Free for Greater Service

BY baptism we enter the fellowship of believers. We become members of the Church, which is both a spiritual and a temporal entity. The Church is our family in the faith. Being part of the family each one of us is to support it, both materially and spiritually. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The faithful have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.” (CCC #2043) The Code of Canon Law, which is the law of the Church, also says: “Christ’s faithful have the obligation to provide for the needs of the Church, so that the Church has available to it those things which are necessary for divine worship, for apostolic and charitable work and for the worthy support of its ministers.” (CCL 222) These teachings are grounded on the Scriptures which tell us that we support those who proclaim the Good News to us.

·      “It is written in the law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.’ Is God concerned about oxen, or is he not really speaking for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope, and the thresher in hope of receiving a share. If we have sown spiritual seed for you, is it a great thing that we reap a material harvest from you?” (1 Cor 9:9-11)

·      “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,’ and ‘The laborer is worthy of his wages.’” (1 Tim 5:17-18)

How the Church is supported by the faithful has evolved in history and is exercised in different ways:

·      Before, in the Philippines during the Spanish period, by the Patronato Real System. The Spanish crown materially supported the work of the missionaries.

·      In Germany even in our days, by taxes taken by the government from the faithful and given to their Church.

·      In the Philippines now, by the Arancel System, that is, fixed amount whether seen as dues or donations, given for certain services rendered. The amount is attached to the service requested.

·      Many religious groups now in the Philippines now make use of the tithing system or the pledge system to maintain their operations.

During the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines in 1991, after much debate, the body came out with this decree: “Tithing, after a good pastoral catechesis, shall be introduced with the end in view of the gradual abolition of the Arancel System.” (PCP II decree 118) That was 28 years ago!

Why the move away from the Arancel System?

·      Many get the impression that the services of the Church are for sale because of the amount attached to it. We cannot avoid this perception in our highly commercialized mentality.

·      Many poor are kept away or shy away from receiving the services of the Church because of the amount attached. Although the amount does not comprise all the expenses people put into the celebrations, which has become a social event in the family, nonetheless they add to the cost.

·      People perceive favoritism towards the rich because they have the means to pay. The rich have no difficulty meeting these obligations even if we raise the amount to discourage “special” considerations. They can always afford our “special baptisms” or “special marriages.”

·      This system of the arancel is open to many abuses and misperception, even in our parishes.

Pope Francis asks that “in every Christian community the poor feel at home. Would not this approach be the greatest and most effective presentation of the good news of the kingdom?” (Evangelii Gaudium 199) He wrote that “the worst discrimination which the poor suffer is the lack of spiritual care. The great majority of the poor have a special openness to the faith; they need God and we must not fail to offer them his friendship, his blessing, his word, the celebration of the sacraments and a journey of growth and maturity in the faith. (Evangelii Gaudium 200) In fact he emphatically stated: “Our preferential option for the poor must mainly translate into a privileged and preferential religious care.” (Evangelii Gaudium 200) We manifest this preferential religious care by making available to them all the services of the Church for free.

As Church in the Philippines we affirm the decree of the PCP II to abolish the arancel and we strive that this be our situation by the time we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the coming of the Christian faith in the country in 2021.

Required for this shift to happen?

1. Adequate catechesis both for priests and lay faithful. This catechesis promotes

the spirituality of stewardship and evangelical poverty for all, including the priests, because the Church of the Poor embraces and practices the spirit of evangelical poverty; it combines detachment from possessions with profound trust to the Lord.

2. Transparency in our churches and organizations. The people will gladly and generously support the Church and its activities when they are made to feel that the Church is their family. They know the situation of their family and its programs.

3. Improved services to the people in our parishes. When the people feel that they are welcomed, served, and nourished by the Church, they will support it.

Let us courageously serve the Church and make the people be responsible for the work of the Kingdom, trusting in the promise of Jesus: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” (Mt 6:33)

We speak for the Children On the MACR (MINIMUM AGE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY)

(Photo lifted from the FB of Bishop Pablo David)

The House of Representatives under the Speakership of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, is now rushing for the approval of the act amending and expanding the RA 9344 “The Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006” which will LOWER DOWN THE MINIMUM AGE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY OF CHILDREN FROM 15 YEARS OLD TO 12 YEARS OLD. This is House Bill No. 8858, which has been approved on 2nd reading by the Lower House last January 23, 2019

The proposed bill was introduced with the following objectives:

·        To protect minors from being exploited by syndicates and unscrupulous persons that use minors to escape liability for crimes and other illegal activities.

·        To provide adequate intervention and diversion measures for children in conflict with the law.

