CBCP Monitor Vol 19 No 16

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MonitorVOLUME 19NUMBER 16PHP20.00

PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE 

August 3 - 16, 2015

CBCPMONITOR.COM [email protected]

CBCP

Faith group blastsharassment vs.

Davao Lumads

HE National Council ofChurches in the Philippines(NCCP) has denouncedwhat it considers to be the“brute” way law enforcersallegedly broke into a Lu-mad refugee camp inside achurch compound in Davao,claiming that what they didviolated the rights of the in-digenous people (IP).

IP rights violations“What the army did to

force them to evacuate fromtheir lands, the police almostsucceeded in duplicating.Never mind that in bothcases the rights of these Lu-mads were violated … Nevermind that the police forcedthemselves into Haran-Unit-ed Church of Christ in thePhilippines (UCCP) [whichis] long known to be a sanc-tuary,” lamented NCCPGeneral Secretary Rex R. B.

Stewards not Owners CBCP on the Climate

Change Issue, B1

WHAT’S INSIDE

Harassment / A7

SUPPLEMENT ISSUE  THE CROSS: A SUPPLEMENT PUBLICATION OF KCFAPI AND THE ORDER OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

Tagle wants family ministryin grassrootsHE head of the Roman CatholicChurch in Manila called on family-oriented groups to go down to thegrassroots amid observations that familyministry is becoming a ‘luxury” for themiddle and upper class.

Cardinal Luis Antonio agle called onlay movements to shed individualismand work together in attending to thespiritual needs of poor families.

“Let us break from that image thatfamily ministry is a middle class or up-per class luxury,” agle said during the2nd Marriage Encounter Congress inManila on Saturday.

Pastoral care for the poorHe said lay groups supporting the

church’s mission for the family needto cooperate, not compete, with eachother.

“Let’s just help one another. Te chal-lenge is immense,” agle said. “Let usoffer pastoral care for the family amongthe poor.”

‘Investments don’t guaranteedevelopment’ – NASSA official 

 A CAHOLIC prelat e has recent lylambasted the goverment’s promotion

of large-scale mining, saying the influxof investments does not automaticallyspell development for the country as awhole.

“Te Philippine government’s near-fanatical endorsement of mining as theengine for development and poverty al-

leviation is totally misleading, for it onlycounts the investment contribution,

while leaving behind more importantconsiderations in the equation,” said Fr.Edwin Gariguez, executive secretary ofthe National Secretariat for Social Ac-tion Justice and Peace (CBCP-NASSA)in his speech during the 37th Annual

‘Yolanda’ may hauntRoxas 2016 bid— priestHE government’s short-comings and failures in re-building areas devastatedby typhoon Yolanda may

haunt Interior and LocalGovernment Secretary MarRoxas’ presidential ambition,a Catholic priest said.

Caritas Philippines executivesecretary Fr. Edu Gariguez saidthat the government’s “dismal”performance in the days afterthe typhoon to rehabilitationstage may affect the image of theLiberal Party’s standard bearer.

“his government hasnothing to be proud aboutwhen it comes to the rehabili-tation,” Gariguez said.

Te United Nations (UN)yesterday lamented the in-adequate attention given to

 Yolanda-hit areas, as thou-

sands remain in bunkhouses

“that do not meet minimumstandards for the provisionof basic needs and services.”

Chaloka Beyani, UN spe-

cial rapporteur on the humanrights of internally displacedpersons, also said that politicsare among the factors thathinder the rebuilding efforts.

In endorsing Roxas as hispreferred successor, PresidentBenigno Aquino III lauded theofficial’s efforts as the de facto“ground commander” of thegovernment response to thedevastation caused by Yolanda.

However, Garig uez said“they should not use that aspart of his (Roxas) credentialbecause it would be embar-rassing on their part.”

“Is this the kind of presi-dent that we want?” he added.(Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews)

 Aquino not doing enough to

curb corruption— bishops 

PRESIDEN Benigno AquinoIII is failing to address the wide-spread corruption that blightsPhilippine society, bishops said.

 Aquino, in his last State ofthe Nation Address yesterday,

flaunted how his administrationrooted out the problem, but

some faith leaders said he hasnot done enough.

“His ‘daang matuwid’ is notsuccessful just because he claimthat [he] does not steal fromgovernment coffers. However,

he used state funds to influence

Parish goes solar amidfight vs coal plant

 A CAHOLIC parish churchin Quezon province pushed forenvironmental awareness in arecent installation of solar panelson the roof of its building.

Local church authorities in

 Atimonan symbolically switchedon its solar power system after

a pontifical Mass on Sunday,capping the celebration of thetown’s fiesta in honor of OurLady of Angels.

“Tis is our concrete responseto the call of Pope Francis to care

for our common home in his

Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle ARCHDIOCESE OF LIPA

Caritas Philippines executive secretary Fr. Edu Gariguez FILE PHOTO

 A Catholic nun facilitates the gathering of signatures to form a people’s initiative againstthe pork barrel system and massive corruption at the Luneta Park in Manila, 25 August2014. ROY LAGARDE

Ministry / A7Investments / A6

Corruption / A6 Solar / A6

   I   l   l   u   s   t   r   a   t   i   o   n   b   y   B   r   o   t   h   e   r   s   M   a   t   i   a   s

Church wants coal mineclosed in Semirara Is.By Raymond Sebastian

CATHOLIC Church of-

 cials are seeking per-manent closure of the

open pit coal mine inSemirara Island after

another major accident

in two years.he July landslide, which

killed nine workers of Semir-ara Mining & Power Corp.(SMPC), prompted the Dioc-esan Social Action Center of

 Antique and Caritas Philippinesto call for a shutdown of coalmine.

Deeply pained over the loss oflives, the groups said they do notwant another accident to happenand asked the government to banmining in the region.

“We strongly reiterate our call

for the complete closure of theSemirara coal mines and for theprohibition of mining anywhereelse in Antique,” they said in a

 joint statement.Te Department of Energy has

(DOE) has ordered the immedi-ate suspension of the country’slargest coal miner while theyinvestigate the incident.

Church joins

lobby to protect

 Verde Island

PassageBy Roy Lagarde

 AN all iance of chu rchpeople and environmen-talists urged PresidentBenigno Aquino III toestablish a vast conserva-tion area in the “center ofthe center” of the world’smarine biodiversity .

he Coalition for thePreservation of the VerdeIsland Passage proposesthe creation of protectedareas “to secure the safetyof this paradise.”

It said the declaration will

protect the sea waters andtowns facing the straightwhich occupies more than1.14 million hectares be-tween the provinces ofBatangas, Oriental and Oc-cidental Mindoro, Marin-duque, and Romblon.

Semirara / A7

 Almost seven months after Pope Francis visited the Philippines, a group of artists continue its mission of sustaining the spirit of“mercy and compassion” through a musical play entitled “From the Vatican to Tacloban— With Love, Pope Francis”. Since its debutin February, the play has been running at the Mabuhay Restop theater cafe at Rizal Park as the artists hope to bring it to schools toreach more young people. See Related Story on A8 . PHOTO BY BOY LAGARDE

Passage / A7

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A2 CBCP MonitorAugust 3 - 16, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 16WORLD NEWS

Vatican Briefing

Will Vatican officials face term limits? A fixed term mandate for Vatican officials serving in theRoman Curia was among recent proposals for the Vatican’songoing reform process, and will likely be discussed at theSept. 14-16 meeting of the Council of Cardinals. It’s stillunclear whether the fixed term mandate refers to all Vaticanofficials--that is, those who hold an office of the RomanCuria--or if it would just apply to the clergy. According to

the prominent Italian journalist Marco osatti, “the idea isto give a term--a five year term, to be eventually renewed foranother five year term--to the mandate of the Curia officials,which are the priests who make up the bulk of the jobs inthe various Congregations and Pontifical Councils.” (AndreaGagliarducci/CNA)

Pope Francis to handpick new doctor ahead of Cuba, US trip As the five-year term for Pope Francis’ personal doctor comesto an end, the Pope is expected to choose a new one soonwho will accompany him during his upcoming visit to Cubaand the United States. Patrizio Polisca, doctor to Benedict

 XVI and president of the medical commission for the VaticanCongregation for the Causes of Saints, was until recently thePope’s personal doctor and head of the Vatican City State’shealthcare services. Francis decided at the end of May not torenew Polisca’s term as papal doctor and head of the Vatican’shealthcare services, leaving his position open as of Aug. 1.

