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 Vol. 14 No. 14
 July 5 – July 18, 2010
Php 20.
00
Court junks appeal to haltsex education in schools
Fr. Bernason Arroyo’sCha-chamove:
‘Humorous’
FORMER President Gloria Arroyo only
showed her funny side when she led a
bill seeking for Constitutional amend-ments, a priest said.Constitutionalist Fr. Joaquin Bernassaid it’s “humorous” that Arroyo herselfis seeking Charter Change (Cha-cha)
 just a day after she began her rst day
as Pampanga’s 2nd District Represen-tative.While he has nothing against amend-ing the Charter, Bernas said Arroyo’smove is “too early” as process for itshould not be initiated until next year.Arroyo and her son, Camarines SurRep. Diosdado Arroyo, co-authoredHouse Resolution 8 which calls for Cha-cha through a constitutional convention(Con-con).“Not for now. Eventually, I think,we will have Charter Change. I hopeit’s a Con-Con not earlier than 2011,”said Bernas.The Jesuit priest, who is also the DeanEmeritus of the Ateneo Law School, isone of the authors of the 1987 Constitu-tion.According to him, amending theCharter should not be made yet espe-cially since President Benigno AquinoIII has just been sworn recently.Bernas noted that Filipinos are stilleuphoric over the entry of a new ad-ministration after Arroyo’s nine-yearAFTER a three-day meeting on the pastoralopportunities in communications technology,bishops from Spain and Portugal are calling for“creativity and apostolic audacity” in bringingChrist to the media.The prelates’ meeting last week was attended
by the president of the Pontical Council for
Social Communications, Archbishop ClaudioCelli.In the conclusions of their meeting, thebishops noted how Benedict XVI’s recentvisit to Portugal brought encouragementfor a “more profound evangelization of oursociety, which has one of its most importantchallenges in the realm of culture and com-munication.” They expressed hope that hisupcoming two trips to Spain would bring thesame message.
The prelates afrmed an intention to join
forces with media professionals and those whouse this venue for social relationships.They declared “their desire to carry out theevangelizing mission of the Church in thetheater of the digital world, which they con-sider an opportunity where priests, religiousand laypeople, educators and catechists mustbe more involved, in particular, the youngestand ‘natives’ on the Net, putting the new tech-nologies of communication at the service of the
Gov’t officials, judiciary told to strive for integrity 
The Cross
A Supplement Publication of KC Life andthe Order of the Knights of Columbus
A3
 ‘Women ... AreDynamic Agents of Development’ 
Groups laud signing of Mining ban
 VARIOUS groups led by the Church hailedthe signing of Environment code that bansopen pit mining throughout the provinceof South Cotabato.Outgoing South Cotabato Governor Dai-sy Avance-Fuentes has signed the contro-versial code that outlaw open pit mining,a method of extracting rocks or mineralsfrom the earth by creating a trench.“It is a victory of the people” saidSr. Susan Bolanio, OND, spokesperson
CBCP appeals to Aquino:Implement IP Rights Actproperly 
AN Episcopal commission of the Catholic Bish-ops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) hascalled on President-elect Benigno Aquino III forthe proper implementation of the IndigenousPeoples Rights Act (IPRA) or RA 8371.“More than 12 years since its passage in1997, many IP communities are still facingdiscrimination and their rights are not beingrecognized,” the Episcopal Commission on
Groups / A6Appeals / A6Gov’t / A6Fr. Bernas / A6
New iPad applicationwon’t replace liturgicalbooks, creator says
Listen to the CBCP Online Radio at: www.cbcponlineradio.com
By Roy Lagarde
GOVERNMENT ofcials and
members of the judiciary havebeen urged to strive for pro-fessionalism and integrity oftheir services.
Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales made
the call while ofciating at the “Red
Mass” attended by President BenignoAquino III and ranking leaders of the judiciary at the Manila Cathedral.Rosales said judges, magistrates and
all public ofcials are supposed to up
-hold laws that are just and ensure that justice prevail in society.They, the Manila archbishop said,must exhibit high sense of integrity,
ethics, efciency and selessness in the
discharge of their duties.In his homily, Rosales said that in acountry where there are more people
than afuent citizens, justice necessar
-ily becomes the “equalizer” availableto the poor, especially when the rightsto a graft-free service and honest gov-ernance are violated.“An unjust law, if ever there wasone, or granted that we have only just
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Bishops present 13-point agenda for President Aquino
B1
A QUEZON City Courtdenied an appeal of agroup of Catholic parentsseeking to stop the teach-ing of sex education inpublic schools.The ruling was releasedMonday by Judge Rosan-na Fe Romero-Maglaya ofthe Regional Trial CourtBranch 88.Around 30 parents, lastmonth, filed a petitionbefore the court for a tem-porary restraining orderon the implementation ofsex education.Led by Atty. Jo Im-
Prelates Call for ‘ApostolicAudacity’ in Media
bong, lawyer of theCatholic Bishops’ Con-ference of the Philip-pines, the petitionerssaid the program wasunconstitutional, andviolates their rights to beresponsible for the de-velopment of children’smoral character.Along with represen-tatives of Catholic politi-cal party Ang Kapatiran,Imbong went to court on June 21 seeking to stopthe pilot testing of theprogram funded by theUnited Nations Popula-tion Fund.But the court said thepetitioners failed to showproof that their rightswere violated as the par-ents were unable to showthat their children werestudying in schools wherethe program would be pi-lot tested.Reacting to the rul-ing, Imbong said she isnot unfazed, adding thatthe court decision “isnot a setback” to theircampaign against sexeducation.“That is only a denialproclamation of Jesus Christ with creativityand apostolic audacity.”
Not enough
The prelates observed that “praiseworthytheoretical considerations” are not enough toevangelize through information technology,and called instead for “projects and deeds, al-locating to it the necessary material, technicaland human resources.”“The new technologies not only offer theChurch great advantages for improved pas-toral management, but are also privileged
means to benet from their goods and services,without neglecting to appreciate rst of all per
-sonal, family and community meeting,” theycontended. “Favored in this way is ecclesialcommunion and new ways of relations are pro-moted with all those who seek a transcendentmeaning for their lives, yearning for truth andthe realization of the good.”The bishops recommended that futurepriests be prepared to evangelize through themedia, and they urged parents and educatorsto guide even the very young in the “correctuse of the new technologies [...] so that they
prove benecial to the person and to society
and foster the search for Truth, Goodness andBeauty.”
(Zenit)
Bishop / A6
Illustration by Bladimer Usi
 
C1
of restraining order. Itdoes not go to the meritthat is only above the ur-gency. In an order of thecourt it does not go to themerit,” she said.The CBCP lawyer saidthe case will still pushthrough in court. In fact,she said, a hearing onthe case is set to be heldwithin this month.She added that moreparents are planning to
le more charges against
the program of the De-partment of Education.
 (CBCPNews)
Catholic bishops greet President Benigno Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay after the country’s rst-ever “Red Mass” at the Manila Cathedral,July 7, 2010. The liturgical activity was also attended by ranking members of the judiciary led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.
SOME Catholic bishops pre-sented on June 30 a 13-pointagenda that President BenignoAquino III should address in hisadministration.The bishops said the Arroyoadministration had failed toattend to many social issues sothey hope that Aquino wouldgive it utmost priority.The agenda composed of thepositions of the church on certainissues long tackled in CBCP Pas-toral Statements was presentedin a press conference after a Massheld at the Manila Cathedral fewhours before Aquino took his
oath of ofce.
“The CBCP insists 13 pointadvocacies as guidance to Presi-dent Benigno Simeon Aquino
III when he assumes ofce for
moral and social transforma-tion of the country especiallythe poor,” said Bishop TeodoroBacani.On top of the church’s listis the implementation of landreform through ComprehensiveAgrarian Reform Program withextension and reform (CARP-er).
The church ofcials demanded
the rejection of the controversialreproductive health bill, samesex union, abortion, divorce, eu-thanasia and contraceptives.They urged Aquino not to
Atty. Jo ImbongBp. Bacani answers questions from the media during a press conference at the Manila Cathedral, June 30.
