Vol 41, No 3 MARCH 2007

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Quote in the Act

To dictate on them whom to vote is as bad as buying their votes.

Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines; on the suggestion by El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde that the Catholic Church list down the names of preferred candidates for the upcoming May elections .

ISSN 0300-4155 Asian Magazine for Human Transformation Through Education, Social Advocacy and Evangelization
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IMPACT
REMITTING ADDRESSES

Copyright 1974 by Social Impact Foundation, Inc.

Under these appalling circumstances, the government of President Arroyo cannot evade accountability for the series of extra-judicial killings, forced disappearances and other cases of violations of human rights taking place.
The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) in a recent 90-page report entitled Let the Stones Cry Out: An Ecumenical Report on Human Rights in the Philippines and a Call to Action.

I was responsible for the 9/11 operation, from A to Z.

Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, a chief aide to Osama bin Laden; in a revised transcript of his remarks at a military hearing held in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba released March 10; claiming further that he decapitated the American journalist Daniel Pearl.

As the country waits for Congress and the president to enact immigration reform, the indecency of existing policies is becoming intolerable.
New York Times March 15 Editorial; chiding the slow and indecisive Bush administration and congress to enact immigration reform at the expense of millions of suffering immigrants and the country itself.

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It equally protects a rich mans limousine and a beggars rod,

Gong Xiantian, a Peking University law professor and Communist Party member; in opposition to the draft real-rights law of China saying that the law in essence is intended to protect the property rights of the extremely rich minority, through in form it sounded as if everyones rights would be protected.

I realize this sounds very offensive to homosexuals, but its the only way a Christian can look at it.
Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.; suggesting in his March 2 blog that a biological basis for homosexuality may be proven, and that prenatal treatment to reverse gay orientation would be biblically justified; earning him the ire of gay-rights supporters.

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IMPACT March 2007

I MPACT

March 2007 / Vol 41 No 3

CONTENTS
THE feminine genius which the late Pope John Paul II speaks about in his Letter to Women in 1995 is actually a sentiment that one loves harboring without fear of oversimplification; and continues to provoke kind thoughts and warm affection, as one recalls how endearing ones mother is and all the women that came close in between. This comes not only because March is the month of women, but because of that primordial gratitude that the world owes to women. The genius of women pervades in all history and in all facets of human endeavor. But nothing comes higher than her realm in the social and ethical dimension which deals with human relations and spiritual values. In this area, says John Paul II, which often develops in an inconspicuous way beginning with the daily relationships between people, especially within the family, society certainly owes much to the genius of women. Humanity would plunge into monstrosityas it had in some points in historywithout this genius, which should be more fully expressed in the life of society as a whole, as a matter of existential exigency. Our heart bleeds at how many of the womenfolk have been ill-treated by some cultures and men as if they were properties that can be acquired and disposed at will. This inhumanity is caricatured in some cultures that abort fetuses the moment they are discovered as potential females. No matter the religious justification, treating women as mere appendage of men is inhuman. Which, is why, polygamy is exploitation of women pure and simple. In this context, it should be everybodys job to ensure that women regain full respect for their dignity and role. And this should be contemplated and initiated right at the very heart of humanitythe home. This issue opens with an article of Fr. Joaquin Bernas, Pulpit and Platform: Discovering the Role of the Church in the State. These are his thoughts on the issue which he shared earlier with the seminarians of UST and with the members of the CBCP Permanent Council. All the other major stories are about women in celebration of the International Womens Day. Sister Pinky Barrientos, FSP, writes the cover story, Celebrating the Gift of Womanhood: Putting an End to Violence against Women. At first blush, celebrating womanhood in the face of gender inequality and other injustices looks like a parody but it is not. Read on.
EDITORIAL

Woman ............................................................................. 23
COVER STORY

Celebrating the Gift of Womanhood: Putting an End to Violence Against Women .......... 16
ARTICLES

Pulpit and Platform: Discovering the Role of the Church in the State .......................................................... 4 Authentic Feminine Sexuality ...................................... 7 Cardinal Martini and Euthanasia: International Womens Day: Looking Back .............. 8 Multiculturalism and Islam: Suicide of the West and Womens Rights ....................................................... 9 A Catechism in Images: A Very Special Edition of the Compendium ...................................................... 11 Population Issue Revisited ......................................... 24 Twenty Five Years, Twenty Five Dreams ................ 25 More Than Business Behind Putins Visit to Italy ..................................................................... 27
STATEMENTS

Freedom to Choose the Candidates ......................... 12 A Month of Prayer and Peace for the Filipino Family in Celebration of National Womens Month .......... 12 Holy Sees Statement on Status of Women .............. 13 Message of the Holy Father Benedict XVI to The Youth of the World on the Occasion of the 22nd World Youth Day, 2007 ............................................... 14
DEPARTMENTS

Quote in the Act .............................................................. 2 News Features ............................................................... 20 From the Blogs ............................................................... 22 From the Inbox .............................................................. 28 Book Reviews ................................................................. 29 CINEMA Review .......................................................... 30 Quotes in Quiz ............................................................ 30 News Briefs ...................................................................... 31
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ARTICLES
I. The Role of the Church in the World

he question is: Where does the encounter between Church and state happen? My answer is that the encounter takes place in every citizen who is also a believer. In every Filipino believer there exists a church-state relation. The Filipino believer participates in church by faith, baptism and practice. He also participates in the state by acceptance of citizenship and its duties along with the public covenant underlying the Constitution. Correlating these two participations is a mode of activity in which every Filipino believer engages. In other words, church-state relation is not primarily in the encounter between church officials and state officials. Church-state relations begin in every citizen who is a believer. From this premise there flows the inevitable conclusion that conducting church-state relations is an irrevocable prerogative and an unavoidable act for every person. The believer is church by participation, and as representing that participation. The same person, who is also a citizen, is the state by participation, and as representing a citizens informed judgment. The relation between church and state begins, then, in the consciousness and conscience of those persons who are at once Christians and

Pulpit and Platform:

Discovering the Role of the Church in the State

(First of Two Parts)
by Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J.

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Discovering the Role of the Church in the State

citizens. Its conduct, however informal and piecemeal, involves correlating the thinking, deciding and acting proper to each, with due respect both to the priority of a relation to God through the church, and to the independence of the political order from church. For as long as this relationship between church and state remains in the internal decision process of each person, it remains in the non-juridical order and disturbs no one. The moment the correlation flows out into action, it enters the domain of the juridical and begins to involve law, law either in the secular order or law in the canonical order. This externalization of the faith of the believer elicits counter reaction sometimes of a type which dates back to Herods reaction to the preaching of John the Baptist about Herodias. But we have graduated beyond the Herod era. In our democratic context the reaction is subsumed under the caption of violation of separation of Church and State. But if church and state are wedded together in each person, how do you really divide the two? Although I am asking this question in the context of Christian churches, I believe that what I have said can also be applied mutatis mutandis to believers of Islam or of Buddhism. As a famous cigarette ad used to say, You can take the boy out of the barrio, but you cannot take the barrio out of the boy. But before I get into separation, let me go into the heart of the topic: the role of the Church in the state. I am sure you mean by church not just the hierarchy or the clergy but the entire people of God and the faith we hold. In trying to understand the role of the Church, we really are not attempting to invent a new engine. Vatican II wrote about it at great length in the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes on the Role of the Church in the Modern World. Gaudium et Spes starts with an eloquent statement: 1. The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts 2. Hence this Second Vatican Council, having probed more profoundly into the mystery of the Church, now addresses itself without hesitation, not only to the sons of the Church and to all who invoke the name of Christ, but

to the whole of humanity. For the council yearns to explain to everyone how it conceives of the presence and activity of the Church in the world of today. Therefore, the council focuses its attention on the world of men, the whole human family along with the sum of those realities in the midst of which it lives; I shall not enter into the anthropology of Gaudium et Spes and how Pope John Paul II has further developed it in his encyclical Fides et Ratio. Suffice it to say that the role of the Church flows out of that anthropology which emphasizes the dignity of human person. It comes from our faith and our religious nature and is therefore also related to conscience. On this subject let me simply repeat what Gaudium et Spes says: Everything we have said about the dignity of the human person, and about the human community and the profound meaning of human activity, lays the foundation for the relationship between the Church and the world, and provides the basis for dialogue between them [We] must now consider this same Church inasmuch as she exists in the world, living and acting with it. Christ, to be sure, gave His Church no proper mission in the political, economic or social order. The purpose which He set before her is a religious one. But out of this religious mission itself comes a function, a light and an energy which can serve to structure and consolidate the human community according to the divine law. As a matter of fact, when circumstances of time and place produce the need, she can and indeed should initiate activities on behalf of all men, especially those designed for the needy, such as the works of mercy and

similar undertakings. Gaudium et Spes, however, recognizes the distinction between the role of laymen and churchmen. Secular duties and activities belong properly although not exclusively to laymen. Therefore acting as citizens in the world, whether individually or socially, they will keep the laws proper to each discipline, and labor to equip themselves with a genuine expertise in their various fields. Since they have an active role to play in the whole life of the Church, laymen are not only bound to penetrate the world with a Christian spirit, but are also called to be witnesses to Christ in all things in the midst of human society. As to Bishops, the Gaudium et Spes says: Bishops, to whom is assigned the task of ruling the Church of God, should, together with their priests, so preach the news of Christ that all the earthly activities of the faithful will be bathed in the light of the Gospel. But their role is not limited to preaching. The Gaudium et Specs continues: All pastors should remember too that by their daily conduct and concern they are revealing the face of the Church to the world, and men will judge the power and truth of the Christian message thereby.. After laying down the anthropological foundation of the role of the Church and distinguishing the role of the laity from that of the hierarchy and clergy, Part II of Gaudium et Spes next enumerates what it calls problems of special urgency which the church must face. These problems include

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not governed according to justice would be just a bunch of thieves: Remota itaque iustitia quid sunt regna nisi magna latrocinia? [18] Fundamental to Christianity is the distinction between what belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God (cf. Mt. 22:21), in other words, the distinction between Church and State, or, as the Second Vatican Council puts it, the autonomy of the temporal sphere. [19] The State may not impose religion, yet it must guarantee religious freedom and harmony between the followers of different religions. For her part, the Church, as the social expression of Christian faith, has a proper independence and is structured on the basis of her faith as a community which the State must recognize. The two spheres are distinct yet always interrelated. Then Pope Benedict adds: Justice is both the aim and the intrinsic criterion of all politics. Politics is more than a mere mechanism for defining the rules of public life: its origin and its goal are found in justice, which by its very nature has to do with ethics. The State must inevitably face the question of how justice can be achieved here and now. But this presupposes an even more radical question: what is justice? The problem is one of the practical reasons, but if reason is to be exercised properly, it must undergo constant purification, since it can never be completely free of the danger of a certain ethical blindness caused by the dazzling effect of power and special interests. Here politics and faith meet. Faith by its specific nature is an encounter with the living Godan encounter opening up new horizons extending beyond the sphere of reason. But it is also purifying force for reason itself. From Gods standpoint, faith liberates reason from its blind spots and therefore helps it to be ever more fully itself. Faith enables reason to do its work more Justice is both the aim and the intrinsic effectively and to see criterion of all politics. Politics is more is proper object more than a mere mechanism for defining the clearly. This is where Catholic social docrules of public life: its origin and its trine has its place; it goal are found in justice, which by its has no intention of giving the Church very nature has to do with ethics. power over the State. Even less is it an atPope Benedict XVI in his Encyclical Deus tempt to impose on those who do not share est Caritas touches on the same theme. He the faith ways of thinking and modes of says: conduct proper to faith. Its aim is simply to The just ordering of society and the help purify reason and to contribute, here State is a central responsibility of politics. and now, to the acknowledgment and atAs Augustine once said, a State which is tainment of what is just. very secular matters. These problems are: fostering the nobility of marriage and the family, the proper development of culture, economic and social life, the life of the political community, the fostering of peace and the community of nations. It is when church people engage in what are primarily secular concerns when it invites opposition. I believe that our society generally accepts the role of the church in fostering the nobility of marriage and the family, the proper development of culture, the economic life of the community, and the fostering of peace and the community of nations. But our society tends to be uncomfortable with the role of the church in the life of the political community. Understandably so, because the moral dimensions of political affairs can call for judgments which are prudential and therefore often ambiguous. Nevertheless I shall focus on this prudential and often ambiguous dimension. I shall do this, first, by setting down how the Church sees its role in the secular world, and second, how this role fits into our constitutional order as I understand it. In its discussion of the life of the political community Gaudium et Spes makes two distinctions. First it makes a distinction between the State and the institutional Church. Second, it makes a distinction between the activities of a Christian as citizen but guided by a Christian conscience and the Christian acting in the name of the Church in union with the pastors. (76) this distinction, I believe, is important for an understanding of the constitutional relationship between Church and State. As Gaudium et Spes says: The Church and the political community in their own fields are autonomous and independent from each other. Yet both, under different title, are devoted to the personal and social vocation of the same men

