GOSPEL READING: FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD

FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD  

5,542 priests and bishops attend clergy congress

MANILA, Jan. 29, 2010?The five-day 2nd national congress of the clergy (NCC II) which ended today drew some 5,542 priests and bishops representing 87 arch/dioceses nationwide and few priests abroad.

Organizers said the surge in the number of participants was unexpected that they ran out of kits and other materials.

Former Ambassador Henrietta de Villa, chairperson of the NCC II Central Coordinating Committee said they had only 5,300 prepared kits for participants.

“We added another hundred, for the rest we just gave plastic folders with handles,” she said.

De Villa said they also ran out of liturgy booklets used in the daily liturgy so they distributed risographed copies to those who had none.

“The priests are so very nice. They understood, nobody complained that one has not what the other got. I guess that’s also a gift of the spirit,” De Villa said.

The retreat-congress which started Monday, had Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, as preacher.

Cantalamessa spoke on the need for interior renewal and led the priests into meditation on the three important elements in the life of the priests—the Eucharist, the sacrament of reconciliation and celibacy.

Seeing such a big assembly of priests, Cantalamessa was heard to have remarked: “Only in the Philippines can these things happen, so many priests in one gathering.”

De Villa said NCC II surpassed the international gathering of priests in Ars, France August last year in terms of number of participants. That international retreat assembled only about 1,500 priests worldwide.

Cantalamessa also addressed the laity last January 28 on the topics “The Relationship between the Clergy and Laity” and “Marriage and Family according to the Bible.”

He also addressed the Franciscan family on January 29 after the clergy congress.

De Villa said the number of participants remained intact until Wednesday evening based on the food stubs they collected at meal time.

“On Thursday some of them started to leave because there was an ongoing celebration in Lucena for the 25th anniversary [of the Episcopal ordination] of Bishop Emilio Marquez. The Diocese of Gumaca is celebrating its silver jubilee also,” De Villa explained.

But according to De Villa some of the bishops who went to join the celebration in Lucena and Gumaca also came back to join the procession. (CBCPNews)

Evangelizing Goes Beyond Web Presence, Says Pope Urges Priests to Minister Through Digital Technology

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 24, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is encouraging Catholics, especially priests, to use media technologies to reach new audiences with the message of God’s love. The Pope affirmed this in a message, released Saturday, for the 44th World Communications Day, which will be celebrated May 16. The theme of the day, “The Priest and Pastoral Ministry in a Digital World: New Media at the Service of the Word,” reflects the Year for Priests currently underway in the Church. The Pontiff affirmed that in digital communications, “priests can discover new possibilities for carrying out their ministry to and for the Word of God.” “The recent, explosive growth and greater social impact of these media make them all the more important for a fruitful priestly ministry,” he stated. The Holy Father underlined the mission of priests, who “have as their primary duty the proclamation of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, and the communication of his saving grace in the sacraments.” They are called to build up “the communion that God creates with all people,” he said, “in Christ and with Christ.” “Responding adequately to this challenge amid today’s cultural shifts, to which young people are especially sensitive, necessarily involves using new communications technologies,” Benedict XVI affirmed. New vistas He continued: “The spread of multimedia communications and its rich ‘menu of options’ might make us think it sufficient simply to be present on the Web, or to see it only as a space to be filled. “Yet priests can rightly be expected to be present in the world of digital communications as faithful witnesses to the Gospel, exercising their proper role as leaders of communities which increasingly express themselves with the different ‘voices’ provided by the digital marketplace. “Priests are thus challenged to proclaim the Gospel by employing the latest generation of audiovisual resources (images, videos, animated features, blogs, websites) which, alongside traditional means, can open up broad new vistas for dialogue, evangelization and catechesis.” The Pope added, however, that “priests present in the world of digital communications should be less notable for their media savvy than for their priestly heart, their closeness to Christ.” “Thanks to the new communications media,” he said, “the Lord can walk the streets of our cities and, stopping before the threshold of our homes and our hearts.” “With the Gospels in our hands and in our hearts,” the Pontiff noted, “we must reaffirm the need to continue preparing ways that lead to the Word of God, while being at the same time constantly attentive to those who continue to seek.” “Indeed,” he added, “we should encourage their seeking as a first step of evangelization.” The Holy Father affirmed that “no door can or should be closed to those who, in the name of the risen Christ, are committed to drawing near to others.” He pointed out that “the ultimate fruitfulness” of ministry “comes from Christ himself, encountered and listened to in prayer; proclaimed in preaching and lived witness; and known, loved and celebrated in the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation.” New audiences In a press conference Saturday for the public release of Benedict XVI’s message, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, clarified that the Pope is not encouraging priests to spend all of their time on the Internet. Rather, he said, the Pontiff is exhorting priests to enhance their pastoral work by reaching out to others through digital technology. The message is not just for priests, the archbishop noted, but for all Catholics: New media technology is a great opportunity for believers. Monsignor Paul Tighe, secretary of the council, noted that “new audiences” can be reached through current technology. He added that the Pope invites priests and all believers to “use the web to create a space of dialogue where Christians, believers of other religions and non-believers can encounter each other in a respectful search for truth and wisdom.” The message, the secretary pointed out, “encourages all of us to ensure that the emerging ecclesial and priestly presence in the digital world is always one that represents faithfully all that is best about the Church, that witnesses to God’s abiding love for all people and that is marked by a profound commitment to build up communion within the Church and the unity of the whole human family.” As is tradition, the Papal message was presented on the occasion of the feast of St. Francis de Sales, the patron of journalists and the Catholic press, who is celebrated today. In his public address before praying the midday Angelus today, Benedict XVI noted that the saint “dedicated himself to preaching and the spiritual formation of the faithful with great fruit, teaching that the call to holiness is for all and that everyone [...] has his place in the Church.”

