Blessed are the poor....

"God must love the poor. Why else would he have made so many of them? — Abraham Lincoln

"Poverty is the worst form of violence" - Mahatma Gandhi

"If a person lives on less than $1 per day, he/she is living on extreme poverty" - World Bank

"If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin. ~ Charles Darwin

"Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours" - Jesus Christ based on Luke 6:20

"Do not say that it is God's will that you remain in a condition of poverty, disease, unhealthy housing, that is contrary in many ways to your dignity as human persons. Do not say 'It is God who wills it'" - Pope John Paul II

"Following the way of the Lord, we opt to be the Church of the poor" - Second Plenary Council of the Philippines

Last week, Mariannet Amper committed suicide in Davao City. She is 12 years old and according to the news, she did it out of desperation. Her family is so poor that she can't afford to go to school because of lack of fare money. The Philippine government has taken responsibility for her death when Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said “We take responsibility for everything. Because we are leaders of the government, we need to ensure that services are there,"

Aside from Mariannet, there are a lot of children who die daily because of poverty. We don't see or hear them on the news because they are not news-worthy material.

Even if the Philippine government continues to harp on the economic development, the reality is that millions of Filipinos are experiencing hunger. We don't need to cite statistics to prove that the so called economic growth does not benefit the majority of the Filipinos. We just have to look around and we can see the "poor and the hungry".

But what does the so-called Church of the poor do about the situation of the poor and hungry people? We have heard about the feeding program of the Pondo ng Pinoy. There is another "feeding program" to be undertaken by the members of a big group of Catholic lay organizations. There are some parishes which have regular feeding programs initiated by some individuals and lay organizations in the parish.

How about the leadership of LAIKO? Are there initiatives to help the poor? Are there social action programs which directly counter the hungry stomach of the faithful? Are we really the 'Church of the poor'?

"The 'Church of the poor' is one whose members and leaders have a special love for the poor."
"The 'Church of the poor' will mean that the pastors and other Church leaders will give preferential attention and time to those who are poor, and will generously share of their own resources in order to alleviate their poverty and make them recognize the love of the Lord for them despite their poverty".
"The Church of the poor' is one that will be in solidarity with the poor. It will collaborate with the poor themselves and with others to lift us the poor form their poverty." (Acts and decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, 125-136)

Pope John Paul II also said "Before today's forms of exploitation of the poor, the Church cannot remain silent. She also reminds the rich of their precise duties. Strong with the Word of God, she condemns the many injustices which unfortunately, even today are committed to the detriment of the poor. Pastors and members of the Church will courageously defend and vindicate the rights of the poor and the oppressed, even when doing so will mean alienation or persecution from the rich and powerful." (L'Ossevatore Romano, January 21, 1985, p 8)

The Church is not the bishops, the priests and the religious. The Church is the people, all who are incorporated into Christ through baptism. Thus, as a people we need to act in order to be called the "Church of the poor". This is actually our challenge and our mission.

Afraid of dying?

Last Saturday, October 27, 2007, I was given a FREE accident insurance by PhilAm Plans worth P25,000 for 1-year. It was actually a marketing gimmick to lure me into buying one of their insurance packages.

When I went to their office, I told them that the P25,000 is enough to buy a memorial plan, when I die. The lady was dumbfounded and knocked her knuckles on the table saying that "Sir, you are too young to die. We should not be talking about death".

"Why, are you afraid to die?", I asked her. I then realized that for most people, discussing about death is a taboo, as if the person talking is praying for his/her own death which is considered a misfortune.

I told her that I am not afraid to die, in fact I will be happy to die because I know that God has promised not only a better place but the best place for His creatures. There will be no more sickness, no more hunger, no more poverty, no more corruption, no more war, no more sickness. The Kingdom of God is a kingdom where there is LOVE, JUSTICE and PEACE.

I told her that for most people, they are afraid to face the reality of death because they are not prepared to face God. They have been busy preparing for their stay here on earth like studying hard so that they can graduate and get a better-paying job for their family and work like crazy until retirement and wait for their eventual death. For so many people, they have not prepared their souls to face their master.

Death is like a thief in the night.

My father would not know that he will die on the day he was stabbed by somebody who was envious of his being a teacher in the barrio. My mother may know that she will die soon but the exact date and time is a mystery for her after suffering from a second stroke. My brother would not know that he will die on the night he was gunned down by a hired killer due to his expose on corruption in the school where he taught.