As can be seen, Church and State can have different understandings of what is politically and morally just. But Benedict says: The Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible. She cannot and must not replace the State. Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice. She has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which justice, which always demands sacrifice, cannot prevail and prosper. A just society must be the achievement of politics, not of the Church. Yet the promotion of justice through efforts to bring about openness of mind and will to the demands of the common good is something which concerns the Church deeply. What does this paragraph have to say about separation of church and state? Is this a call to the clergy to return to sacristy and pulpit and stay there? Certainly it is saying that the Church does not possess juridical power over the state. It cannot force its will on the state. As Benedict puts it: She cannot and must not replace the State. But Benedict was simply repeating what Our Lord said to Pilate: My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants (would) be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here. (John 18:36) More generally, the Church may not invade the domain of the State. But not only that: in the regime of church-state separation we have institutionalized in our Constitution, the Church is constitutionally incapable of breaching the imaginary wall that separates Church and State. I would like to repeat that: Contrary to the claim of politicians who do not understand the Constitution, the Church is constitutionally incapable of breaching the imaginary wall that separates Church and State. On the other hand, however, the State has the capacity to force its will on the institutional church. The State has done so in many instances. It is then that there is violation of not only of separation of church and State but also of religious liberty. I
(This piece is lifted with permission from the talk given by Fr. Joaquin Bernas, SJ, at the Central Seminary of the University of Santo Tomas.)

To be Continued next issue.

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ccording to the Commonwealth Fund, nearly one-third of American women (31%) report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lifetime. Just as this statistic reveals, violence against women is all too prevalent in our society today. Pope John Paul II recognized this disturbing fact and declared that the time has come to condemn vigorously the types of sexual violence which frequently have women for their object. In response, many Catholic college campuses have created educational programs that inform students on the gravity of sexual violence, while also teaching them how to prevent abuse and help survivors heal. These programs are needed. They help to create awareness about sexual assault and strengthen community efforts to combat violence in all areas of society. Recently, however, a sexually enlightened agenda is accompanying the need for factual and honest education on Catholic campuses. This is most evident in the contemporary educational project entitled The Vagina Monologues. The Vagina Monologues is a collection of monologues based on interviews with over 200 women about their memories and experiences of sexuality. It surfaced in New York in the late 1990s as a theatre production aimed at informing the public about sexual violence, but in actuality does little to effectively educate the audience. The productions raw and irreverent approach to female sexuality, along with the choreographed use of profanity merely for the sake of alarming the audience, reveals more of its radical feminist agenda than its desire to educate. Honestly, what sense does it make to oppose all acts of violence that turn women into sexual objects, but then oppose the violence by reducing women to a sexual object: a vagina. Does anyone else see the irony? The Catholic Church recognizes that violence, especially against the vulnerable and defenseless, is abhorrent. In addition, the Church believes that female sexuality is a beautiful and precious gift from the Creator. She also desires to protect and uphold the dignity of all women by teaching that women are more than just body parts. Women should be valued for their tremendous intellectual, artistic, moral and spiritual capacity as well. The Vagina Monologues negates this entire premise and instead is vulgar and reductionist in its approach. When asked why he would not allow The Vagina Monologues on his Catholic campus, Reverend Brian J. Shanley, O.P., the President of Providence College in Rhode

Authentic Feminine Sexuality

By Mercedes W. Gutierrez Island, stated that precisely because its depiction of female sexuality is so deeply at odds with the true meaning and morality that the Catholic Churchs teaching celebrates, The Vagina Monologues is not an appropriate play to be performed on our campus. Similarly, his statement reiterated that the performance simplifies and demystifies female sexuality by reducing it to a vagina. Shanley also pointed out that the so-called new bible for women, as the play is often referred, is deeply and diametrically opposed to the truth regarding human sexuality that inspires the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the true Bible. Unfortunately, other Catholic campus leaders across the country are not as courageous as Shanley. For instance, Reverend John I. Jenkins, C.S.C, the President of Notre Dame University is justifying the performance under the guise of artistic and academic freedom. In his Closing Statement on Academic Freedom and Catholic Character, he remarked, we are committed to a wide-open, unconstrained search for truth, and we are convinced that Catholic teaching has nothing to fear from engaging the wider cultureour goal is not to limit discussion or inquiry, but to enrich it. I applaud his efforts to engage a culture that does not know Jesus Christ and challenge the secular worldview, but how exactly does sponsoring an event that undermines the intrinsic nature of the human person actually enrich the student body of a Catholic institution? This guise of tolerance parallels the thought process that pornography is pervading all of society, so lets expose ourselves to it in an effort to better understand how and why society is addicted to it. No, this approach is inherently flawed. Never should academic freedom permit Catholic institutions to support and promote ideologies that utterly oppose the teachings of our Mother, the Church. Again, it is necessary to combat sexual assault, abuse, and violence against women in our day and age. But we, as lay faithful, and our Catholic institutions must support and defend women in their entirety: body, mind, and soul. The Vagina Monologues does not do so. I
Mercedes W. Gutierrez sits on the Board of Directors for ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women,) a non-profit, grassroots organization that promotes the New Feminism as proposed by Pope John Paul II. Mercedes and her husband Sergio live in Denver, Colorado. (Catholic News Agency)

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was marked for the first time (19 March) in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, where more than one million women and men attended rallies. In addition to the right to vote and to hold public office, they demanded womens rights to work, to vocational training and to an end to discrimination on the job. 1913-1914: International Womens Day also became a mechanism for protesting World War I. As part of the peace movement, Russian women observed their first International Womens Day on the last Sunday in February. Elsewhere in Europe, on or around 8 March of the following year, women held rallies either to protest the war or to express solidarity with other activists. 1917: Against the backdrop of the war, women in Russia again chose to protest and strike for Bread and Peace on the last Sunday in February (which fell on 8 March on the Gregorian calendar). Four days later, the Czar abdicated and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. Since those early years, International Womens Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The growing international womens movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations womens conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for womens rights and participation in the political and economic arenas. Increasingly, International Womens Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. The Charter of the United Nations, signed in 1945, was the first international agreement to affirm the principle of equality between women and men. Since then, the UN has helped create a historic legacy of internationally-agreed strategies, standards, programmes and goals to advance the status of women worldwide. Over the years, the UN and its technical agencies have promoted the participation of women as equal partners with men in achieving sustainable development, peace, security, and full respect for human rights. The empowerment of women continues to be a central feature of the UNs efforts to address social, economic and political challenges across the globe. (United Nations) I

International Womens Day: Looking Back

nternational Womens Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women. In 1975, during International Womens Year, the United Nations began celebrating International Womens Day on 8 March. Two years later, in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Womens Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions. In adopting its resolution, the General Assembly recognized the role of women in peace efforts and development and urged an end to discrimination and an increase of support for womens full and equal participation.

International Womens Day first emerged from the activities of labor movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe. 1909: The first National Womans Day was observed in the United States on 28 February. The Socialist Party of America designated this day in honour of the 1908 garment workers strike in New York, where women protested against working conditions. 1910: The Socialist International, meeting in Copenhagen, established a Womens Day, international in character, to honor the movement for womens rights and to build support for achieving universal suffrage for women. The proposal was greeted with unanimous approval by the conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, which included the first three women elected to the Finnish Parliament. No fixed date was selected for the observance. 1911: As a result of the Copenhagen initiative, International Womens Day

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he ideology of multiculturalism, i.e. blind tolerance toward any culture and tradition, is destroying European identity and is above all doing away with human rights and, more specifically, womens rights. A prime example is the increasing tolerance in European countries toward polygamy. In theory, polygamy is prohibited in Italy and in Europe. But it increasingly happens, in the name of multiculturalism, that Muslim immigrants are registered as polygamists in the European continent: if a man is Muslim and married in his country of origin with 4 wives, we cannot but accept this as a given. All this goes against European laws and constitutionswhich affirm monogamous familiesbut, in the name of a misplaced respect for cultures, any solution is deemed acceptable. Tolerance for polygamy? In Italy, some constitutionalists are suggesting, for the sake of letting people have it both ways, that only one wife be recognized as such, while the others are considered concubines: this would settle the situation of various Muslims who already have a wife in their country of origin and take another in Italy. Others think that a distinction could be made between civil marriage (at City Hall, with just one wife) and religious marriage in a mosque, where polygamous marriages could be celebrated. Naturally, to do this, they are proposing that the articles of Italian civil law, which affirm monogamy and the equality of men and women, not be read. A similar trend is spreading in Greece. In certain areas where Muslims are the majority, the government has accepted the principle that they manage themselves with their own norms. And so, in Athens, polygamy is prohibited, but in Muslim-majority areas, it is allowed, again in the name of cultural respect. Multiculturalism is doing a lot of damage. Firstly to common sense: if a man is married in Senegal with a woman and in Italy with another, this cannot be defined as monogamy. A crime remains such whether it is committed in Italy or abroad. Such tricks are actually a way to suggest loopholes for polygamy. Thus, if an Italian wants to have more than just one wife, all he needs to do is to convert to Islam! But multiculturalism is above all damaging to the dignity of women. Polygamy in Italy is prohibited in that it is contrary to the principle of equality between men and women. It would be useful to Islam too to

Multiculturalism and Islam:

Suicide of the West and Womens Rights

So-called dialogue with the Islamic world and juridical relativism on marriage and polygamy play havoc with the dignity of women and equality between sexes. The Koran: its o.k. to beat women.
by Samir Khalil Samir, SJ affirm this principle. In Islamic society, in fact, women cannot be polygamous (only men have that right). The same is true for repudiation, which is permitted to a man, but not to a woman who, however, can ask her husband the favor of repudiating her. Affirming monogamy is thus the way forward on the path for an overall effort in favor of womens rights. The Imam of Vnissieux and women To understand the humiliation in which women live in the Islamic world, I would like to recall a fact that sparked much debate in France. Last February 20th, the courts definitively rejected an appeal made by Imam Abdelkader Bouziane. An Algerian-national, Sheikh Abdelkader, imam of the mosque of Vnissieux, near Lyon, a polygamist and father of 16 children (14 of which French citizens), had been living in France since 1980. He had been ordered on February 26, 2004, to leave the country by Interior Minister Sarkozy, for his inflammatory speeches and for incitement to hatred, but the ordinance was not enforced. On April 20, following an interview in the Lyon Mag newspaper, he was again served an expulsion order for his statements against women, in particular for having said that the Koran authorizes a Muslim, in certain cases, to beat his wife, that women must subjugate themselves to their husband and were not equal to men. On April 23rd, the administrative tribunal of Lyon suspended the expulsion ordinance and rejected the Interior Ministrys request. The imam went back

