5th Week of Lent

March 29, Wed, 5th Week of Lent: 

 Readings -- Dn. 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Responsorial, Dn. 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56; Jn. 8:31-42. 

 1. Notes on Holy Week -- Holy Week is the most sacred week in our liturgical year that began in Advent. It starts on the evening of Palm Sunday and concludes on Easter Sunday. It starts with a commemoration of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the betrayal of Jesus on Holy Wednesday, climaxing with the commemoration of the Lord's Last Supper on Holy Thursday, and the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday. It concludes with Christ's rest in death and descent into hell (Hades, the place of the dead) on Holy Saturday. Its glorious climax begins at the Holy Saturday Vigil and Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday. 

 2. The earliest allusion to the special observance of Holy Week is found in the Apostolic Constitutions (3rd-4th century). It prescribed abstinence for Holy Week and absolute fast for Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Good Friday was the first of the Holy Triduum to emerge into special prominence. Next came Holy Saturday with its vigil.The Holy Week liturgies among Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, Methodists, and Presbyterians are almost identical. 

 3. 1st Reading, Dn. 3:14- 20, 91-92, 95 -- King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a 90ft high golden statue made and ordered all Babylonians as well as the Jews in exile to bow down and worship the statue (vv. 1-17). But three Jews, Meschach, Sedrach, and Abednego (also named Azariah, see Dn. 1:7), refused, "We will not serve or worship your god" (v. 18). Enraged, the King ordered them to be cast into a white-hot furnace. In the midst of the fire, the three sang and blessed God (vv. 52-90). Amazed that they were not burned by the blazing fire, the King released them, saying, "Blessed be the God of Israel, who sent his angel to deliver them" from the furnace (v.95). 

 4. Responsorial, Dn. 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56 -- the 1st 4 of 39 verses of the song of the the three men. "Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our ancestors; praiseworthy and exalted above all forever" (v. 52). "Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever" (v. 53). "Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever" (v. 54). "Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven.... blessed are your works in the heavens, praise and exalt him forever" (vv. 54-56). 

 5. Gospel, Jn. 8:31-42 -- Some Jews want to kill Jesus (see v. 37). But to the Jews who believe in him, Jesus says, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (v. 32). They reply that with Abraham as their ancestor they were always free (v. 33). 

 6. Jesus clarifies, "Amen, amen, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.... your ancestor is Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room for you" (vv. 34-37). "I tell you what I have seen from the Father's presence; then do what you have heard from the Father" (v. 38). They reply that their father is Abraham. Jesus indicts them. They are not doing the works of their father, Abraham, because they are trying to kill him (vv. 39-40). "If God were your Father, you would love me,... for he sent me" (vv. 41-42). 

 7. For reflection and prayer: Faith in God is demonstrated by perseverance in adversity (1st Reading). It is lived out in discipleship, in doing the works of God (Gospel), doing works of charity. "Blessed are you, O Lord, our God, praiseworthy above all forever." 8. Prayer -- Almighty God, our heavenly Father, renew in us the gifts of your mercy; increase our faith, strengthen our hope, enlighten our understanding, widen our charity, and make us ready to serve you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Collect of today's Holy Mass). 

 Prayers, stay safe, follow dr's advisories re heat wave, God bless!

5th Sunday of Lent

March 26, 5th Sunday of Lent: 

 Liturgy of the Word -- Ezek. 37:12-14; Ps. 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8; Rom. 8:8-11; Jn. 11:1-45. 

 1. The Readings on this last Sunday before Holy Week are rich in meaning for personal reflection and prayer. The key ideas may be grouped thematically: *When in sin, we are like dry bones without life ( Ezek. 37); *We cry out to the Lord for mercy and forgiveness (Psalm 130); *And the Lord, in his mercy and love, raises us to life (Jn. 11); *We now belong to Christ as his disciples (Rom. 8); *And the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and gives new life to our mortal bodies (Rom. 8). *For Christ is "the Resurrection and the life," who will raise us up on the last day (Jn. 11). *We have received his gift of life, love, and mercy (Ezek 37; Ps. 130); *We believe and confess, "You are the Messiah, the Son of God!" (Jn. 11). 

 2. 1st Reading, Ezek. 37: 12-14 -- Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones. In this vision, the Lord brings the prophet to a valley filled with dry bones, representing the exiled Israelites. Ezekiel witnesses the Lord bringing the bones to life with the breath of life (vv. 1-11). "I will make you come out of your graves, my people, and bring you back to the land of Israel. You shall know that I am the Lord" (vv. 12-13). "I will put my spirit in you that you may come to life and I will settle you in your land. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I have spoken; I will do it - oracle of the Lord" (v. 14). 