Would anybody who died in the Glorietta 2 explosion knew that they will face death on that moment? Carlo Cruz whose wife Leslie died during the explosion sent an email to his friends and eventually the email was all over the internet. He said  "I have so many regrets. I should have met her sooner. I should have ran instead of a brisk walk. I should have not chose to park where I did. I should have braved the dust and went in the blast site. I should have ..." I SHOULD HAVE, three words indicating that there were some tasks that may have been done to avert something to happen.

In our life now, we can still do something and be prepared and happy to meet our God. We should not wait until we can only say "I SHOULD HAVE.."

Our preparation should not only be about our personal relationship with God. It should not be only about how often we go to mass or recite the rosary. When we face our master, we will be asked "When I was hungry, did you feed me? When I was thirsty, have you given me water to drink? When I was a stranger, have you given me welcome? When I was naked, have you clothed me? When I was ill, did you care for me? When I was in prison, have you visited me?"

The poor and the hungry is waiting for us.... so that they will also be prepared and happy in the Kingdom of God...

Being pro-life amidst the hunger and poverty of the people

I will quote some paragraphs from the column of Jose Ma. Montelibano in Inquirer.net (Glimpses, Last updated 02:04am (Mla time) 10/26/2007), entitled "A second look at the church". He said:

"The primacy of life is not a theory or concept, not even a possibility. Life is most present in the here and now, and being pro-life is first expressed at life that already is than life that might be. If there is a general lack of interest by the Catholic public in the Catholic Church's advocacy called pro-life, it is because there is a general lack of interest by all concerned at how poverty, hunger and violence disrespect the value and sanctity of life. No sector is unduly alarmed by the massive incidence of hunger -- except the hungry, of course. When no one cares that much at abject suffering by the alive, there will be even less concern for injustice at life that is not yet."

I agree with his statement on being pro-life. Being pro-life is not only about the issues on the DEATHS Bills (Divorce, Euthanasia, Abortion, Total Population Control, Homosexual Union, Sex Education) being proposed by the legislators belonging to the well-funded Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD). Being pro-life is being aware, concerned, and acting upon the issues affecting the LIFE of the faithful and the people. Being pro-life is being aware, concerned and acting upon the widespread poverty of the Filipino people.

During the congressional election last May 2007, the Alliance for the Family Foundation of the Philippines (ALFI) has a list of congressmen it endorsed for being pro-life. On the list is Jose de Venecia. I was aghast seeing his name on the list. For me, JDV is an epitome of an anti-life congressman who has not done much as the Speaker of the House to uplift the LIVES of the Filipino people. He is the picture of the TOTAL POLITICIAN, who is always involve in the wheeling-dealing to serve his personal interest, or the interest of the elite.  

Mr. Montelibano further states:

"it may be Christian tradition in the Philippines that not only tolerates hunger at massive levels but may have helped cause it in the first place.

Hunger is a byproduct of poverty, and poverty is a byproduct of corruption. Corruption is a byproduct of immorality, and immorality is a byproduct of a religion that may be well preached but not well practiced. It is not abortion or contraceptives that are the primary faces of what are anti-life in the Philippines, it is hunger. In the latest SWS estimates, 19 million Filipinos experience involuntary hunger. That is more shocking than ZTE contracts, more immoral than open bribery in the palaces of presidents. Yet, the hunger of millions does not deserve indignation from Christians, not even from the college of bishops."

Poverty is not just a byproduct of corruption. A document of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines states: "Dehumanizing economic structures, reinforced by the political situation is the cause of poverty, political instability and unstable economy."  It is the unequal distribution of wealth, the lack of concern for the poor of the elite, and the impact of globalization which push the poor deeper into the quagmire of poverty.

The church and its pastors have been advocating active involvement of the faithful. Archbishop Angel L. Lagdameo, DD stated in his Pastoral Exhortation for the Year of Social Concerns entitled “Building a Civilization of Love”  said: “Our present Philippine situation calls us to be more actively committed to living out the social teaching of the Church. Political turmoil, moral corruption, and environmental degradation have worsened massive poverty and scandalous social inequality.”

The Vatican has also spoken. The document "Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes)" states: "Faced with a world today where so many people are suffering from want, the Council asks individuals and governments to remember the saying of the Fathers: "Feed the man dying of hunger, because if you do not feed him you are killing him," and it urges them according to their ability to share and dispose of their goods to help others, above all by giving them aid which will enable them to help and develop themselves (GS, no. 69).

