’s resurrection with the whole world, even at the cost of hardships and martyrdom.

It is in this light that we too, as good Christians and responsible citizens, are challenged to be involved in our electoral process. This has been dubbed by our archdiocesan ministry workers in good governance as PEACE, i.e., Political Easter Action for Credible Elections. During these remaining forty days before election day, let us then adopt this form of PEACE-building in all our parishes and kapilya communities as a concrete response to the call of the bishops:

There is a duty for the Christian Catholic to transform politics by the Gospel. The Church, God’s people, must evangelize politics. God’s call to the Church is to preach the integral Gospel, the Gospel with all its social dimensions. (CBCP, Pastoral Exhortation 1997: Philippine Politics)

More recently, over the past year, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has also made three calls to the Catholic laity:

(1) to form circles of discernment (so that they can see, judge, and act together on issues of public concern);

(2) to get involved directly in principled partisan politics; and

(3) to exercise their right and duty to campaign for candidates who are competent, honest, and public-service minded.

How then do we choose candidates who are “competent, honest, and public-service minded”? There are four C’s we can consider as criteria for measuring the qualifications of candidates.

The first “C” is Conscience. We need leaders with a sense of morality – who know what is morally right and morally wrong, and who act according to their conscience. In earlier consultations we find that Filipino voters look for leaders who are God-fearing and heed the commandments of God. A person of conscience works for truth and justice. He or she is pro-life and pro-family. He is transparent in his dealings and is accountable for his actions. He does not stall calls for public investigations in the conduct of a public office.

A person of conscience shuns corruption in any form and makes sure that public funds are not used for private gain, but for the common good. His name is not linked to drugs, gambling, or any form of shady deals; indeed even “Caesar’s wife” should be above suspicion. The effect of corruption in a person is literally a “broken heart”. On the other hand, a person of conscience has a heart that is whole and integral; he is a person of integrity.

The second “C” is Competence. A candidate for public office must have a track record, starting with his academic qualifications and work experience. In the same way that we make sure that we go to a qualified doctor when we are sick, or consult a qualified engineer for our construction plans, so also must we carefully examine the qualifications of candidates for public office.

How often have we heard of classrooms or highways that have been built with inferior materials? Or of “natural” disasters that could have been prevented, had there been more comprehensive planning based on climate change projections? Sadly, we hear stories of misfits in public office who have no concern for balancing budgets but have instead increased the public debt.

We need public officials who can lead us, not by means of “guns, goons, gold or glamour,” but by their management skills, and, more so, by their ability to inspire us to work for objectives that are realizable and urgent.

This kind of transformational leadership requires the third “C”: Commitment. A leader must have a vision and goals for the community that he or she aspires to serve. He should also have the political will and the readiness to sacrifice personal interests to pursue these goals.

Commitment means faithfulness to one’s principles and promises. It means adherence to the higher loyalties to God and country, beyond family, regional or class interests. Like Jose Rizal and other national heroes of the Philippine Revolution, public leaders today should personify the selfless kind of nationalism that unifies and creates a truly independent and self-reliant nation.

Broken promises, shifting party loyalties and the practice of transactional politics are hallmarks of trapo politicians. In its crudest form, vote-buying becomes a measure of one’s commitment – only for a day, at the price of one’s vote. On a grander scale, un-committed public officials are prone to sell the nation’s patrimony for thirty pieces of silver; thus the continuing lamentations of environmental groups over the destruction of our remaining forests and mountainsides due to irresponsible logging and mining activities.

Likewise, agrarian reform beneficiaries like the Sumilao farmers are still barred from tilling all the lands promised to them. Other target beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program are still awaiting the full implementation of this centerpiece social legislation after more than two decades of delaying action.

Social concern and a preferential option for the poor, the marginalized and the exploited thus characterize the fourth “C”: Compassion. A public official should give special attention to the basic needs of the least brethren in our communities, not simply by providing safety nets but by empowering them to become productive members of society.

A person of compassion is one who “suffers with” others. He strives to bring about the common good by dismantling unjust social structures, perhaps best epitomized in Ramon Magsaysay’s Credo: “He who has less in life should have more in law.”

A person of compassion works for unity and reconciliation. He is not vindictive against those who did not support his candidacy. His magnanimous allocation of public resources is based on the needs of the local communities rather than the favors they can give to him.