·        To increase the penalties for the exploitation of children for the commission of crimes.

We oppose this bill on the following grounds:

1.   We now have the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act (JJWA) or RA 9344

In this Law the CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW (CICL) who are below 15 years of age should have age - appropriate interventions from the DSWD. Those who are 15 years old till 18 years are to be put in rehabilitation centers and not to be mixed with other prisoners. They should undergo rehabilitation programs in these centers. The whole purpose of the JJWA for CICL and for CHILDREN AT RISK (CAR) is

·        Prevention

·        Diversion

·        Rehabilitation

·        Re-integration

·        Aftercare

The law is not property implemented since 2006.

·        There are not enough rehabilitation centers and those that have are not properly staffed and there is not enough program to rehabilitate the children.

·        The DSWD does not have enough personnel to handle the CICL and CAR in the municipalities.

·        The barangay officials are not oriented or are not doing anything to take care of the CAR although they have a mandate for this.

The government has a very poor record of implementing laws. We call for full implementation of this law which already addresses many concerns brought out by the new bill. If the government now is not able to build rehabilitation centers of CICL since 2006, what guarantee we have the that proposed Bahay Pangarap of this bill will be built and properly staffed?

2.  CICL account for less than 2% of criminality in the country and many of these are petty crimes due to hunger, influence of peers and lack of parental guidance. CICL may be used by syndicates and adults to do crimes. This means that they are victims. Criminalizing them will not solve the problem unless we go after the syndicates. The Police shows its failure to get the syndicates and instead would run after victims of these syndicates. When this bill becomes a law, the police will tap its shoulders for having put children in jail and not bother to look for the syndicates and adults who use the children, as they tap their shoulders for having killed small time users of drugs instead of getting at the big drug lords!

3.  Science tells us that children below age 18 are not fully developed intellectually, emotionally and psychologically. This is why they are not allowed to vote and are not allowed to enter into legal contracts. The argument that the bill will act as a deterrent does not hold water because the kids do not see the full implications of the law nor of their actions. The users of these kids will continue to use them since there are many vulnerable kids anyway because of widespread poverty.

4.  Once a child of 12 is criminalized, his/her record for life is already a criminal. We destroy his/her future without him/ her knowing fully what he/she has done. This brand or stigma as a criminal in his/her records will close a lot of doors for his/her future.

5.  The Philippine government is party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children (UNCRC) which prohibits criminalization of children. According to the Committee on the Rights of the Child General Comment No. 24 replacing General Comment No. 10 of 2007 (Child Rights’ in Juvenile Justice), “State parties are encouraged to increase their minimum age to at least 14 years, while those with 15 or 16 years of age are commendable. Further, the Committee recommends that State Parties should under no circumstances reduce the minimum age of criminal responsibility, if its current penal law sets the minimum age of criminal responsibility at an age higher than 14 years.”

6.  Lastly, a very dangerous section (Section 43-A) was inserted which in effect will prevent any appeal or reconsideration or correction in the judgements given to these young offenders, to wit:

SEC 43-A. PENALTY FOR VIOLATION OF CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS- ANY PERSON WHO HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF DIVULGING, WILFULLY OR THROUGH GROSS INEXCUSABLE NEGLIGENCE, THE RECORDS OR ANY INFORMATION RELATION TO THE PROCEEDINGS INVOLVING CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW, SHALL SUFFER THE PENALTIES IMPOSED IN TITLE VII, CHAPTER 3 OF THIS ACT.”

Simply put, once a child has been arrested, the court, within 72 hours, has to make a decision for the petition for an involuntary commitment to these specialized facilities. The initial period of the placement of the child shall not be less than one year. After that 72 hours, no person can have access to the records or any information in relation to the proceedings. Therefore, No DSWD, NGO or Charitable Institution can help these children because NO ONE WILL GIVE OUT ANY RECORD OR INFORMATION UNDER THE PAIN OF STIFF PENALTIES.

What should we do as Church?

·        We promoted Positive Discipline and Responsible Parenting in our family ministries.

·        We should also join the advocacy to stop corporal punishment.

·        We set up programs for the protection of children and vulnerable adults. Programs on this kind are already in place, such as the one being promoted by the Salvatorian Sisters which the diocese of Novaliches has adopted and pursues.

·        Most important is the effort to end poverty. Poverty is the reason why many children are out of school, are not cared for by their parents, resort to substance abuse, and are easily lured by human traffickers and syndicates.

