Archdiocese of Lipa

Archbishop Leads Prayer Rally vs. Lodges

noniecdolor — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:32:01 +0000

(December 10,2009) – With hundreds of students coming from the various schools in Lipa City, and the lay faithful mostly from the Parish of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage attending, reinforced by close to a hundred seminarians and priests, Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles amassed his troops in front of the Lipa City Hall and prayed the Rosary and later on led the concelebrated Mass to pray for “a clean and healthy Lipa City, as well as the province of Batangas”.

“Please, do not think that we are doing this to condemn the local government or even the owners and operators of the lodges,” cautioned the Archbishop during his homily. ”We are here to also acknowledge our failure. If we allow these places of sin to exist, it is because we have not been faithful to our families, to our spouses and even to our children.”

Noting the presence of students, he said, “Even our schools are part of this. The owners of these places are products of our Catholic schools. We have failed to instill in them Catholic moral values. If our leaders, educated as they are in Catholic schools, failed to live up to the moral standards, then we as educators are also a failure,” he continued.

The rally is the second the Archbishop led. He even thanked the owner of the New Paradise Lodge, whose relocation to Barangay Lodlod is now being contested by the parish led by Msgr. Alberto Boongaling. The Archbishop said that this opened up the issue on the proliferation of lodges which he has been bringing up to deaf ears. He even went to personally inspect the area which is up for conversion from residential to commercial. He rued the fact that the only “commerce” are these lodges. Allegedly, the controversial lodge being relocated has been ordered stopped by the City’s Engineering Office. Upon inspection, the archbishop said he was informed that construction is being done at night.

Accompanying the Archbishop in the prayer rally and Mass which lasted for more than two hours — from 7:30 am to around 9:30 am — were Msgr. Ruben Dimaculangan (Vicar General), Msgr. Alberto Boongaling (pastor of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, Lodlod, Lipa City), Fr. Ernesto Mandanas, Jr. (pastor of the Cathedral Parish), Fr. Joseph Mendoza (pastor of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, Banaybanay, Lipa City), Fr. Edgar Villostas (pastor of Sto. Nino Parish, Pinagtungulan, Lipa City), Fr. Eric Arada (pastor of Sto. Nino Parish, Marawoy, Lipa City), Fr. Oscar Andal (chancellor), Fr. Romy Mendoza (coordinator of Lipa Archdiocesan Divine Mercy Apostolate), Seminary professors Fr. Manny Lucero, Fr. Richard Hernandez, Fr. Joeden Tenorio, Fr. Toter Resuello, Fr. Bobot Hernandez, Fr. Quinni Magpantay, Fr. Junjun Ramos. Also present were Fr. Junie Maralit and Fr. Dong Rosales. Sighted in the crowd were owners of two lodges, one of whom had a one-on-one dialogue with the Archbishop after the Mass.

Mr. Norberto “Kit” de Ocampo, who was a former manager of the country’s most famous chain of motels, Anito, gave his testimony after the thanksgiving prayer. He warned of the dangers that these motels had brought to the families, especially to women and the OFWs. while he admitted that this was a lucrative business, he exposed that 97% of those patronizing these motels are “illegitimate”, meaning they are not legally wedded to each other. He also recounted how the owners agonized for around 15 years before shifting to a cleaner type of business, realizing the havoc these places of sin had brought to the Filipino society at large. Mr. de Ocampo is now connected with Pinoy Pamilya Foundation, an NGO

Conspicuously present in the prayer rally are ABS-CBN Channel 10 reporters and the Archdiocese-owned DWAL-FM which aired the homily and part of Mr. de Ocampo’s testimony live.

Archbishop to lead mass action vs. lodges

noniecdolor — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:02:50 +0000

(December 3, 2009) – After personally visiting the Parish of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, a barangay parish in the Marian city of Lipa, and saw that the construction of a lodge which was formerly in another barangay has been continuing despite an order of stoppage from the City’s Engineering Office, Lipa Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles decided to lead anew another prayer rally at the Lipa City Hall grounds this December 10, 2009.

