CBCP APRIL 29 - MAY 12, 2019, VOL 23,Monitor NO. 09 [email protected] PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE Nuncio tells youth to be instruments of mercy, peace at end of NYD By Roy Lagarde His peace and make you all an instrument of His love, mercy and peace,” Caccia added. THE papal nuncio to the Organizers said the Mass drew Philippines encouraged 20,000 pilgrims from across the young people “to be country that attended the five- day gathering of prayer, music, the light” of the world catechism and community service. especially to those who The turnout is said to be the suffer and are longing for biggest in NYD’s history since it love and peace. started in 1986. Addressing a huge crowd at Also present were about a the closing Mass of the National hundred priests, nuns and bishops Youth Day in Cebu City on April led by Archbishop Romulo Valles, 28, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia president of the Catholic Bishops’ urged them to never get tired of Conference of the Philippines. being instruments of hope among their peers. Imitate Mary’s example “This is our vocation,” Caccia said Earlier, Archbishop Jose Palma in his homily. “The world needs of Cebu urged the pilgrims to be light and each one of you is this servants to one another. small light but together it’s more Speaking at the NYD opening than enough to give hope, love ceremony at the city’ sports complex and life”. on April 24, he highlighted the way As the Church prepares for the Mary was always open to the Lord’s 500 years of Christianity in the will, describing her as a role model Philippines in 2021, he urged the to be followed. youth to be active and spread the “We know that like her (Mary), faith by being witness to Jesus. we are beloved, gifted and “We want to go far. We receive empowered,” Palma told the more this gift of faith through the than 15,000 pilgrims from across witnesses of so many generations the country. but we want this faith continue to “As you come we repeat over and shine,” he said. over again like what Mary did, ‘I am “So my wish today is that the the servant of the Lord,’” he said. Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, visits Cebu’s renowned historical landmark, Magellan’s Cross, after the closing Mass Risen Christ may give all of you NYD / A7 of the National Youth Day, April 28. SAMMY NAVAJA Negros bishop pays tribute Voters warned vs bets who allowed killings, corruption to farmers on Labor Day A CATHOLIC archbishop Evangelist Cathedral in political coalitions. It is a for truth, sovereignty, and warned the faithful against Dagupan City, he cited the godly concern,” said Villegas. human dignity?” voting for candidates who “6Ks” or kamatayan (death), “Have they contributed to Once again he noted how may have contributed to kabastusan (vulgarity), the current problem of 6Ks? the continued killings does the continued killings and korapsyon (corruption), Have they actively cheered not solve problems on drugs corruption in the country. kahirapan (poverty), and encouraged, enabled and and criminality. Archbishop Socrates kasarinlan (independence), supported the purveyors of Also, he noted that vulgarity Villegas of Lingayen- and kasinungalingan (lies) the 6Ks?” he furthered. “is not Filipino” who loves Dagupan took the Divine as among the problems the “Have they been quiet God, and that “there’s no Mercy Sunday Mass to country is facing today. fence sitters who just allowed place in heaven for liars”. call on voters to be more “Have they given the orders the 6Ks to turn from bad to Villegas stressed that liar discerning in the coming May to kill? Have they protected worse? Silence in the face of candidates should not be 13 midterm polls. liars? Truth is not a political evil is itself evil,” he aded. voted as they “will be the In a pastoral message issue; it is a moral issue. “Have they chosen to stay future corrupt officials”. read at the St. John the Human dignity goes beyond safe rather than stand up Warned / A7 Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos Contractualization exploits workers ‘to Malaysian deacon: PH has ‘special IN his Labor Day message, The land issue, he said, a Catholic bishop in Negros must be part of reflections highest level’ — Church labor group role’ to play in Asia Occidental paid tribute to the among the BEC cluster province’s farmers who fell groups “so that our poor victims to violence in their farmers may not feel alone struggle for their rights. in their plight”. Bishop Gerardo Alminaza “Communal action on day- of San Carlos particularly today economic life must be remembered the nine sugar discerned in BEC meetings farmers killed at a hacienda and activities,” Alminaza in Sagay City in 2018 that are said. still awaiting justice. The bishop also called on “The impunity