Te Pope is expected to select a new doctor in September,before his visit to Cuba and the United States at the end ofthat month. (Andrea Gagliarducci/CNA)

With a tap on an iPad, Pope Francis registers for World Youth Day 2016Pope Francis has invited the youth of the world on pilgr im-age to World Youth Day 2016--and on Sunday he becamethe first pilgrim to register himself. “oday we open reg-istration for the thirty-first World Youth Day, to be heldnext year in Poland,” he said. “I invite the youth of theworld to live this pilgrimage that will be going to Krakow.”Te youth will be “participating in this moment of gracefor their communities,” he said. Te Pope spoke from thebalcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square after praying the

 Angelus July 26. With a young man and a young womanat his side, he used an iPad to become the first registeredpilgrim for the next World Youth Day. “Look, I enrolled inthe Day as a pilgrim through this electronic device,” PopeFrancis said. (CNA)

A new step in thawing relations between China and the Holy See?In a tiny victory for Vatican-Chinese rapprochement,China’s government now recognizes seminary studies andallows seminarians to continue their education in a stateuniversity should they leave. Te Bachelor of Arts diplomayoung men receive in the seminary is now recognized asbeing a state title by the Chinese government. With therecognition it is now possible for seminarians who decideto quit their priestly formation to continue their educationin a state university. Te news came in a brief July 23 artic leby Fides, the press agency for the Vatican’s Congregation forthe Evangelization of Peoples. Te piece focused the close ofthe Academic Year for China’s six authorized seminaries. Intotal, 79 seminarians earned their Bachelor of Arts degree,ending their first cycle of studies. Tey have now been sentto work in parishes and ecclesiastical communities. (AndreaGagliarducci/CNA)

Ebola deaths are still happening – and the Vatican is aiming to stop them Although two of the three countries hardest hit by last year’sEbola outbreak have been declared free of the virus, they aren’tout of the woods yet. Deaths related to the massive Ebolaoutbreak that swept across western Africa last year continueto take place, even in Liberia, which was declared “Ebola free”by the World Health Organization (WHO) May 9. “Sadly,we recently witnessed the urgent need for such efforts whena new death due to the Ebola Virus Disease was identifiedin Liberia, some forty-five days after the country had beendeclared ‘Ebola Free,’” Archbishop Bernardito Auza said in a

 July 9 statement. Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observerof the Holy See to the U.N., Archbishop Auza issued thestatement on the occasion of an International Ebola Recov-ery Conference in New York, hosted by the United Nations.(Elise Harris/CNA)

Prisoners, volunteers, teens invited to celebrate Jubilee with popeMore than a dozen individual celebrations will be scheduledfor the Jubilee of Mercy in 2016, giving pilgrims the chanceto celebrate their own holy year with Pope Francis in Rome.Te yearlong extraordinary jubilee will include a numberof individual jubilee days, such as for consecrated men andwomen; deacons; priests; catechists; the sick and disabled;teenagers and prisoners. Young people will be able to cel-ebrate their jubilee with the pope at World Youth Day inKrakow, Poland. Te Pontifical Council for Promoting NewEvangelization, which is organizing events for the Holy Yearof Mercy, published a full calendar of events online at www.im.va. (Carol Glatz/CNS)

Don’t be afraid or ashamed to go to confession, pope saysrusting in God’s infinite mercy, people should not be afraidor embarrassed to go to confession, Pope Francis said. “Tereare people who are afraid to go to confession, forgetting

that they will not encounter a severe judge there, but theimmensely merciful Father,” Pope Francis told thousands ofpeople gathered in St. Peter’s Square Aug. 2 for the middayrecitation of the Angelus prayer. Te pope also told the peoplegathered under a scalding sun that “when we go to confes-sion, we feel a bit ashamed. Tat happens to all of us, but wemust remember that this shame is a grace that prepares us forthe embrace of the Father, who always forgives and alwaysforgives everything.” (Cindy Wooden/CNS)

Good pastors always look, have compassion, teach, pope says at Angelus A good pastor always sees what people are going through, feelscompassion and then nourishes them with God’s Word, PopeFrancis said. Seeing and being moved to pity “have alwaysbeen associated with Jesus,” the Good Shepherd, he said July19 before reciting the Angelus with visitors gathered in St.Peter’s Square. “In fact, his gaze isn’t the gaze of a sociologistor a photojournalist because he always looks with ‘the eyes

of the heart,’” he said. (Carol Glatz/CNS)

China set for first publicordination of bishop since 2012Ceremony seen as possible benchmark for state of Vatican-China relations 

HONG KONG, July 31, 2015—When Fa-ther Joseph Zhang Yinlin is ordained bishop

of Anyang in Henan province on August 4,he will become the first publicly ordainedChinese bishop in three years and the firstsince the Vatican and China restarted itsdialogue in June 2014.

he last public ordination occurredon July 7, 2012, when Bishop TaddeusMa Daqin was installed as an auxiliaryin Shanghai. Bishop Ma immediatelyresigned his post in protest against thegovernment-controlled Chinese CatholicPatriotic Association and remains underhouse arrest.

Fr Zhang will also be the first Chinesebishop to be ordained publicly since PopeFrancis was elected to the papacy in March2013.

Te ordination, with papal approval, ini-tially was planned for July 29. Te diocese

decided to postpone the date to Aug. 4 tocoincide with the feast day of St John Vian-ney, the patron saint for priests.

In an interview, Fr Zhang told ucanews.com that he could not confirm which bish-

ops would preside at the ordination.“We sent out invitations to several bish-ops but cannot confirm who is attending,”he said.

he presence of an illicit bishop notrecognized by the Vatican is a way for theCommunist Party to show its control of theChurch. If an illicit bishop plays a role inthe ordination, this could be a sign of thestate of China-Vatican relations, sources said.

 At least three bishops are required to bepresent for an Episcopal ordination. In thecase of China, at least one of the bishopspresent needs to be Vatican-approved.

Bishop Ma said publicly after his ordina-tion: “It is inconvenient for me to serve theCatholic Patriotic Association.” Since then,he has been under house arrest at SheshanSeminary in Shanghai.

 An illicit bishop participated in the or-dination.Te Catholic Patriotic Association is a

government-sanctioned body designed tocontrol the Catholic Church in China.

Fr Zhang, 44, was elected a bishop on April 28. He was previously approved forordination by the Vatican.

In China, most bishop elections are ar-ranged by the bishops’ conference, whichis composed of bishops who have registeredwith the government. However, manybishop candidates receive papal approvalbeforehand. Most voters support the Vati-can’s choice. Tose who don’t support theHoly See usually reflect their disagreementthrough abstaining.

Church members across China also com-plain that government officials manipulatethe election, as the process involves not onlypriests, but also nuns, seminarians and layleaders, who make up half the voters.

 Anothe r Vatican-approved candidatefor bishop, Father Cosmos Ji Chengyi of

Zhumadian in the same province of Henan,was also elected in April. But a date for hisordination is still unknown. (UCAN)

 A new step in thawing relations betweenChina and the Holy See?VAICAN CIY, July 31,2015—In a tiny victory forVatican-Chinese rapproche-ment, China’s government nowrecognizes seminary studies andallows seminarians to continuetheir education in a state univer-sity should they leave.

Te Bachelor of Arts diplomayoung men receive in the semi-nary is now recognized as beinga state title by the Chinese gov-ernment. With the recognition itis now possible for seminarianswho decide to quit their priestlyformation to continue theireducation in a state university.

Te news came in a brief July23 article by Fides, the pressagency for the Vatican’s Con-gregation for the Evangelizationof Peoples.

Te piece focused the close ofthe Academic Year for China’s sixauthorized seminaries. In total,79 seminarians earned their Bach-elor of Arts degree, ending theirfirst cycle of studies. Tey havenow been sent to work in parishesand ecclesiastical communities.

 Work for the future parishpriests will prove difficult inChina, where there are mixedsignals that on one side suggestan improvement in relationsbetween China and the HolySee, while on the other handshow that the topic of religiousfreedom is still crucial.

One sign of improved in rela-tions is that Chinese president Xi

 Jinping, who has held office sinceMarch 2013, has shown interestin improving Holy See-Beijingrelations.

Te president allowed PopeFrancis’ plane to fly over Chinawhile the Pope was en route tothe Philippines in January. Healso responded to the telegramFrancis sent to him while flyingthrough Chinese airspace.

On Jan. 21, 2015, Hua Chu-

nying, a spokesman of the Chi-nese Foreign Ministry, saidChina’s government is “willing tohave constructive dialogue withthe Vatican based on relevantprinciples.”

On the other hand, there arealso areas of division betweenChinese Catholics and the Chi-nese central government. One ofthem is the current demolitionof buildings and crosses in theprovince of Zhejiang.

 According to the government,the demolition plan--whichbegan in early 2014 and hasalready affected more than 400buildings and crosses--is part ofthe government’s effort to teardown illegal buildings.

However, the decision hasbeen interpreted as a persecu-tion campaign against ChineseChristians.

Last week Msgr. Vincent Zhu Weifang of Wenzhou, close to90, took the streets togetherwith 26 priests from his dioceseto call for an end of the demoli-tion of crosses. It was the fourthtime the Catholic community in

 Wenzhou has publicly protestedagainst the destruction.

 Another divis ion came outwith the protests of “OccupyCentral,” a civil disobediencecampaign that took place in

Hong Kong last year, callingfor democracy and protestingagainst electoral reforms pro-posed by the Chinese govern-ment, seen as highly restrictive.

he movement was backedby many Catholics, includingCardinal Joseph Zen, archbishop

emeritus of Hong Kong, whopublicly protested alongsidemembers of the movement.

 Xi Jinping likely referred tothese facts when in late May hewarned that “religions in Chinamust be free from foreign influ-ence” and incorporated intoSocialist Chinese society.

Te president’s declarations,however, didn’t deter the HolySee from moving forward towarda first, diplomatic rapproche-ment.

 Al thou gh th e time ha sn’tcome for a papal nuncio toChina, there’s a possibility of anagreement between the Vaticanand China. If an agreement isreached, it could lead to a first,historic step: the appointment ofa Vatican resident representativein China, though without therank of an ‘ambassador.’

Diplomatic relations betweenthe Holy See and China werecut in 1951, two years afterthe Chinese Communist partyseized power. Te Holy See hastried to keep some channel ofdialogue open ever since, withincreasing concern for Catholicsin the country.