 
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 Vol. 14 No. 14
July 5 – July 18, 2010 
CBCP Monitor
 World News
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L’AQUILA, Italy, July 4, 2010—The Holy Father dedicated his
Sunday homily to reections on
the life of St. Celestine as he visit-ed the Italian city where the relicsof the 13th century saint and Pope
are kept. In a message lled with
lessons on life, the Pope espe-cially highlighted the importance
of silence to nding God, the fact
that faith is a gift and the lastingpower of holiness.Pope Benedict XVI began hispastoral visit to Sulmona, Italy
by ying over the grotto, now a
hermitage, where Peter of Mor-rone spent years in contempla-tion and prayer as a monk. Peterlater became Pope Celestine Vand was canonized relativelyshortly after his death. St. Ce-lestine’s life is being celebratedthis year, declared by the Pope a“Jubilee Year” for the 800th anni-versary since the saint’s birth.In his words during the Eucha-ristic Celebration in the open airof the city square, Pope BenedictXVI remembered the St. Celes-tine as a “seeker of God,” a manwho turned to interior and exte-rior silence in his life as a hermitto perceive His voice.This example is important alsofor us today, said the Pope, as“we live in a society in which ev-ery space, every moment seems
like it must be lled by initia
-tives, by activities, by sounds;often there isn’t even time forlistening and speaking.“Dear brothers and sisters,” hesaid, “if we wish to be able notonly to perceive the voice of God,but also that of who is alongsideof us, of others, let us not beafraid to create silence outsideand inside of ourselves.”Benedict XVI added that thehermit’s “discovery of the Lord”was not a product of his ownefforts, “but it was made pos-sible by the very Grace of God,that precedes it (...) everythingessential in our existence hasbeen given without our contri-bution.”And it is for this very reason,he explained, that “we mustbe aware, keeping our ‘interioreyes,’ those of our hearts, alwaysopen. And if we learn to knowGod in his infinite goodness,then we will be able also to see,with amazement, in our lives - asthe saints (have) - signs of theGod that is ever near to us, is al-ways good to us, (and) who saysto us: ‘Have faith in me!’”Remembering the lasting qual-ity of St. Celestine’s holy life,Pope Benedict said that “holi-ness, in fact, never loses itsattractive force, it does not fallinto oblivion, it never goes outof style; actually, with the pass-ing of time, it shines with evergreater brightness...”The Holy Father concluded hishomily by making an exhorta-
tion that we remain rm in the
faith we have received, “whichgives sense to life and gives usthe strength to love.”
(CNA)
Pope: Holiness never goes out of style
VATICAN CITY, July 2,2010—World Youth Dayisn’t just another big event,says Benedict XVI, but rathera “privileged occasion” foryouth to encounter the loveof ChristThe Pope said this todayupon receiving in audience adelegation of the sponsors ofthe next international youthday, which is set to take placeAug. 16-21, 2011, in Madrid,Spain.The delegation was led byCardinal Antonio María Rou-co, the archbishop of Madrid,and included members of theFoundation Madrid Vivo.“There are many youngpeople who have their eyes
xed on that beautiful city,
with the joy of being able tomeet there in a few monthsto hear together the Wordof Christ, which is alwaysyoung, and to be able toshare the faith that unitesus and the desire they haveof building a better world,inspired in the values of theGospel,” the Pontiff said in ashort greeting.“I invite you all to continueto collaborate generously inthis beautiful initiative,” hecontinued, “which is not asimple multitudinous meet-ing, but a privileged occasionfor the young people of your
Benedict XVI: Youth Days not just big events
MADRID, Spain, July 2,2010—With 409 days re-maining before the WorldYouth Day celebrations openin Madrid, the organizers ofthe event are reporting thatover 600,000 pilgrims fromcountries outside Spain havepre-registered to take partin the week-long encounterwith the Holy Father.The event, which will takeplace in Madrid from August16-21, 2011, is a week long journey of faith and solidar-ity for young people around the world. The large international gatheringoccurs every three years, and culminates with vespers, an overnight vigiland an outdoor Mass celebrated by the Pope.So far, organizers report that 120,000 Italians, 70,000 French, 50,000 Polesand 25,000 North Americans have signed up for the event. The majority of thepilgrims have signed up in groups, whether it be from their diocese, youthgroup, parish, or other organization.Each pilgrim is required to pay a registration fee based on their country oforigin, the length of their stay and the services they will require.