 3. Resp. Ps. 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 -- the "De Proundis," "Out of the depths," a prayer used liturgically for the faithful departed. We cry out to the Lord for mercy and wait for his forgiveness. The Lord is merciful. 

 4. "Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my cry! May your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, Lord keep account of my sins, Lord, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness and so you are revered" (vv. 1-4). A sinner's cry for mercy. "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits for his word... more than sentinels for daybreak, let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is mercy and plenteous redemption" (vv. 5-8). 

 5. 2nd Reading, Rom. 8: 8-11 -- Christ became incarnate for our redemption. For those who live in Christ, there is no condemnation. We now live according to the spirit of life in Christ and we are concerned about things of the spirit. But those who live according to the flesh are concerned with earthly things (vv. 1-7). 

 6. "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God .... and do not belong to Christ" (vv. 8-9). But if you live according to the spirit, the Spirit dwells in you. "If Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness" (vv. 9-10). The Spirit of God raised Jesus from the dead. The same Spirit dwells in you and "will give life to your mortal bodies" (v. 11). 

 7. Gospel, Jn. 11:1-45 -- The account of the Raising of Lazarus is the longest continuous narrative in John outside the Passion account. It leads directly to the decision of the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus. 

 8. The account is multi-layered, rich material for our personal reflection: the immense love of Jesus for Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary; the ways of discipleship shown by the active Martha and the contemplative Mary; the Apostles' lack of understanding; the path to belief for those who witnessed the raising of Lazarus from the dead; and the words of Jesus to Martha: "I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live" (v. 25); and Martha's confession of Jesus, "You are the Messiah, the Son of God" (v. 27). 

 9. The miracle itself is simple but still awesome. Lazarus has been in the tomb for 4 days. Jesus cries out, "Lazarus, come out!" (v. 43). Lazarus comes out, his hand and foot tied with burial bands, and his face wrapped in cloth. So Jesus says, "Untie him and let him go" (vv. 43-44). 

 10. Prayer -- O Lord, our God, out of the depths we cry out to you for your love and forgiveness. Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your Spirit dwell in us, enliven our souls, preserve us from all physical and spiritual harm, and bring us to everlasting life. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 Prayers, stay safe, God bless!

After Mamasapano, what?

An Open Letter to our Honorable Legislators

23 March 2015

Our Beloved Legislators:

Greetings of peace in the Lord!

In the depths of our grief for all the fallen combatants and civilians at Mamasapano, the deep historic biases and prejudices that lie in the dark corners of our souls have erupted once again. Truly we must seek the truth and justice. This search for truth and the pursuit of justice must be done with objectivity and without prejudgment. We need to gather all the facts from all sides, from civilian witnesses, from combatants on both sides.

But in our grief the Mamasapano tragedy has derailed the peace process. Questions and objections have been raised against the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. This is expected and it must be done so that the BBL will pass the criterion of constitutionality and the common good of all.

Yet both peace panels have been demonized. Judgments have been made about the BBL that the BBL itself does not advocate. These judgments have misinformed the public about the nature of the BBL and raised public opinion against a document that is the most significant hope so far of a just and lasting peace in Southern Mindanao.

As a Catholic religious leader in Maguindanao, I have closely followed the peace negotiations through the years, the drafting of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, and the drafting of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. I have thoroughly studied the BBL. 

I perceive the BBL as articulating three major principles: the preservation of national sovereignty, the safeguarding of national territorial integrity, and the realization of Bangsamoro self-determination within a limited territory.

Contrary to misinformation and misinterpretation the BBL does not advocate the dismemberment of the Republic. It does not lay claim to all of Mindanao and Palawan. It does not advocate the complete independence of any of the entities of the proposed Bangsamoro government (e.g., police, auditing, accounting, civil courts), such that their national counterparts have no effective role over them.

By all means let the BBL be refined and attuned to the Constitution.

1.     Let legal and constitutional experts have a consensus on what is clearly illegal or unconstitutional in the BBL. Let their wise words guide the rewording of provisions.

2.     Each provision of the BBL has been meticulously discussed by the peace panels through several years at first with mistrust and hostility and then finally in dialogue and trust. They know the whys and the wherefores of each provision. It would be to the interest of the common good for them to explain the meaning and the rationale of provisions that are questioned and objected to.

3.     Let not the BBL be so emasculated that the centuries-old aspiration of the Bangsamoro for self determination be made again a meaningless word.

I pray that the Holy Spirit of God, the Spirit of wisdom, knowledge and counsel guide you in your deliberations.