Te restoration of ties betweenthe two has been slow, and char-acterized by moments of freezeand sudden thaws.

Diplomatic talks for a finalrapprochement are still at anearly stage, but Xi Jinping’spolicy on religious issues mighthelp to overcome the difficulties.

 First among the difficulties isthe situation of the Church inChina, which is often described

as divided between an ‘official’Church – the Patriotic Associa-tion linked to the government– and an underground Church,persecuted and whose episcopalappointments frequently gounacknowledged by Chineseauthorities.A source from theCongregation for the Evangeliza-tion of People told CNA July 27that the situation is even morenuanced than this.

“For years, priests of Chinesecommunities and faithful havebeen working to overcome thedivide between ‘clandestine’and official Church,” the sourcemaintained.

He added that “the more the‘Cultural Revolution’ gets fartherin time, the fewer the differencesbetween Patriotic and under-ground Church are.”

his happened thanks “tothe work of Chinese bishopsand Vatican officials who hadpatiently entertained relations inorder to gain the hoped, and yetnot achieved, twofold recogni-tion of all the current bishops byChina and the Holy See.”

Nowadays, the source con-cluded, “there is the clear percep-tion that the Chinese Church hasnever been schismatic, though itendured lacerations and compro-mises.” (CNA)

Promote the common good and give workersa raise, Catholic leaders tell Congress 

 WASHINGON D.C., July 31, 2015—Catholic leaders are calling on Congress toraise the minimum wage, for the good oflow-wage workers and their families.

“An economy thrives only when it is cen-tered on the dignity and well-being of theworkers and families in it,” stated a letterto members of Congress from ArchbishopTomas Wenski of Miami and Sister DonnaMarkham, OP, president of Catholic Chari-ties USA. Archbishop Wenski chairs the U.S.Bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justiceand Human Development.

Te current federal minimum wage is not

enough for a father working full-time toraise a child out of poverty, the letter said.Furthermore, the wage is static and onlyincreases when Congress raises it – it is nottied to inflation, meaning that in real terms,its falls every year.

“Tis leads to increased demand for Chari-ties’ services and reliance on the social safetynet to make ends meet,” the letter added.

Te current federal minimum wage is$7.25 an hour, enacted in 2009 as part ofthe Fair Labor Standards Act. PresidentObama has repeatedly pushed for Congressand businesses to raise the minimum wage,most recently calling for it to be hiked toover $10 an hour. In February, 2014 hesigned an executive order raising the wage to$10.10 for federal contract workers.

Minimum wage increases have sparked a

debate about their influence on businessesand low-wage workers. Supporters argue

that according tostudies employmentis not significantlyaffected by moderatewage increases, andthat pay hikes ben-efit workers far morethan any subsequentdrop in employmentrates may hurt them.

Opponents claimthat mandato rywage hikes dispro-portionately affect

small businesses whomay not have theresources to increasewages that big busi-nesses have, and thusmust cut low-wage

 jobs. Many low-wage workers are not fatherswith children, they argue, but are younger,less experienced workers who would losevaluable work experience if their jobs werecut because of a wage increase.

Certain businesses have already increasedtheir minimum wages without any lawbeing passed first. For example, the CEOof Seattle-based Gravity Payments madeheadlines earlier this year by taking a pay cutdown to $70,000 a year from $1 million andgiving all his employees a pay raise.

In their letter to Congress, Archbishop

 Wenski and Sister Markham referenced St. John Paul II’s encyclical Centesimus Annus,

which was written on the 100-year anniver-sary of the landmark social encyclical RerumNovarum, on capital and labor.

Tey quoted the encyclical that “societyand the State must ensure wage levels ad-equate for the maintenance of the workerand his family, including a certain amountfor savings.”

“his requires a continuous effort toimprove workers’ training and capabil-ity so that their work will be more skilledand productive, as well as careful controlsand adequate legislative measures to blockshameful forms of exploitation, especially

to the disadvantage of the most vulnerableworkers,” the encyclical continued. (CNA)

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A3CBCP Monitor August 3 - 16, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 16 NEWS FEATURES

Interfaith leaders to welcomePope Francis in USVAICAN, August 1, 2015--Agroup of interfaith leaders arewelcoming Pope Francis to theUnited States.

In a short July 27 letter sentdirectly to the pope at the Vati-can, the religious leaders saidtheir work on behalf of social

 just ice, inc lusion and equal-ity has been “renewed by yourclarity of vision and your boldstatement of the truth of theneeds of our time.”

“We know that we all need tobe called to a change of heart andwe are so grateful for raising upthat call,” the letter said.

Noting that the pope will ad-dress Congress Sept. 24 on thelast day of his visit to Washing-ton before heading to New Yorkand Philadelphia, the leaders saidthey were eagerly anticipatingthe pontiff’s visit.

“As people of faith we lookforward to your message andare eager to share it with mem-bers of our various faiths anddenominations. Our nationneeds to hear your word ofhope and challenge,” the lead-ers said.

Fourteen of the letter’s 35signers are Catholic includingthe heads of the Conference

Pope Francis CNA

of Major Superiors of Men,Franciscan Action Network,

 Jubilee USA Network, Leader-ship Conference of Women Re-ligious, Network, the Catholicsocial justice lobby, Pax ChristUSA, Pax Christi International,Maryknoll Sisters, Sisters of

Mercy of the Americas andSisters of the Good Shepherdas well representatives of otherCatholic organizations.

Tey joined leaders of Chris-tian, Jewish and Muslim groupsincluding National Council ofChurches, USA, Lutheran Ser-

vices in America, PresbyterianChurch (USA), United Churchof Christ, United Method-ist Church, Islamic Society ofNorth America, Religious ActionCenter for Reform Judaism, andUnitarian Universalist Associa-tion. (Catholic News Service)

Pope: In Confessionwe encounter God’simmense mercy

VAICAN, August 2, 2015–Delivering his weekly Angelusaddress in St. Peter’s Square onSunday, Pope Francis said thatwhile everyone feels shame be-fore going to Confession, thisgrace helps us to be open toGod’s forgiveness.

“here are people whoare afraid of approachingConfession, forgetting thatthere, we do not encountersevere judgement, but theimmensely mercifu l Father,”the Roman Pontiff said Aug.2, speaking to the crowdswho had braved the hot Ro-man sun.

“It is true that when we goto Confession, we feel a little

shameful. Tis happens to all,to all of us, but we must re-member that even this shameis a grace which prepares usfor the embrace of the Father,who always forgives and alwaysforgives everyone.”

Speaking after leading therecitat ion of the Angelusprayer, the Pope noted thattoday is, in the Franciscan tra-dition, the feast of Our Ladyof the Angels of Porziuncolaand its associated indulgence;he used the occasion to remindthe faithful of the importanceof Confession.

he feast marks the dedi-cation of the Porziuncola or

“little portion,” a small parishchurch which is one of thoseSt. Francis of Assisi rebuilt inobedience to Christ’s commandto “rebuild my church.”

“It is a powerful reminderto bring ourselves closer tothe Lord in the Sacrament ofMercy, and to receive Com-munion,” Pope Francis said.

Before leading the faithfulin the Angelus, Pope Francisspoke on the day’s Gospel ac-cording to St. John, centeringhis reflection on the impor-tance of finding lasting suste-nance in Christ as the “Breadof Life.”

Te Roman Pontiff recount-

ed the Gospel passage, whichtakes place shortly after Christmultiplied the loaves and fishesto feed the multitudes, whothen continued to follow him.

Tose who followed Christafter having received “materialbread,” he said, “did not under-stand that this bread, brokenfor many, for many, was anexpression of the love of Jesushimself. Tey gave more valueto that bread than to the giver.”

In order to get past this“spiritual blindness,” he con-tinued, Christ calls the people

to discover and understand theone who gives the bread.

“God is the gift, and alsothe giver.”

It is “from this bread, thisact” that the people are able todiscover God, who gives thebread, Pope Francis said.

Christ invites us to be opento another perspective, notsolely based on concerns aboutfood, clothing, success, orcareer, the Roman Pontiffadded. Rather: “Jesus speaksof another food; he speaks ofa food that is not corruptible,and which is good to seek andreceive.”

Te Pope cited the Gospelreading, in which Christ ex-

horts us not to “labor for thefood which perishes, but forthe food which endures toeternal life.”

In other words, the RomanPontiff said: “Seek salvation,the encounter with God.”

Pope Francis said Christ’swords are to help us understandthat while we all experience theneed to satiate our physicalhunger, the “hunger for life”and eternity are more impor-tant, and cannot be fulfilledwith ordinary food.

Christ’s words do not takeaway our concerns when itcomes to our “daily bread,” thePope said, but they invite us

to consider how our lives aredirected toward eternity.“Jesus reminds us that the

true meaning of our earthlyexistence is that human history,with its sufferings and joys,must be seen on the horizon ofeternity, that is, in the horizonof the definitive encounterwith him.”

“And this encounter illu-mines all the days of our life,”the Roman Pontiff said.

Making reference to theEucharist, Pope Francis add-ed, Christ says he is the Breadof Life, the “greatest giftwhich satiates the soul andthe body.”

Not only does this Breadof Life give us meaning inhope amid lif e’s often “tortu-ous” journey, but in the taskof announcing the Gospelto our brothers and sistersso that their “spiritual andmaterial hunger” may besatisfied.