·        We should raise our voice against this amendment to MACR as Church. Our strong devotion to Sto. Niño urges us this. If we make enough noise this bill will not be considered by Senate which in general is very sensitive to public opinion and public clamor. This is part of our advocacy to protect the least, the last and the lost and to speak for those who are voiceless. This is another piece of legislation that is against the poor and the very vulnerable.

Broderick Pabillo

January 25, 2019

Prayer for the Leader

THERE are so many things that are not going well in the country--what with the many unresolved killings, with the unabated drug problem in spite of the drug war (or may be precisely because of the drug war), with many more people suffering under the yoke of poverty, with the growing encroachment of the Chinese! Added to these we have the unnecessary and unprovoked ranting of the President against the Catholic Church and her teachings. Many people ask in exasperation: What can we do? What should we do?

Among the many things that we can do and should do, as believers we do what we are supposed to be good at: PRAY! Pope Francis said: “What is the best that we can offer to those who govern? Prayer! That’s what Paul says: ‘Pray for all people, and for the king and for all in authority.’ A Christian who does not pray for those who govern is not a good Christian!” In the Bible there are several psalms that pray for the king.  Furthermore, we have all the more reason to pray when we feel that we are being persecuted. The Lord Jesus is clear on this: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” (Mt 5:43-44) A concrete way to love our enemies is to pray for them.

Let us not belittle the power of prayer. Jesus assures us: “I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.” (Mk 11:24) Nothing will be impossible when we pray with faith. Let us take the word of Jesus for this: "Amen, I say to you, if you have faith and do not waver, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive." (Mt 21:21-22) True prayer, however, is also to be accompanied by righteous lives. The St. James wrote: “The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.” (Jam 5:16) And still in another text we are told: “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears turned to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against evildoers." (1 Pet 3:12)

So instead of just lamenting our times and allowing our anger or our sense of helplessness to take the upper hand. let us pray. Prayer calms us down and invokes the highest power to act. Let us believe in HIM and let us also believe in what we pray for. And as we pray, let us strive to live justly and not allow anger to boil over.

I myself pray for the president and sincerely do. I do not stop to point out the unjust and false things that he does and utter, but I do pray for him. My prayer for him is: LORD, CHANGE HIM! Can you join with me in this prayer?

Check and Balance of Power

Power is addictive. As is true of every addiction, one is never satisfied. One craves for more and more of it. This is also true of power. Hence it needs to be controlled. Furthermore, every addiction brings corruption.Thus power corrupts, and unrestrained power brings unrestrained corruption!

We have experienced this first hand some 46 years ago with the declaration of Martial Law. During its reign from 1972 to 1986, thousands have been killed, many more thousands have been tortured, and the country has been looted. Even the aftermath of martial law crippled us as a people--with huge debts to pay, with great injustices done by entrenched feudalism which it promoted, and with our economy and natural environment in ruins.So we repeated, and continuously repeat: Never Again!

Even if power is addictive and corruptive, we cannot have governance without power. Hence systems have to be in place to control power. Democratic governments remain healthy when the proper checks and balances to power function. The legislative makes laws, the executive meticulously implements the laws, and the judiciary sees to it that the laws are just according to the Constitution of the land and the interpretation and implementation of the laws are done properly.

The people too exercise its role in the check and balance of power by following up the performances of those in public office and make them accountable especially during elections. The mass media truthfully informs the public of what is being done by government and also serves as the voice of the people to call the attention of officials when abuses creep in.

The Human Rights Commission has been set up to safeguard the rights of the citizens, especially of the poor and the marginalized, from abuses of those who hold power. The Commission on Audit sees that the financial transactions of the government are above board. Those in the opposition have also an important role to play in the check and balance system. They carefully watch the steps of the ruling power so that they may not overstep their functions.

These checks and balances are necessary for the proper functioning of a democratic system, but they are cumbersome to those with dictatorial tendencies. They cannot do what they want. They have to be constantly vigilant, for even if they are in power there are always others who are watching them and who have the power to call them into account.

Thus those with dictatorial intentions try to bring down the checks and balances of a properly functioning democratic government. They muzzle the press by buying them out or by frightening them. Not only do they threaten the media but even kill media practitioners. They silence the opposition by buying them out with political favors or by accusing them with trumped up cases. They put them to jail,  send them out of the country, or just have them killed.

The people are deceived by propaganda and fake news. Those in authority who do not go with them are vilified by name calling and false accusations to destroy their credibility. Those who are in government positions who do not tow the line are thrown out of office by all means. Laws, and even tendentious interpretations of the laws, are being used to bring down or take away from office who dare to oppose. Don’t we see these happening in our days? Yes -in other countries, even in so-called bastions of democracy, and even in our very own country.