As the Catholic religious leader of an Archdiocese that is 47% Muslim and 48% Catholic, I continue to grieve profoundly over all the Mamasapano victims, aware that this horrible human tragedy could have been avoided. I pray for all the fallen, the families, the widows and children they left behind. I pray that such terrible human tragedy will not happen again.

The message of the Gospel of Jesus is one of Mercy and Compassion. Pope Francis announced it to us with great force and personal witness. And the words of Micah the prophet come to my mind: “…what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

For me, a refined BBL is about doing the truth and justice, walking in kindness and love, mercy and compassion. This is the way of the heart, the way to a just and lasting peace.

+Orlando B. Cardinal Quevedo, O.M.I.

Archbishop of Cotabato      

Grieving, doing justice, working for peace

(A Letter to all Christians)

Fellow Disciples of Christ:

Greetings of peace in the Lord!

As a Filipino and Mindanawon, I grieve profoundly for our gallant SAF troops who sacrificed their lives in pursuit of justice in Mamasapano. I grieve deeply with their families.

As a disciple of Christ I likewise grieve for the other Filipinos, Bangsamoro civilians and combatants, who perished in the same horrible tragedy. I grieve deeply with their families.

With the families of all the victims I demand that justice be done, that answers to the many questions raised by the whole nation be forthrightly answered. Those responsible for the tragedy must be brought to justice without fear or favor. The attribution of guilt must not be one-sided. It is now coming to light from the ground that inhuman brutalities were committed by both sides. Guilt is on both sides of that fateful, clearly avoidable, combat.

Yet in the face of outrage and calls for all-out war for the manner by which our law enforcers lost their lives, I call for peace. I call for rationality rather than emotionalism. I call for justice that is not selective. I call for openness and fairness rather than bias and prejudice.

For in the wake of Mamasapano our age-old Christian biases and prejudices against Moros have quickly and most sadly resurrected. Biases and prejudices have colored and clouded our judgment.

We hear ourselves say, we cannot trust the Moros. We cannot trust the MILF. We cannot trust them to lay down their arms, we cannot trust them with the money they need for development, we cannot trust them to go after terrorists once they have their own government, we cannot trust them to practice democracy, we cannot trust them to govern well. We simply cannot trust them.

The bottomline of the Mamasapano tragedy is mistrust—on both sides of the conflict.

It is sheer human tragedy that such sentiments come from the dark side of our hearts. And as a Christian religious leader, I grieve also for this eclipse of the Christian heart. From an anguished heart I ask the Lord to forgive us.

Our biases and prejudices have brought us to convictions and conclusions that are totally wrong:
• We lump all Moro armed groups together (MILF, MNLF, BIFF, Abu Sayaff group, private armed groups) as lawless groups that advocate secession and independence ;
• We believe that the MILF claims the whole of Mindanao;
• We conclude that the Bangsamoro government will have agencies that will be totally independent of their national counterparts;
• We assert that the MILF will become the police force of the Bangsamoro;
• We dismiss as sham the conversion of MILF from a secessionist movement into a principled partner for peace. We persist in calling them “secessionists.”
• We threaten to do away with provisions that protect a proposed fledgling Bangsamoro government from the negativities of warlordism and clan domination. Yet it is so easy to ask our own peace negotiators why it is necessary for the Bangsamoro to be “MILf-led” in the short term.
• We mistrust the MILF’s determination to govern well and thus to reverse Bangsamoro political history.

On the contrary, my brothers and sisters in Christ, the following are at the heart and soul of the BBL:
• Bangsamoro self-determination will be exercised within a limited territory under the sovereignty of the Philippines. National sovereignty and territorial integrity will be preserved;
• The over-all principle that governs the BBL is the Catholic moral and social principle of subsidiarity, a principle already enshrined in our own Constitution. The principle requires the intervention of the national government and its various entities when the common good of all requires it. Therefore, no entity of the Bangsamoro government, such as a Bangsamoro auditing department or police force, is absolutely independent of their national counterparts.

My fellow disciples of Christ, self-determination has been the cry of the Bangsamoro for centuries. They struggled to preserve it against the Spaniards and the Americans. They insisted on it in the face of our government’s efforts to neutralize and domesticate it by democratic processes and the lure of economic development.

Rightfully we are outraged by the manner by which our valiant SAF forces were killed. But in the past 100 years the Bangsamoro have seen hundreds of their own people, including women and children, massacred in mountains and mosques. And we did not open our eyes and ears to see and hear their plaintive cries for justice.

The lesson of history is not one we can sweep under the rug—the fundamental aspiration of a “nation” for self-determination does not die. It will seem to fade away with the passing of old leaders but if unrealized the drive for self determination will rise with the radicalization of younger generations.