Though part of the fee will help nance the event, a part of each pilgrim’s reg
-istration fee will be set aside in a “solidarity fund” which will help pay the cost ofthe trip and their stay for those who would not otherwise be able to afford it.World Youth Day “is not for the rich, but rather for everyone, for those whocome from Madagascar and from the south of Latin America.” said BishopCesar Franco, an auxiliary bishop in Madrid. He underlined the necessity ofthe 10 Euro contribution to the “solidarity fund” which has been added toeach pilgrim’s registration. In this sense he said, they have appealed to theyouth to be “generous.”Registration this year is taking place online. The website www.madrid11.
com was designed by ISBAN, with the nancial support of various Spanish
institutions. At the end of the event, the Archdiocese of Madrid will makea gift of the system to the Vatican, in the hopes that it can be used to helporganize future pilgrimages. The system, which features a two-layer page,will collect personal information via a secure connection in order to help thearchbishop and coordinators know more about the pilgrims and their needsin order to better serve them.Though registration is not required to participate in all the events, the organi-zation behind WYD Madrid 2011 is hoping to register at least 40 percent of thepeople who will attend. They are also projecting that the event will draw a crowdthat is 15 percent larger than those of previous World Youth Days.
(CNA)
Pope looks forward to occasion providedfor international youth in WYD 2011
ROME, Italy, July 2, 2010—The HolyFather met on Friday with the CardinalArchbishop of Madrid Antonio MariaRouco Varela and sponsors working forthe success of World Youth Day 2011.The Pope explained the importanceof next August’s encounter of youthduring the audience after which WYD2011’s executive director briefed jour-nalists on the planning process.Many of the 55 people present forthe audience with the Pope on Fridaywere from the “Madrid Vivo” Founda-tion, founded by the cardinal and localbusinessmen last year to “seek solutionsto the moral roots of the economic cri-sis” and to make the city more awareof values.Yago de la Cierva, executive directorand spokesman for WYD 2011 explainedto journalists in the Holy See’s Press Of-
ce that the major aim of the foundation
at the moment is collaboration with theorganizers of the next World Youth Day,to be held in the Spanish capital.During Friday’s audience with themin the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, Pope-Benedict XVI invited the members of“Madrid Vivo” to continue their gener-ous collaboration for this “beautiful ini-tiative,” saying that it’s not just a simplemeeting of the masses, “but a privilegedoccasion so that the young people ofyour country and of the entire worldmay let themselves be ‘conquered’ bythe love of Christ Jesus...”He noted that there are many youngpeople looking forward to the encounterto be held from Aug. 16-21 of next year,where they will meet to “listen togetherto the Word of Christ, ever young, andbe able to share the faith that unitesthem and the desire that they have tobuild a better world, inspired in thevalues of the Gospel.”Mr.de la Cierva said that after theaudience the Pope signed a registration
form as the rst pilgrim for WYD2011.
He also mentioned that plans are mov-ing forward smoothly for the encounterfor which Cardinal Rouco Varela expectsmore than two million participants,including more than 600,000 youth willcome from outside of Spain.Among the broad cross-section ofdetails he provided regarding thecomplexities of the considerations thatgo into planning for the”Day” and thevariety of charitable contributions theyhave received, the executive directorexplained that planners are makingextensive use of social networks to getfeedback from youth and give them agreater say in decisions regarding theinitiative.To reach out to youth, the organizingcommittee has 70 volunteers workingonline in 17 different languages. Mr.de la Cierva said proudly that theirFacebook page just welcomed their
111,111th “friend,” a “signicant” mile
-stone for WYD 2011.
(CNA)
Youth registered for WYDMadrid at 600,000 so far
 True freedom is in acknowledging dependence on God, says Archbishop Dolan
Catholic faithful to celebrate witness of 120 Chinese Martyrs
country and of the wholeworld to let themselves beconquered by the love ofChrist Jesus, Son of God andof Mary, the faithful friend,the conqueror of sin anddeath.”“Whoever trusts in himis never disappointed, but
nds the necessary strength
to choose the right path inlife,” he added.The Foundation MadridVivo was created in Novem-ber to support World YouthDay 2011. It is composed ofSpanish business leaders,including the presidents ofthe largest banks in Spain.
