Church National

BORONGAN, Eastern Samar, Nov. 2, 2014—Almost a year after Yolanda, the Diocese of Borongan, headed by Bishop Crispin Varquez, recently released a progress report on its two-phase program for Yolanda-affected communities. According to the Diocese’s Commission on Social Action, Justice, and Peace (DCSA-JP), the first phase of the program involved emergency response, and was implemented from December 2013 to March 2014, providing survivors their basic needs.

BORONGAN City, Eastern Samar, Nov. 2, 2014—To mark super typhoon Yolanda’s first year anniversary, the Diocese of Borongan has a host of activities lined up. Themed “The Challenge of Yolanda: the Courage to Hope,” these activities aim to commemorate, not only the thousands who have fallen, but to celebrate the thousands more who survived the typhoon, as well as to thank the individuals and groups that helped and continue to help in the rescue, recovery, rehabilitation, and relief efforts in the communities affected.

October 31, 2014: Yolanda survivors in San Jose, Tacloban City cast flowers to the sea in memory of the thousands of people who perished to the typhoon surge brought about by Yolanda almost a year ago. (CBCPNews)

A man cries as his wife comforts him at a mass grave of 3,000 still unidentified typhoon Yolanda victims in Brgy. Diit, Tacloban City on All Saints’ Day.

MANILA, Oct. 29, 2014— The Catholic Church is taking the Filipinos’ high trust like a booster shot to continue doing its mission to evangelize.

QUEZON City, Oct. 28, 2014—A former rector of the University of Santo Tomás (UST) in Manila died on Monday, Oct. 27, from a yet undisclosed cause, the official Facebook page of the university reports.

MANILA, Oct. 27, 2014—Citing Jesus as an example, the Catholic Church said society should finally learn the lesson that the innocent could lose their lives to the death penalty, stressing that its revival is unjustified.

PARAÑAQUE City, Oct. 27, 2014—An ecumenical group held on Sunday, Oct. 26, simultaneous sign-up drives in different Metro Manila churches in an effort to collect as many signatures for the People’s Initiative to Abolish Pork Barrel.

MANILA, Oct. 25, 2014—What can the laity do when their pastors do not live up to their duties? According to a priest, lay people, despite good intentions, are better off leaving the matter to bishops who know about Canon Law.