The message and the call of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines is clear. The Filipino Catholics are being called to evangelize, to proclaim above all of salvation from sin, the liberation from everything oppressive to man; the development of man in all his dimensions, personal and ultimately the renewal of society in all its strata through the interplay of the Gospel Truths and man's concrete TOTAL LIFE. This is our TASK. This is our PRO-LIFE MISSION.

At the end of the celebration of the Eucharist, every Christian is being sent on a mission and have a commiment to work for a transformed society. Truly, as we offer ourselves like bread and wine, the fruits of the earth, we also live the sacrament like the broken bread which is being shared for the life of the world.

With Pepe Lugay

I was invited by Sol Badoy (who was my roommate in Tagaytay during the 15th Biennial LAIKO Convention) to attend the Asian Forum for Solidarity Economy in UP Bahay ng Alumni.

I saw Pepe Lugay sitting in front, thus I sat beside him and I introduced myself. He remembered my sharing during the convention and eventually my election to the Board of Trustees of LAIKO.

During our conversation, I have known that he had been with LAIKO since the 1990s,  after the 2nd Plenary Council of the Philippines. He is also the current Chairman of Committee Against Graft and Corruption of LAIKO.  The said committee trains and recruits volunteer observers to the Bids and Awards committees of different government institutions.

Although we have a big age gap, we have something in common. Both of us attended the Marriage Encounter under Fr. Jess Fernandez, SJ. He was with the Christian Family Movement, while I was with Tuklasan.  He also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Ephpheta Foundation for the Blind, Inc while I am a volunteer of the said foundation as the webmaster of its website.

I hope that I can learn more about LAIKO and about the lay apostolate from people like Pepe Lugay who  have been involved with the organization for so many years.

A convention without a resolution?

During the convention, one of the topics discussed is the Petrine and Marian model of the Church. It is about hierarchy, authority, and structure of the church (role of Peter) and how we follow the will of God and say Yes to God (role of Mary).

Whenever the member-bishops of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines meet together, the social and political issues of the day are discussed and, a resolution or statement is issued related to the matter.

The bishops have spoken and continue to speak. But I have not heard nor seen any statement from the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas on the issues affecting the lives of the Catholic faithful like the NBN-ZTE scandal, the "bribery" scandal, the mining issues, anti-life bills in Congress, and many other issues.

LAIKO should listen to their pastors, and follow their lead. Like the bishops whenever they meet as a body, the convention should have been a venue to discuss the issues of the day, and we should have passed a resolution or resolutions supporting the stand of our pastors.

A 3-day prayer meeting?

Just after the 15th Biennial Convention of LAIKO held inTagaytay, I heard some comments that they attended a 3-day prayer meeting instead of a convention.

Well, charismatic joyful songs complete with actions led by St, Peter Charismatic Community were sang at the beginning of each session.

I am not against charismatic singing and dancing. It is an expression of praise and joy to the Lord. But it is appropriate for charismatic groups.

LAIKO is not an organization of charismatic communities but an organization of catholic lay groups with different expressions of their faith and prayer.

We should not impose our own culture and expression of faith to a diverse group like LAIKO.

God is into something great

When I was elected as a member of the Board of Trustees of LAIKO, I sent text messages to friends to inform them of my new  task, and I asked them to offer a prayer for me because of the great responsibilities and tasks related to the position. I need their prayers and asked for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Most of my friends congratulated me. Here are some of the messages sent to me:

"Congratulations and more power. Yes we are rejoicing and praying for you. May God bless you more abundantly." - Fr. Biong Espenilla, Family Life Director of the Diocese of Masbate

"Pagsibol is proud of you. I will continue to include you in my prayers." - Jun Virtudazo, President of  Pagsibol ME Foundation, Inc.
 