Volume 41 Number 3

Multiculturalism and Islam: Suicide of the West and Womens Rights

Is this why you are favorable to polygamy? Yes, a Muslim can have more than one wife. But not more than four! Plus, there are conditions. But why can women not have more than one husband? Because no one would know who fathered the children! Are you in favor of the stoning1 of women? Yes, because beating ones wife is allowed by the Koran, but under certain conditions, in particular if she betrays her husband. Please note however: the man does not have the right to beat her everywhere: not on the face, but in the lower parts, her legs, her stomach, her bottom. He can beat her vigorously so as to induce fear, so that she does not start again! has created in their wombs, if they believe in Allah and the Last Day. And their husbands have priority to take them back during this time if they wish for reconciliation; and they [women] have rights equivalent to their duties, on the basis of good custom, but the men are superior. Allah is Mighty, Wise. The Italian edition published by the Union of Islamic Communities and Organizations in Italy (UCOII) includes a long footnote (absent on the on-line version) on the phrase but men are superior: In a pitiful effort to standardize Islam to Western culture, certain modernist commentators have written that superiority has only to do with the right of men to repudiate their wife, a faculty which is not reciprocal. In reality, it is a much more important and fundamental matter for the maintaining of balance at the individual, family and social levels. Man and Woman are two complementary realities that exist unto each other. If this were not so, Allah (glory be to Him the Most High) would not have formed Eve from Adams rib, he would have furnished each gender with complete reproductive organs, etc., etc. The physical structure of men is capable of great exertion and significant exploits, that of women, of steady labor and great endurance of pain. Male sensitivity is entirely exterior, projected outside the realm of family and tends to become public and political. That of women is interior, careful of oneself, aimed at the protection of that which has been acquired and to the acquisition of simple means of sustenance and security. Male psychology is imaginative, creative, experimental, risk-loving, desirous of novelty, of affirming the Self, usually ample and superficial. That of women is concrete, traditional, risk-hating, desirous of certainty, of conserving what is mine, usually profound and limited. In the realm of family, the respect of the Laws of Allah and of the Sunna of the Messenger can create situations that require an affirmation of power that mortifies the complementarity of spouses. But apart from complementarity, there
Multiculturalism / p. 26

to France in May 22. On October 5, 2004, the State Council cancelled the expulsion suspension, and the next day the iman was again expelled to Orano in Algeria. On June 21, 2005, the Lyon court declared him once again free, but on October 14, he was convicted in absentia. The imam filed an appeal, but on February 6, 2007, the courts definitively rejected his case. The Rgards de femmes Association of Lyon, which had sued the imam, declared: The right to dignity, to respect, to the integrity of her body belongs to every woman in France. It will not be possible from now on to legitimize violence against women on the pretence of religion. The Imams interview Here are a few extracts of the (famous) interview with Sheikh Abdelkader on the male-female relationship. In your opinion, are women equal to men? No. For example, women do not have the right to work alongside men, as they [women] could be tempted by adultery. Must women necessarily be subjugated to men? Yes, because the head of the family is always a man. But he must be fair to his wife: he must not beat her for no reason, nor consider her a slave.

The Koran: wife beating is allowed Various readers were up in arms, but in the end the imam defended himself saying that this is the Koran. And hes right. If we open the Koran at Sura 4, verse 34, we can read: Men have authority over women due to the preference that Allah concedes to them over the other and because they spend their property [for women]; Good women are therefore obedient, guarding under secrecy that which Allah has preserved [sex].2 ; As for those on whose part you fear insubordination, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do nothing further against them; Allah is high and great. Last week on Al Jazeera, I heard another imam explain the four conditions for beating a wife: not on her face; without drawing blood; without breaking bones; not in the presence of children. If all this is insufficient, one must resort to extreme punishment, i.e. the man deprives his wife of sexual relations. The Koran is also explicit on the question of the superiority of men to women; according to the Koran, Charter 2 (The Cow), Verse 228: Divorced women should keep themselves in waiting for three periods; and it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allah

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Abedin Taherkenareh/epa/Corbis

ARTICLES
text. For example, the Sermon on the Mount by Fra Angelico must always appear beneath the title of the section dedicated to the ten commandments. The difference between the mainstream edition and the one by FMR is the number of images. There are fourteen in the former case, and forty-nine in the latter. As in the mainstream edition, the selection of images for the luxury edition was also made according to Benedict XVIs guidelines. But in concrete terms, they were selected and presented to the pope by Timothy Verdon, American by birth, an art historian and a priest in the diocese of Florence, director of the office for catechesis through art there and the author of important books on Christian art. In an article entitled Immagini della Fede [Images of the Faith], Verdon explains the meaning of this connection between word and image in the catechesis of the Catholic Church. His is the lead article in the first edition of a new magazine also published by FMR, Eikon. Eikon is the Greek word meaning icon or image. And Verdon cites Paul, who in the letter to the Colossians describes Christ as eikon of the invisible God. The Compendium of the Catechism, at question number 240, precisely echoes this Pauline assertion in stating that the image of Christ is the liturgical icon par excellence, and that his image encompasses all other sacred images, and all of Sacred Scripture. The Church has believed in this truth so strongly that over the centuries it has dedicated extravagant resources to creating works of liturgical art and architecture, and to crushing the iconoclastic tendencies that have tempted it on occasion. Thus it is natural that the Compendium of the Catechism should open with the image of Jesus. In the FMR edition, there are two of these images rather than one. Beside the image of Christ painted by Theophane of Crete in 1456 for the Stavronikita monastery on Mount Athos, there is the Salvator Mundi by Antonello da Messina. Church of the East, Church of the West. With Verdons article in the magazine Eikon are reproduced some of the additional images that illustrate FMRs edition of the Compendium of the Catechism. These include an extraordinary God with compass creating heaven and earth, a miniature from an eighth century Bible, and a marvelous Adoration of the shepherds by Domenico Ghirlandaio, from 1480.
Images / p. 26

Its printed by FMR, one of the most prominent art publishers in the world. With fortynine magnificent reproductions of Christian art masterpieces, selected according to Benedict XVIs guidelines.

A Catechism in Images:

A Very Special Edition of the Compendium

by Sandro Magister

he image above is the Salvator Mundi by Antonello da Messina, painted in 1475 and kept at the National Gallery in London. It is the first of forty-nine images that illustrate a sumptuous new edition of the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, printed by FMR, one of the worlds most illustrious art publishers. The volume itself is a work of art. Its in large format with red silk binding and inscriptions in gold; the paper is cotton fiber and bears the papal watermark; the printing and reproductions are of the highest quality. Its a limited edition, with a correspondingly high price: 1,500 euros.

The text of the Compendium of the Catechism is identical to the one issued by Benedict on June 28, 2005, in one of the first defining actions of his pontificate. Even in the mainstream edition, released in multiple languages and millions of copies, the text is accompanied by images. These were selected by Joseph Ratzinger himself, who as a cardinal was the chief architect of both the Catechism and its Compendium. The images are not accessories. They are an integral part of the Compendium. It is obligatory that they be reproduced in all its printings. And they must always be placed in the same position relative to the

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STATEMENTS

A Month of Prayer and Peace for the Filipino Family in Celebration of National Womens Month

he Bishops in the CBCP, while respect ing what the leaders of El Shaddai and other groups have been doing for years, still maintain the freedom of Catholic members to choose their candidates. We expect them to discern, discuss and personally decide whom to vote. To dictate on them whom to vote is as bad as buying their votes. In the end, we cannot be genuinely sure whether the candidates who have been dictated on the voters will really serve them. All the more if the voters are taken with a buy and sell attitude. Proof of this is the past experience of elections. The CBCP does not want the candidates to be indebted to the bishops; instead we want the candidates to make a genuine covenant with the electorate: that if elected they will serve the people and not themselves. This is what the PPCRV is trying to do. We can trust the wisdom of the people, if only their judgment will not be violated or adulterated by guns, goons and gold, if only the process of election according to the rule will be respected and not manipulated by self-interest. If the wisdom of the people were

allowed freely to function, they will get the leaders they want or they get the leaders they deserve. As we said in our pastoral letter, we exhort our people not only to pray but also to be vigilant. Let the different associations and groups come together to study and examine the candidates and their platform of government. They may even come to an agreement among themselves whom to vote; but each one must personally come to his/her decision. They will not vote according to personality or winnability but in view of the candidates agenda of government On the one hand, there is no Catholic vote in the Philippines, because all Catholics are free to vote any candidate of any political party. On the other hand, because Catholics are almost everywhere, many of the candidates who win, win by catholic votes; but this is no reason to brag about, because the candidates win or lose by his own virtue or lack of it, and the electors vote according to their respective persuasion and conviction. +ANGEL N. LAGDAMEO CBCP President March 13, 2007

s the country celebrates National Womens Month this March 2007, we are reminded to pray for all women who have been, and are, victims of all kinds of abuse and violence within the family and outside their homes. The world had just celebrated the International Day for Women last March 8, calling our attention to the plight of women all over the world. Here in our own country, we celebrate National Womens Day on March 16; it is a day to remember our Filipino women, especially those who nurtured us since we were bornour very own mothers. We are aware that many of our women have become victims of violence, especially in their own homes. It is a sad reality that is happening in our country. The home is supposed to be a sanctuary where peace and love reign, but many of our homes now are becoming a venue where women are battered and abused. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines exhorts the various sectors of our society to link hands to protect our women from exploitation of all kinds, from violence that reduce them to silence, and from abuse that deprive them of their dignity as

persons. Many of those who have fallen victims remained silent and unable to move ahead because of fear and hurts, while just as many are slowly finding the courage to go on living their lives. We call o our brothers and sisters both in government and the private sector to lend help and services to our women in crises. May we indeed make this month dedicated to women a month of prayer. As we pray for our Filipino women, we also pray that peace may reign in the Filipino family. Let us pray that our women get the respect and love they deserve. Let us pray that exploitation and violence against women stop. Let us pray that those victimized by violence may find the courage to forgive and get on with their lives. Let us also pray for the enlightenment and conversion of those who inflict violence on women. Let us also recommend our Filipino women to the protection and intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary, the model and icon of womanhood. ANGEL N. LAGDAMEO Archbishop of Jaro President, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines March 11, 2007

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Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media Office

FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THE CANDIDATES

STATEMENTS

n the occasion of the 51st session of the Commission of the Status of Women, my delegation welcomes the progress made in favor of women over the years and hopes that positive achievements in this field may continue to establish a sane and solid foundation for the future. However, it seems incongruous that, at a time when the sensitivity for womens issues appears stronger than ever, the world is now obliged to confront new forms of violence and slavery directed especially at women. It is therefore appropriate that the Commission has chosen this year as its priority theme The elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child. Every day, violations of the rights of women, adolescents, and young girls are committed and even tolerated in many fields. Women bear the brunt of the worlds child prostitution, sexual exploitation, abuse, domestic violence, child labor and human trafficking. The international sex trade has become an important industry as degrading as almost any mistreatment of women prior to it. This trade is often passed over in silence because it is considered a part of supposedly democratic freedoms and is too deeply rooted in places or is too lucrative to confront, so my delegation commends those states and organizations that have stepped forward in recent times to combat and draw attention to this scourge. The mistreatment of women is a long-standing reality in many places and a disregard for the age and vulnerability of young girls in particular is especially repugnant. If we wish to engage in a sustained process to stop and reverse this phenomenon, peoples and cultures will have to find common ground that can safely underpin human relations everywhere due to our shared humanity.

Holy Sees Statement on Status of Women

(The following is the statement Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Holy Sees permanent observer to the United Nations, delivered on Friday to the 51st session of the Commission on the Status of Women, held March 2, 2007. The session is considered a follow-up of the Fourth World Conference on Women and of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly entitled Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century).