A person of compassion makes peace and builds peace. He is willing to listen in dialogue to the legitimate claims of those who take up arms against the government. He promotes inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue to forge solidarity in diversity.

Another name for compassion is Christian Charity, an all-embracing love and capacity to forgive one’s enemies. This is the core message of Easter. “There is no peace without justice,” notes Pope John Paul II, “and no justice without forgiveness.”

Election time then in the spirit of Easter should not be seen simply as fiesta time when common people seek the bounty of powerful patrons. Neither can it be viewed merely like a basketball game with a winning and losing team while spectators stand on the sidelines. We are all winners – or losers – during election time depending on which candidate wins the mandate for public office. For, we are all stakeholders, and fellow sojourners in choosing the right captains for our local communities as well as for our ship of state.

Let us then all work together for PEACE – i.e., Political Easter Action for Credible Elections. And let us begin to scrutinize candidates according to the four C’s. For in choosing the best possible candidate among many others, based on Conscience, Competence, Commitment, and Compassion, we are doing nothing else but electing our own future.

Abp. Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J.

A Preliminary Interview with Bishop-Elect Jose A. Cabantan

2010-04-19T00:55:00.000-07:00

Appointed bishop of the Diocese of Malaybalay on February 18, 2010, Fr. Joe Cabantan will be formally installed on May 15, 2010. In this issue of LAMDAG, Fr. Cabantan speaks about his new mission, entrusted to him by God and the challenges that await him.

How did you receive the news of your appointment as Bishop of Malaybalay?
This came very unexpectedly. The secretary to the Nuncio called me in my mobile phone minutes after we laid to rest the late Fr.Idroy telling me to come to the nunciature the soonest possible. He would not even agree when I asked to go there the following week.

What was your immediate reaction to the appointment?
Right after the call, I could not understand myself. I felt I was floating in the air. I was really wondering why that urgency. When the Nuncio told me about the appointment I could not believe it. All my feelings of unworthiness, inadequacies and even sinfulness engulfed me. I did not accept the task immediately and I asked more time to pray over it. I was given few days to discern over it.

You are one of the first alumni of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary and the first diocesan priest of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro appointed bishop, how do you feel about this?
I feel humbled but full of gratitude to God’s unfathomable grace and overflowing love. It is all pure gift from God and full of mystery.

What for you is a role of a bishop, in the diocese of Malaybalay?
With God’s grace I hope to be a loving and humble steward of all people and all of God’s creation in this particular Church.

You are a social action director and the Church of Malaybalay is right into environmental advocacy. What can you say about this?
Malaybalay Diocese is already engaged in this advocacy even before. My appointment to this diocese I believe spurs me on to continue what we have been doing here in the archdiocese. All I can say is that God must have prepared me for this advocacy.

What are your greatest fears and your greatest strength with regards to your appointment?
When the Nuncio mentioned to me that I have great predecessors there in Malaybalay, all the more I was afraid to take the task. What do I have but God by my side. His full assurances that I received in my prayers is my greatest strength. He alone can fill up all those inadequacies that I feel.

What have you chosen as your motto?
Spe Salvi Sumus meaning “In hope we were saved” (Rom 8:24 ) This echoes Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical Spe Salve. This should remind me of the whole of creation groaning in pain towards its destiny of glory which I need to take care.

When did it become clear to you that you would be a priest?
The attraction started when I was serving as one of the altar boys in our parish at St. John the Baptist. Despite the fact that I did not pursue this attraction after high school, I remained connected with the church even when I was already working in factories. After I felt that something was still lacking in my life I decided to enter at San Jose de Mindanao Seminary. But it was only in my Spiritual-Pastoral Formation Year at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary that the call to the priesthood became so clear to me.

How would you describe your priestly life prior to your appointment as Bishop of Malaybalay?
Priestly life is still mysterious and grace-filled. There are ups and downs that make us more mature in this vocation. There are challenges that launch us into the deep waters and make us more trustful in God. Full of joy and I never regret.
What would you like to tell the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro? Let us be thankful to God for the gift of vocation, and intensify our prayers for more vocations. As for me, I ask them to please double them prayers for me as I enter into this new horizon in my priestly life and ministry.

- conducted by Mary Anne Padilla, FSP