2nd National Congress of the Clergy a call to interior renewal, holiness

MANILA, January 21, 2010—“The Second National Congress of the Clergy (NCC2) is a real retreat experience. It is basically a retreat, a call to interior renewal, a call to holiness.”

This is how Msgr. Jose Bernardo, Jr., Executive Secretary of National Organizing Committee of NCC2, discussed on the framework of the forthcoming national clergy congress in a recent press conference.

He explained that this event is a follow up of the first clergy congress in 2004 and a response to the prophetic call of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, to convene all priest from all over the world to gather and honor a holy man, St. John Vianney.

The Executive Secretary also affirmed that the recent congress intends to respond to the needs of the clergy in the Philippines as well as “to surface the needs and realities concerning the ongoing formation and renewal of priests.”

NCC II Committee member, Msgr. Gerardo Santos, on the other hand, said that upcoming congress aims to provide the priests a deep and religious experience that will hopefully lead to a spiritual conversion and greater commitment. ]

Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFMCap, Preacher to the Papal Household, will be the retreat master of the congress while Imus Bishop Luis Chito Tagle will provide the challenge for the pastoral aspect of the call to holiness, according to Bernardo.

Meanwhile, the relics of St. John Mary Vianney, Patron Saint of Priests, will be brought to Manila just in time for the NCC2 that will be held at the World Trade Center on January 25-29, 2010.

The Manila Archdiocese recently announced that St. Vianney’s stole and breviary, among others relics, will arrive from France accompanied by two French priests.

The exposition and visit of the relics will commence at the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Makati City on January 23 then at the EDSA Shrine on the 24th.

It will settle at the World Trade Center on January 25-29 then at the Sto. Niño de Tondo Parish on January 29; Quiapo Church on January 30 and at the St. John Mary Vianney Parish, Makati on January 31.

Spearheaded by the Episcopal Commission of the Clergy of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, the NCC2 assumed the theme of the Year for Priests, “Faithfulness of Christ, Faithfulness of Priests.” (Kate Laceda)

Bishop: RP needs new leaders

MANILA, Jan. 21, 2010—Retired Catholic Bishop Teodoro Bacani maintains he is against Joseph’s Estrada’s comeback bid for the presidency, saying the country needs a new leader.