Pope Francis concluded hisaddress by asking Mary for helpin following her son, the rueBread which “does not corrupt,and endures for eternal life.”(Ann Schneible/CNA/EWTNNews)

Pope Francis emphasized how the sacrament of Reconciliation is rooted in “God’simmense mercy.” CNA

Papal parenting guide: Francis delivers his own how-to for families 

VAICAN, July 30, 2015– Pope Francisknows the family is made up of real peopleliving in the real world, which is why he oftengives down-to-earth advice.

Te Catholic Church has long taught thatthe family is a school of humanity—thefirst and best place to learn about love andrespect. In fact, a healthy society relies oncitizens who learn love, responsibility, loyalty,acceptance of others and solidarity from theirfamily relationships, Pope Francis has said.

Te pope, a former teacher, has, in a way,been handing today’s families detailed les-son plans, offering guidance in what actu-ally needs to be done. Te world Synod ofBishops on the family, which the pope hasconvoked for October, also is expected todeliver concrete guidelines for the pastoralcare of the family and its members.

By devoting his general audience talksto the family since last December, as wellas making the family a key topic of otherspeeches and homilies, Pope Francis has

been offering concrete and, at times, color-ful advice, which will give people gatheringfor the World Meeting of Families in Phila-delphia in September plenty of material toparse through.

Te pope’s approach starts from the bot-tom up.

He doesn’t begin with a textbook conceptor picture-perfect ideal everyone needs tomagically become an exact replica of. Tefamily is a real institution made up of veryhuman, and therefore, limited members whoneed real help.

 With examples from his own life and thereal lives of others, he points to what is hap-pening “on the ground” and then builds apastoral plan — what would God’s responsebe to this reality.

For example, the Christian response to theall too typical problem of anger or misunder-standing is to choose the path of dialogue,which requires eating lots of tart “humblepie,” he said in a homily in January 2014.

“Sometimes the plates will fly,” the pope said.But “after the storm has passed,” things haveto be worked out as soon as possible, “with aword, a gesture,” so no one ends up “isolatedin this bitter broth of our resentment.”

Other similarly practical advice he hasgiven couples: play with your kids more,stop the swearing, be more affectionate andalways say, “Please,” “May I” and “Tankyou.” Moms and dads must lead the way, hesays;they are the most influential role modelsfor their kids.

Kissing in front of the children is a “beauti-ful witness,” he told parents in June 2015.Children watch their parents carefully and“when they see that dad and mom love each

other, the children grow in that climate oflove, happiness and security.”He has told youngsters to go out, discover

the world and “build everything together,do everything with love, everything ispossible and faith is an event always to beproclaimed.”

alk to your best friend, Jesus, every day,he told children in December 2014, andbe “apostles of peace and serenity” at homeand at school.

“Remind your parents, brothers and sis-ters and peers that it is beautiful to love oneanother and that misunderstandings can beovercome, because when we are united with

 Jesus everything is possible,” he said.Giving advice to grandparents, the pope

has said that families and kids need theirprayers, wisdom and gifts to give them the

encouragement, hope and faith they oftenlack in today’s frenetic world.“We older people can remind ambitious

young people that a life without love is bar-ren. We can tell fearful young people thatworrying about the future can be overcome.

 We can teach young people who are in lovewith themselves too much that there is more

 joy in giving than receiving,” he told his fel-low seniors in March 2015. Te pope’s dreamis that families challenge today’s throwawayculture with “the overflowing joy of a newembrace between young and old people.”

Key to drawing the needed strength andinspiration is reading the Gospel, prayer,confession, Communion and fellowshipwith the poor, he said in May 2015.

“Imagine how much our world wouldchange if each one of us began right hereand now and seriously took care of ourselvesand generously took care of our relation-ship with God and our neighbor,” he toldVatican employees and their families beforeChristmas last year.

he Holy Family is still the perennialrole model for families, the pope has said.Mothers can mirror the same love and atten-tion Mary had for her son, and fathers canexemplify the patience and understanding of

 Joseph who did everything to support andprotect his family.

Te real secret, he said, is just to “welcome Jesus, listen to him, speak to him, take careof him, protect him and grow with him” likeMary and Joseph did, and “that is how the

world will become better.”Pope Francis knows families cannot do it

on their own. He also insists policymakersand leaders devise and support policies that

build up families and neutralize their big-gest threats: war, poverty, consumerism andeconomic policies that promote the worshipof money and power.

 Justice for women must be promotedsince, in the West, they face discriminationin the workplace and often are forced tochoose between family and job obligations,the pope has said. Also, women too oftenface violence in “their lives as fiancees, wives,mothers, sisters and grandmothers” and,in developing countries, “women bear theheaviest burden” by having to walk miles tocollect water, often risk dying in childbirth,and face kidnapping, rape and forced mar-riages, he said in May 2015.

Culture needs a humanizing re-haul, too,he said, to ease the pressure on couples tonot be afraid of the lifelong commitment of

marriage and to see children as a blessing,not a burden.Pope Francis has been especially vocal

about resisting current trends that seek to le-gitimize same-sex unions, contraception andfluid notions of gender. He warned familiesin the Philippines against this “ideologicalcolonization that tries to destroy the family”and takes away human identity and dignity,and he repeatedly has reaffirmed churchteaching that marriage is a lifelong bondbetween a man and a woman.

Given the many challenges—both withinsociety and within the walls of the familyhome—Pope Francis regularly praises themany men and women who are fighting thegood fight every day.

Leaders and communities “should kneelbefore these families, who are a true schoolof humanity, who are saving society frombarbarity” by staying together and safeguard-ing their bonds amidst difficult conditions,even in poverty and crisis, he has said.

Regular men and women who care fortheir infirm loved ones, miss a night of sleepand still roll into work the next day are the“hidden heroes” and the “hidden saints” oftoday, he said.

Te pope has urged the men and womenwho are on the right path to lend a hand tohelp evangelize and to help other familiesheal so that the teachings of the faith willtouch more people’s hearts and give them thestrength to follow God’s will. (Carol Glatz/ Catholic News Service)

Humility key to effective evangelization – CBCP presidentMANILA, July 27, 2015--Morethan eloquence, event organiz-ing skills or mobilization efforts,the key to preaching the Gospeleffectively is humility, saidCatholic Bishops’ Conference ofthe Philippines (CBCP) presi-dent and Lingayen-ArchbishopSocrates B. Villegas.

“Tere is no salvation for theproud,” he said, underscoringthe need for humility in preachthe Good News.

Speaking to some 700 at-tendees of the 2nd MarriageEncounter National Congressheld on July 25 at the CenturyPark Sheraton along Pablo Oc-

ampo Avenue, Manila, Villegassaid the Good News contains “a

great mystery only the humblecan understand.”

he liar’s cousinhe prelate explained God

humbled himself when He be-came man, and became a child“so that it will be easier for usto carry Him.”According tothe newly re-elected head ofthe CBCP, faith is anchored onprayer, gratitude, and truth,noting that humble people of-ten say “ha nk you”, “Please”and “I’m sorry” because thereis neither peace nor joy forthe proud.

He further explained that

when a person says he is hum-ble, he is, in fact, proud.

Villegas mentioned how St.Tomas Aquinas said humilityis truth, and connected thisto an old Filipino saying “Angsinungalin ay kapatid ng mag-nanakaw (Te liar is the thief ’ssibling).”

“Ang mayabang ay pinsan ngsinungalin (he proud is theliar’s cousin),” he further said.

Input for the Family SynodHe concluded his keynote ad-

dress with a prayer for changewith delegates from all over thecountry in attendance.

Earlier, Marriage EncounterFoundation of the Philippines’

national president couple Rob-ert and inette Aventajado said

the Second National Congresswas inspired by Pope Franciscall to find concrete solutions tothe problems faced by familiesworldwide.

“Manila Archbishop Luis Anton io G. Card inal agle , inhis homily at our parish echoedPope Francis’ message whichled us to organize this year’sconference,” Robert Aventa-

 jado said .He added whatever motions

or resolutions generated fromthe whole-day event will begiven to the bishops-delegatesto the coming XIV Synod ofBishops at the Vatican this

coming October. (Melo Acuña/ CBCPNews)

CBCP president and Lingayen-Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas gives the keynote

message at the 2nd Marriage Encounter National Congress held on July 25 at theCentury Park Sheraton along Pablo Ocampo Avenue, Manila. CBCPNEWS

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Specifically in conjunction withmarriage – which is not simplya “Contract” but also a “Cov-enant” – it is definitely not astate of life that is enough to like,to fancy, to dream of. Strictlyspeaking marriage is a state of life

with its innate attributes of unity,indissolubility not only becauseit is a contractual agreement butalso because it is a covenantedconcurrence. Hence, the oftenheard remarks or observations:“Marriage is not an on and off relationship.” “Marriage is notsomething you enter into now

and exit therefrom sooner or lat-er.” “Marriage is not an on andoff way of living.” “Marriage canbe anything but a honeymoonperiod forever.” “Marriage is notmeant particularly for those whodo not believe in it.”

 And con sid eri ng pre cis elyits essential nature – the basicrights that flow therefrom plusthe essential obligations that gotherewith – marriage is not foreverybody in the same way thatnot everyone is meant for mar-riage. As a rule, it is nice to think

of marriage, it is fun to preparefor marriage, it is even excitingto get married. But after sometime of living together 24/7,after mutually knowing the realpersons behind the marriedparties concerned, after prob-

ably even bringing other livesinto the world, then honest togoodness reality check comesnot only about the attributesbut specially so regarding theliabilities of the man/husband/father and/or the woman/wife/mother concerned. And onlythen, do the parties really know

the “What”, the “Why” and the“How” of marriage as in fact andin truth it actually is.