There is still a profound need to strive to uphold the inherent dignity and worth of every human being, with special attention to the most vulnerable of society, our children and all the girls among them. We would also do well to examine why women and especially younger women are so vulnerable. This appears to be due to the inferior status bestowed upon women in certain places and upon female infants in particular. In some local traditions they are thought of as a financial burden and are thus eliminated even before birth. In this way, abortion, often considered a tool of liberation, is ironically employed by women against women. Even those allowed to live are sometimes considered as if they were a piece of property best disposed of as soon as

possible. This is to be found in many parts of the world, due to prejudicial traditions extraneous to what should be a universally available and safe nurturing environment for girls. Besides the usual thriving channels of trafficking in persons, even the institution of marriage is sometimes misused to give a safe faade to sexual exploitation and slave labor by means of what is known as mail order brides and temporary brides. The trade which results in the exploitation and profit of women forms a driving motive in this equation. No one profits from this except the traffickers themselves and the clients. In order to put an end to the violation of human rights of trafficked women and girls, it is not enough to sensationalize their tragic plight; rather there is a

need to trace the question back to the market that exists due to the demand which makes such trade possible and profitable. Thus, if the reason behind the violence visited on women and girls is mostly cultural prejudice, exploitation and profit, which body should be mandated to intervene in order to overcome this situation? This is a clear question of human rights, since trafficked women have their right to life and dignity violated. Health, freedom and security, are all compromised in such circumstances, to say nothing of universal rights regarding torture, violence, cruelty and degrading treatment. For younger women it can also be a question of forced marriage, the violation of the right to education, the right to work and the right to self-determination. Nor should we limit the complexities of trafficking to a few social laws or customs, the construction of a refuge here and there and the social reinsertion of the women in question. Ways must be found to let them go home safely and without shame, and not merely have them repatriated; and if women do decide to travel abroad for work, they should be able to do so safely. Raising awareness is a simple and effective means to combat this phenomenon at the local level. Rural villages where the search for employment impels girls to seek work elsewhere need to know as a community how to deal openly with the risks to their young people. Organizations with a proven track record already exist and could assist communities in this way. Local and national politicians also need to be brought to account for their policies in this regard. The promotion of women will be achieved not only by the legitimate vindication of womens rights. With that there must also be established a fresh appreciation of authentically feminine values in the heart of our societies.

Hard Return by Tes One

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STATEMENTS
MY dear young friends, How is God-Love revealed to us? We have now reached the second stage of our journey. Even though the signs of divine love are already clearly present in creation, the full revelation of the intimate mystery of God came to us through the Incarnation when God himself became man. In Christ, true God and true Man, we have come to know love in all its magnitude. In fact, as I wrote in the Encyclical Deus caritas est, the real novelty of the New Testament lies not so much in new ideas as in the figure of Christ himself, who gives flesh and blood to those conceptsan unprecedented realism (n. 12). The manifestation of divine love is total and perfect in the Cross where, we are told by Saint Paul, God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us (Rm 5:8). Therefore, each one of us can truly say: Christ loved me and gave himself up for me (cf Eph 5:2). Redeemed by his blood, no human life is useless or of little value, because each of us is loved personally by Him with a passionate and faithful love, a love without limits. The Crossfor the world a folly, for many believers a scandalis in fact the wisdom of God for those who allow themselves to be touched right to the innermost depths of their being, for Gods foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and Gods weakness is stronger than human strength (1 Cor 1:25). Moreover, the Crucifix, which after the Resurrection would carry forever the marks of his passion, exposes the distortions and lies about God that underlie violence, vengeance and exclusion. Christ is the Lamb of God who takes upon himself the sins of the world and eradicates hatred from the heart of humankind. This is the true revolution that He brings about: love. Loving our neighbour as Christ loves us Now we have arrived at

n the occasion of the 22nd World Youth Day that will be celebrated in the dioceses on Palm Sunday, I would like to propose for your meditation the words of Jesus: Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another (Jn 13:34). Is it possible to love? Everybody feels the longing to love and to be loved. Yet, how difficult it is to love, and how many mistakes and failures have to be reckoned with in love! There are those who even come to doubt that love is possible. But if emotional delusions or lack of affection can cause us to think that love is utopian, an impossible dream, should we then become resigned? No! Love is possible, and the purpose of my message is to help reawaken in each one of youyou who are the future and hope of humanitytrust in a love that is true, faithful and strong; a love that generates peace and joy; a love that binds people together and allows them to feel free in respect for one another. Let us now go on a journey together in three stages, as we embark on a discovery of love. God, the source of love The first stage concerns the source of true love. There is only one source, and that is God. Saint John makes this clear when he declares that God is love (1 Jn 4: 8,16). He was not simply saying that God loves us, but that the very being of God is love. Here we find ourselves before the most dazzling revelation of the source of love, the mystery of the Trinity: in God, one and triune, there is an everlasting exchange of love between the persons of the Father and the Son, and this love is not an energy or a sentiment, but it is a person; it is the Holy Spirit. The Cross of Christ fully reveals the love of God

Message of the Holy Father Benedict XVI to The Youth of the World on the Occasion of the 22nd World Youth Day, 2007
Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another (Jn 13:34).

the third stage of our reflection. Christ cried out from the Cross: I am thirsty (Jn 19:28). This shows us his burning thirst to love and to be loved by each one of us. It is only by coming to perceive the depth and intensity of such a mystery that we can realise the need and urgency to love him as He has loved us. This also entails the commitment to even give our lives, if necessary, for our brothers and sisters sustained by love for Him. God had already said in the Old Testament: You shall love your neighbour as yourself (Lev 19:18), but the innovation introduced by Christ is the fact that to love as he loves us means loving everyone with-

out distinction, even our enemies, to the end (cf Jn 13:1). Witnesses to the love of Christ I would like to linger for a moment on three areas of daily life where you, my dear young friends, are particularly called to demonstrate the love of God. The first area is the Church, our spiritual family, made up of all the disciples of Christ. Mindful of his words: By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (Jn 13:35), you should stimulate, with your enthusiasm and charity, the activities of the parishes, the communities, the ecclesial movements and the youth groups to which you belong. Be atten-

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STATEMENTS
tive in your concern for the welfare of others, faithful to the commitments you have made. Do not hesitate to joyfully abstain from some of your entertainments; cheerfully accept the necessary sacrifices; testify to your faithful love for Jesus by proclaiming his Gospel, especially among young people of your age. Preparing for the future The second area, where you are called to express your love and grow in it, is your preparation for the future that awaits you. If you are engaged to be married, God has a project of love for your future as a couple and as a family. Therefore, it is essential that you discover it with the help of the Church, free from the common prejudice that says that Christianity with its commandments and prohibitions places obstacles to the joy of love and impedes you from fully enjoying the happiness that a man and woman seek in their reciprocal love. The love of a man and woman is at the origin of the human family and the couple formed by a man and a woman has its foundation in Gods original plan (cf Gen 2:1825). Learning to love each other as a couple is a wonderful journey, yet it requires a demanding apprenticeship. The period of engagement, very necessary in order to form a couple, is a time of expectation and preparation that needs to be lived in purity of gesture and words. It allows you to mature in love, in concern and in attention for each other; it helps you to practise self-control and to develop your respect for each other. These are the characteristics of true love that does not place emphasis on seeking its own satisfaction or its own welfare. In your prayer together, ask the Lord to watch over and increase your love and to purify it of all selfishness. Do not hesitate to respond generously to the Lords call, for Christian matrimony is truly and wholly a vocation in the Church. Likewise, dear young men and women, be ready to say yes if God should call you to follow the path of ministerial priesthood or the consecrated life. Your example will be one of encouragement for many of your peers who are seeking true happiness. Growing in love each day The third area of commitment that comes with love is that of daily life with its multiple relationships. I am particularly referring to family, studies, work and free time. Dear young friends, cultivate your talents, not only to obtain a social position, but also to help others to grow. Develop your capacities, not only in order to become more competitive and productive, but to be witnesses of charity. In addition to your professional training, also make an effort to acquire religious knowledge that will help you to carry out your mission in a responsible way. In particular, I invite you to carefully study the social doctrine of the Church so that its principles may inspire and guide your action in the world. May the Holy Spirit make you creative in charity, persevering in your commitments, and brave in your initiatives, so that you will be able to offer your contribution to the building up of the civilisation of love. The horizon of love is truly boundless: it is the whole world! Dare to love by following the example of the saints My dear young friends, I want to invite you to dare to love. Do not desire anything less for your life than a love that is strong and beautiful and that is capable of making the whole of your existence a joyful undertaking of giving yourselves as a gift to God and your brothers and sisters, in imitation of the One who vanquished hatred and death forever through love (cf Rev 5:13). Love is the only force capable of changing the heart of the human person and of all humanity, by making fruitful the relations between men and women, between rich and poor, between cultures and civilisations. This is shown to us in the lives of the saints. They are true friends of God who channel and reflect this very first love. Try to know them better, entrust yourselves to their intercession, and strive to live as they did. I shall just mention Mother Teresa. In order to respond instantly to the cry of Jesus, I thirst, a cry that had touched her deeply, she began to take in the people who were dying on the streets of Calcutta in India. From that time onward, the only desire of her life was to quench the thirst of love felt by Jesus, not with words, but with concrete action by recognising his disfigured countenance thirsting for love in the faces of the poorest of the poor. Blessed Teresa put the teachings of the Lord into practice: Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me (Mt 25:40). The message of this humble witness of divine love has spread around the whole world. The secret of love Each one of us, my dear friends, has been given the possibility of reaching this same level of love, but only by having recourse to the indispensable support of divine Grace. Only the Lords help will allow us to keep away from resignation when faced with the enormity of the task to be undertaken. It instills in us the courage to accomplish that which is humanly inconceivable. Above all, the Eucharist is the great school of love. When we participate regularly and with devotion in Holy Mass, when we spend a sustained time of adoration in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, it is easier to understand the length, breadth, height and depth of his love that goes beyond all knowledge (cf Eph 3:17-18). By sharing the Eucharistic Bread with our brothers and sisters of the Church community, we feel compelled, like Our Lady with Elizabeth, to render in haste the love of Christ into generous service towards our brothers and sisters. Towards the encounter in Sydney On this subject, the recommendation of the apostle John is illuminating: Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth (1 Jn 3: 18-19). Dear young people, it is in this spirit that I invite you to experience the next World Youth Day together with your bishops in your respective dioceses. This will be an important stage on the way to the meeting in Sydney where the theme will be: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses (Acts 1:8). May Mary, the Mother of Christ and of the Church, help you to let that cry ring out everywhere, the cry that has changed the world: God is love! I am together with you all in prayer and extend to you my heartfelt blessing. From the Vatican, 27 January 2007 BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

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C O V E R S T O R Y

lobally, the impact of womens constructive role in the advancement of modern society is keenly felt at present than it was decades earlier as more women make further inroads in all fields of human existence. Thus, the celebration of International Womens Day on March 8 and National Womens Month (for the Philippines) is a fitting tribute to exalt womanhood, and to trumpet the role and contribution of women in shaping our individual lives: as mother, wife, sister, daughter, and friend. Nonetheless, like a double-edged sword, the celebration does not only urge us to trumpet the gains women have achieved in all levels of society, whether social, political and economic; but also call our attention to the plight of women all over the world. Women of various cultures have, time and again, struggled to advance their status in civilization and to articulate their innate desire for freedom and equality, breaking the traditional rules of conduct in which society has boxed them in. UN Convention and Declaration on the rights of women The 1981 United Nations (UN) convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, upholds that both men and women enjoy equal rights in all aspects of societal endeavor. However, despite the declarations and recommendations adopted by the UN and other specialized agencies promoting equality of rights of men and women, widespread discrimination against women continues to exist. Violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation. It knows no boundaries of geography, culture or wealth. As long as it continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace, said UN former Secretary General Kofi Annan in his message in November 25, 2000 marking the UNs first observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The 1993 UN declaration for the elimination of violence against women defines the term as any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.