I have been a missionary among Muslims for the most part of my priestly life. I have been a parish priest in Jolo. I taught Muslims and Christians in a Catholic University which now has a predominantly Muslim student population. I have witnessed a harmonious dialogue of life among the students. Many of our soldiers and high ranking officers studied in our Catholic schools. So, too, did members and leaders of the MILF. They are not terrorists. Terrorist have in fact broken away from them. The MILF only aspires and struggles politically for a place under the sun in freedom and dignity. The BBL was negotiated painstakingly with stops and detours for at least five years. It is not an agreement that was hurriedly done. It fulfills the Bangsamoro aspiration for self-determination. It preserves our fundamental principles of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Yes, by all means we must refine the BBL so that it will hew closely to our Constitution. But let there be consensus among constitutional luminaries on what is constitutional and what is not constitutional among the provisions of the BBL. Let us make sure that we do not “improve and strengthen” the BBL such that the idea of self-determination that is imbedded in various provisions of the BBL becomes once more an illusion, a desire begging despairingly to be realized.

I am for peace, the peace that God grants to people of good will. I am for the peace that God gives through the collaborative work of men and women who work conscientiously for the good of the whole country. By focusing on the good of a Bangsamoro minority in the “peripheries” who have suffered social injustices for centuries, they are working for the common good of all Filipinos. They are healing historic wounds that have caused great suffering to all Filipinos.

And so must I grieve for our courageous SAF troops who have lost their lives. I must also grieve for all the other Filipinos who perished in Mamasapano. I grieve and pray for the families they left behind, their inconsolable widows and children, for their uncertain future. For their sake I seek justice and accountability.

I beg you as fellow disciples of Christ, the Prince of Peace, to pray and work together for peace so that Mamasapano will not repeat itself. Let not emotions, biases and prejudices prevail over objective reason and over our most cherished Christian values of justice and peace, truth, love and harmony.

It is the Spirit of God that gives hope and infuses love and harmony among peoples of different faiths and cultures. With God’s Spirit we can soar over tragedies, we can restore trust for one another, we can strive together for harmony and peace. Ultimately it is in the enlightened heart where love and peace begin.

May the God of Justice, Peace and Love bless us all.

+Orlando B. Cardinal Quevedo, O.M.I.
Archbishop of Cotabato

March 8, 2015

“Peace is the only solution to living together, developing a territory together”

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Proclaim your Faith!

(A homily delivered at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore; on the last day of the Triduum held on October 20, 2012 for the Canonization of Pedro Calungsod.)

·       10:00 A.M. Mass of the Holy Name of Mary

o   Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales – Presider

o   Abp. Orlando B. Quevedo, O.M.I. - Homilist

·       Readings: Sir. 24:17-21; Resp. Ps. - Lk. 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54;  Gospel Lk. 1:26-38

Your Eminences, my Brother Bishops; Distinguished Officials of the Philippine Govt, led by our Vice President (Binay) and the Phil. Ambassador the Holy See (Mercy Tuason); Rev. Fathers, Brothers and Sisters; my Brothers and Sisters in the Lord:

Mary – the Star of Evangelization

First, a question. On this final day of our Triduum, why do we celebrate the Mass in honor of the Holy Name of Mary?

Because this Mass brings us back to the Mariana islands of the 17^th century, It brings us back to the time when Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, S.J, and his young missionary partner, the Visayan lay catechist, Pedro Calungsod proclaimed the Christian faith to the Chamorros of Guam.

Our Mass this morning reminds us that Padre Diego had a very strong devotion to the Blessed Mother. He dedicated the first church in the new mission to the Sweet Name of Mary. By the sweet name of Mary he hoped that the mission to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to the Chamorros would be blessed by God with abundant fruit.

That hope has been realized. On the original site of the first Church, there now magnificently stands the Cathedral - Basilica of the Sweet Name of Mary, a symbol of the Christian and Catholic faith of the people of Guam. Through the veins of their beloved leader, Archbishop Anthony Apuron who is with us today, flows the blood of his Chamorro ancestors as well as the blood of his Filipino grandfather from Vigan, Ilocos Sur. In the history of the local Church of Agana, Guam we see once again the truth of that ancient aphorism: “The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christianity.”

Padre Diego passed on his deep devotion to Mary to the young Pedro Calungsod. These two valiant missionaries, priest and lay teenager, under the inspiration and guidance of the Blessed Mother proclaimed their faith with zeal and courage among the Chamorros.