"It would be my joy to pray for you." - Fr. Joey Bautista, Spiritual Director of the Pope John Paul II Minor Seminary in Antipolo

"We will be on the same team because I am the Asst. Secretary of ECFL." - Fr. Dave Clay of the Retrouvaille

"Congrats for the new responsibility in the service of the Lord." - Terry & Marnie Malicse, former National Coordinating Couple of the Worldwide Marriage Encounter Philippines

But I cried when I received another message. Reflecting on it, God is telling that I should move out of my comfort zone, and it seems that I am resisting. Anyway, here is the message:

"God breaks the soil to make plants grow. He breaks the clouds to pour down rain. He breaks bread to nourish our souls. We must then be thankful when He breaks things in our lives - our rhythm, our securities, our hearts. He must be on to something great." - Bishop Joel Baylon of the Diocese of Masbate

The LAIKO election was clean but not fair

On the second day of the 15th Biennial Convention, the election for the Board of Trustees of LAIKO was conducted.  The election was clean because the delegates wanted and ensured a clean election under the supervision of the Committee on Elections headed by Pete Villanueva. During the actual voting and the counting, Bishop Gabriel V. Reyes, DD was also there.

But the election was not fair. I was elected as a member of the board primarily because of the impact of my personal sharing the day before.

During our group discussion on the morning of the second day, my groupmate said that the setup of the convention is only advantageous to the incumbent members of the board who are aspiring to be re-elected. It is also advantageous to the moderators and the emcees because of the maximum exposure they are getting during the sessions. (In conventions of other groups, the emcees and moderators are disqualified to run for election because of the given advantage and exposure).

But the other candidates were not given the same opportunity of exposure. One candidate was not even given the chance to ask a question during the open forum.

The candidates who were not "known" were not given the opportunity to be heard. After the presentation of candidates prior to voting, they should have been given at least a minute to even state their name and be heard.

As members of the church we always demand for clean and fair elections for our public/government officials. I hope we can also walk the talk....

The Convention - a Focolare and Theresiana affair?

The 15th Biennial Convention of the Sanguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas is supposedly a national convention of all affiliated lay organizations and archdiocesan/diocesan councils of the laity. Thus participation should have been maximized from the member-organizations.

During the 14th Biennial Convention, different moderators and emcees were assigned each day. Sharers were tapped  from different organizations.

For the 15th Convention, there is only 1 set of moderator and emcee for the 3-day convention. MOST of the lay speakers and sharers were either from Focolare or Theresiana.

It seems to me that the convention was a showcase of the 2 organizations.

I am sad because the theme of the convention is "A Path to Unity", and yet the convention was monopolized by lay leaders of the 2 organizations. How can we achieve unity as a lay organization if we don't share the responsibilities with others?

A different kind of prayer

Atty. Mia Menez-Zafra, the Executive Vice President of LAIKO led all the delegates in praying for a just and lasting peace and unity during the opening of the 15th Biennial Convention. It is a different kind of prayer. It is actually like the "Our Father" prayer but with some details.

Here is the prayer:

Our Father who art in heaven,
God of Your struggling people,
We are Your people, the work of Your hands, 
We praise Your greatness,
We celebrate Your goodness,
We remember the story of Your love.

Hallowed be Your name
Let the promise of abundant life be realized
And our longing for unity, justice and peace be fulfilled.

We pray the Your Kingdom may come
So that it may free us from fear and darkness

We pray that your kingdom may come
So that it may heal our brokenness,
And bring peace in Your creation.

Give us wisdom to understand
Your will and Your presence
Especially when we are hurt by the unexpected,
When we are confused by what’s happening to us,
When we search for meaning in the midst of our losses,
When we are trapped by our emotions.

Give us confidence to thank Your daily gifts
We so often take for granted.
The gift of food that provides nourishment for our bodies
The gift of beauty that provides nourishment to our minds,
The gift of love that provides nourishment for our spirits,
The gift of faith that sustains us,
The gift of friends that comfort us,
The gift of every color in Your creation that brighten our days.

Forgive our comfortable lives
If we become unresponsive to the cries of the people
Forgive our daily prayers
If we close our eyes and hearts to the needs of the many.

Forgive our act of charity
If it has thwarted us to work for justice
Forgive our silence and solitude
If we departed from serving the
oppressed wholeheartedly

Help us to forgive each other as You forgive us:
You cleanse away our resistance
And bring Your light into our souls.
Continue to challenge our faith and love; nurture the hope within us
Strengthen our passion to serve and journey with the people
Accompany us on our way
Give us the strength of an eagle,
the humility of a dove, the wisdom of a serpent
As we join the people in the quest for a lasting peace based on justice.

Help us to reach out to others,
To become healing instruments in your world,
To build bridges rather than walls in Your creation,
Amen.