He rued the fact that despite the decision of the City Engineer’s Office to stop the construction of the New Paradise Lodge due to irregularities, he saw for himself that the project is still on-going and at night at that. On his way to the construction site last November 30, related the Archbishop “a truck containing materials preceded us entering through the back door.” And as the disputed lodge was near other lodges which were already there, he also noticed that “some cars about to drive out quickly reversed attempting to conceal themselves.” The Archbishop said that this was an indication that the users of the place did not want to be recognized. ”And why?” he asked rhetorically.

In one instance he said that when he and his companions were interrogating some of the boys at one lodge, a tricycle was about to tenter with a couple, the girl, the Archbishop said, was certainly a minor. Upon seeing them, the tricycle quickly sped away and entered another nearby lodge. ”The tricycle was smiling at us, upon his return and affirmed to us that his passengers went to the other lodge and affirmed their sinful acts,” narrated the Archbishop. ”Luckily, I have pictures of the passengers taken.”

He wrote the City Mayor, Atty. Oscar Gozos, to inform him of his decision to hold a Mass and Prayer Gathering at the Lipa City Hall ground on December 10, 7:30 am. Archbishop Arguelles argued that the city hall ground is a public property. However, he was still asking his permission to allow him to “prayerfully hold our plea in the City Hall.”

The Archbishop is expected to be joined by thousands of students from Catholic schools in the city, notably De La Salle Lipa and Canossa Academy. He also enjoined the faithful of Lodlod and other Lipenos who previously joined him in a similar action some two weeks ago to “continue to pray with me that the city and provincial government will close all these places of immorality and corruption.”

Paring Batangas doing well in Pari-lympics

noniecdolor — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:38:55 +0000

(November 30, 2009) – In what was their last game for the time being in the long-running Pari-lympics, also known as the Cardinal Sin’s Cup, Paring Batangas continued to pile up win after win, notching its eighth win against two losses as they thumped the Cubao priest-cagers in a twinbill game held at the Holy Apostles Senior Seminary gym in Makati City this afternoon. Earlier before the Cubao-Lipa match-up, the Novaliches thwarted Malolos, who just came from a morale-boosting win over Lucena last week. Organizers informed the teams that the games would resume February next year as the Manila clergy would be busy preparing for the National Clergy retreat in January next year. The long-delayed basketball tournament involving the cagers from the Archdioceses of Manila and Lipa, Dioceses of Malolos, Lucena, Antipolo, Paranaque, Cubao, and Novaliches had a grand opening last August at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay.

This is the second time that the Lipa cagers won over Cubao., whom they defeated during the inaugurals. This time the win was more convincing as the Batanguenos led from start to finish and showed more cohesiveness in both offense and defense. Big men, Fr. Irwin Mendoza, OSJ, and Fr. Bobot Hernandez, dominated their Cubao counterparts and joined hands with reliable scorers Fr. Nemer Chua and newly-ordained Fr. Peewee Cabrera in piling points after points, especially in the pivotal third quarter. This gave coach Fr. Nonie D, the chance to field in newcomer Fr. Jayson Alcaraz, burly Fr. Clarence Patag, and even the come-backing Fr. Russell Matuloy. Despite the absence of regulars like Fr. Ilde Dimaano, Fr. Junie Maralit and post-player Fr. Elmer Quizon, OSJ, the Lipa cagers gamely overcame the repeated rallies of their opponents by playing good defense and controlling the boards for transition offense. Oblate Fr. Lee Leonidas quarter-backed the team with heady plays as the usually reliable Fr. Gerbert Cabaylo, OSJ, failed to find his rhythm despite playing long minutes. Fr. Noel Salanguit and Fr. Anthony Esteron hit timely treys as the 27 point lead was threatened several times.