in senseless leaders of peasants’ groups killings resulting from to make paramount the the landlessness of our well-being of their fellow agricultural and farm workers farmers “rather than resort are sad manifestations of to adventurist steps”. where we are in our journey Addressing the land Deacon Adrian Ng (rightmost) shares some fun with young people from Catholic towards God’s kingdom of owners, the prelate urged Militant groups hold protest in Manila on Labor Day, May 1, 2019. VINCENT GO Christian Outreach. CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN OUTREACH love, justice and peace,” he them to prioritize the said. interest of common good and THE lack of government’s said that workers’ rights THE Philippines is the only region. As a Christian response, denounce violence and greed. will to end contractualization continue to suffer with the other majority Christian “It’s very, very actually Alminaza called on the Basic Bishop Alminaza also has allowed workers to be continued practice of labor- country in Asia, aside from crucial [that the Philippines] Ecclesial Communities reiterated his call for justice for exploited ‘to the maximum only contracting. East Timor. And this is truly becomes the light to have a “pastoral the Sagay 9 massacre victims level’, an ecumenical church- “We have witnessed how precisely the reason why a in Asia. She is the bright accompaniment” among the and for the government to labor group said. contractualization and Malaysian deacon believes … first daughter of the Sagay massacre survivors address land reform disputes. The Church People- other forms of flexible work the country has to step up Church in Asia. She needs and families of those killed. (CBCPNews) Workers Solidarity (CWS) Contractualization / A7 to play a special role in the Deacon / A6 A2 WORLD NEWS April 29 - May 12, 2019, Vol 23, No. 09 CBCP Monitor Religion ‘less important’ to most people Vatican Briefing than 20 years ago, surveys find Word of God must be ‘beating heart’ of church, pope says Reading the Bible and praying with it is “the best vaccine” against Catholic communities closing in on themselves or focusing only on self-preservation, Pope Francis said. God wants “a church that does not speak from itself or about itself but has in its heart and on its lips the Lord and draws daily from his word,” the pope told members of the Catholic Biblical Federation. Greeting 200 federation members from 68 countries April 26, Pope Francis said that when Christians basically proclaim themselves instead of Jesus, they transmit nothing to the world. (Cindy Wooden/CNS) Being a Christian has always been challenging, Pope tells youth Pope Francis said April 25 that although today has its challenges, especially with the sexual abuse crisis, it is not more difficult to be a Christian now than in other periods over the last 2,000 years. “The current context is not easy, also because of the painful and complex issue of abuses committed by members of the Church,” the pope said April 25. “However, I would like to repeat to you that today it is no more difficult than in other eras of the Church: it is only different.” Speaking to a group of young people from France, the pope underlined the beauty of their effort to strengthen their faith through a pilgrimage to Rome “with the apostles Peter and Paul and all those witnesses, including some young people, who suffered martyrdom for choosing to remain faithful to Jesus Christ.” (Hannah Brockhaus/CNA) Jesus replaced law of revenge with law of love, pope says DENVER, Colo.— Participants in a say religion has a “less important Muslims have clashed in recent years, a The scales of justice cannot solve everything, especially study spanning 27 countries say that role” than 20 years ago, Pew says. majority of Nigerian Muslims— 88%— when it comes to stopping a cycle of evil vengeance, Pope religion plays a less important role in Roughly half of Europeans said the are in favor of a more important role Francis said. “Evil knows revenge and if it is not halted, it public life than it once did, though in same thing, and 1 in 5 Europeans for religion, while a smaller majority risks spreading, suffocating the whole world,” he said April 24 many parts of the world, participants said there has been no change in of Christians— 61%—say the same, during his weekly general audience. Christians must forgive said that religion’s importance is on the role of religion over the past Pew says. However, more Christians and love others even beyond what is due to stop the cycle of the rise, or that they would like to 20 years. than Muslims are inclined to say there evil and to start things anew, he told thousands of people see an increased role for religion in By contrast, more than half in has been no change in the relative gathered in St.