The Mass this morning also brings us back to the 1^st century, to that room in Jerusalem where Mary and the Apostles were gathered in prayer. Suddenly in that room there was the sound of a mighty wind. The Holy Spirit descended upon them in the form of tongues of fire. The Holy Spirit filled them and transformed them.

Driven by the Holy Spirit, inspired and strengthened by the presence of Mary the Blessed Mother the Apostles would later go forth to the different parts of the civilized world, even to distant unknown lands, literally to the ends of the earth. Everywhere they proclaimed Jesus as the Lord and Savior of all. 

As Mary saw the Apostles off to tell the story of Jesus, her own Son, she prayed for them and was their Mother from afar. For the Apostles, Mary was the living memory of Jesus, their beloved Teacher and Lord.

Mary then was present at the beginning of the Church’s mission to evangelize. She was also present when Padre Diego and Pedro Calungsod began their missionary work. Mary, indeed, is the Star of Evangelization, as Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have said. She is the Star, the brilliant beacon that reflects to others the face of her own Son. She is the Star that points unmistakably to her Son.

Jesus the Center of Proclamation

But what did Padre Diego and Pedro Calungsod really proclaim? What do we proclaim when we evangelize?  Do we proclaim an inspired book called the Sacred Scriptures? Do we proclaim a set of beliefs and rites that we call Christianity or Catholicism?  Do we proclaim an ideology or a humanitarian program that we call human development?

No, my brothers and sisters, we proclaim a Person, a Person who has a face and a name. We proclaim Jesus of Nazareth, Mary’s Son, God’s own Son, Jesus the Crucified One. We proclaim the mystery of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection, that same divine mystery by which Jesus saved us and all humankind from sin. It is the story of Jesus that we tell. Jesus is the beginning, the center and the summit of our proclamation.

The Duty to Proclaim

But do we have a duty to proclaim Jesus? Yes we do. We hear today the poignant words of St. Paul, who cried out: “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Cor. 9-16). This cry follows from his words: Faith comes by hearing. But if no one speaks how can we hear? And how can one speak unless one is sent? (see Rom. 10:14-18).

When you and I were baptized and became members of the family of faith, the Lord sent us to speak his name, to tell his story to others. It is through the Sacrament of Baptism that we become a people of faith – in – mission.

How to Proclaim Jesus – Tell the Story of Jesus

But how do we proclaim Jesus? Our model of proclamation is Pedro Calungsod. Let us look at his statue. Pedro is carrying a book entitled, Doctrina Cristiana, It was the Spanish catechism written in the Philippines from which he learned the fundamental articles of our faith. From it he developed a strong and lively devotion to the Holy Eucharist and to the Blessed Mother. His mentor was Padre Diego. They were not only teacher and pupil to each other. They were partners and friends. It is from their friendship and especially from their intimate friendship with the Lord that they could teach others about the love of Jesus.

And so by carrying the catechism book, Pedro Calungsod teaches us that we have first to know our faith, to know Jesus, to believe in Jesus, and be united with Jesus.

The Doctrina Cristiana of the 17^th century has evolved into a new synthesis of the Christian faith in the 20^th century, the Catechism of the Catholic Church. To know your faith, the sure guide is the Catechism of the Catholic Church. When you take up the catechism believe what you read, live what you believe, and share what you believe.

But knowing Jesus is not enough. We must have, most of all, a passion for Jesus, a love for Jesus so intimate and so strong that we just have to share him with others. He is the divine gift that we cannot keep for ourselves. We must want to share him with others.

But how to share and proclaim the Lord and Savior? My brothers and sisters, simply tell the story of Jesus to others. Tell the stories that Jesus told -- about the providence of His Father, tell others that God is concerned most about the human person even as he cares for the beautiful lilies of the field and the blithe birds of the sky. Tell people about the Lord’s mercy and kindness, his love of the poor. Tell others about how he drove away those who desecrated the house of prayer, why he called some people hypocrites, how he abhorred those who were greedy and selfish, how he had compassion on the little ones of society, widows, orphans, strangers and little children. Tell the stories that Jesus told about love of neighbor, about forgiveness, and prayer.

Parents  and Children

If you are parents, tell the story of Jesus to your children. Children love stories, tell them of Jesus’ birth, how Jesus was lost and found in the temple, tell them story after story, miracle after miracle, parable after parable, tell them his message in simple ways, how Jesus loved children, how he loved the poor. Tell them about how Jesus sacrificed his very life on the Cross for them. Share with them your devotion to Jesus, your love for Jesus. Teach them about the Mass and how to pray, be their leader of prayer at home. Pray the Rosary with them. You must love Jesus passionately in order to do these.

