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Church News: Most Recent Content

  • Caritas Philippines Appeals for Aid in Flood-hit Pakistan

    MANILA, August 21, 2010- Caritas Philippines urged the Filipino faithful to help provide aid to flood-ravaged Pakistan as the 20 million people made homeless grew increasingly desperate.

    Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, the agency's president, said they are already trying to make consultations with other bishops on how they could help the relief efforts.

    While they are still waiting official reports from Caritas Internationalis, he said they are already preparing to make a public appeal for assistance.

  • Pope Makes Appeal for Flooded Pakistan

    CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, AUG. 18, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Recalling the "harshly tested" people of Pakistan, Benedict XVI today made an appeal for solidarity with the flood-ravaged nation.

    Pakistan saw its most devastating monsoon rainy season in decades, which caused flooding that brought as many as 2,000 deaths and affected another 20 million people. The area affected by the floods is about the size of England.

  • Allowing Girl Servers Ended Prejudice, Inequality, Says Vatican Paper

    VATICAN, August 9, 2010 (CNS) -- Permitting girls to serve at the altar marked the end of a form of inequality in the church and allowed girls to experience the formative power of directly assisting with the mystery of the Eucharist -- the core of the Christian faith, said the Vatican newspaper.

    Assisting the priest during Mass is both a service and a privilege and represents "a deep and responsible way to live one's Christian identity," said an article published Aug. 7 in L'Osservatore Romano.

  • Bishop Disappointed by MILF’s Threats

    MANILA, August 13, 2010- A Catholic bishop said he was disappointed with the 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front's threat of a renewed hostility in Southern Philippines.

    The comments from Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo follow after the government on Friday belittled the MILF's threat for war if the peace talks do not resume soon.

    On Tuesday, MILF chair Ebrahim Murad said they are prepared for any eventualities in case the planned Malaysian-brokered peace negotiation with the new Aquino administration falter.

  • CBCP Official Scores Military Presence Inside Hacienda Luisita

    MANILA, August 11, 2010- An official of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) chided the continuing presence of government troopers inside Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac City.

    Father Edu Gariguez said the hacienda is currently under tight security as farmers demanding full land distribution continue to gain media mileage and public attention.

    "We went there (recently) and we saw the presence of the military and militiamen inside Luisita. Soldiers and militiamen have a main camp there," said Gariguez.

  • Tarlac Bishop: Let the Farmers Decide

    MANILA, August 13, 2010- Tarlac Bishop Florentino Cinense brushed off criticisms on the settlement agreement with the Hacienda Luisita Inc. and said the decision to accept it or not should be left to the farmers.

    Cinense said the concerned parties have more to say on whether to discontinue the land reform mechanism or continue with the compromised deal.

  • Vatican Preparing New Document on Abortion Effects on Women

    VATICAN, July 31, 2010 (CNA/EWTN News).- The new president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Archbishop Ignacio Carrasco de Paula, announced that his dicastery is preparing a document on the effects of abortion on women, often called post-abortion syndrome. The document will focus on the study of the "habit of abortion" and is expected to be published next year.

    In an interview with L'Osservatore Romano, Archbishop Carrasco discussed a few details of the new document. "We believe that in studying this issue, a distinction must be made.

  • RH Bill is a Serious Form of Corruption – Bishop

    MALAYBALAY, Bukidnon, August 4, 2010- The country and its people should brace for a more serious form of corruption should President Benigno Aquino III support the sex education in public schools and reproductive health bill.

    This is how Dipolog Bishop Jose Manguiran looks at the present situation.

  • Bishop Urges Arroyo to Cooperate in Corruption Probe

    MANILA, August 4, 2010- A Catholic bishop said Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo must prove her innocence and is urging the official to cooperate with a probe into her alleged corruption cases when she was still president.

    Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez said it would be easy for Arroyo to answer all allegations is she really has nothing to hide.

    He urged the former president to attend the proceedings of the investigation set to be conducted by the Truth Commission formed by President Benigno Aquino III.

  • Naga Prelate Urges End to Speculation Over Priest's Death

    NAGA City, August 1, 2010- As the investigation gets underway, a prelate urged the public to avoid unnecessary speculation on the death of Fr. Baltazar Acompañado Jr., and wait for more information to become available.

    Following media speculation that the priest committed suicide, Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi said people should avoid it as a matter of respect for the 35-year old priest.

    Acompañado was found dead inside his room at the Pre-College Seminary in San Jose town in Camarines Sur last Wednesday with a 38-caliber revolver near his body.