Do we just sit by and let these things happen? No! We need to change the narrative that is being presented to the people. Opposition in a democracy is not destabilization. Strong opposition is need to avert the abuse of power. Healthy democracy needs checks and balances.

A good democratic leader is not one who can do what he wants. He is a good and strong democratic leader when is able to lead the people together, including the opposition, to what is proper for the common good of the citizens, which is not easy to know and to do. This needs a lot of tack, listening and patient collaborative work. A person who is impulsive cannot do this. A dictatorial, physically and emotionally weak person cannot do this. Dictatorship is a sign of weakness, and not strength, so one which such tendency cannot stand checks and balances in his governance.

Popular Religiosity: Piety of the Masa

During these days we are witnessing the piety of the masa, that is, of the simple people. We call this POPULAR RELIGIOSITY. We have witnessed this in the Simbang Gabi. Droves of people went to the early dawn masses for 9 consecutive days so much so that our churches were all full during the Simbang Gabi. These dawn masses are popular even among the young who usually do not care about going to church. We witness this now in the phenomenon of the Poon Nazareno or the Black Nazarene. Millions of ordinary people, many of them young, lining up for hours to touch or kiss the image of the Jesus Nazareno and brave the hot sun the whole day, bare-footed, for a procession that could last for 22 years or more! After 10 days this will be followed by the Sto Nino festivities all over the country, known by such popular names as Sinulog, Ati-atihan, Dinagyang and other local nomenclatures.They are a combination of religiosity and festivity. Then during the Holy Week we have the VISITA IGLESIA, the processions of the SANTO ENTIERRO, and the SALUBONG. In a smaller scale we have fiesta celebrations with their processions and fluvial processions as in the Penafrancia. All of these are manifestations of popular religiosity.

Some common characteristics of these phenomena are:

• They are very popular, both in the sense that very many participate in them and in the sense that the participants mostly come from the common tao or the masa (the popular class), not the cultured or the elite.
• People exert extraordinary effort and patience to participate in them, such as staying early in the morning for consecutive days, walking bare-footed, enduring long queues and processions.
• The participants manifest a lot of energy and emotion, at times shouting, singing, or shoving and pushing. These are many times mistaken by outside observers as fanaticism. Many participants, however, consider them as ways to publicly manifest their faith in the Divine.
• These practices did not come out of official church liturgy. The official church, however, not only accommodate them but also use them to purify and deepen the faith of the people. These practices connect many people to the Church.

Pope Francis recognizes the validity of this expression of the faith among the ordinary people and the poor. He wrote in his encyclical Evangelii Gaudium:

• “Popular piety manifests a thirst for God which only the poor and the simple can know and that it makes people capable of generosity and sacrifice even to the point of heroism, when it is a question of bearing witness to belief.”  (EG 123)
• “Popular piety is a spirituality incarnated in the culture of the lowly…. Let us not stifle or presume to control this missionary power!” (EG 124) Indeed,they have missionary power because without much prodding from the official church, and even despite many precautions, they spread among the people and the young by word of mouth or by mutual influence.
• “Expressions of popular piety have much to teach us; for those who are capable of reading them, they are a locus theologicuswhich demands our attention, especially at a time when we are looking to the new evangelization.” (EG 126) Alocus theologicusmeansa source of theological reflections. The phenomenon of popular piety can show us how the faith is caught by the ordinary people and even by the unchurched. This is the aim of new evangelization.
• “Popular piety enables us to see how the faith, once received, becomes embodied in a culture and is constantly passed on.”  (EG 123)

The Holy Father looks at popular religiosity as a way that the Gospel message is being accepted and lived by the poor. So instead of looking down on these practices of the rugged crowd, let us try to understand and appreciate them. More than a religion of the head, it is an expression of the religion of the heart. Moreover, we cannot say that this is just a temporary burst of enthusiasm because many of these devotees go back year by year to the same practices, and in fact invite others to join them. Some have been doing them for years. Surely, they find something meaningful there and they experience in a tangible way through these devotions, which they have made into a panata (a vow),that God is close to them and helps them.

Good Politics: A Way to Peace

Every year, for 52 years now, the Holy Father gives a reflection on peace on New Year’s Day as his message for the celebration of the World Day for Peace. This year the message of Pope Francis is entitled: GOOD POLITICS IS AT THE SERVICE OF PEACE.

