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Church News: Most Recent Content

  • CBCP Welcomes Reappointment of PH Envoy to Vatican

    MANILA, Dec. 4, 2010—The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has welcomed Friday the reappointment of the Mercedes Arrastia-Tuason as Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See.

    Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar, CBCP President, said the Catholic hierarchy “respects” the government decision to retain Tuason, as they look forward to working with her.

    “We have learned that she is pro-life and that she was also active in the church and we are very happy with that,” Odchimar said.

  • Bishop Deplores Slow Justice in Marcopper Tragedy

    MANILA, Dec. 2, 2010— A Catholic bishop is disappointed over the slow grind of justice for the victims of the 1993 Marcopper mining as no one had been held liable yet on the disaster.

    Boac Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista said it has been 17 years since the country’s worst mining disaster struck and caused havoc to the environment and the Marinduque folks, and yet, nothing had been resolved.

  • Stop 'misuse' of Pope's Condom Stance--Prelate

    MANILA, Nov. 23, 2010—Roman Catholic Church leaders called on Malacañang to stop “opportunistic misuse” of Pope Benedict XVI’s statement on condom use.

    Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz said the pope did not endorse the use of condoms as a means to controlling population and not even as a moral and ideal solution to stopping the spread of AIDS.

    It’s sad, he said, that there are some groups and even government officials who are distorting the pope’s statement to advance their selfish and political interests.

  • RH Bill 'pushes' Abortion, Bishop Says

    MANILA, Nov. 24, 2010— Proponents of the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill are lying with their claims that the measure does not promote or allow abortion,” a Catholic bishop said.

    Large-scale public funding for artificial contraceptives such as condoms and pills is assured in the proposed measure.

    Almost all versions of the bill classify contraceptives including intrauterine devices and injectables as essential medicines where billions of pesos of public funds will be used for its purchase.

  • PPCRV Sad Over Melo's Resignation

    MANILA, Nov. 25, 2010—The resignation of Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Jose Melo has left a ripple of sadness to a church poll watchdog.

    Henrietta de Villa, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting chairperson, talked about the ‘sad’ news Thursday, though she understood and wished Melo the best in his future path.

    “I’m sad because there was a very fruitful collaborative partnership between PPCRV and Comelec but we will not be distracted by these changes,” said De Villa.

  • Gov't, CBCP Meet to Discuss RH Dialogue Framework

    MANILA, Nov. 20, 2010—Government and Church representatives yesterday met to discuss the possible framework in pursuit of a dialogue on the controversial Reproductive Health bill now pending at the country’s legislature.

    Msgr. Juanito Figura, CBCP Secretary General, in an interview with CBCP News today said the meeting took place at the Presidential Management Staff conference room at San Miguel District, in Manila.

  • China Ordination Pushes Through Despite Vatican Opposition

    20 November -- Father Joseph Guo Jincai was today made the first bishop of Chengde in northern Hebei province, without papal approval and under close surveillance of local government officials.

    More than 100 faithful and dozens of government officials attended the ordination Mass at the church in the rural town of Pingquan.

    The area was surrounded by about 100 uniform and plainclothes police. Cameras were banned in the church and mobile phone signals blocked in the area.

    The ceremony proceeded smoothly, Church sources told ucanews.com.

  • US Bishops Seeking Missionaries for Digital Continent

    BALTIMORE, Maryland, Nov. 16, 2010--The world of social media might seem like a fad, but it's not going away. In fact, it's a "digital continent," with natives, immigrants -- and in need of missionaries.

    This was the reflection offered Monday, the first day of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) fall general assembly, by Bishop Ron Herzog of Alexandria, Louisiana.

  • Naga Prelate Clears Priest of Molestation Charges

    MANILA, Nov. 9, 2010—Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi has cleared a member of the archdiocesan clergy from charges of molesting a teen-age boy in a local motel.

    In a statement sent to CBCP Media Office today, the 74-year old prelate said apparent attempts to destroy and discredit the church have been made by some sectors and individuals.

    “The accused priest and the Archdiocese of Caceres vehemently deny the said accusation,” Archbishop Legaspi said in his statement.

  • Cardinal Vidal Sees 'head-on collision' on RH Bill

    MANILA, Nov. 7, 2010—Speaking before 500 delegates during the 17th Asia-Pacific Congress on Faith and Family, Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal said the Church’s struggle to preserve and promote the values conducive to nurturing faith, family and life appears to be heading “towards a head-on collision” with those who push for the passage of RH Bill.

    He downplayed claims by some sectors that the Catholic Church tries to impose itself on the rest of the citizenry.