Celebrating the Gift of Womanhood:

PUTTING AN END TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

By Pinky B. Barrientos, FSP

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Putting an End to Violence Against Women

I find that it is not the circumstances in which we are placed, but the spirit in which we faced them, that constitutes our comfort. -- Elizabeth T. King

Denz Dayao / IMPACT

Fact and Figures

Violence against women is the most common but least punished crime in the world. It is estimated that between 113 million and 200 million women are demographically missing. They have been the victims of infanticide (boys are preferred to girls) or have not received the same amount of food and medical attention as their brothers and fathers. The number of women forced or sold into prostitution is estimated worldwide at anywhere between 700,000 and 4,000,000 per year. Profits from sex slavery are estimated at seven to twelve billion US dollars per year. Globally, women between the age of fifteen and forty-four are more likely to be maimed or die as a result of male violence than through cancer, malaria, traffic accidents or war combined. At least one out of every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Usually, the abuser is a member of her own family or someone known to her. Domestic violence is the largest form of abuse of women worldwide, irrespective of region, culture, ethnicity, education, class and religion. It is estimated that more than two million girls are genitally mutilated per year, a rate of one girl every fifteen seconds. Systematic rape is used as a weapon of terror in many of the worlds conflicts. It is estimated that between 250,000 and 500,000 women in Rwanda were raped during the 1994 genocide. Studies show the increasing links between violence against women and HIV and demonstrate that HIV-infected women are more likely to have experienced violence, and that victims of violence are at higher risk of HIV infection. (United Nations)

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Putting an End to Violence Against Women

Violence against women includes, but should not be limited to physical, sexual and psychological domestic violence (battering, sexual abuse in the family, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation), violence in the community (rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation in the workplace, educational institutions or elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced prostitution), and violence perpetrated or condoned by the state. Violence affects millions of women globally, transcending socio-economic and educational background. It intersects cultural and religious barriers, depriving women of their basic right to participate completely in society. Violence against women takes on varied forms, from domestic abuse to rape, as well traditional and cultural practices that are harmful to women. Why women become victims of violence One primary reason why women fall victims to violence is the unequal status women has in a society. In a highly patriarchal culture, women are considered properties of their husbands, or their fathers, if unmarried. This is particularly true in developing countries and Asian nations where women have little protection, or no recourse at all to laws to defend them from exploitation and abuse. Women Aid International, a development agency that promotes all rights for peoples in all countries; reports that women victims of violence especially battered wives, often find themselves caught in a vicious cycle of economic dependence, lack of confidence in themselves, ignorance, and fear for their childrens lives and their own. Shame and social pressures also add up to their hesitancy to report domestic violence to authorities. The Philippine situation Prevalent among Filipino men is the macho mentality that contributes to the discrimination of women in all strata of society. This mindset is further reinforced by media portrayals of women as subservient and passive victims of discrimination and violence. According to Eden Bonagua-Parot, executive director of Womens Crisis Center (WCC), a non-government organiza-

tion that helps abused women and children find healing through counseling and related programs, the cultural aspect is a contributing factor why violence against women is perpetrated in the sanctuary of the home. The sense of shame, the fear of being blamed for the relationship that had gone awry, and the desire to keep the family intact, are common reasons why women dont report domestic violence, explains Bonagua-Parot. Researches conducted by WCC revealed a high incidence of violence against women being done right in the privacy of their own homes. Data showed that 60% of these cases are those of women and children abused by the husbands and partners, while 18.4% are victims of sexual abuse, such as rape and incest. From 1989 to 2004, there was a total of 2,685 new cases of wife battery and 839 of rape/incest recorded in WCCs data sheet. The way we see it, one cause of violence against women is the perception of some men that women are their properties, and that, they have power over women unequal power relationship between man and woman, says Bonagua-Parot. Take the case of Jenny (not her real name), who was a battered wife with three children. Jenny endured physical beatings for 11 years from her husband. She had left her husband several times in the past but she always came back after the husband asked for forgiveness. She finally found the courage to seek help for her and her children when she found out that her husband was using drugs. A relative referred her to a crisis center, where

she sought temporary shelter for her and her children. According to police records, an average of 20 cases of violence against women are reported everyday, although it is estimated that not all crimes committed against women are reported to authorities. Domestic violence Bonagua-Parot confirms that it is very difficult for victims of abuse and violence to come out in the open and report their abuser. Emotional dependency, she quips. For some, actually, even if they come to us for help, they still go back, despite the abuse. Tradition and ethnic beliefs are also seen as factors that help perpetuate the culture of violence. Mae Jardiniano, coordinator for Community Organizing, Networking and Policy Advocacy of WCC, says that the idea of a family as sacrosanct is deeply entrenched in the Filipino values. We have to preserve the family at all costs, says Jardiniano. The sad reality however, is that many Filipino homes have now become venues of domestic violence. The husband/father had become abuser of those he is supposed to love and protect. Connie (not her real name either), is a young woman with a 2-year old child borne out of incest relationship with her own father. Her mother, according to Connie, knew about the abuse being done on her, yet never did anything to help her. A medical social worker who learned of Connies situation immediately referred

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C O V E R S T O R Y her to WCC. The center provided her with counseling, medical and legal assistance, coordination with other agencies for her and her childs needs and livelihood training. Consequences of Abuse The consequences of physical abuse on the victims bodily and mental health are serious and create an emotional scar that runs deep. Physical violence can lead from body pains to disfigurement and permanent disability, whereas cost to mental health can lead the victim to live in perpetual anger, fear and self-blaming and suicidal thoughts. Cases of violence inflicted against women continue to rise in the country despite laws passed by Congress upholding womens rights and protecting them from any forms of discrimination and violence, such as the anti-rape law and RA 9262. Republic Act 9262 RA 9262, also known as Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004, declares that the state upholds the dignity of women and children, and protects their human rights, and defend them from violence or any form of threats to their safety and security. The Philippines, which is a party to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women and other international human rights body, basically adopted the provisions embodied in the UN declaration. Aside from RA 9262, another law that protects women from sexual assault, is the anti rape law. However, despite the presence of laws, Bonagua-Parot claims, implementation remains a big problem. Nonetheless, she is also quick to point out that the government is supportive of their causes. For instance, we are part of the Womens and Childrens crisis care and protection unit in East Avenue Medical Center. This space that we occupy in the hospital was given to us free of charge, says Bonagua-Parot. She explains that their organization works closely with the Department of Justice, Department of Social Welfare and Development, which gives financial assistance to rape victims; the National Commission on the role of women, with whom they work closely in lobbying Congress for laws that are helpful to women; and the Philippine National Police. There are 44 Women and Children protection units instituted by the Department of Health throughout the country, but not all are active due to lack of funds. Womens Crisis Center WCC acts as the convenor of the National Network of Family Violence Prevention Programs (NNFVPP). NNFVPP is composed of 48 womens organization serving urban, rural and indigenous communities in Metro Manila and in different parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It addresses the issue of violence against women and family violence through center and community-based prevention strategies. WCC also started the establishment of the first crisis center in the country. Here, women and children victims-survivors of battering, rape, incest, sexual harassment, prostitution and sex trafficking are counseled, supported and encouraged to take a firm commitment to end violence against women and work towards violence free families. Finding the courage to go on Having mustered the courage to pack up and leave her abusive husband, Jenny and her children sought temporary shelter at WCC. The center provided counseling services for Jenny and her children. WCC also conducted art therapy sessions to the children to facilitate their healing process. At present, Jenny is active in advocacy work of the survivors support program of WCC. Totally freed from the effects of abuse, Connie is now finding meaning in her life and of her sons. She realized that she should not blame herself for what happened to her. The counseling she received helped her acquire self-confidence and liberated her from the paralyzing condition of hopelessness. Bonagua-Parot believes that despite the cultural factor, there is still hope for abusive men to change their behavior and mentality. Education and the presence of laws are sure deterrent, she says. Celebrating womanhood The Church recognizes, indeed extols, the great mission of every woman in the world and for what they represent in the life of humanity. In a letter addressed to women in June 1995, the late John Paul II exalted the role of women and their indispensable contribution in the progress of society. He said that women have contributed to history as much as men and, more often than not, they did so in much more difficult conditions. The pope also acknowledged albeit with regret how womens dignity as persons has often been overlooked and them, relegated to the margins of society. The Church on her part, the pope said, can help in setting women free from every kind of exploitation and domination through renewed fidelity to the Gospel vision. Thank you, every woman, for the simple fact of being a woman! Through the insight which is so much part of your womanhood you enrich the worlds understanding and help to make human relations more honest and authentic. (JPII Letter to Women, 1995) To celebrate and to struggle Indeed, there is much to celebrate about as regards to the contribution of women in our individual lives and in society in general. But we should not also gloss over the fact that women, despite the accomplishments and positive role they perform in society, remain marginalized as a sector. Millions of women worldwide continue to suffer all forms of discrimination that deprive them of dignity as persons. Undeniably, the challenges are great, but the continuous struggle, hopefully, will raise public awareness that eventually will put an end to violence against women in our society. I

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N E W S FEATURES

General Assembly President Urges Action to Promote Gender Equality GA President Sheikha Haya
6 March 2007 Convening a special meeting of the General Assembly on gender equality and the empowerment of women, the 192-member bodys president today emphasized that these goals are the responsibility of all people, and achieving them will benefit society as a whole. I convened this debate in the United Nations with the support of Member States in order to celebrate womens achievements, but most importantly to share views on effective actions and lessons learned in overcoming the challenges to achieve true gender equality; in particular, the obstacles we need to overcome to bridge the gap between policy and practice, General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa of Bahrain told participants at the informal thematic debate. Yet in order to achieve this we must realize that the marginalization of work to promote gender equality and the perception that the empowerment of women remains a womens issue are among the most urgent obstacles we face, added Sheikha Haya. Gender equality is crucial to the well being of all nations. It is not only the responsibility of women; it is the responsibility of us all, women as well as men. Sheikha Haya, a legal expert whose long career included championing womens rights, said the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women are concerns that I hold close to my heart. The General Assembly president was an active participant in the movement to elevate the position of women in Bahrain before the Islamic sharia courts and is an advocate of a progressive interpretation of Islamic texts as they apply to women. Addressing the Member States today, she said: Especially since in some regions of our world, particular cultural and religious traditions continue to perpetuate inequalities. Many women continue to be marginalized, and, many women continue to be denied the full enjoyment of their basic human rights. What further disturbs me is that some women believe that they are inferior to men and in need of male protection. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon also issued a strong call for realizing the shared goal of gender equality in his address to the Assembly, which is slated to hear from more than 80 representatives of countries over the course of the two-day debate. Increased engagement of women, while a goal in itself, is also a condition for building healthier, better educated, more peaceful and more prosperous societies, he said. Despite global compacts and international legal instruments to shrink the gap between the genders, violence against women and girls, under-representation of women in decision-making positions, undervaluing of womens work and unbalanced educational opportunities for girls still persist, he noted. Changing this requires all of uswomen and mento work for enduring change in

Empowering Women Key to Eliminating Poverty, UN Rights Official Tells Committee

1 March 2007Womens empowerment and gender mainstreaming are key to tackling challenges, such as poverty, discrimination, educational gaps, high maternal mortality, disease and other ills, a senior United Nations official has told the world bodys Commission on the Status of Women. Despite several promising steps, including increased provision of microcredit and the accession of several States to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), challenges remain, Rachel N. Mayanja, the SecretaryGenerals Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women, said at a meeting yesterday. Continued discrimination against the girl child, violence against girls and women, and low representation of women in decision-making still pose major problems, Ms. Mayanja said. The Special Adviser also urged the Commission to examine the plight of women, widowed by HIV/AIDS, conflicts and natural disasters, and their children. Many widows do not values and attitudes, Mr. Ban, who stated that he has made gender balance a key goal in selecting his senior management team, said. This entails transforming relations between women and men, at all levels of society. The Secretary-General stressed that actions must be taken on several fronts immediately, including boosting male participation in the household and family care; ensuring womens access to education, healthcare, property and land; remarry, are not employed and isolated from society, resulting in poverty disproportionately affecting women. Among the almost 50 speakers at the meetings was Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), who called for the implementation and monitoring of provisions of treaties targeted at empowering women. Another speaker, Carmen Moreno, Director of the UN International Research and Training Institute of Women (INSRAW), asserted that women must have greater decision-making power at all levels, be it in the household or in politics, to allow both Governments and societies to be more responsive to their needs. The Commission commenced its 51st session at UN Headquarters in New York on this Monday, 26 February. This year, the Commission is introducing new work methods, by focusing on one key theme, the eliminationofallformsofdiscrimination against girls, during this session, which will last from 2007 to 2009. (UN News Center) challenging stereotypes and practices detrimental to women and girls; and incorporating womens rights into new UN schemes, such as the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights Council. The two-day debate, the second-ever held by the Assembly, also includes panel discussions on such topics as women and decision-making and empowerment of women, including microfinance. The debate also coincides with the 51st session of the UN