This is a good reminder for many Christians who think that the Church should keep off from politics. Jesus has come to save the world, and this includes the world of politics. All people of good will agree that politics too need truth, justice, peace and love. Politics is at the service of common good. This shows that politics is to be guided by moral norms. Politics can veer away from the right path either through ignorance, weakness of the character of leaders, or sheer ill will. Hence it too should be saved from abuses, weaknesses and ignorance. It too needs the light of Good News. For this reason no less than the Pope himself speaks of politics and gives it guidance.

Pope Francis wrote: “Politics is an essential means of building human community and institutions, but when political life is not seen as a form of service to society as a whole, it can become a means of oppression, marginalization and even destruction.” When properly exercised, politics is a way of loving, which is the core of the message of Christ, and it can bring well-being to the citizens. But when abused, it can create a lot of harm. So the Holy Father continues: “Political office and political responsibility constantly challenge those called to the service of their country to make every effort to protect those who live there and to create the conditions for a worthy and just future. If exercised with basic respect for the life, freedom and dignity of persons, political life can indeed become an outstanding form of charity.”

When Pope Francis speaks about the virtues that politics should have, he quoted from the “Beatitudes of the Politician” that was proposed by Vietnamese Cardinal François-Xavier Nguyễn Vãn Thuận, who died in 2002. It is to be recalled that this Vietnamese Cardinal had been a prisoner of the Vietcong for 13 years, yet he bore no grudge against his captors and was even a good influence in the concentration camps where he was imprisoned. When assigned to Rome after his release, he became the head of the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace, so he did a lot of reflection with the whole church on the politics that can bring about peace. Here is his reflection:

“Blessed be the politician with a lofty sense and deep understanding of his role.

Blessed be the politician who personally exemplifies credibility.

Blessed be the politician who works for the common good and not his or her own interest.

Blessed be the politician who remains consistent.

Blessed be the politician who works for unity.

Blessed be the politician who works to accomplish radical change.

Blessed be the politician who is capable of listening.

Blessed be the politician who is without fear.”

How I wish that our politicians would have these virtues so that they can be blessed and our people would be happy.

Finally, Pope Francis reminds us that “peace is based on respect for each person, whatever his or her background, on respect for the law and the common good, on respect for the environment entrusted to our care and for the richness of the moral tradition inherited from past generations.” So when good politics is at the service of peace it respects and promotes fundamental human rights. May the year 2019, which for our country is an election year, bring us politicians who really serve with the common good in mind, and thus bring about much needed peace to our people.

The Human-Divine Exchange

Many Filipino Catholics are excited as Christmas approaches, especially during the Simbang Gabi days. But excited for what? For vacation? For going home? For Christmas parties? For gifts? There are so many things that can excite us. But as Christians, what should we be excited about? Not just for the date or the festivities of Christmas. We should be excited for the Lord! Christmas is the Lord Jesus!  St. Paul wrote: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again: Rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near!” (Philippians 4:4-5) It is the Lord we are waiting for. In Tagalog we have a unique word for this excitement: PANANABIK. It is a waiting with an intense longing. Come, Lord Jesus, Come! The whole Bible ends with this: “Yes, I am coming soon. Amen! Come Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

Jesus is coming to bring about a human and divine exchange. The Divine—God—became human in Jesus so that we human beings may become divine. God has taken on human life so that he can give us divine life. Indeed, the Son of God became son of man so that we sons and daughters of human beings may become sons and daughters of God. What an exchange! We can hardly fathom this divine condescension. The exchange is so unbalanced! We share our vile and limited humanity with God and he exchanges that with the wonderful goodness and greatness of his divinity.

When we meditate deeply on this, the things that we do on Christmas hardly approximates this reality. The so-called “joys” that we do by our gimmicks barely touch the surface of the joy that Jesus wants to share with us. And he really wants to share his joy with us—the fullness of his joy, not just a bit of it. He himself affirms this. “I’ve told you this, so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11)

In an exchange, we have to let go, to surrender something, in order to receive. So we have to let go of our humanity—its dreams, its limitations, and even its ugliness and dirt—and offer them to the Lord. Let us not be afraid. We are not really going to lose what we give up to the Lord. We receive them back but transformed by his divinity. He makes use of our limited human ways to make his wonders work among us.  Our time, talent, and riches when given to God returns a hundredfold.  We even give to him our sins, our problems and our hurts. We admit them and submit them to him so that he may kiss them with his love and cleanse and transform them. Because of the incarnation, that is, God becoming man, nothing human is wasted. He even transformed the cross, an instrument of death, to become an instrument of life and salvation. Even human sufferings and follies can be transformed for something that is good. This is what we are excited about in Christmas. This divine-human exchange has become visible, palpable, and touchable in the baby born in the manger.

So, let us have our attention and focus on Jesus.  He is Christmas!