(Zenit)
Calls them ‘privileged occasions’ to fnd Christ
NEW YORK CITY, N.Y., July 4,2010—As Americans across thecountry celebrate the nation’s In-dependence Day this weekend,they should humbly remembertheir dependence on their Cre-ator, said Archbishop TimothyDolan of the Archdiocese ofNew York.In a column written this week,
he reected on the celebration of
Independence Day and called onthe faithful to proclaim a “spiri-tual Declaration of Dependence”on God that is “downright revo-lutionary” in American societytoday.The archbishop then spokeof the false contemporary un-derstanding of freedom “as theright to do whatever we want,whenever we want, whereverwe want, however we want,with whomever we want.” Ourculture has lost the true under-standing of freedom as “theliberty to do what we ought,”he said.He observed the modern trendof “freeing” oneself from “anysense of obedience to God, Hisrevelation and the basic codeof right and wrong He has en-graved upon the human heart.”This false understanding offreedom has devastating conse-quences, he continued. “The TenCommandments become a list ofsuggestions, the Eight Beatitudesa set of nice ideas, the Bible mereliterature, the Church unneces-sary, religion a crutch for theunenlightened, objective truthan outmoded oppression.”By adopting this distortedmindset, we elevate ourselvesto the level of gods, the arch-bishop said. This is evident intoday’s culture, which claimsdominion over life in matterssuch as abortion, euthanasia andembryonic stem cell research, heexplained. Focused on consump-tion and convenience, the culture
presumes to re-dene marriageand family as it sees t, revels in
violence in its movies and musicand resorts to war and terrorismwithout regard to the demandsof morality.This phenomenon is “curi-ous,” Archbishop Dolan said, be-cause the very culture declaringitself independent of God andmorality has become “terriblydependent” on “money, insur-ance, gas, weapons, securitysystems or even upon alcohol,pornography, lust, gamblingand drugs.”The archbishop contrastedthis false sense of freedom withthe true independence that thefounders of America fought soadamantly to gain.“The patriots who won inde-pendence for us in 1776 had notrouble at all acknowledgingtheir total dependence uponGod,” he said. “In fact, thenormative documents of ourbeloved country presume theexistence of a providential God,objective truth, moral duty andthe right to life itself.”This acknowledgment oftotal dependence on God issomething we must preserve,he said. We must boldly ad-mit to the world “that everybreath we take, each day wehave, every opportunity weare given, come from an om-nipotent God.”Offering a courageous witnessto a hostile culture, we should“bask in the fact that we aretotally dependent upon Him,”the archbishop said. “He is sov-ereign, He is Lord, He has powerand dominion.”Emphasizing Christ’s teachingthat “the Truth shall make youfree,” Archbishop Dolan invitedthe faithful to take seriously thewords they pray at every SundayMass: “We believe in God, theFather Almighty...” Recalling acomment from Cardinal Fran-cis George, he explained thatthis opening line of the creed is“perhaps the most revolutionarystatement we can make thesedays.”
(CNA)
VATICAN CITY, July 4, 2010—On Friday, July9, the Church will celebrate the feast of the 120Martyrs of China. Religious persecution has along history in China, especially persecution ofChristians, thousands of whom have died fortheir faith in the last millennium.On October 1, 2000, Pope John Paul II canon-ized 120 men, women, and children who gavetheir lives for the faith in China between theyears 1648 and 1930. The martyrs include 87native Chinese and 33 foreign missionaries.The majority were killed during the BoxerRebellion of 1900.“Chinese men and women of every age andstate, priests, religious and lay people, showedthe same conviction and joy, sealing their un-
failing delity to Christ and the Church with the
gift of their lives,” said the Holy Father duringthe canonization.“Resplendent in this host of martyrs are alsothe 33 missionaries who left their land andsought to immerse themselves in the Chineseworld, lovingly assimilating its features in thedesire to proclaim Christ and to serve thosepeople.”Of the 33 foreign-born missionaries, mostwere priests and religious, including mem-bers of the Order of Preachers, Friars Minor, Jesuits, Salesians and Franciscan Missionariesof Mary.One of the more well-known native martyrswas a 14-year-old Chinese girl named AnnWang, who was killed during the Boxer Rebel-lion when she refused to apostasize. She bravelywithstood the threats of her torturers, and justas she was about to be beheaded, she radiantlydeclared, “The door of heaven is open to all”and repeated the name of Jesus three times.Another of the martyrs was 18-year-old ChiZhuzi, who had been preparing to receive thesacrament of Baptism when he was caught onthe road one night and ordered to worshipidols. He refused to do so, revealing his beliefin Christ. His right arm was cut off and hewas tortured, but he would not deny his faith.Rather, he fearlessly pronounced to his captors,
before being ayed alive, “Every piece of myesh, every drop of my blood will tell you that
I am Christian.”