Bacani, one of Estrada’s spiritual advisers, said it’s a high time to have genuine reforms in the government and that includes filling it up with better leaders.

“Personally, I am against his candidacy because the country really needs real reforms… wherein there is a new leader who will lead us,” he said.

Bacani, a critic of the Arroyo administration, made the statement Thursday after the Commission on Elections allowed the former president to run again the May 2010 polls.

The poll body’s second division yesterday issued the ruling dismissing the disqualification case filed by a certain Evelio Pormento citing its lack of merit and adding that they would let the people decide who will be the next president.

Article VII, Section 4 of the Constitution states that: “The President shall not be eligible for any reelection. No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time”.

But Bacani has welcomed the Comelec ruling, adding that it is a good decision on the part of the poll body to leave the matter to the people.

He admitted that even the 1987 Constitution, wherein he was one of the framers, unwittingly left a “gap” that would allow Estrada to gun for the Malacañang post again.

“Although, I believe that the Convention was really intent on barring all who have held the post of president from running again, there is still a small opening that allows Erap to run again,” said Bacani, who was a member of the Constitutional Convention. (CBCPNews)

Walk for Life Focuses on Planned Parenthood Sends Message: Stop Hurting Women Through Abortion By Genevieve Pollock

SAN FRANCISCO, JAN. 21, 2010 (Zenit.org).- On the 37th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, Americans are gathering East and West to affirm their support of the pro-life cause. On Friday, thousands will gather in Washington D.C. in a rally and March for Life, to remind congress of the pro-life views of many U.S. citizens. Thousands more will come together in San Francisco on Saturday, in a similar Walk for Life, to send a complementary message: “Abortion hurts women.” Eva Muntean, co-chair of the Walk for Life on the West Coast, told ZENIT that their event aims to “give women the opportunity to see that there are other alternatives to abortion.” As well, she added, it sends a message to those women who have had abortions, “that there is help out there for the suffering they may be experiencing.” Thus, the event includes not only the walk, but a rally with speakers, including women who have had abortions and explain how they were able to find healing afterwards, and others who work in organizations designed to serve these women. Muntean told ZENIT that Saturday’s activities are set up to disseminate information, through the rally and information booths, about the effects of abortion and how it hurts women. This year’s focus will be on Planned Parenthood in particular, as the nation’s largest abortion provider. A press release from the walk committee stated that “Planned Parenthood clinics perform about one third of all abortions in the United States, about 300,000 abortions in 2007-2008,” and they receive “$350 million in tax dollars annually.” Saturday’s speakers will include Abby Johnson, who was employee-of-the-year at her Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas, but converted to the pro-life cause when she was asked to assist in an abortion and saw in an ultrasound what happened to the baby. As well, Lila Rose, president of Live Action, will share her experiences going undercover to Planned Parenthood clinics to expose abuses in the abortion industry. Get involved Participants will have the opportunity to gather information and material to take home to their own communities for spreading the word. “People who come to the Walk for Life get completely rejuvenated and energized to go back to their communities,” Muntean said, “and many have started pro-life clubs or organizations.” These events, she affirmed, “are very important at this time because of the climate in Washington.” The Walk for Life co-chair continued: “It is very important for people to get involved and do something, even if it is just picking up the phone and making phone calls. “We must get informed and get involved.” Some 35,000 people are expected to arrive in hundreds of buses from as far away as Texas. Thousands more, who are unable to travel to San Francisco, will be joining in prayer and online updates via Twitter and Facebook.

Bishop Olmsted: Let’s Not Be Silent About Life Promotes Arizona’s License Plate Initiative

PHOENIX, JAN. 21, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The bishop of Phoenix is urging Catholics to renew efforts to stand up for life, cautioning them not to remain silent faced to such important issues.

Bishop Thomas Olmsted stated this in an article published today in the diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Sun.

He spoke about the silence of the Pharisees in the Gospel when Jesus “asked them a basic question about human life.”

