National Church News

QUEZON City, June 13, 2013—Environmentalists today called on authorities to stop the ceremonial burning of confiscated elephant tusks, saying the act would send a wrong message to the public.

Although they fully support the global effort to stop the illegal wildlife trade, the groups said, burning the seized ivory tusks is not acceptable due to its environmental impact.

“Even if the intent is only to conduct ‘ceremonial burning,’ we remain anxious as this will likely send a confusing message to the general public from the environmental authorities that open burning is acceptable,” the environmentalists said in an e-mail sent to the DENR secretary and Wildlife director Theresa Mundita Lim.

VIGAN City, Ilocos Sur, June 9, 2013—The Catholic clergy and faithful of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia criticized the inaction of the government on the issue of black sand mining in the province.

In protest to the mining activities along the province’s shoreline, Archbishop Ernesto Salgado and the diocesan clergy led the Catholic faithful in a rally against black sand mining last February 9 in front of the Vigan Cathedral.

On February 18, the Catholic clergy and the laity sent a letter to President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III complaining about the illegal mining activities but have not received any action from the government.

MANILA, March 13, 2013— Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle’s Facebook page showed an unusual spike in “likes”, growing by more than 5,000 in four days. 

The notable increase was particularly started a day before the cardinals around the world sequestered themselves in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican for the conclave. 

As of Wednesday, over 130,000 people have “liked” Tagle’s Facebook page, which is run by Jesuit Communications. 

“The increase actually started that day (Feb. 26) when he left for Rome,” said Raymon Ritumban, JesCom production coordinator. 

MANILA, Feb. 1, 2013— Catholic bishops are making no attempt to hide their dismay over President Benigno Aquino III’s commitment towards genuine land reform in the country.

The church leaders reiterated their concern of the government’s underperformance in the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with extension and reforms (Carper), which ends by July 2014.

MANILA, Jan. 29, 2013—While Church leaders remain mum on the controversy ensuing from a court ruling that convicted pro-contraception tour guide Carlos Celdran for disrupting a Eucharistic celebration at the Manila Cathedral in 2010, Catholic netizens have voiced their opinion against the tour guide’s public display of disrespect to the holy gathering.

Facebook users who are members of the YouthPinoy fan page were one in saying that Celdran deserve his jail term of a minimum of two months to a maximum of one year for disrupting an ongoing Mass by dressing up as Jose Rizal and holding up a placard with the word “Damaso” before the Papal Nuncio, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, several bishops and other religious.

MANILA, Jan. 8, 2013— As devotees of the Black Nazarene continue to grow, the Quiapo Parish Church has tried to improve its formation programs and catechizing people about the devotion.

Citing superstition or occultism in the devotion, Quiapo Church parish priest Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio said they are doing everything to address these concerns.

“There are things that still need to be purified in our expressions. Human as they are, our expressions need to achieve their perfection,” Ignacio said.

MANILA, Dec. 29, 2012–An Ateneo de Manila theology professor has resigned, realizing that he could “no longer share the path” taken by the Jesuit-led university community that went all-out for the passage of the reproductive health (RH) law despite opposition from the Catholic Church.

Prof. Rafael Dy-Liacco, in a resignation letter, decried the “failure” of Ateneans to reject what he said was an alliance with a “spirit of disdain for the Church” that had worked for the RH bill’s passage.

MANILA, Dec. 10, 2012— Catholic bishops will troop to the House of Representatives on Wednesday as the House of Representatives will try to put the “reproductive health” bill to a vote.

Ironically, the voting on the controversial population control measure falls on the feast day of the Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the unborn.

For the Church, it is a significant day as bishops called on the faithful to pray so that the RH bill will not be passed.

MANILA, Dec. 4, 2012— The head of Manila’s Roman Catholic Church has joined calls for lawmakers not to rush the passage of the reproductive health (RH) bill.

In a statement, Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle and 15 other bishops of the ecclesiastical province of Manila said that there is a need to discuss the proposed legislation thoroughly.

“We are appealing to the Honorable Representatives to give ample time to deliberations and discernment and not to unduly rush them,” part of the statement reads.

MANILA, Nov. 27, 2012— Some Catholic bishops sent a powerful message to their critics who are pushing the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill: Do not underestimate us.

Isabela de Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad said the birth control measure is a serious issue that must be dealt with by the Church by campaigning against those who are favoring the bill.

“If the bishops are really determined to campaign against those who are pro-RH bill, I think we can come up with a Catholic vote,” Jumoad said.

MANILA, Oct. 27, 2012— The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) has called on its member schools to shun holding Halloween parties.

Fr. Greg Bañaga, CEAP president, said that Catholic institutions should lead in upholding the dignity of deceased persons by not celebrating All Saints Day and All Souls Day with scary costumes.