Augustine Zhao Rong was the rst native
Chinese priest to become a martyr. Born in1746, he was served as one of the soldiers whoescorted Bishop John Gabriel Taurin Dufresseto his martyrdom in Beijing. The witness of thebishop led Augustine to seek baptism at age 30.
He was ordained a priest ve years later and
was martyred in 1815.During the canonization Mass, Pope JohnPaul II thanked God for blessing the Churchwith the heroic witness of the 120 martyrs,whom he called “an example of courage andconsistency to us all.”
(CNA)
 
A3
 Vol. 14 No. 14
July 5 – July 18, 2010 
CBCP Monitor
News Features
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L’AQUILA, Italy, July 4, 2010—Before leadin g the Angelusprayer from the Italian city ofSulmona he visited on Sunday,the Holy Father proposed Maryas “the perfect model of obe-dience to the divine will.” Hehoped also for increased appre-ciation of the simple life, as St.Celestine lived it, and the subse-quent freedom of heart and mindthat opens us up to sharing.During the visit for the occa-sion of the 800th anniversaryof the birth of St. Celestine, theHoly Father led thousands offaithful in the recitation of theMarian prayer after Mass in thetown square.He prayed that the people ofGod would be able to “walk joy-ously and united on the path offaith, hope and love” and that,“faithful to the inheritance of St.Celestine, we may always knowhow to put evangelical radicalityand mercy together, so that allwho seek God may find him.”St. Celestine was a13th cen-tury hermit that became PopeCelestine V. His remains are nowhoused in the crypt of Sulmona’sCathedral of San Panfilo, whereBenedict XVI will pay a visitSunday afternoon to host an en-counter with area youth.Turning to Mary, “Virgin of si-lence and of listening,” BenedictXVI said that, in her, St. Celes-tine “found the perfect model ofobedience to the divine will,” ashe lived a simple and humblelife, seeking the “truly essential”and thanking the Lord always ashe recognized “in everything thegift of His goodness.”Turning to the present, thePope said “also we, who live inan age of greater comforts andpossibilities, are called to ap-preciate a sober lifestyle, to keepour hearts and minds freer and tobe able to share our possessionswith our brothers.”He prayed that “Holy Mary,who encouraged the first com-munity of disciples of Jesus withher maternal presence, help alsothe Church of today to give goodwitness to the Gospel.”Following the Angelus prayerthe Pope met with the bishopsof the local Abruzzo region forlunch at a newly restored housefor elderly and sick priestsinaugurated as the “BenedictXVI” house. After lunch he wasscheduled to meet with a delega-tion from the local prison
. (CNA/  EWTN News)
 
Papal spokesman describes week of BenedictXVI’s evangelical witness to the Gospel
VATICAN CITY, June 30, 2010—AreCatholics soon going to see their par-ish priest celebrating Mass with aniPad instead of traditional liturgicalbooks?That’s the impression left by recentreports about Italian Father PaoloPadrini’s planned launch of an iPad ap-plication that features the Roman Mis-sal on its 10-inch screen. But Fr. Padrini
and church ofcials say no one should
throw the printed books out yet.“Liturgical books on the altar willnever be replaced by the iPad. Thisis an additional instrument, not anattempt to get rid of paper books,”Father Padrini said in late June.“If I went on vacation, I’d take alongmy iPad and celebrate Mass that way.Obviously in my parish, where I havethe books, I’m not going to deliber-ately use an iPad,” he said.The application should be ready bythe end of July and will feature theRoman Missal in various languages,including English, French, Italian,Latin and Spanish. It loads the missaland breviary, or book of prayers, for aparticular day, with the option of pre-loading up to 10 days worth of texts.Father Padrini said that for theEnglish version, he plans to use themissal text as currently approved foruse in the United States. But he ap-parently has not yet nailed down thenecessary permissions.Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth, executivedirector of the International Committeeon English in the Liturgy, said June 25that Father Padrini currently had not re-ceived authorization to publish Englishliturgical texts as digital “applications.”
“We are trying to nd a way forward
in this situation and are currently inconsultation with the U.S. Conference ofCatholic Bishops regarding the matter.I imagine that it will take some time toreach a solution which is equally sat-isfactory to all the parties concerned,”Msgr. Wadsworth said in a statementto Catholic News Service.Father Padrini did not run his idea pastthe Vatican’s liturgical experts, presum-ing that there should not be a problem.“As far as I can see, there is no litur-gical rule saying a printed instrumentmust be used. The rules do say the lit-
urgy should be dignied and tting and
should not be disturbed,” he said.In Father Padrini’s opinion, thesmall iPad would not detract from theliturgical decorum, and would be lessnoticeable than other objects placed onthe altar these days.