“Out of fear of taking a stand, or perhaps out of pride or just plain callousness, these religious leaders remained silent when confronted with a question linked with the right to life and the dignity of each human person,” the prelate noted.

Looking at this story, he warned that “those who don’t oppose a culture of death may find themselves resorting to death as a solution.”

As the country marks Friday’s anniversary of the U.S. court decision that legalized abortion, “the Lord is asking us not to be silent on the dignity of human life but to be faithful witnesses to the Gospel of Life in our day,” the bishop said.

Pressure

He acknowledged that “popular society pressures us to remain silent about the rights of unborn children, the institution of marriage, the dignity of the elderly, the immigrant, the poor and other persons.”

“But, of course, followers of Christ cannot and we will not,” Bishop Olmsted added.

“It is not hard to get into hot water over the right to life,” he said, “but to do so for the Lord and his Gospel is indeed a privilege and a blessing.”

The prelate urged Catholics to take action in a new way this year.

He invited participation in an initiative that gives witness to pro-life commitment through placing a “choose life” license plate on the car. “I was happy to be one of the first in Arizona to do this,” the bishop said.

He also asked the faithful to join him in prayer and fasting, and in pro-life events such as the Children of the Rosary program that gathers youth to pray in front of abortion clinics, or the 40 Days for Life campaign during Lent.

“In the past year,” Bishop Olmsted affirmed, “Arizona became a beacon of hope for pro-life activities with several positive pieces of legislation being passed and signed into law.”

However, he urged his readers to also contact national lawmakers in order to influence health care legislation that “could have devastating consequences for the unborn, the elderly and rights of conscience.”

God’s mercy

The prelate called for support for women with difficult pregnancies, as well as those who have procured an abortion in the past.

“Point a family member, friend or acquaintance who has suffered through past participation in or encouragement of an abortion to one of our local English or Spanish Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats, which can be powerful experiences of God’s mercy,” he stated.

The bishop encouraged his readers that their pro-life action can make a difference in the nation.

“It seemed to some of the early followers of Christ that faith, hope and love were too weak to transform the Roman Empire, which teemed with injustices against children, women and foreigners,” he affirmed.

“But that empire like other earthly governments came to an end,” the prelate noted, “and the Gospel of Life shaped the civilization of Europe for centuries to come.”

“The same will happen in America one day,” he said. “Roe v. Wade will be reversed; unborn children will be protected; the Gospel of Life will not fail.”

Bishop Olmsted concluded: “Let us be full of hope. Let us not be silent.”

Pontiff: Gospel Requires Sensitivity for Migrants Recalls How Jesus Himself Was a Refugee

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 17, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is exhorting Christians to be sensitive to the plight of migrants and refugees as the spirit of the Gospel requires, recalling that the Infant Jesus himself was once a refugee. The Pope spoke up today on behalf of people living away from their homelands during his address before praying the Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter’s Square. Today marks the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The Holy Father affirmed that the Church has always been at the side of migrants and refugees, observing that its support reached “singular heights” at the beginning of the 20th century. In that regard, he mentioned St. Frances Cabrini (1850-1917), and Blessed Bishop Giovanni Battista Scalabrini (1839-1905). The Pontiff noted that his official message for today’s world day celebration focused on young people who migrate or are displaced. “Jesus Christ, who as a newborn lived through the dramatic experience of being a refugee because of Herod’s threats, taught his disciples to welcome children with great respect and love,” he reflected. “The child too, in fact, whatever his nationality or the color of his skin, must first of all and always be considered a person, the image of God, to promote and protect against every marginalization and exploitation,” Benedict XVI affirmed. “In particular, it is necessary to take every care that minors who live in a foreign country are protected by legislation and above all watched over in the countless problems that they must face. “While I strongly encourage the Christian communities and organizations that are engaged in assisting young migrants and refugees, I exhort everyone to keep alive an educative and cultural sensitivity toward them, according to the authentic Gospel spirit.”

REHEARSALS WITH PRIESTS

REHEARSALS WITH PRIESTS  

FINALE PRACTICE: THE PRIEST—a tribute song to brother priests

FINALE PRACTICE