Cardinal Advincula urges voters to look at bets’ track record, platform

Cardinal Jose Advincula, Archbishop of Manila. PHOTO BY MARICAR SANTOS/RCAM-AOC

By CBCP News
November 23, 2021
Manila, Philippines

With the election season beginning to heat up, a top Catholic official urged the electorate to study the track record and platform of candidates.

Cardinal Jose Advincula, the archbishop of Manila, said that voters must look at the integrity before choosing candidates to support in the May 2022 elections.

“We pray that there will be a deep assessment of the programs and platforms of every candidate, as well as their track records,” Advincula said in Radio Veritas.

One thing to do, according to him, is to form “circles of discernment” among lay people to guide them in their choice of political candidates.

He said it is imperative for voters to deeply discern as a community on the characteristics and track record of each candidate.

“It is our call for the people to create their ‘circles of discernment’ so that we can hear and follow the will of God,” Advincula said.

The cardinal also encouraged voters to consider the position of candidates regarding respect for human dignity, common good, social justice, and societal charity.

“We hope that these will be the prevailing considerations of the people in choosing our next leaders,” he said.

National Consecration of Families to Saint Joseph & Launching of the Men of St. Joseph

Nov 17, 2021

To: All National Lay Organizations and Diocesan Councils of the Laity,:

May we forward to you the circular below announcing the plans for the December 8, 2021 National Consecration of Families to St. Joseph and the Launching of the Men of St. Joseph.

We request you to read well the circular and forward this to your Parish Priests, Community Leaders and members. We want this special day to be memorable to our own families, as we all take time to prepare and dedicate ourselves to the loving care of St. Joseph.

A special challenge is being issued to all Family Life communities and organizations in all the Dioceses. Can you rally and pastor the fathers in your communities to lead the spiritual preparation of the family using the Novena attached below and to find a way to meaningfully dedicate the whole family to St. Joseph. We also ask them to review the materials below on the launching of the Men of St. Joseph. All our male members can still become part of the Men of St. Joseph in their parishes even if they are already part of other organizations.

The Consecration will be led by Bishop Ambo David at 11 a.m. and will be broadcasted in the TV Maria, Dominus Est, CBCP and Laiko FB pages. If your families cannot join the 11 am, you can still do it anytime within the day by watching the replay at the FB Pages mentioned. Make this memorable and significant for your families. Dress up, light some candles and do it prayerfully. Then please take pictures and post it on your FB pages with a hashtag #familiesforstjoseph. If possible, serve a special meal to celebrate.

Continue reading

Virtual Gathering of Young Davids

To: All Laiko Members

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Good Day!

We are pleased to endorse to you this invitation from the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth to the “Sana Ol” part of the series of virtual gatherings for young public servants and their supporters this Friday, November 26,  6:00 PM.

As we communicated to you before, this is part of the Young David’s Program where ECY, NASSA &  LAIKO are collaborating to promote good governance especially to your young people.

Kindly encourage your youth groups to actively support and join this very important advocacy.

Thank you.

LAIKO Secretariat

Continue reading

The Principled Partisan Politics, a Laiko Online Conversation

To: All LAIKO Members: Arch/Diocesan Councils of the Laity & National Lay Organizations

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Good day!

As we thank you for your constant support to the Online Conversations that we were conducting to highlight the areas of concerns identified in the Resolutions of our Biennial Convention, we invite you once more to the last conversation lined- up for this year.

For this Saturday, November 27, 2:00pm to 4:00 pm, we are pleased to invite you to the Online Conversation on “The Principled Partisan Politics”. We have invited the “LAIKO Warriors” to talk on us on our possible political engagement as lay faithful in the 2022 national elections.

Kindly invite the members of your organizations to join us too. To register, please email/inform Mr. Joseph Jesalva at laiko_phils@yahoo.com.ph.

God bless & keep you all safe!

Sincerely in the service of the Lord,

The Education Agenda: A Laiko Online Conversation

November 16, 2021

To: All LAIKO Members: Arch/Diocesan Councils of the Laity & National Lay Organizations

Dear Brother and Sisters:

Good day!

As communicated before, the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas will be conducting a series of follow-thru conversations this November to highlight the areas of concerns in the Resolutions of the recently concluded LAIKO National Convention.

For this Saturday, November 20, 2:00pm to 4:00 pm, we are pleased to invite you to the Online Conversation on “The Education Agenda” Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP). Speaker is Fr. Thadeu Enrique Balongag.

Kindly invite the members of your organizations to join us too. Below is the link to the event. To register, please email/inform Mr. Joseph Jesalva at laiko_phils@yahoo.com.ph.

CBCP-LAIKO is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: LAIKO CONVERSATION ON EDUCATION
Time: Nov 20, 2021 02:00 PM
Meeting ID: 851 2931 0973
Passcode: 153040

Thank you very much.

Sincerely in the service of the Lord, 

Christian Engagement in Politics Today

07 November 2021

Dear Networks of the Clergy Discernment Group,

Greetings from Religious Discernment Group.

The Season of Advent will soon be in our midst. This year’s celebration of the seasons of Advent and Christmas is well within the context of the Filipino people’s preparation for the May 9, 2022 elections. elections. When “the Word became flesh and pitched his tent among us” (John 1:14) humanity found hope in him. Our nation longs to see hope for our country in the coming 2022 elections.

The RDG has planned a series of online discussions on politics in the country and elections in 2022. The first conference was held last October 16 with the theme, “Philippine Politics in Context”. It proved to be a fruitful discussion and sharing.

The RDG is planning for its second conference on 04 December 2021, Saturday at 9:00-11:30 AM. The theme is “Christian Engagement in Politics Today”. The objective of this second conference is to present and clarify the participation of Christians in politics: why we must participate and engage in politics and how we can work for a “better kind of politics” (Fratelli Tutti, 154).

In this regard, may we invite you to attend the second webinar?

The speakers who confirmed their participation are Most Reverend Broderick Pabillo, D.D. of Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay, Palawan and Rev. Fr. Dionito Cabillas of Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI).

Please pre-register at this online link: https://forms.gle/1eQgXq9ydkCCdRXF9 .

Please contact our secretariat through the email address: religious discernment @gmail .com or mobile number 09966193538, for any questions.

Thank you very much and we are looking forward to your generous and positive response.

Pope Francis on World Day of the Poor: Be ‘tireless builders of hope’ amid suffering

Pope Francis offers Mass for the fifth World Day of the Poor on Nov. 14, 2021. | Vatican Media/CNA

 
By Courtney Mares
Vatican City, Nov 14, 2021

On the World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis urged Christians to be “tireless builders of hope” amid the darkness and suffering in the world.

“The World Day of the Poor which we are celebrating, asks us not to turn aside, not to be afraid to look closely at the suffering of those most vulnerable,” Pope Francis said in his homily on Nov. 14.

“Let us ask ourselves: what is demanded of us as Christians in the face of this reality? We are required to nurture tomorrow’s hope by healing today’s pain,” he said.

The pope offered Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in the presence of 2,000 people living in poverty and the volunteers who assist them, according to the Vatican.

In his homily, Francis emphasized the importance of making “concrete gestures” and drawing close to the poor to “sow hope.”

“The hope born of the Gospel has nothing to do with a passive expectation that things may be better tomorrow … but with making God’s promise of salvation concrete today. Today and everyday,” he said.

Vatican Media
Continue reading