But Vatican ofcials were not so
certain that an iPad belongs on thealtar.Marist Father Anthony Ward, anundersecretary at the Congregation forDivine Worship and the Sacraments,said liturgical rules generally refer to“the book,” and there’s been an effortin recent years “to promote the book,and the embellishment of the book.”The idea of having a substitute for thebook at public Masses seems to goagainst that consensus, he said.Father Ward said the congregation
wasn’t specically considering the
suitability of the iPad application,and that there didn’t appear to beexplicit rules against such devices.But he added that in this case, oneshould not assume that if it is notforbidden, it is allowed.
The nal judgment on the iPad-as-
missal may come with experience.Father Padrini said he thinks the shockeffect will disappear as more peoplecarry such devices around with them.“The liturgy should be beautiful.But personally, I’d rather celebrateMass with an iPad, which is small anddoesn’t disturb the faithful, than withan old, worn-out missal with yellowpages and small type,” he said.
(CNS)
New iPad application won’t re-place liturgical books, creator says
ANTIPOLO CITY, June 26, 2010—Aleader of a labor group based on MiddleEast had criticized the Department ofLabor and Employment (DOLE) forits alleged failure to prevent contractsubstitution, especially for workersworking in the Mid-east.In his statement to media, John Leon-ard Monterona, Migrante-Middle Eastregional coordinator, said that almost30 to 50 percent of the cases of abuse
that their ofces in different countries
in the oil-rich region, involve contractsubstitution. Migrante-ME receives anaverage of seven to 10 cases of abusesdaily.“Contract substitution is an act of re-placing the existing contract, which wassigned by the overseas Filipino worker(OFW) in the Philippines, mostly givenby their respective recruitment agencies,by their foreign employers. In the newcontract, the salaries and wages are usu-
ally much lower than the rst contract,and the other benets are either deleted
or reduced, for example the health in-surance provision had been removed, orthe hours of work had been extended,”Monterona explained.He added that the employers are forc-ing the worker to sign the contract, orelse they will be out of work.“Many have told us that they havebeen forced to sign a new set of contractsbefore their departure at the NinoyAquino International Airport, whileothers said upon their arrival on the job site facilitated by the counterpartagency of the deploying agency in thePhilippines,” Monterona said.Monterona also added that the origi-nal employment contract is intended toprotect OFWs labor rights as set forthin the terms and conditions of employ-ment, but the moment a new contractwith different terms and conditions un-favorable to the OFWs has been forgedwithout the knowledge of the OFWs orby force they have been told to sign it,then it is putting OFWs employment atrisks even before their deployment.Meanwhile, Monterona accusedsome DOLE and Philippine OverseasEmployment Administration (POEA)
ofcials of conniving with recruitment
agencies that allow contract substitu-tion.
(Noel Sales Barcelona)
RP labor dep’tcriticized for failureto stop contractsubstitution
Religious group assails violent dispersal of farmers
Pope Benedict calls Mary a ‘perfectmodel’ of obedience to divine will
    s     i .    w    s     j .    n    e     t
VATICAN CITY, July 3, 2010—Pope Benedict XVI’s “exquisitelyevangelical witness” this week show his “personal and direct com-mitment” to creating communion in the Church, Vatican spokesmanFr. Federico Lombardi has said, citing the Holy Father’s launch of anew evangelization of the West and his action to reconcile disputesand to renew the Church.During his “Octava Dies” editorial aired on Vatican Television onSaturday morning, Fr. Lombardi remarked that in recent days thewords and actions of the Pope have been “exceptionally intense anddeterminant for the life of the Church community.”The activity of the Pope, he continued, has been made moremeaningful due to its proximity to the Solemnity of Sts. Peter andPaul. This is a feast which brings our attention back to the mission“entrusted by Christ to Peter and his successors” to support andguide the faith of believers, he explained.For Fr. Lombardi, the announcement of the new Vatican depart-ment for renewed evangelization of areas subject to secularizationstands out among the Pope’s activities this week. However, heparticularly wanted to highlight the pontiff’s “personal and directcommitment to the union of the Church community.”