Many are the cases and manyas well are the instances whenthe common misunderstand-ings, bilateral disagreements

plus mutual alienations betweenmany married couples are re-solved or settled through mutualunderstanding and/or forgive-ness, through much goodwilland patience, through ferventprayers and/or proper marriagecounseling. But all these posi-

ONE of the greatest disasters of our times isthat many people, a great majority of them,

have nothing but disgust and even hatred forthe distinctive value of suffering. For them,suffering is an intrinsic evil, and thereforeshould be avoided at all costs.

Te cross, the icon of suffering, shouldbe nothing other than an ornament at best.It should not hold any other purpose ormeaning.

Tis is the sad thing about our currentworld culture. It directly contradicts whatChrist said: “If any man will come after me,let him deny himself, and take up his cross,and follow me.” (Mt 16, 24)

Te cross, in whatever form it comes, isactually the key that opens the spiritual andsupernatural world meant for us. It widensour perspectives, and leads us to transcendthe limits of our human nature. It enablesus to enter into the dynamics of a love that

is not only material but also spiritual, notonly natural but also supernatural.

It represents the extreme and ultimate wayof loving, as it invites us to go beyond the

confines of our wounded human nature inorder to soar to the divine love from wherewe come and to where we are supposed to go.

 With the cross, we would know how topay for the offenses and sins we have com-mitted. It is the fair deal we are offered inexchange of the tremendous benefit it alsogives us—nothing less than the possibilityto love all the way to God.

God, and not just the sky, is the limit ofour loving. Tat’s why Christ gave us the newcommandment that summarizes all the otherprevious commandments given to us—thatwe love one another as he, Christ, loved us.Christ is the standard of our love, and not

 just any human and natural value.hat’s why saints and holy men and

women, following the example of Christ,have always seen the cross as something most

welcome in their lives, because Christ’s lovefor us goes all the way to the cross. Pope

Benedict says, “Tere is no love withoutsuffering.”

Opus Dei founder, St. Josemaria Escriva,echoing the sentiments of all the saints,laments that “the cross is still a symbol ofdeath, instead of being a sign of life. Peoplestill flee from the cross as though it were ascaffold, when it is a throne of glory. Chris-tians still reject the cross and identify it withsorrow, instead of identifying it with love.”

 Without the cross, we debase our love andrestrict it to the purely sensual, worldly, andtemporal level. Without it, the wings of ourlove are cut as it functions only on the basisof practicality, convenience, popularity, andother earthly values, motives and advantages.

Tis is what we see in all these rationaliza-tions behind the move to pass the RH Bill,for example. Tose for it, as well as all thosewho are for abortion, euthanasia and similarthings, are espousing a kind of love that sees

no value in the cross.

EDITORIAL

OGEHER with the patrimony of nature, there is also an historic,artistic and cultural patrimony, which is likewise under threat. Tispatrimony is a part of the shared identity of each place and a foundationupon which to build a habitable city. It is not a matter of tearing downand building new cities, supposedly more respectful of the environ-ment yet not always more attractive to live in. Rather, there is a needto incorporate the history, culture and architecture of each place, thuspreserving its original identity. Ecology, then, also involves protecting thecultural treasures of humanity in the broadest sense. More specifically, itcalls for greater attention to local cultures when studying environmentalproblems, favoring a dialogue between scientific-technical languageand the language of the people. Culture is more than what we haveinherited from the past; it is also, and above all, a living, dynamic andparticipatory present reality, which cannot be excluded as we rethinkthe relationship between human beings and the environment.

 A consumerist vision of human beings, encouraged by the mecha-nisms of today’s globalized economy, has a leveling effect on cultures,diminishing the immense variety, which is the heritage of all human-ity. Attempts to resolve all problems through uniform regulations ortechnical interventions can lead to overlooking the complexities oflocal problems which demand the active participation of all membersof the community. New processes taking shape cannot always fit intoframeworks imported from outside; they need to be based in the localculture itself. As life and the world are dynamic realities, so our care forthe world must also be flexible and dynamic. Merely technical solutionsrun the risk of addressing symptoms and not the more serious underlyingproblems. Tere is a need to respect the rights of peoples and cultures,and to appreciate that the development of a social group presupposesan historical process which takes place within a cultural context anddemands the constant and active involvement of local people from withintheir proper culture. Nor can the notion of the quality of life be imposedfrom without, for quality of life must be understood within the worldof symbols and customs proper to each human group.

Many intensive forms of environmental exploitation and degradationnot only exhaust the resources which provide local communities withtheir livelihood, but also undo the social structures which, for a longtime, shaped cultural identity and their sense of the meaning of lifeand community. Te disappearance of a culture can be just as serious,

or even more serious, than the disappearance of a species of plant oranimal. Te imposition of a dominant lifestyle linked to a single formof production can be just as harmful as the altering of ecosystems.

In this sense, it is essential to show special care for indigenous com-munities and their cultural traditions. Tey are not merely one minorityamong others, but should be the principal dialogue partners, especiallywhen large projects affecting their land are proposed. For them, land isnot a commodity but rather a gift from God and from their ancestorswho rest there, a sacred space with which they need to interact if theyare to maintain their identity and values. When they remain on theirland, they themselves care for it best. Nevertheless, in various parts ofthe world, pressure is being put on them to abandon their homelandsto make room for agricultural or mining projects, which are undertakenwithout regard for the degradation of nature and culture.

-- Laudato Si’ (Nos. 143-446)

I might not be simply in good order but also in the light of truthfor politicians to consider that they, too, are covered not only byethics but also bound by their morals. Admittedly, theirs are theauthority, the power, and the fame, plus the wealth in many cases.But, woe to them if they would dare think that they are above thenorm of what is right or wrong, what is virtuous or vicious. And thisbrings to mind the fundamental rule of thumb when they exercisetheir political office--especially so when they make their political

options, when they affirm their pursuant political agenda.Upon assumption of political power, it is not a secret that togetherwith other legislative agenda, the incumbent political leadershiphad the resolve to have three major political designs proposed andapproved by the Legislature, namely population control, divorce,and same sex marriage. It was not, however, foreseen, at leastaccording to the grapevine, that the U.S. would strongly urge thePhilippines with proper material and military initiatives to workout the BBL, after Population Control has already become a lawunder the camouflage title of “Reproductive Health Bill”. So it isthat with the BBL still pending, the said “Divorce” and “Same SexMarriage” legislative agenda are on deck.

It is not altogether unknown that the U.S. now has the “Same SexMarriage” legislation, which was passed basically for political reasons.Te U.S. President has been losing political clout for some time. Tepassage of the said law--with the support of political party affiliatesand lobby groups--ultimately means additional political support froma relatively big LGB global community. And it is neither a secretthat in the Philippines, the political leadership is also gradually losing

political clout. So it is that the enactment of “Divorce” and “SameSex Marriage” legislations could also be of significant help in favor ofpolitical endorsements for the 2016 Elections. Or so it seems.

Having political clout through all possible means--without regardto what is ethically proper or improper, what is morally correct orincorrect--is the substance of making the end (political advantage)

 justify the means (Divorce, same sex marriage). Such is the peakof political amorality.

But three quite relevant considerations come to fore: First, the cur-rent political leadership and the unconditional political allies might infact ultimately earn more distrust and disgust from the people--votersincluded--with the endorsement and passage of such blatantly immorallegislations. Second, the above reminder is squarely premised on thefact that most Filipinos still know what is right or wrong, what is vir-tue or vice. Tird, at the end of the day the political agenda and thepromise of better life for the country will come to naught because, afterall, no integral development progresses from immoral foundations.

Cultural ecology

Working for political advantage sans morals

OPINION

MonitorPROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE 

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Candidly Speaking / A7

Oscar V. Cruz, D.D.

 Views and PointsReluctance. Difficulty.Incapacity

 Fr. Roy Cimagala

Candidly Speaking

Views and Points / A5

Why Serve the Poor:Three Perspectives Fr. James H. Kroeger, MM 

Living Mission

“Year of the Poor” Reections

MOHER eresa. Saint John Paul II calledMother eresa of Calcutta “an icon of the

service to life which the Church is offeringin Asia” (EA 7). We can draw insight andinspiration from her life-witness and poi-gnant words:

“We read in the Gospel that Jesus Christcame into the world to give us the GoodNews that God is love; that God loves youand loves me; that He wants us to love oneanother as He loves each of us. And to makeus understand this love, He used a beautifulway of explaining: ‘Whatever you do to the

 poor , you do it to Me . I was hungry and yougave Me to eat. I was naked, and you clothedMe. I was homeless, and you took Me in’.”

“It is something wonderful to think thatyou and I can return that love, that we toocan love God. Where is God? o makeit easy for us, He gives us an opportunityto love Him in one another. For He said,

‘Whatever you do to the least, to the mandying, the destitute, the hungry, you do toMe’.”

“Put your love for God into living action,always remembering that it is not what youdo, but what you are, and how much loveyou put into the doing, and have undividedlove for God and for each other.”

Brother Bob. Father Bob McCahill, MM,

who calls himself “Brother Bob,” has workedseveral decades in Bangladesh; he describes

his experiences: “’What are you doing here?’Tat’s a question Bengalis continue to askme…. I reply: ‘I try to help people who aresick and poor.’ ‘Why do that?’ they ask me.I answer: ‘Because Jesus, my Model, did it.’My purpose here continues to be simply tolive as a Christian among Muslims, showingGod’s love, especially to the poorest.”