Husbands and Wives

Husbands and wives, remind one another about what it means to be Christian, to be a follower of Jesus. Remind one another that your marital love is a sharing of the love of Jesus for you. Tell one another that the love of Jesus for you and for us is ever faithful, that even when we are unfaithful, He forgives. The love of Jesus for you must flow to your children. Such love within the family makes responsibilities less burdensome and is carried over to the fulfillment of responsibilities at work, at the office. It is a love that works for justice in society, the kind of love that struggles against social evils, against the lack of integrity and the bane of corruption so deeply entrenched in our beloved Philippines. It is a love for others without pretense.

Mass Media

Today we have to use the means of social communications to proclaim Jesus, his life and message. You do not have to be a radio broadcaster or a TV personality.

So often the internet is used for evil, for pornography, for scams and crimes. Instead use the internet to share what is good. Send biblical messages by SMS, by texting. Use twitters and blogs to share your faith, Chat with others about how your faith has always been an anchor of hope in the midst of difficulties. Send inspirational pictures and images by email, youtube, or facebook.

Today the power of communications, of the internet, email, facebook, is beyond calculation. 

Young People

May I appeal particularly to young people – and for young people. San Pedro Calungsod was only 14 years old when he went with Padre Diego to proclaim the Lord Jesus in Guam. He was not too young to be an evangelizer. He is the model for young people to live and proclaim their faith.

Already in our country, the youth are at the vanguard of renewing the Church and society. They are active in the catechetical, liturgical, and social action ministries. They serve in various transformative small communities of faith. With energetic and enthusiastic youth, parishes become a communion of communities.   

Yet today various forces compete for the attention of the young. At their most impressionable age, young people are constantly bombarded by mass media with images and messages of secularism and materialism that are contrary to the Gospel. The loss of faith is evident and widespread in the world.

We hope that the ongoing Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization can provide answers to the question: How can we proclaim the faith to young people with “new ardor, new methods and expressions?” The young are the present and future of the Church. We all need to be with them.

Overseas Filipino Workers

At this point may I give tribute to the millions of our overseas Filipino workers in every continent of the world.

We only think of OFWs as our country’s economic saviors. But they are more than economic agents. They are faith-givers. We have heard hundreds of stories about how OFWs are not embarrassed to show the external signs of their Catholic faith, how they bring to Mass the children of families that they work for and teach them how to pray. By doing so they attract the parents of the children to renew their faith and begin to pray again.

You, our dear OFWs, are truly the new missionaries and evangelizers of today. We salute and thank you most deeply. Hold on to your faith. We pray with you and for you as you work, often in a hostile environment.

Martyrdom and the Daily Witness of Life

My brothers and Sisters, in all probability you and I might never be asked by God to give up our life for the sake of our faith. God indeed asked Pedro Calungsod. And he responded generously and courageously with his life. With his teacher, missionary partner, and friend, Padre Diego, he went to his death for the sake of Jesus. Now both Padre Diego and the lay catechist Pedro hold the palm of martyrdom. Look at his statue -- Pedro is holding that palm. Martyrdom is the ultimate witnessing to Jesus, the ultimate form of proclaiming the faith.

But as Blessed John Paul II has said – a faithful Christian life, though silent and unsung, is a most eloquent proclamation of our faith in Jesus (see Ecclesia in Asia). You are credible in telling the story of Jesus to others only when your life is lived as a faithful disciple of Jesus, a disciple who lives the Divine Teacher’s way of valuing, his way of relating with people, especially with the most needy, his way of doing good.

For in the final analysis, to proclaim Jesus is really to share you own experience of Jesus, your own friendship with Jesus, your own following of Christ.  This is what the Apostle John said: What we have seen, what we have heard, what we have touched, this is what we proclaim to you so that you may have fellowship with us, and our fellowship is with God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ! (see 1 Jn.1: 1-4).

When we truly proclaim Jesus by our daily Christian life, we can also exalt with Mary, the Star of Evangelization, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!” My very life, my very being proclaims the greatness of the Lord!

My brothers and sisters, God bless you!

+Orlando B. Quevedo, O.M.I.

Archbishop of Cotabato

Primer on the Year of Faith and the New Evangelization

(Last of a series)

27. Who is the Center of our proclamation?

What we proclaim is not a revealed book nor an ideology, not a doctrine nor a social cause, not some great human value nor an idea. The center of our proclamation is “before all else a person with the face and name of Jesus of Nazareth, the image of the invisible God” [John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio, 1990, no. 18; cf. CFC, nos. 216-17, 220-22, 464]. He is our Lord and our Savior. Through his passion, death, and resurrection – the Paschal Mystery – he saved us from sin. This is why the Cross is the symbol of our faith.