So far, in this second round, the Paring Batangas quintet showed their mastery over first round victims Cubao, Paranaque and Novaliches, which defaulted their second round game against the Batanguenos. However, they are raring to get back at their first round tormentors, Manila and Antipolo. The cagers from Malolos and Lucena, on the other hand, vowed to get back at the Batanguenos during the resumption of the games, already in its second round.

Here are the standings, as of November 30: Lipa (8-2), Cubao (8-4), Manila (7-4), Novaliches (7-5), Antipolo (4-6), Paranaque (4-6), Lucena (3-6), and Malolos (2-7)

Archbishop bares pilgrimage churches for Jubilee year 2010

noniecdolor — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:39:13 +0000

(November 28,2009) – Lipa Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles formally bares the pilgrimage churches where the faithful can come and enjoy the spiritual benefits that accrue to them during the “year of grace”. During the Saturday evening,eve of the First Sunday of Advent, in a Mass broadcast live in the two radio stations of the Archdiocese of Lipa and shown in local cable television, he enumerated the twenty one churches, shrines and monasteries that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, endowed the privilege of granting plenary indulgence to pilgrims visiting these during the Centennial Year (April 10, 2010 to April 10, 2011). He enumerated the following churches as “jubilee churches”: Vicariate I – Parish Church of St. John the Baptist (Lian, Batangas), parish Church of the Immaculate Concepcion (Balayan, Batangas), Parish Church of St. Francis Xavier (Nasugbu, Batangas), Parish Church of St. Raphael (Calaca, Batangas); Vicariate 2 – Minor Basilica of St. Martin of Tours (Taal, Batangas), Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay (Labac, Taal, Batangas), Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Therese of the Child jesus (Sta. Teresita, Batangas); Vicariate 3 – Parish Church of the Most Holy Trinity and Archdiocesan Shrine of the Glorious Cross (Pallocan West, Batangas City), Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Concepcion (Batangas City); Vicariate 4 – Parish Church of St. John Nepomucene (San Juan, Batangas), Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Joseph the Patriarch (San Jose, Batangas); Vicariate 5 – Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian (Lipa City), Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Vincent Ferrer (Banaybanay, Lipa City), Divino Amor Chapel (Redemptorist, Lipa City), Mnastery of Mt. Carmel of Our Lady of Mediatrix of all Grace (Antipolo del Norte, Lipa City), Monastery of Clarisas Capuchinas Sacramentarias (Lipa City), Monastery of St. Benedict (Pinagtungulan, Lipa City), Monastery of Minims Nuns of St. Francis de Paola (Lumbang, Lipa City); Vicariate 6 – Parish Church of St. Padre Pio (San Pedro, Sto. Tomas, Batangas), Parish Church of St. John Evangelist (Tanauan City). He also announced the late inclusion of the Parish Church of Nuestra Senora de la Soledad (Darasa, Tanauan City), Monastery of the Missionary Catechists of the sacred Heart (Sabang, Lipa City), Chapel of Binukalan (Alitagtag, Batangas) and the Parish Church of the Holy Family (Bolo, Bauan, Batangas).

“Those who would come on pilgrimage to these churches, after having fulfilled the necessary conditions will receive plenary indulgence for themselves and for their beloved dead,” explained the ARchbishop. “This is the great blessing throughout the year that the Lord offers to all who would come during the Jubilee year.”

Enumerating the conditions, he cited the following: ”reception of the sacrament of reconciliation within the octave before or after the prayerful visit, participation in the Eucharist and reception of the Holy communion on the said day, praying one Our father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be and the Apostles’ creed for the intentions of the Holy Father, and doing an act of charity.” a plenary indulgence is the Church’s way of remission of all punishment due to forgiven sins which a person can apply to oneself or to soul in purgatory. The Archbishop clearly emphasized that this cannot be applied by one to another person still living. He said that this applies to all the faithful of the archdicoese as well as those of the suffragan dioceses and even coming from distant dioceses when they come in pilgrimage.