“Progressively, it has been dawning on methat my efforts have to do with more thanhelping and healing the sick. I also invite andinspire trust…. It is literally thrilling for meto win the trust of the poor. Now, many ofthem invite me into their hut-homes, requestme to share their food, bring me with themto religious festivals, ask me to bless themwhen they are sick and when they are well,expect me to name their babies; they prayfor me and tell me jokes.”

“Tey know that I am a Christian and thatmy faith is not a threat to theirs.” BrotherBob believes he finds acceptance by both richand poor Muslims in Bangladesh, preciselybecause he has “gone to the poorest.”

Sister Emelina.  Filipina Sister EmelinaVillegas, ICM, expresses her motivation forher apostolate with the poor: “I have alwaysbeen involved with the people, especially the

poor, as far back as my days in the elementarygrades…. I want to give myself for oth-

ers—to help them help themselves … then,hopefully, I will be gaining some merits formyself and my loved ones and thus wouldbe deserving of heaven.”

“As a religious missionary within a con-gregation whose option is for the poor, whoare seeking life and freedom, my response isto be with the oppressed and exploited, par-ticularly the workers who are downtroddenin spite of their contribution to the economyof the country.”

“My faith in Jesus Christ has been thedriving force in all my involvements. Butmy different involvements have helped mediscover the different faces of Christ. Myfaith in Christ has brought me right intothe heart of the struggle of the people, andwhile participating therein, the image ofChrist is purified….” Undoubtedly, Sister

Villegas possesses a profound faith-vision ofthe unity and inter-connectedness of all themembers of the Church, the Body of Christ.

Reflection.  Note that all these generouspersons who serve the poor call themselvesby a very “personal” name: Mother, Brother,Sister. Indeed, a true personal relationshipalways underlies genuine Christian serviceof the poor.

Why we need the cross

POLITICIANS

YOLANDA

VICTIMS

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 Fr. Wilfredo Samson, SJ 

Pitik-Bulag

 Rev. Eutiquio ‘Euly’ Belizar, Jr., SThD

By the RoadsideFrom the State of the Nation

to the State of our souls Atty. Aurora A. Santiago

Duc In Altum

Nine Things in Life I

Learned from St. Ignatius

 Fr. Francis Ongkingco

WhateverThink Before You Click

Drop, Cover, Hold…and Pray

IN the space of a week there havebeen two SONAS, one from thePresident and the other, from theVice President, of the Republic.o me, hearing and readingboth versions only call to mind

Goethe’s remark: “Each one seeswhat he carries in his heart.”Obviously the President car-

ries or, shall I say, prefers to carrymostly the ‘half-full’ version ofthe socio-economic-political re-alities of his administration. Onthe other hand, in a fashion bothsupported and derided by friendsand foes alike, the Vice Presidentunloaded the ‘half-empty’ ver-sion. o the President’s pitchof ‘beaming-progress-because-of-Daang-Matuwid (StraightPath)’, the Vice President re-peated his ‘manhid (insensitive)-and-palpak (failed)’ feedbackon the present administration’sperformance, mostly ignoringthe fact he was very much a partof it, in the first place.

 What I have found rat herironic in the President’s languagein the past five years is his use ofthe word “Boss” to refer to thecitizenry. I have often wonderedwhat was that supposed to mean

or whether or not it was part andparcel of political gimmickry. Inthe first place, the “Boss” givesthe order and not simply watchespassively by the sidelines whilethe administration went on try-

ing to carry out its own visionand notion of progress througha much-touted non-inclusiveeconomic growth, deterioratingservices (of which the LR-MRproblem is only symptomatic)and an anti-corruption drive hit-ting mostly political enemies. TeBosses have been clearly speakingtheir minds as well as their heartsnot only in surveys or the media,social or print, but also in ordi-nary places such as markets, busand train stations, churches andclassrooms, farms and seashores.But have they really been heard,much less heeded and obeyed?Doesn’t the truth lie somewherein something like this: Te “Boss-es” are really a select few who havehis ears and mind or whose ideas(or ideologies) resonate in his earsand mind? In other words, callingus “Bosses” is pretty misleading.

On the other hand, the VicePresident’s SONA, while provid-ing the contrary view on Philip-

pine realities, somehow supply-ing what the President’s SONAwittingly or unwittingly set aside(that is, the continuing poverty,unemployment, corruption,criminal impunity, the Mama-

sapano heroes and villains etc.)also raises questions in his direc-tion. For instance, how muchof his criticisms comes from anobjective assessment of thingsor from good old ‘sour-graping’because he was not endorsed bythe Chief Excecutive? And if hewanted the administration toaddress squarely questions of itsfailures, omissions and offenses,why wouldn’t he do the same onthe charges long leveled againsthim?

Maybe the SONAS also giveus glimpses into the state of ournation’s soul. In it we see anadolescent penchant to ape theworld rather than, as it were,follow the Lord in how prog-ress and development are to beviewed and pursued. ‘DaangMatuwid’ (Straight Path) ismostly measured by what is legaland what is politically correctrather than by what is moral andspiritual. Uplifting the poor, on

the other hand, is often reducedto turning the whole Philip-pines into a huge archipelago ofMakati-like havens.

I would rather that the SO-NAS and counter SONAS now

and in the future teach us that, inthe middle of perceived successesand triumphs, failures and char-acter flaws of our leaders, theyand we the people eventuallylearn humility in admitting truthfrom friends and foes alike. AsIsaac of Nineveh, a Syrian monkonce taught: “One who knowshis weakness is greater than onewho sees angels.” I would modifyit thus: “One who admits hisweaknesses and failures is greaterby far than one who sees onlyhis successes and achievements.”

But it is also good to discernthe good and the bad in our lead-ers’ decisions and indecisions,actions and inactions. o quotea wise spiritual master: “Whenyou see good in the other person,think of emulating him; whenyou see bad in the other, examineyour heart.”

 After all, a healthy state of thenation means a healthy state ofour souls.

1. SRECHING IS PAINFUL BU IPAYS. Saint Ignatius taught me the valueof giving more than what I can give. For

growth, happiness, and miracle take placewhen I go beyond myself. It could be painful,but stretching myself to follow God’s will isthe only way to happiness and meaningfullife. (Magis)

2. PRESENCE MAKES SENSE. Presenceis love. I may not have the three Ps of life -Possesions, Power, and Prestige - but I havethe love of God to share. Deep in my heartis the love of Christ. Such unconditionallove of Christ ignites my heart to leave mycomfort zones and touch the hearts of many.For love is not genuine when without ourpresence. (Cura Personalis)

3. GOD IS NO A QUIER. I am aperennial sinner, a doubter, and slow learnerof God’s love. And yet, God is so patient andtrusting. He is not a quitter when it comesto loving me. I have lots of dark spots in my

soul. Te good news is--I have a good spot

in God’s heart. (Sinner yet called by God.)4. SOP, LOOK, AND DISCERN. Te

devil is good at magic and playing tricks, if

you are not good in catching his tail, youwill be seduced by the beauty of his face.(Discernment of Spirits)

5. BEGGING FOR AN INNER LENS.God is present everywhere. I need to learnthe art of seeing God everywhere, especiallyin darkness, failures, and difficulties. St Ig-natius insisted on grounding our faith inprayer to gain an inner lens. For we walk byfaith, not by sight. (o see God everywhere)

6. O HE PERIPHERIES. We have heardthis phrase from Pope Francis. Te challenge togo to the frontier was clear in the mind of SaintIgnatius - to go to the most forsaken placeswhere nobody wants to walk. I must admit, Ifind myself more true to myself and to my vo-cation when I am with the poor, marginalized,and the oppressed. (o the Frontiers)

7. BIER PILLS FOR BEER LIFE.

Ignatian Spirituality is Cruci-centrix: Te

source of our strength is the Passion anddeath of Christ. Te crucifixion was theapex of the Christ’s self-offering for God’s

greater glory. Our following of God wouldmean dying to ourselves. Ironically, the moreI die for others, the more I live for God.(Cruci-centrix)

8. WE ARE BLESSED O BLESS. Weare so blessed by God. But these bountifulblessings we enjoy are not only for ourselves

 We were forgiven so that we may forgiveothers. We are blessed so that we may blessothers. Everything is gift, and we returneverything to Him - for His glory. (otalOffering of Self)

9. MINIONS ARE NO EVIL. Minionslove to serve bad masters. But Minions arenot really bad. Tey are just disoriented andmiseducated. Saint Ignatius of Loyola real-ized the importance of excellent educationas a tool to good life. I can personally attestto how good education had led me towards

the Good Master - Jesus. (Good Education)

I CAN still vividly recall how my dad usedto enjoy teaching us proverbial phrases. Hegot a book, I now forget the title, and showedus some pictures accompanied by wisdom-filled sayings.

One of them had an amusing caricatureof a man jumping into a lake. He is shockedwhen he realizes too late that he is divingright into the hungry mouth of a smilingcrocodile. Te cartoon was labeled: Look

before you leap!I remembered this adage as I re-readPope Francis’ address to the youth in theUniversity of Sto. omas last 18th Janu-ary this year. In a youthful tone, the Popeencouraged young and old to learn howto love.

Unfortunately, this youthful experiencecan encounter interferences within andwithout the heart. Tus, recently with theyouth of Paraguay, Francis warned themabout the “numerous snares that trap andenslave the heart: exploitation of people,the lack of the basic resources to survive,drug addiction, sadness, all these thingsremove freedom.”