“The Pope has repeated many times that the dangers and thegravest temptations for the Church come from within,” pointed outANTIPOLO CITY, July 4, 2010—Sociopastoral organization,Promotion of Church Peoples’Response (PCRR) has assailedthe violent dispersal of 42 farm-ers doing a camp-out along theChino Roces (Mendiola) Bridge,in Manila.The farmers from HaciendaYulo in Laguna and the con-troversial Hacienda Luisita inTarlac, owned by the Cojuangcoclan, have been for three dayscamping out along Chino Rocesasking government to act on theissue of land reform.“We have learned that thefarmers led by the KilusangMagbubukid ng Pilipinas stageda camp-out to press the new-ly-installed administration ofPresident Noynoy Aquino lllto take immediate step on thelong standing issue of genuineland reform. Tillers from nearbyprovinces including of the Haci-enda Luisita have participatedin the said camp-out,” the PCPRstatement read.According to reports, the joint contingent of the Officeof the Engineering Departmentof the City of Manila and theManila Police had allegedlybrutally harassed and dispersedthe camp-out of the farmers July3, at 3:30 pm (Manila Time) andarrested 38 farmers and four oftheir supporters, injuring some13 people.As of this yesterday, those ar-rested were illegally detained atthe police headquarters at UNAvenue, Manila.“The said incidence showsthe constant policy of the statein bearing complaining citizens.The same atrocities and violencehad been the method of the Ar-royo administration to silenther critics,” the PCPR statementfurthered.PCPR also said that this is a“too early a revelation of AquinoAdministration who is on its 3rdday in power.“It has paraded its harsh-ness and non concern of thepeasants’ plight. While the“wang-wang” issue has beenaddressed, the issue of landreform must be considered asan urgent agendum becauseit is a matter of life and deathfor the Filipino people. ThePCPR joins different sectors indenouncing another violenceagainst toiling masses and callsthe faithful to work for justiceand peace for our nation,” thePCPR statement further said.
(Noel Sales Barcelona)
MANILA, July 1, 2010—In hisinaugural speech, the 50-yearold bachelor vowed to “serveand not to lord over” the peoplebecause the mandate givenhim was one of change, as heaccepted the people’s march-ing orders to transform thegovernment from one that hedescribed as self-serving to“one that works for the welfareof the nation.”Aquino said good governance“would lessen the people’s prob-lems” adding that the destinyof the Filipino will return to itsrightful place, and over the nextsix years, the Filipinos’ problemswill continue to lessen with theassurance of progress in theirlives.As in previous inauguralspeeches by former Philippinechief executives, most Filipinosremain hopeful the late Presi-dent Corazon C. Aquino’s sonwould be able to deliver as mostFilipinos doubted the victoryof President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the 2004 presi-dential elections.However, one of the chal-lenges Aquino should face isthe grinding poverty in manyareas of the archipelago whereone third of its 90 million or sopopulation live on just one USdollar a day.Catholic bishops have saidthe country’s poverty is closelylinked with graft and corruptpractices of people in govern-ment.
Violence in Mindanao
Aquino will have to addresstoo what has been describedas “high level of localized vio-lence” especially in Mindanao,in Southern Philippines wheregovernment troops are fight-ing separatists and communistguerillas.He was earlier quoted hewould pursue peace talks withthe Moro Islamic LiberationFront with the appointmentof a cabinet secretary for thepeace process, but MILF ViceChairman Chazali Jaafar said
he would like to listen to specic
announcements from the presi-dential palace.It has been said there are overa hundred private armies acrossthe country, a great number ofthem being kept by powerfulpoliticians who usually alignthemselves with whoever is inpower.
‘Alleviate poverty’
Earlier in the day, ManilaArchbishop Gaudencio Rosalespresided over a concelebratedMass at the Basilica Minore ofthe Immaculate Conception,a kilometer and a half awayfrom the Quirino Grandstandwhere the inaugural rites tookplace.In his homily, the 77-year oldarchbishop said “the greaternumber of our countrymen whoare poor appeal to us now to use‘sight”, and not ‘statistics’ be-cause statistics can still hide thetruth of mass poverty and muchhunger through numbers.”He added that “the attempt tobuild buildings that reach up tothe skies cannot hide the millionsof slums, cardboard houses,cart homes and the misery ofthe great majority.”
(Melo M. Acuña)
 Aquino vows good governance
Papal spokesman / A7
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