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N E W S FEATURES

A Protestant Pastor Confined Struggle for Gender Equality for 4 Years for his Sermons Should not Ignore Differences, Says Vatican T a s h k e n t , was not assisted by his deUzbekistan, March 10, 2007 The Andijan court yesterday condemned Protestant Pastor Dmitry Shestakov to 4 years confinement for his religious activities. Meanwhile across the country persecution of Christians is on the increase, they are registered threatened and put on trial. Forum 18 agency reports that Shestakov was accused of illegally organizing religious groups, inciting ethnic, racial or religious hatred and distributing materials containing ideas of religious extremism. According to local sources, the proof used against him consists of two religious sermons recorded in June 2006, by a professor at Andijan University, and for having carried out religious services for the Full Gospel Church, an authorized religious organization. Forum 18 points out however that the pastor has been operative in the country for quite some time and that the charges were only laid against him following his conversion of entire families to Christianity. During the trial Shestakov Commission on the Status of Women, also being convened at UN Headquarters, and Wednesday, 8 March, is International Womens Day. The two-day debate, the second-ever held by the Assembly, also includes panel discussions. At the opening of the discussion on Women and decision-making, Sheikha Haya said that women are poorly represented in both the public and private sectors in more senior levels of decision-making. fence lawyer, taken ill, but by a state lawyer. National media repeatedly reported the pastor and his followers to be drug and alcohol addicts as well as religious fanatics. The location where Shestakovin prison since January 21will spend his confinement term is unknown. Meanwhile secret police operations against Christian communities continue. On February 25 that about ten police secret police officers armed with video-cameras raided a Pentecostal churchs Sunday worship service in the southern city of Karshi. After the congregation finished the service, secret police officers began interrogating them to reveal why they had become Christians and where the church received its money. Police also searched all the rooms and seized Christian literature and audio and video recordings. The Pentecostal Church has been seeking registration for over 7 years, but it still has not been granted; for this reason its activities are judged illegal. Only the Islamic and Christian Orthodox faiths are permitted in the region, the protestant communions are still deemed illegal. (AsiaNews) However, pointing to the African Union, which has reached an equal gender balance at its highest levels, she added, We do not need to see gender equality as a long-term aspiration; rather, it can be an immediately attainable goal. The debate also coincides with the 51st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, also being convened at UN Headquarters, and Wednesday, 8 March, is International Womens Day. (UN News Center)

New York, March 9, 2007The struggle for equality can be authentic if the difference and the complementarity between men and women is recognized. The tendency to blur, if not entirely deny, the differences between men and women in favor of the purely cultural dimension [. . .] has [an] impact on the stability of society and of families. Such is the thrust of Mgr Celestino Migliores address to the 61st Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations yesterday. The Holy Sees permanent observer spoke during an informal debate dedicated to the Promotion of Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women held on International Womens Day. Mgr Migliore said that search for equality between men and women has had positive results but stressed that the overall struggle for equality would not be authentic if there was not a parallel recognition of their physical differences and roles, which lead to mutual respect. The Vatican representative deplored a tendency [. . .] to blur, if not entirely deny, the differences between men and

women. In order to avoid the domination of one sex over the other, their differences tend to be obscured or viewed as mere effects of historical and cultural conditioning. Equality between women and men and the empowerment of women, he insisted, will be attained when the differences of the sexes are recognized and highlighted as complementary, not antithetical. In reiterating the need to continue the fight against all forms of discrimination that prevent the feminine genius from making its contribution to society, Mgr Migliore gave concrete examples of what the Church was doing in this area. For example, he said that Catholic Relief Services provide poor women micro-financing. This has enabled them to build their managerial capacities and involve them in the management and administration of the services they receive. Hence, their standards of living have improvedthey have gained more respect from men, become more aware of the importance of an education and improved their families health. (AsiaNews)

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FROM THE B L O G S

Remember:

Hello Garci
Images.com/Corbis

he Hello Garci issue refuses to die. It was denied to rest with the adamant rejection of the impeachment process no less than twice filed in the House of Representatives. The avid pro-administration allies themselves resolutely denied the incumbent national leadership to have its side heard. The result is disastrous for the incumbent itself. It now continues to be haunted with the by-word shameful triad of lying, cheating and stealing. It thus also continues to be strongly distrusted and disrespected. It could be at times telling the truth. Yet, it is met with disbelief. It could be having good intentions every now and then. Still, it continues to be ridiculed. That is why no less than three years after, the Hello Gari debacle continues to haunt many people. They still talk about it. They continue to crack big jokes about it. But more than all these, there is both the reservation and apprehension that the May 2007 Elections could again be tarnished with the same shameful chaos. Even the CBCP expressed its fears for the integrity of the forthcoming elections. It clearly stated: As a nation, we cannot afford yet another controver-

sial electoral exercise that further aggravates social distrust and hopelessness. That is why it called upon all the dioceses and parishes in the whole country to work together to make this years election credible. This is why more and more religious groups, NGOs and other private organizations are now coming up with plans and programs with the same objective: make the midterm elections this year as honest and acceptable as possible. They are well aware of the hurdles they face: formidable machinery plus bottomless fund of the administration. To stay in power, there are no holds barred. Nothing sacred. No one is inexpendable. One thing is certain, it cannot be said that people by and large are not wary of the dangers that lie ahead before, during and after May this year. If they succeed in their resolve to safeguard the ethical soundness of the forthcoming elections, well and good. If not, it cannot be said that they did nothing. Meantime: remember the previous gross elections cheating! Remember the cheating operators! Remember the big cheating beneficiaries! Remember Hello Garci!
www.ovc.blogspot.com

Killing Rampage

he task force USIG is of no consequence. The MELO Commission does not matter. The UN Rapporteur may be good to have. But the killing rampage goes on just the same. The only criterion to be killed with stealth and certainty is not to be pro-administration. This is a very dangerous country for individuals who abhor lying, cheating and stealing by public officials supposedly holding public trust. The who, when and how do not matter. The only proviso is that those who are marked as decidedly and effectively antiadministration are eventually eliminated from the face of the earth. Leaders of progressive groups. Truthful media practitioners. Straight professionals. Poor and hungry farmers. Churchmen and their followers. When marked for termination, their blood is spilled, their lives are needed. The abolition of death penalty in the country was hailed the world over. But killing still goes on. So many killings, yet no killer placed behind bars. So many investigations, yet its finding are kept secret from the public. Not only is the MAYUGA report kept under wraps. Not only is the MELO Commission report withheld from media. Even the doings of Cabinet members should be kept secret as designed by the national lead-

ership. People cannot but be reminded of the odious martial law regime. Strangely, the killings during the present administration are called extrajudicial. Why? Is there any Judicial killing? Does the judicial branch of government still pronounce death sentences? Does the government intend to bring back the death penalty that would stand for judicial killing? Since the incumbency of the present national leadership, the most conservative estimate of the number of killing here and there is almost 300. Other NGO offices have a count of more than 700. But be what it may, the killings go on now and then, and the counting also goes on as well. When will the killings stop? It is not only dangerous but probably also fatal to answer this questionlest the respondents be killed too thereafter! When no less than human lives are laid to waste at the foot of the administration, then this has no real reason to promote human dignity, to protect human rights. And this is precisely the ominous phenomenon closely accompanying the national leadership with its triumphant pronouncements that find no basis in the real Philippines. Immediately wanted: truthful, honest and upright leaders!
www.ovc.blogspot.com

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bayan.ph

EDITORIAL

The mystery of woman is revealed in motherhood.

- Pope John Paul II

Woman

rought to distinct existence by divine provi dence, imprinted with the sublime image of her creator God, endowed with the mysterious capacity to bring other human persons in the world of realitythis is woman! The whole humanity cannot but respect and marvel at her. She is there to love, cherish and care for, to protect and defend against her violators and exploiters. She is not merely valuable for her beauty and charm. She has very much more than her physical attributes and grace. She is in pacified and certified possession of her own human dignity and pursuant human rights. And she is definitely more than just a companion for man. To fill in his lack and complement his inadequacy. She may be physically weak but definitely strong in will and spirit. She is delicate but resilient, tender yet wise and prudent. She seems to have a sixth sense that makes her know the unsaid and see in the beyond of the realities here and now. She definitely much more than she makes others see, notice and behold. There must be something intrinsically evil and vicious in a world where man looks down on her,

offends and even takes advantage of her. The truth is that society hurts and in effect undermines itself when it shamelessly considers women as but second class citizens. What is even more offensive is when people remain silent and still when men consider themselves not only superior to women. It is much worse when a man believes that he is equal to more than one woman. The debasement of woman has its start when they are considered merely at face value. This is not only misleading but also gross perception. What is hidden in the persona of woman is definitely much more than what her external appearance conveys. A woman is categorically not an iota less than a man. Her humanhood is absolutely equal to that of any man. That is why machismo is in effect insecurity if not in fact downright falsely. All the above affirmations of women are easy to make and promote. There is no need of any research and expertise. It is not even necessary to have recourse to distant anthropology or profound theology. There is strong and ample proof about the inherent greatness and gentleness, the marked tenderness and loveliness of women. Just think of ones mother. And understand the woman.

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ARTICLES
moting these population control and family planning bills will cry that this way of looking at the situation is uncalled for. I understand them perfectly. But while it is good to be trusting, it is better to be prudent. And in this case, prudence is a result of extensive experience and consistent data gathered worldwide indicating a systematic plan to subvert the very Christian sense of morality. The issue is not really poverty and overpopulation. If it were just poverty and other social problems, then by all means, we have to go all out in finding the most effective, most practical and cheapest means. But the issue is not that. The issue is morality. It is our understanding of freedom, responsibility, truth, etc. that is at stake here. There is a most treacherous attempt to undermine morals, using the most seductive arguments. We are told that we should just be practical, and leave aside the luxury of considering the moral aspects. Why, is it not very moral to be able to eliminate poverty and curb overpopulation? Its a tired yarn, but many still fall for it. That is why it is important that everyone is vigilant and generous in helping to clarify the issue. For what is before us is a big challenge, requiring tremendous effort and resources. We cannot exaggerate the problems and difficulties involved. In defending the truth, what is basically used is also the truth, the truth about us as persons, as children of God, and as responsible social beings and citizens of a certain country. But it is also truth that can only be given in charity. This is the teaching of the Church, the example of Christ. It cannot be any other way. The goal is not to find out who is right and wrong, who is more clever or practical or popular. The goal is to convert all to Christ. And this can only be reached through grace, through prayers, through faithful adherence to the doctrine of our faith, through the sacraments and virtues. This cannot be done by use of force or tricks. No matter how stubborn and dense, no matter how wrong we are, we need to be respected in our freedom. This approach, of course, is not easy at all. But neither is it an impossible one. As long as one is really with God, he will be with the truth, and he will manage to live, affirm and defend it in charity, no doubt about that. Bottom line: use more the supernatural and spiritual means without neglecting any human means available to us. I

Population Issue Revisited

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

ith the election of new members of Congress, concern is now high as to whether the population bills will finally be passed into law. People behind them are campaigning hard to get the numbers to pass them. These bills are highly contentious. They have provoked a truly sharp clash of positions not showing signs of easing up. Philippine society has been painfully divided as a consequence. The focus of contention has long shifted from the text and content of the bills, obviously written to sound harmless and benevolent, to the kind of people, institutions and ideologies behind them. We have to understand that the whole shebang is only a thumbnail of a much larger picture, a mere shadow of a much

graver conflict, just one more front in a frontierless war between faith and ideology, between good and evil. Just the same, the battle in Congress is crucial, for its outcome can significantly transform the complexion of our society. It can open a Pandoras box. It can be a wedge through which many others more corrupting elements can ruin marriages and break up families. Whatever relief or help the bills can give seem to be only temporary and shallow. But relief can also be provided by other more acceptable sources. What is clear is that these bills can inflict a deeper and more serious and lasting damage to our culture and ethos. This is no exaggeration. In fact, I hope I am exaggerating. I know that those pro-