In order to avoid these snares, one has toobserve the following steps suggested by theHoly Father: to think well, feel well, and

lastly to act well. Tis sequence is the secretto learning how to love.Tis brings me back to the saying “Look

before you leap!” How often do we lovewithout following this wise sequence? Howoften do we AC that is, by ‘clicking’, ‘lik-ing’, ‘uploading’ and ‘downloading’ etc.,without first HINKING?

How many virtual misadventures occurbecause one has not ‘thought before jump-ing into cyberspace’? I’m not only referringto pornography, hate, and terrorist sites, andviolent video games, etc. I’m more concernedabout how much time, resources, and op-portunities are wasted because one has notthought wisely before acting.

Te act of loving is undoubtedly some-thing powerfully associated with the heart

of every human being. Tis is because everyperson was created by God for love and eachone naturally wants to be loved! But it isimportant to give the heart the love it trulydeserves and not only what it whimsically de-sires. Otherwise, it will be trapped by lowerforms of enslaving and corrupting loves.

In order for the heart to desire and possessa genuine love, it requires enlightenmentfrom a formed intellect. Tis light presentswhat is truly and authentically desirable tothe will. A man can never desire somethingthat he does not know. Only when the in-tellect presents something good to the willcan the heart now have an object to desireand tend to.

Knowing what is good, however, isn’tsufficient. Te will must move towards thepossession of what is desired. Now, some-

times (as experience shows) the will isn’tvery inclined towards the arduous good(work, exercise or the virtues) and tendsmore towards the gravitational pull of in-stant gratification or quick fixes (comfort,pleasure, laziness or the vices). Only witha formed intellect and a disciplined willcan a person freely choose a good that will

truly fulfill him.One concrete tool that can be employed to

help us think well and feel well is to follow adaily personal plan or schedule. Given thatwe have so many things in mind and in heart,we cannot allow anything to simply derail usfrom more important tasks and duties.

St. Josemaría, would say, “When you bringorder into your life your time will multiply,and then you will be able to give God more

glory, by working more in his service. (Te Way, no. 80)” Tis order naturally beginswithin us by dominating flights of fancyand laziness. But having a schedule that wesincerely follow can be a helpful means tokeep us on the right track.

his daily schedule could contain thebasic components of prayer, study-work,family, and rest. When we strive to keep toit, we will grow in self-discipline and whenwe lift up the things we do for love of God,then we grow spiritually. St. Josemaría, oftenconsidered a useful personal evaluation thathelped him carry out his duties: “Ask your-self many times during the day: Am I doingat this moment what I ought to be doing?(Ibid., no. 772)”

Perhaps, Pope Francis’ prayer in Paraguaymay be a handy prayer to say every time we

are tempted not to do what we ought to do,and not to be in what we must be doing:“Lord Jesus, give me a free heart, one that isnot enslaved by the traps of the world, that itmay not be enslaved by comfort, the lie thatit won’t be enslaved by a good life, that it maynot be a slave to vices, and a false freedomof doing what I please at every moment.”

ELEVISION, radio, newspapers, and social media reportedthat the Metro Shake Drill last July 30 was a huge success.Each and every city, municipality, and about 6 million peopleparticipated in the Shake Drill. All LGUs (Local GovernmentUnits), business establishments, schools, churches, and indi-viduals conducted drills in their respective places. Te MMDA(Metro Manila Development Authorities) conducted bothdaytime and nighttime Shake Drills, the evening drill wasdone in Ortigas Business District in Pasig City.

In Caloocan City, at the strike of 10:30 in the morning, theCity Hall siren blasted while the San Roque Cathedral bellswere rung. Office employees and students did the Drop, Cover,Hold in their offices and schools, and we must not forget toPray. After 45 seconds, employees, and students calmly lefttheir offices and classrooms, with hands over their head (orbooks covering their head), and proceeded to Mabini Streetwhere the Shake Drill volunteers gave orientations to theparticipants on what to do in case of earthquake.

*** According to the study by MMDA, PHIVOLCS (Philippine

Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) and JICA (JapanInternational Cooperation Agency), a 7.2 magnitude earth-quake disaster could result in an estimated 33,500 casualtiesand 113,600 wounded.

Te Shake Drill is the much-needed preparation when theBig One strikes, everyone and anyone is at risk with what thepowerful earthquake can cause to everyone. With the ShakeDrill, we hope that everyone will know what to do. We sug-gest that the Shake Drill be done either monthly or everytwo months so that people are well-informed about disasterpreparedness. Family members must have a plan on a previ-ously agreed place where to meet, if ever communication linesare cut. We must be familiar with the emergency hotlines andwhere the evacuation centers are in our area. We must at leastknow basic first aid, navigation, swimming, self-defense, firefighting, and physical fitness.

***However, it is important that we are informed and equipped.

 We must be ready with the “go bag or emergency bag” for each

member of the family. It must be stored in the car, office, andnear the bed of the house, easily handy when calamity strikes. We never can tell where we would be when it happens. Beinginformed, prepared, and well-equipped is an everyday effort.Dr ed Esguerra, the Disaster Preparedness and Response UnitLead of the Energy Development Corporation and the founderand course designer of Wilderness Search and Rescue eam,said bringing an emergency bag wherever one goes is onlyone element of preparedness. “Te percentage of preparationis equal to the percentage of survival.”

In the past issues of our column, we enumerated what the“go-bag” must contain. We are repeating the same today.Te go bag could be a backpack or small stroller bag whichcontains the following: whistle (so other people can hear andfind you), flashlight with batteries (to aid in evacuation orsearches), small battery-operated radio (to stay updated ondisaster information), a “help” banner (so people can see you),water, biscuits, medicines, and First Aid Supplies, a blanket,important documents, glow sticks, garbage bags that can be

used as mats, alcohol and betadine patches, and aquatabs forpurifying water, a family photo for identification purposes, apocket-knife (to cut food, duct tape, first aid), a dust mask (acontamination protection), a change of clothes (underwear,sturdy shoes, a warm top for cold weather or a hat for thesun), soap, shampoo and lotion, toothbrush/toothpaste (travelsize is sufficient), small amount of cash (small denominationsand coins), local map (know local evacuation routes), pencil,permanent markers, paper (to record information), an extraset of car/home keys, feminine hygiene products (depends onthe individual), small toys, playing cards, books (depends onthe individual), emergency kits for pets (optional).

***On the occasion of its 200th Anniversary as a parish, the San

Roque Cathedral, seat of the Diocese of Kalookan, embarkedon the renovation of its Sanctuary or Altar. It has launched the“ree of Generosity” to raise funds for the project, however, thefunds raised were not enough to finance the project. Hence,the Diocese through Fr. Romy uazon, organized a concertentitled “Dakila ka San Roque” to be held on Aug. 14, 2015,Friday, at 7:00 p.m. at the Skydome, SM City North EDSA,Quezon City. Te concert is with the special participation ofBishop Francis de Leon, Fr. James del Rosario, Fr. Ken Neral,Fr. Hieden imbang, Fr. Nestor Fajardo, Fr. Rey Amante,Fr. Gau Sustento, and surprise guest celebrities. It will alsofeature the NBI Chorale, Rosa Mystica Choir, ImmaculateHeart of Mary Grand Chorale, and San Roque CathedralGrand Chorale. We invite everyone to watch the concertand be a part of the repair of the Altar of our Cathedral.

 You may buy tickets at Cur ia Office (02) 961-7630 (Gigide Lara), (02) 287-3693 (Ryan Rezo) and (02) 288-9035(Atty. Au Santiago).

***Te replica of Magellan’s Cross, the symbol of the 51st

International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) in Cebu from Jan.24-31, 2016, visit ed the Diocese of Kalookan. Te WelcomeMass was celebrated by Fr. Benedict Cervantes while theFarewell Mass was presided by Fr. James del Rosario with con-celebrants Fr. Rey Amante, Fr. Philip Pepito, and Fr. Alberto

Cahilig. Fr. Pepito of the Archdiocese of Cebu is the priest incharge of the visit of the IEC symbol to the different diocesesin the country. Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma approved the useof Magellan’s Cross as the IEC symbol because it representsthe first Mass in the Philippines on March 31, 1521. Tisis the 2nd time that the Philippines will host the IEC, thefirst one was in 1937 during the Pontificate of Pope Pius XI.Te gathering provides the opportunity for “experiencing andunderstanding the Eucharist as a transforming encounterwith the Lord, as well as the occasion for the discovery andrediscovery of the faith.”

*** We would like to greet Fr. Abet Caballero, Fr. Jojo Aguas

and Curia Staff Marilou Reyes of the Diocese of Kalookan avery Happy Birthday. Fr. Abet celebrates his 25th Sacerdotal

 Anniversary and 55th Birthday on Aug 8 at San BartolomeParish. Congratulations to Fr. Benedict Cervantes who willbe installed as the new parish priest of Sagrada Familia on

 Aug. 15 vice Fr. Jun Bartolome, the new parish priest of San

 Jose de Navotas.

tive means and approaches canonly be realities in the event thatboth the parties concerned hadthe following three fundamentaldispositions: One, the willing-ness to get married. wo, thereadiness to face the difficul-ties of married life. Tree, the

capacity to live married life interms not simply of exercising

the rights but also fulfilling theobligations essential to mar-riage. In other words, both theman and the woman shouldhave the following personaltraits:

Te unconditional willingnessto get married. Even from its

very start, it would be unre-alistic to even but think that

unwillingness to get married isthe premise of pacified marriedlife, i.e., when “No!” is madea “Yes!”.