Unfortunately aggressive secularism ignores our faith in Jesus and puts it aside to the margins of public life, or even rejects the faith. That is why we have to tell the story of Jesus, proclaim him as the Lord and Savior. We have to “Live Christ, Share Christ.” [CBCP Pastoral Exhortation on the Era of New Evangelization, “Live Christ, Share Christ, July 23, 2012].

   

28. How should we proclaim our faith?

We proclaim our faith in many ways. We tell and teach others about our faith. Parents are the first teachers of the faith for their children. By teaching their children who God is, how to pray to God, what his commandments are, parents share their faith with them. Besides cooperating with God in giving and nourishing the physical life of their children, they also give and nourish their life of faith. We share our faith with others by providing material and moral support to those whose main task is to preach and teach the faith such as priests, religious, catechists, missionaries and other collaborators in the Church’s mission. But most of all we proclaim and share our faith with others by our life, by our witness of a good Christian life. In the Acts of the Apostles [Acts 2:42-47] many were daily attracted to the new faith by the faithful Christian life of the early followers of Christ. Ordinary day to day fidelity to the Lord’s law of love – ordinary holiness – is the most eloquent proclamation of our faith.

29. What kind of new evangelizers should we be?

In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, new evangelizers have to be: persons who have mature faith “because they have encountered Jesus Christ, who has become the fundamental reference of their life; persons who know Him because they love Him and they love Him because they have known Him; persons capable of giving solid and credible reasons of life.” [Papal Address to the 64^th General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference, May 24, 2012].

30. Who are our models of faith?

In the first place is our Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, the Woman of Faith, always obedient to the will of the Father and the constant faithful disciple of Jesus her Son [See CFC, nos. 155-59]. Despite not fully understanding the profound mysteries of the Incarnation and the Paschal Mystery, she gave her obedience of faith to God. The “cloud of witnesses” of the faith is the multitude of Saints in heaven. Among them are recent men and women of holiness such as Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Blessed John Paul II, Padre Pio, our own San Lorenzo Ruiz and Blessed Pedro Calungsod.

31. What does the canonization of Blessed Pedro Calungsod mean for us?

Pope Benedict XVI will declare Blessed Pedro Calungsod as Saint in Rome on October 21, 2012 and will add yet another Filipino to our models of faith. Like San Lorenzo Ruiz, San Pedro Calungsod is a lay martyr who gave up his life in an ultimate witness of his faith in the Lord Jesus. As a young catechist he was a teacher of the faith. He is a model for all Filipinos, especially for our Filipino youth, to be faithful to Jesus with love and courage till death.

32. What event does the Year of Faith and the canonization recall to Filipinos?

San Pedro Calungsod was a Visayan youth martyred in far away Guam 151 years after the Spaniards first brought the Christian faith to people in the Visayas. The first Holy Mass was celebrated on the island of Limasawa on March 31, 1521. San Pedro Calungsod is canonized in the Year of Faith which is only nine years away from the 500^th anniversary of the faith of Filipino Christians. For this reason on the day of San Pedro Calungsod’s canonization on October 21, the Church in the Philippines “will embark on a nine year spiritual journey that will culminate with the great jubilee of 2021. It is a grace-filled event of blessings for the Church starting October 21, 2012 until March 16, 2021” [CBCP Pastoral Exhortation on the Era of New Evangelization, 2012].

33. How shall we prepare for this great event - the 500^th anniversary of our Filipino

      faith?

The Catholic Bishops of the Philippines exhorted us to prepare for the 5^th centenary of our Christian faith in the Philippines with a nine year “Era of New Evangelization.” The opening of the Year of Faith and the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod take place during the XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Rome, October 7 to 28, 2012. The Synod of Bishops explores the theme of New Evangelization. In view of the weaknesses of our faith and the negative influences of secularism on our Filipino culture, a New Evangelization is necessary in the Philippines. In fact 21 years ago PCP-II already envisioned a “new evangelization” or “renewed integral evangelization” for the Philippines [see Message of the Council to the People of God in the Philippines, in PCP-II Acts and Decrees, 1991, p. xcviii; see esp. nos. 186 – 201].

34. What is the New Evangelization?

The term New Evangelization “designates pastoral outreach to those who no longer practice the Christian faith” [Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Doctrinal Note on Some Aspects of Evangelization, December 3, 2007, 12], a situation which is due to the secular and materialist spirit. Pope Benedict XVI said that this new cultural situation has signs of excluding God from peoples’ lives and tries to marginalize the faith from public life (Benedict the XVI, Address to the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, May 30, 2011). We have already noted that our faith has to be renewed. Our culture is now very much influenced by the secular and materialist spirit. Therefore, a New Evangelization is necessary, “new in its ardor, methods and expressions” [Pope John Paul II, Discourse to XIX Assembly of CELAM, Post au Prince, 1983]. Such will surely renew both our faith and the Church.