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Images.com/Corbis

ARTICLES

ast March 18, 1982, at 10:00 a.m. I was ordained priest with three others by Archbishop Bruno Torpigliani, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines. The last twenty five years of my priestly life was marked by a passionate pursuit of dreams and visions. It all began when as a little boy, I looked at the priests who celebrated mass in school and at my parish church, wondering what it must be like to do what they do, say what they say and go were they go. I looked and watch in awe and wonder and wished that one day I too will experience that grand adventure called the priesthood. The little boys dream eventually came true. Strangely, the dreams did not go or fade away through the years in spite of the painful realities and contradictions that came my way. I often wonder whether the dreams or the little boy really went away or are they still here behind the thoughts, feelings, energies, aspirations flowing through my finger tips onto the computer keys? I am fifty two alright and twenty five years thereof passionately, deliciously and adventurously spent as a priest responding to a voice that once said, Come follow me. Oh, God knows where that voice has led me and what it has made me do. I am not exactly where I would want to be now but I do not have the slightest regret. I wish to thank the owner of the Voice whom I have tried to bravely and faithfully follow in the last twenty five years through a simple list of twenty five dreams. I am sure He is partly responsible for planting those dreams in me, but how these dreams may have happened or not yet happened are all choices and contexts that were partly due to and also beyond me. The dreams were more

Twenty Five Years, Twenty Five Dreams

By Fr. Roberto P. Reyes than adventures. They were doorways into mystery. Thank You Jesus for your invitation then and now. Thank you for the adventure that continues even now and surely until the end of my human and priestly life. Thank you for the mystery that makes life worth all of my blood, sweat and tears. I dream of following Jesus to strange, unknown and dangerous lands to bring the message of His Fathers Kingdom. I dream of entering the seminary to prepare myself for this wonderful journey. I dream of one day finally being able to say Mass for my people, specially the poor and the oppressed, bringing them the gospel of justice, truth and freedom. I dream of living with the poor, knowing and understanding their lives, their struggles and their dreams. I dream of finding a solution to the structural and social evils that are destroying our peoples faith, morality and future. I dream of being part of the story of putting and end to the Conjugal Marcos Dictatorship or any dictatorship for that matter. I dream of a Church not run by the ecclesiastical elite for the elite, a Church truly one with the people, especially the poor. I dream of a priesthood free from the lure of money and material possessions, a priesthood nourished by the spirit of Christ, seen, felt and shared as love and compassion for and among the poor. I dream of brother priests who will become family and community, who will share a vision of church, country and world that is always new and never jaded and trapped within uncreative dogmatism and fossilized tradition. I dream of community where there is no high or low, where hierarchy is secondary to solidarity and communion, where service is more visible than authority. I dream of running the whole stretch and breadth of the Philippines, to see, know and understand more deeply the country I love most. I dream of running in different countries and getting to know peoples, their culture, history and dreams not only with mind, heart, soul but also with my feet.

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ARTICLES
I dream of studying culture, to know how my people and other people struggle to make sense of chaos, contradiction, conflict, wars and death in order to fashion a culture of lasting peace, justice, compassion, freedom and equality among all, humans and nature. I dream of celebrations truly alive, relevant, indigenous, inclusive, empowering and liberating. I dream of having friends from all over the world who can teach me more about what is on the other side and lead me beyond what is parochial towards the truly global. I dream of being able to move in a world of fewer intrigues, lies and pettiness that engender needless hostility, animosity and division. I dream of being forgiven and likewise being able to forgive those I have hurt and those who have hurt me. I dream of living in a world where people no longer killed animals for food or turned them into clothes, toys or spectacles. Peace can only be complete when it is experienced by and with all creatures besides humans. I dream of becoming more Asian and Eastern to complement my Western-ness. I dream of learning and doing more Tai Chi and Qigong, more Yoga and more running too, as well as deepening my knowledge and experience of Christian prayer and contemplation. I dream of being able to express without fear or threat of repression or marginalization what is truly within. I dream of different peoples expressing themselves passionately and creatively in their unique, inimitable ways. I dream of an end to Traditional trapo Politics that contaminates and vitiates not only government but all revered institutions including the churches. I dream of a truly peoples government sincerely and above all concerned about the welfare and future of the ordinary people than the economic and political elite. I dream of an end to all killings and the beginning of genuine justice implemented by courts of integrity, probity and dignity. I dream of the return of most if not all exiles so that their dreams and those of their people can finally fuse into a consuming flame for the good and liberation of the Filipino people. I dream of another twenty five years of listening and following the same Voice wherever and whatever it wants me to go and do. I
Multiculturalism / from p.10

is the problem of leadership, in the family and in society, which does not mean predomination, oppression or the lack of recognition of female predominance in a number of sectors and circumstances. Allah (Glory be to Him, the Most High) assigns this management role to the male. It is an onerous and difficult task that men would often willingly do without, and for which he must respond before Allah. This apologetic comment, written by an Italian converted to Islam, mirrors the opinion of traditionalistic ulemas, avoiding their excesses. It assigns specific tasks to men and to women, tasks which are unchangeable because determined by God, which claim to correspond to the nature of one and the other. It is obvious that such a distribution of roles, established by God for eternity and valid for all times and cultures, is hardly compatible with Western mentality and is often incompatible with the laws and constitutions of Europe. Conclusion Is it possible to accept this teaching in the name of the respect for cultures and religious tolerance? This is the serious question faced by all Western countries.
Images / from p.11

I dont know if the flag-wavers of multiculturalism realize how much human damage they cause. Actually, it is increasingly clear that so-called multicultural tolerance is only acquiescence to a subtle form of racism. In the name of cultural difference, in fact, everything is left to proceed on parallel tracks, without envisaging any progress, integration or betterment in the name of human dignity. It is time for Europe to understand that religious law cannot prevail over civil law and that, above every form of tolerance, there is a countrys constitution. If this does not happen, Islam will be given carte blanche to colonize our customs. I NOTES : 1) The imam, who had lived in France for 24 years, did not understand the word stoning, which he understood to mean beating. Hence, his reply. 2) In UCOIIs translation, generally attributed to Hamza Piccardo (Imperia, 1994), the following note can be read This is the ideal of the believing woman: patient and modest. Says the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): The best of women is she who rejoices at your gaze, obeys you, guards her person and the property of the husband in his absence.

In one passage of his article Verdon writes about the catechetical efficacy of Christian art, even in a secularized society: Believers and nonbelievers are still fascinated by the heritage of painting, sculpture, and architecture generated by Christians over the centuries, not only because of the formal beauty of the works, but because in them one finds oneself face to face with themes that correspond to urgent contemporary questions. In the Europe of legalized abortion, which is considering the admissibility of euthanasia, typical images of the Christian tradition like the Madonna with Child or Christ on the Cross rattle consciences, insisting with quiet power on the irreplaceable value of life, and even of suffering life. Eikon, the new magazine by FMR, directed by Flaminio Gualdoni, is dedicated to contemporary visual culture, and therefore also to how man today sees the art of the past. The theme of the first

issue is Faith and the arts, and Verdons article is followed by, among others, two articles concerning masterpieces very well known to Romes visitors: the Piet by Michelangelo, in St. Peters Basilica, and the modern Risen Christ by Pericle Fazzini that dominates the papal audience hall. A splendid photo of Michelangelos Piet, taken by Aurelio Amendola, is on the cover of the magazines first issue. Moreover, again for FMR, Timothy Verdon has edited the large-format volume Bellezza e identit. LEuropa e le sue cattedrali [Beauty and identity: Europe and its cathedrals], dedicated to Benedict XVI on the occasion of his eightieth birthday, which falls next April 16th. Its cost, which is double that of the Compendium of the Catechism, gives an idea of the extraordinary quality of the work, dedicated to the Christian imprint on Europe that can be discerned in its cathedrals. I

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ARTICLES

utins visit to Italy reflects an array of religious, political and strategic inter ests. Following his meeting with the Pope yesterday during which extremism, intolerance and ecumenism were discussed, the Russian leader will focus on energy and security during his summit with Italian leaders in Bari. He will then travel to Greece. Todays agenda included banks, planes, international adoptions as well as several hot spots like Kosovo and Iran. Several agreements are expected to be signed with Italian companies like Enel, Finmeccanica, Italian Railways, and banks like Intesa and Mediobanca. Enel is set to sign a letter of intent with the Russian Atomic Energy Agency for cooperation in producing electric energy. Finmeccanica will sign a protocol of industrial collaboration between its affiliate Alenia and Russias Sukhoi to build passenger planes for regional routes over the next 20 years. The expected deal between Italys energy giant ENI and Gazprom has however been postponed. The meeting between the two companies top executives did not take place. Still technical talks will continue. When it is sealed, the deal should give the Russian giant access to the Italian market where it could directly sell its gas. In exchange Italy gets guaranteed supplies till 2035. When fully implemented it could involve up to three billion m3 of gas annually. Economic and strategic interests Although not fully ironed out the accord would represent an economic victory for Russia as well as a strategic breakthrough because it would give Moscow an outlet to ice-free waters and a presence in the Mediterranean, a goal pursued by the tsars from the Crimean war till the Great War. Then, the goal was Constantinople and the straits. Russia has always suffered from an encirclement complex which explains its role in the Sarajevo conspiracy. Its goal was Constantinople and the Bosphorus (aim pursued in 1914 by Tsarist Foreign Minister Sazonov and the Pan-Slavists) at a time when the Ottoman Empire appeared on the brink of collapse. Behind it all was and is the idea that who controls Eurasia controls the world, a theory formulated for the first time in 1904 by the founder of modern geopolitics Sir Halford John Mackinder, 1861 1947). Russia already occupies much of the Eurasian landmass but does not control it. Natural resources would be Moscows tools to

More Than Business Behind Putins Visit to Italy

The Russian president inked the last economic and trade deals in Italy before flying off to Greece. His reasons to visit Rome and the Vatican largely reflect Russias eternal fear of encirclement and its quest for warm waters.

by Maurizio dOrlando pursue such goals. Indeed, controlling the Mediterraneanwhose hub is Rome would give Russia control over the Eurasias Heartland and therefore over Eurasia. Today like yesterday the Dardanelles and the straits are the key chokepoints that to control most energy supplies that reach the Mediterranean and Italy. Direct gas sales in Italy would offer Gazprom good commissions but also valued added. Such access would enable it to get better wholesale prices than it does today when it has to sell to Italys de facto ENI monopoly. In the tug of war between the two energy giants, Gazprom won. But for Italy the gain is greater domestic competition and guaranteed supplies. This is important since a wave of privatisations left Italy heavily dependent on foreign energy and, like many other Western powers, on hydrocarbons taxes. On the short run, gas shipped via pipeline from Libya, Algeria (with which Gazprom has monopolistic deals) and Russia could be replaced by liquefied gas transported by ship and re-gasified at Italian terminals. This could reduce the price of natural gas by a lot. Religious and political interests Putins trip to Italy also has a religiouspolitical dimension that should not be overlooked since it is also his first visit to the Vatican. For the Russian president meeting Benedict XVI reflects a desire to have the Vatican on his side in the great strategic game that is being played out on the energy, political, ideological and religious fields. Support from the Church of Rome would help Putin dismiss European and US criticism over Russias human rights record, its political use of energy supplies and its reticence vis--vis sanctions against Iran. It would also reduce the countrys historic fear of encirclement. This is especially true in the Middle East, where Putin like his predecessors probably views Russia as the traditional protector of Christian Orthodoxy in the Holy Land, and wants to break its isolation by preventing the Vatican from aligning itself to the staunchly pro-Israel positions of the US right. This way Russia would not have to make compromise with Islamic fundamentalism which Russians, too, view as a danger. (Asia News)

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FROM THE I N B O X

The Color of Friendship

O
Cure for Sorrow

here is an old Chinese tale about a woman whose only son died. In her grief, she went to the holy man and said, What prayers, what magical incantations do you have to bring my son back to life? Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said to her, Fetch me a mustard seed from a home that has never known sorrow. We will use it to drive the sorrow out of your life. The woman went off at once in search of that magical mustard seed. She came first to a splendid mansion, knocked at the door, and said, I am looking for a home that has never known sorrow. Is this such a place? It is very important to me. They told her, Youve

certainly come to the wrong place, and began to describe all the tragic things that recently had befallen them. The woman said to herself, Who is better able to help these poor, unfortunate people that I, who have had misfortune of my own? She stayed to comfort them, then went on in search of a home that had never known sorrow. But wherever she turned, in hovels and in other places, she found one tale after another of sadness and misfortune. She became so involved in ministering to other peoples grief that ultimately she forgot about her quest for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that it had, in fact, driven the sorrow out of her life.
rowena.dalanon@cbcpworld.net

The Bear and the Two Travelers

wo men were traveling together, when a Bear suddenly met them on their path. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree and concealed himself in the branches. The other, seeing that he must be attacked, fell flat on the ground, and when the Bear came up and felt him with his snout, and smelt him all over, he held his breath, and feigned the appearance of death as

much as he could. The Bear soon left him, for it is said he will not touch a dead body. When he was quite gone, the other Traveler descended from the tree, and jocularly inquired of his friend what it was the Bear had whispered in his ear. He gave me this advice, his companion replied. Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger.
rowena.dalanon@cbcpworld.net

nce upon a time the col ors of the world started to quarrel. All claimed that they were the best. The most important. The most useful. The favorite. Green said: Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves. Without me, all animals would die. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority. Blue interrupted: You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea. The sky gives space and peace and serenity. Without my peace, you would all be nothing. Yellow chuckled: You are all so serious. I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world. The sun is yellow, the moon is yellow, the stars are yellow. Every time you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile. Without me there would be no fun. Orange started next to blow her trumpet: I am the color of health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life. I carry the most important vitamins. Think of carrots, pumpkins, oranges, mangoes, and papayas. I dont hang around all the time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking that no one gives another thought to any of you. Red could stand it no longer he shouted out: I am the ruler of all of you. I am blood lifes blood! I am the color of danger and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into the blood. Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon. I am the color of passion and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy.