Te realistic readiness to getmarried. When someone is notready to get married, marriageshould not even be thought off,

much less in fact entered intosuch as would be not simply

unreasonable but actually erratic.he socio-affective capacity

to get married. When eitherthe man and/or the woman isprecisely incapacitated for mar-riage intents and purposes due toincapacitating personality traits,marriage would be the last thing

for either of them to even butthink about.

Views and Points / A4

8/20/2019 CBCP Monitor Vol 19 No 16

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A6 CBCP MonitorAugust 3 - 16, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 16LOCAL NEWS

Marriage ‘a rich religious experience’ – TagleHE experience of sharing alife with someone in marriageis meant to be a “rich religiousexperience.”

Tis was the message of Ma-nila Archbishop Luis AntonioCardinal agle at the 2nd Mar-riage Encounter National Con-

gress held last July 25, Saturday,at the Century Park Hotel.Closing the gathering with a

solemn Eucharistic celebration,agle, in his homily, talked aboutthe centrality of human encoun-ters, particularly in marriages or

friendships, which can be a richreligious experience if it becomesa “communion with God”.

Fear of marriageagle emphasized the word

encounter, which is the HolyFather’s “model of mission”.

Each encounter must carry withit an experience of the Divine, heexplained.

However, the cardinal alsopointed out several blocks tosuch an encounter. One of whichis becoming “too calculating, too

pragmatic, and too functional”. When this happens, “people areforgotten and miracles cease tohappen”, he added.

Nowadays, however, “manypeople are afraid of marriages, offamily life,” he shared. “[Youngpeople] hear bad things, see only

bad things.”Tis situation was also broughtup last year at the Synod by Eu-ropean Bishops, leading themto ask the following questions:first, “Who is sowing the seeds offear in the young?” and second,

“How eagerly are we sowing theseeds of joy and the Good Newsof family among our youngpeople?”

Te Gospel alive in the family Quoting St. Paul, agle said,

“Evil is conquered by good.”

Good News, according to theyoungest cardinal, means “Godis with us, Emmanuel”. He alsodefined the Gospel as the “GoodNews of Jesus Christ”. TroughChrist’s suffering, death andresurrection, “the life of God and

the Holy Spirit poured into thehearts [of men],” he said. “Wehave the pledge of new life.”

However, it was the love ofGod that made this possible,explained agle. “Death couldnot contain love. Death wasdefeated,” he said. “Death does

not have the final word. Onlyhope coming from God.”“Imagine this, [the paschal

mystery], embodied in the fam-ily,” agle challenged the par-ticipants.

Te prelate stressed the family

should and still is be where onefirst and foremost experiencesthe love of God and where onewill always experience it.

“[A] family [rooted] in Christis truly an experience of theGospel,” he said.

“Te Gospel of Jesus Christ

must be experienced in thefamily.”Some 700 delegates attended

the event organized by the Mar-riage Encounter Foundation ofthe Philippines. (Natalie HazelQuimlat/CBCPNews)

Clergy elated as Lobo town officials pull support from gold mining

HE local government ofLobo in Batangas has re-versed a resolution it issuedearlier endorsing a miningproject, earning praise fromthe Catholic clergy and envi-ronmental advocates.

Te resolution by Coun-cilor Rey Nelson Amparowithdrawing support fromthe MRL-Egerthon min-ing project was approvedthrough a unanimous deci-sion by the town council dur-ing its session on Monday.

“It is really a victory forthe people of Lobo,” saidFr. Dakila Ramos of Lipa’s

 Archdi ocesan Minist ry onEnvironment.

No consultationTe priest lamented how

the town council earlierpassed the pro-mining mea-sure “without undergoing theproper process and withoutany consultation”.

he move, according toDakila, was a “betrayal to

the people of Lobo and ourenvironment”.

“We do not want miningto destroy Lobo, and we willnever agree to it ever. It isabout time that the abusiveuse of power stops. It isabout time that the miningcompanies realize that theycannot pay their way intoravaging our lands becausethe people of Lobo will neverlet it happen,” he said.

More than 200 peopleearlier rallied for the cancel-lation of the mining projectoutside the town hall as thedialogue between the localresidents and mining firmofficials was being held.

Many residents cried foulagainst the project for sup-posed lack of sufficientconsultation and its impacton the environment, espe-cially the Verde Island pas-sage which the the Ameri-can Smithsonian Institute

dubbed the “center of thecenter” of the world’s ma-

rine biodiversity.

‘Worthless’ revenueTe Verde Island Passage

is home to dolphins, seaturtles, humphead wrasses,giant groupers, giant clams,flying fish, luminous plank-tons, and some 300 speciesof corals – considered one ofthe biggest concentrationsof corals in the whole world.

he MRL-Egerthon isseeking government approvalto commercially mine gold in1,174 hectares, adding thatit can give Php 640 millionworth of revenue to Lobo.

However, anti-mininggroup Alyansa igil Minashot down the mining firm’sclaims, saying the supposedeconomic benefits is “worth-less” compared to the de-struction the project willbring to Lobo.

 Jaybee Garganera, AMnational coordinator, said

Lobo houses an estimated40,000 citizens and Mount

Banoi, a watershed thatprovides potable water forBatangas.

“MRL-Egerthon’s miningoperation will surely produceadverse effects not just to thepeople but to the environ-ment,” he said.

Coal power“Even the people of Lobo

know this that is why theyare doing everything in theirpower to culminate the plansof mining in their area.”

“Social acceptability isone of the fundamental ele-ments for a mining operationto start and since MRL-Egerthon failed to securethis, it is time the miningcompany faces defeat andleave Lobo alone.” Garganeraadded.

 Aside from gold mining,the Lipa archdiocese is alsoleading the fight againstthe proposed 600-megawattcoal-fired power plant proj-

ect in Lobo. (Roy Lagarde/ CBCPNews)

More help needed to rebuild fire-hit conventDESPIE a massive fire nearly a monthago destroying a religious order’s con-vent, there is hope it will be rebuilt—but not so soon.

Te Sisters of Holy Face of Jesus(HFJ) said more funds are neededfor the rebuilding of its Generalatehouse located on F. R. Hidalgo Streetin Manila’s Quiapo district.

Mother eresita Bantillo, HFJ Supe-rior General, said acquiring clearance forrebuilding alone is already costly becausethey will need to comply with all therequired needed fire safety measures.

“No alterations can be made to theconvent without first getting clear-ance,” Bantillo said. “It’s very hard onour part.”

Book, magazine sale“It is a huge sum of money. And

instead of buying those things, it cansustain our everyday survival and buyfood. Still, I understand this dilemmathat both safety and survival are impor-tant,” she said.

In an effort to raise even just a smallamounts of money, the nuns on uesdaystarted selling old books and magazineswith cheap prices ranging from at leastPhp 10 to Php 50.

“We sell them for low prices insteadof being stacked in the storage. At

least these little things can help us,”Bantillo said.

“Tis is the treasure of our commu-nity… We plan to restore the buildingto its original state,” she explained.“Te structure shall be made stron-

Conference of the National Justice andPeace Network held at the SwanwickDerbyshire, United Kingdom last July17 to 19.

Beyond ‘monetary valuation’Gariguez said the government’s ag-

gressive promotion of mining activitiesunder the guise of spurring on develop-

ment brings serious consequences to thelives of present and future generations.“Te inherent defect is the notion

that development is often equatedwith the delivery of the much-neededinvestment, which is often achievedat the expense of social and ecologicalequilibrium,” he added.

 According to the priest, so-called de-velopment, when “pursued primarily forfinancial benefits” is distorted because itdoes not factor in human and ecologicalwell-being.

“We should never sacrifice people andthe environment for short-term benefitof the few,” he said.

Te priest also reiterated his call to thefaithful to fight greed and give carefulconsideration to the environment inorder to achieve genuine developmentand environmental sustainability.

“Protecting the rights of the poormust take precedence over corporategreed. Genuine development mustprioritize the need to ensure ecologicalsustainability over market profitability,”explained Gariguez.

Gariguez noted that if large-scalemining activities would go unabated,grave consequences such as the denuda-tion of forest ecosystems and conflictin access and control of resources willhaunt Filipinos for many generations.

 Wanted: genuine development Te survival of indigenous communi-

ties will be threatened due to their dis-placement in their own ancestral lands,while the livelihood of farmers livingin downstream communities will alsobe greatly impacted, Gariguez added.

Te priest urged the faithful to gobeyond profit-oriented ideology and

carefully consider environmental sus-tainability to drive the country towardsgenuine development.

“We see the need to go beyond the my-opic monetary valuation of our naturalresources to give weightier considerationto the demand for ecological protection,promotion of environmental justice andthe common good,” he said.

“We need to recognize the flaw in themarket framework which regards thenatural resources as something to beexploited rather than a crucial reserveto be sustained and protected in orderto preserve the ecological balance and toensure sustainability for all--both for thehuman community and the threatenedecosystems,” Gariguez added.

Gariguez cited as an example the caseof Mindoro province, which once had967,400 hectares of forest in the 1950s,and now has only 50,000 hectares offorest cover remaining. Te significantforest loss of 95% contributes to theinstability of the environment both inthe upland and lowland areas.

“But instead of restoring the balance,the fore