35. What is our general plan for the Era of New Evangelization?

We need to intensify our efforts to achieve the vision of renewal that PCP-II and the National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal (NPCCR, 2001) drew up. It is a vision of renewed integral evangelization towards a renewed Church. We may call it a vision of New Evangelization in the Philippines. It calls for a multifaceted renewal of faith, renewal of laity, clergy, religious, parishes, and renewal of mission. For this purpose, the NPCCR identified nine major pastoral priorities. These are: (1) Integral Faith Formation; (2) Renewal of the Laity; (3) Active Participation of the Poor; (4) The Family as the Focal Point of Evangelization; (5) The Parish as a Communion of Communities; (6) Renewal of the Clergy and Religious; (7) Youth as Evangelized and Evangelizers; (8) Ecumenism and Inter-Religious Dialogue; (9) Missio ad gentes.

36. How shall we address the Nine Major Pastoral Priorities of the Church in the

      Philippines during the Era of Evangelization?

For the nine-year era of New Evangelization to be fruitful, it is absolutely necessary to hold the Holy Eucharist as central so that the grace of the Eucharist would accompany all our evangelizing efforts. Prayer must accompany the New Evangelization. We need to realize that the journey of faith and discipleship begins with conversion, metanoia, a change of mind and heart. With these in mind, we shall dedicate each of the nine years of the Era of New Evangelization to one of the nine-major pastoral priorities. Thus:

2013 – Integral Faith Formation;

2014 – Renewal of the Laity;

2015 – Active participation of the Poor in Evangelization and

Social transformation;

2016 – The Eucharist and the Family – this year the International Eucharistic 

                        Congress will be held in Cebu;

2017 – Transforming the parish as a Communion and Communities;

2018 – Renewal of Clergy and Religious;

2019 – Active Participation of the Youth;

2020 – Ecumenism and Inter-Religious dialogue;

2021 -  Missio ad gentes.

37. What is the significance of Mission ad gentes for Filipino Catholics?

The final year, 2021, of the Era of New Evangelization will be the 5^th centenary of the Filipino Christian faith. The focus will be on the mission of the Church ad gentes or the mission to those who do not yet know Christ. Celebrating the 500^th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines, we are reminded that our faith is missionary. Recent Popes have pointed out that the Church in the Philippines has a “special missionary vocation” and is called in a special way to be a missionary “to the nations” – ad gentes, particularly to Asia [Pope John Paul II, to the Philippine Bishops in 19981; at the World Youth Day in 1995; cited by the CBCP Pastoral Letter, Missions and the Church in the Philippines, July 5, 2000]. This is so because the Philippines is the biggest predominantly Catholic country in Asia. Pope Benedict XVI speaks of the necessity of sharing our faith::  

…faith in God is above all a gift and mystery to be received in the heart and in life and for which we are to be always grateful to the Lord. But faith is a gift that is given to us to be shared; it is a talent received so that it will bear fruit; it is a light that must not be kept hidden, but illumine the whole house. It is the most important gift that has been given to us in our lives and we cannot keep it for ourselves” [Benedict XVI, Message for World Mission Day to be celebrated on October 21, 2012].

38. Do the Year of Faith and the Era of New Evangelization address burning issues

      confronting our society today?

Yes, they do. Our goal is a renewed faith and a renewed Church. This is a vision of a faith and Church engaged in the mission of integral evangelization. This mission includes the task of social transformation. As a renewed Church we have to be actively involved, through a renewed integral faith, in helping resolve the burning social issues of today such as corruption, poverty, the destruction of the environment, threats against human life and dignity, and other burning issues of our day. Most of our problems are due to the dichotomy between faith and life. A renewed faith, that includes the social implications of the Gospel, would certainly address the problems directly.  

39. Prayer for the Year of Faith

According to Pope Benedict XVI “Christians in the early centuries were required to learn the creed from memory. It served them as a daily prayer not to forget the commitment they had undertaken in Baptism” [PF, no. 9]. Therefore, following the example of the early Christians we should recite everyday the Niceno-Constantinopolitan profession of faith:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven,

(At the words, up to and including “and became man,” all bow)

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Reciting often the short traditional Act of Faith will also deepen our faith:

O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man, and died for our sins and that He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches because you have revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. Amen.

+Orlando B. Quevedo, O.M.I.

Archbishop of Cotabato

October 1, 2012