Purple rose up to his full height: He was very tall and spoke with great pomp: I am the color of royalty and power. Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey. Finally Indigo spoke, much more quietly than all the others, but with just as much determination: Think of me. I am the color of silence. You hardly notice me, but without me you all become superficial. I represent thought and reflection, twilight and deep water. You need me for balance and contrast, for prayer and inner peace. And so the colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own superiority. Their quarreling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down relentlessly. The colors crouched down in fear, drawing close to one another for comfort. In the midst of the clamor, rain began to speak: You foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying to dominate the rest. Dont you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me. Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands. The rain continued: From now on, when it rains, each of you will stretch across the sky in a great bow of color as a reminder that you can all live in peace. The Rainbow is a sign of hope for tomorrow. And so, whenever a good rain washes the world, and a Rainbow appears in the sky, let us remember to appreciate one another.
rowena.dalanon@cbcpworld.net

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B O O K REVIEWS
the underlying concern of most of his books, he never wrote a book about the life of Jesus Each chapter is inspired by a scene from the gospels, and these chapters are arranged in order, beginning with the Annunciation and the Visitationafter these chapters, the Gospel story itself begins. Which actually makes the book uniquely different from all the other books of the author. Reading it, feels like walking and reflecting with Nouwen in a personal, yet profoundly spiritual, novel yet characteristically simple way of retelling the Gospel story. This volume is published by the Daughters of St. Paul and is available at all Paulines Bookstores. readers of this book will return to it again and again for instruction and inspiration. Be one of those readers and get others to read it too, says Bishop Bacani. This book is published and distributed by the Daughters of St. Paul.

Inviting God In
Joyce Rupp This is a book of meditation presented like a journalits a

Jesus A Gospel
Henri Nouwen The Introduction to the book by Michael OLaughlin says it better: This book attempts to fill a gap in Henris many writings. Although Jesus was

page a day. Some years back, this style of presentation would only be available at protestant authors that commonly write short tracts of teachings gleaned from the concrete day to day experiences. Whats so inviting with this book is its simplicity and sincerity that flows from a religious conviction and experience. A line or two from the bible is stringed from the scriptures then a twoor-three-paragraph meditation follow. The reflection topics follow the progression of the liturgical calendarfrom advent, to lent, to ordinary time and so on. Hopefully it will be read and prayed by individuals who are seeking to nurture their daily life. It could also serve as a catalyst for those preparing worship services and other prayer experiences, says the author.

John Paul II and the Mystery of the Eucharist

Fr. Fidelis Stoeckl, ORC Bishop Ted Bacani writes the Foreword to this book. And he invites everybody to read it. Which is fair, because in this volume, Fr. Stoeckls presents a catechetical synthesis of the Eucharistic Teachings of the late Pope John Paul II. In fact, one maybe inclined to refer to this book as a compendium of the teachings, writings, homilies and addresses of the Pontiff on such a very significant topic as the Eucharist. It's easy and handy and it saves one the time and hustle of boring through thick volumes and files. I have no doubt that the

Clergy Compensation
Abp. Oscar V. Cruz, JCD Exclusively ordained for the preaching of the Gospel and for the administration of the Sacraments, how should priests be sustained in the day to day living? Categorically committed to the pastoral service of an ecclesiastical jurisdiction, perseverance in continence, and observance of the spirit of detachment, how could priests be adequately remunerated and thereby enable them to continue their ministry? To keep them serving when able, to give them assistance when sick, to maintain them when retired, to extend to them a decent burial when they diewhat could be done to respond to these basic realities even in the lives of priests? From the pastoral

and canonical point of view, this book satisfactorily answers these questions. While this book is, at first blush, seemingly intended for priests, this may actually be good even for lay people who may wish to understand temporal realities surrounding their priests.

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ENTERTAINMENT

CATHOLIC INITIATIVE FOR E NLIGHTENED MOVIE APPRECIATION

Title: MUSIC AND LYRICS Running Time: 103 mins Lead Cast: Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, Brad Garrett, Haley Bennet, Campbell Scott Director: Marc Lawrence Producers: Marc Lawrence Screenwriters: Marc Lawrence Music: Adam Schlesinger Editor: Susan E. Morse Genre: Romance Cinematography: Xavier Perez Grobet Distributor: Warner Bro. Location: USA Technical Assessment: Moral Assessment: CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

A SHOWBIZ has-been Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant ) wants to return to the stage to satisfy the demands of his middle aged female fans. Among these fans, however, is a sexy female teenage recording and concert star, Cora ( Haley Bennett ) who claims his songs had guided her spiritually as a child in a dysfunctional family. Cora--a Britney Spears clone--wants badly to do a duet with Alex for her new album, a to perform in tandem with him in a concert, but alas, his well has run dry and he can't produce anymore songs. Enter Sophie

Fisher ( Drew Barrymore ), substituting for the plant sitter at his apartment. She hardly knows anything about tending plants but she happens to be a songwriter, a delicious and convenient fact he chances upon while he is at his driest trying to compose a song with his agent Chris Riley ( Brad Garrett ) to beat the deadline set by Cora . After some mild persuasion Sarah agrees to co-write the lyrics to Alan 's melody, and they seem destined to make beautiful music together. Music and Lyrics is not exactly a mu-

sical, but because of the theme and the storyline and the presence of some musical numbers, it could be mislabeled, leading the public to expect the wrong things out of it. It is well made, though, and while its technical aspects are nothing extraordinary, it possesses a certain appeal that emanates from the characterization, the realness of the people whose simple story is told. Grant is pathetically hilarious as he thrills his middle-aged women fans with his pelvic thrusts--not quite as vigorous as Elvis' but? that's reality in showbiz. A rather underweight but sweet Barrymore plays Grant's partner with just the right amount of chemistry to make the team come across as credible and project the level of attraction the story calls for. The plot is light enough to be entertaining, and for a movie of its genre (romantic comedy), should prove delightful for all audiences especially girls and women. It is notable that while there is much hype about the "sexy" musical star Cora , her numbers are not seductive or as "hot" as may be expected--this seems deliberate on the part of the director, especially when viewers consider that the character has spiritual leanings and in the end is mentioned as having Fletcher sing at her wedding. In short, it is noteworthy that the movie does not take advantage of the milieu (showbiz) to promote the usual and less-than-wholesome things found in the entertainment world, like extra-marital affairs, suggestive dancing, foul language or double talk, and general sexual permissiveness.

ANSWER TO THE LAST ISSUE: IGNORANCE ITSELF IS WITHOUT A DOUBT A SIN FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT WISH TO UNDESTAND; FOR THOSE WHO, HOWEVER, CANNOT UNDERSTAND, IT IS PUNISHMENT OF SIN. - ST. AUGUSTINE. QUOTES IN QUIZ Booklets available at BOOKSALE stores in SM, Robinsons and selected malls in Manila. For mail order text 0919 2803036.

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N E W S BRIEFS N.KOREA INDIA PAKISTAN THAILAND

Main Nuclear Reactor Web Site helps Loved Group stresses urgency Church Joins Fight vs Shutdown on Schedule Ones Find Each Other of women empowerment Smoking
The government of N. Korea is committed to shutting down its main nuclear reactor within a month, as long as Washington meets its promise to drop financial sanctions, the chief UN nuclear inspector said after a one-day trip to Pyongyang. In the first trip by the UN authorities since its inspectors were kicked out four years ago, agency head Mohamed ElBaradei said N. Korea discussed how it would shut its main reactor and welcome back UN inspectors. The assessment was an encouraging sign that a month-old nuclear disarmament pact between N. Korea, the U.S. and four other countries remains on track.
EGYPT

Desperate for information? Concerned friends and families may now look online to find their missing loved ones. The Salesians of Don Bosco in India have launched a website to trace missing children. The site, (www.missingchildsearch.net), intends to help find missing children providing information for the authorities as well as the unfortunate families. Visitors can leave messages and photos of the missing children. The site has provided a new platform for all child welfare organizations to come together and work together, the organizers said.
S.KOREA

The condition of women in Pakistan has deteriorated rather than improved, a church group said stressing the need to empower women and respect womens rights. The Commission for Peace and Human Development of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Pakistan denounced some laws, which discriminate women denying them to access to economic, social and cultural development. It also assailed violence against women including domestic violence, deprivation from the voting right and denial of equal opportunities.

Public health advocates battling cigarette-makers have found an unexpected ally: Church. The Catholic church of Thailand has joined efforts to discourage smoking at least starting this season of Lent. Redemptorist Bishop Philip Banchong Chaiyara of Ubon Ratchathani, head of Thailands Catholic Commission for Human Development said that Lent is time for mortification. We want laypeople to recognize Lent as an opportunity to be closer with God. This year we have an anti-smoking campaign. Smoking is a danger to people who are near to smokers, he said.
IRAQ

Judiciary Chief Names First Female Judges

Judiciary chief here has named the countrys first female judges, despite opposition from conservative Muslims, according to a decree published recently. Mukbil Shakir, the head of the Supreme Judicial Council, appointed 31 women to judge or chief judge positions in Egypts courts, the official Middle East News Agency said, quoting Mr. Shakirs decree. The decree said the women, who previously were state prosecutors, passed a special test before being named to their new posts.

Catholics overseas is rising since last year, the Korean Bishops Committee for the Pastoral Care of Migrants said. In its report, the group speaks of a total 150,421 Korean overseas Catholics (8% more than the previous year), 4,501 newly baptized and 2,026 catechumens. This only means, according to the report, that more Korean priests are needed overseas to ensure adequate pastoral care. Among the dioceses and religious communities with staff on this mission, Pusan diocese has 27 priests caring for overseas Korean Catholics in 8 different countries, the Sisters of the Blessed Korean martyrs have 27 Sisters in 3 countries.

Rising Number of PHILIPPINES Intl Press Group HonCatholics Stresses the ors Iraqi Christian Need for More Priests GMO Corn Approved in Monthly RP Shows Signs of ToxThe number of Korean icity A monthly Iraqi ChrisA genetically modified (GM) corn strain approved for food, feed and processing in the Philippines shows signs of toxicity to mammals, according to a new study. Written by a panel of three independent scientists in France, the study showed that laboratory rats fed with the GMO corn Monsanto (MON) 863 YieldGard Rootworm displayed kidney and liver toxicity. MON 863 is corn genetically manipulated to produce its own insecticide called modified Cry3Bb1 to kill rootworm insects in the soil, and contains gene coding for antibiotic resistance. tian magazine was awarded the 2007 gold medal by the International Catholic Union of the Press. Published in Arabic, the Al-Fikr AlMasihi, according to the award giving body, has survived the worst of crisis in the history of Iraq and it did so by becoming a reference point for all peoples: Muslims, Christians and other religions; and all types of ethnic and language groups. The prestigious award is conferred every three years upon an individual, a group or an institution that has championed the freedom of opinion, with emphasis on the written word.

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