The local church of Lipa was elevated to a diocese by Pope St. Pius X on April 10, 1910. It used to comprise the provinces of Batangas. Laguna, Quezon, Aurora, Marinduque and the island of Mindoro. In the course of time, new ecclesiastical territories were erected from the original diocese thus creating what are now Prelature of Infanta, Diocese of Lucena, Diocese of Marinduque, Diocese of Gumaca, Apostolic Vicariates of San Jose and that of Calapan.

Later, on June 20, 1972, Pope Paul VI elevated it to a Metropolitan Archdiocese comprising all those territories excluding the diocese of San Pablo which became a suffragan of Manila.

Monte Maria Board, nagpulong

noniecdolor — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:51:50 +0000

Nagkaroon ng meeting ang Board of Trustees ng Mary Mother of the Poor Foundation ng Pilipinas noong September 14, 2009 sa Saint Paul retreat house sa Alfonso, Cavite upang pag-usapan ang mga updates sa paggawa ng Montemaria Shrine. Ang mga dumalo ay sina Father Fernando Suarez, Father Jeff Shannon, Father Ronilo Javines, Father Ernesto Mandanas at Bishop Salvador Quizon, Ms. Ching Cruz, Mr. Arthur Cabrera, Ms Teresas Chan, Ms Paz Monteclaro, Architect Susan Castillo, Architect Reggie Ragojos at Brother Andrew Gamilla. Ang mga sumusunod ang mga pinag-usapan:

1. Ang Santo Niño Chapel ay matatapos sa huling linggo ng Nobyembre 2009.

2. Ang paggawa ng House of Saint Joseph ay inumpisahan na.

3. Ang Basilica na maglalaman ng mahigit 2,500 katao ay tatawaging The Church of Divine Mercy.

4. Ang Montemaria Shrine site ay umaabot na sa sampung hektarya mula sa dating limang hektarya. Heto ay nadagdagan dahil sa inaasahang mga pilgrims na dadayo sa ating probinsiya.

5. Ipinaalam ni Father Fernando ang mga bagong miyembro ng board for the Archdiocese na sina Bishop Salvador Quizon at Father Ernesto Mandanas para sa aktibong partisipasyon ng

Archdiocese sa pagsasakatuparan ng proyektong ito sa ating probinsyang Batangas.

Muli po kayong inaanyayahan dumalo sa mga gaganaping Misa dito po sa Montemaria, Pagkilatan Batangas tuwing ika-10:00 ng umaga tuwing sabado at linggo. Ang mga sumusunod na activities ay gaganapin sa Montemaria Shrine ngayong Disyembre 2009 at sa mga sumusunod na buwan ng 2010:

1. Chorale Festival-presentasyon ng mga Choirs ng iba’t-ibang Barangay, 3pm sa December 31, 2009. May mga premyo po ang mga mananalo.

2. Christmas Play – presentasyon ng mga volunteers ng Montemaria, 6pm sa December 31, 2009.

3. Eucharistic Celebration sa gabi ng bagong taon para sa Feast day of the Mother of God, kasama dito ang benerasyon ng imahen ng ina ng Diyos pagkatapos ng thanksgiving dinner sa December 31, 2009.

4. Apatnapung (40) oras na Eucharistic Vigil Mula January 15 to 17, 2010.

5. January 18, 2010 ang tentative date ng blessing ng Santo Niño Chapel.

/Bro. Henry Milla

PressCon for November 28

noniecdolor — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:30:25 +0000

Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, through Fr. Nonie Dolor, chair of the Commission on Social Communications and Mass Media, is calling for a press conference to brief media on the pilgrimage churches for the Centennial Year 2010. The date is set for November 28, Saturday, 9:00 am at his residence in Lipa City. There are more than twenty churches/shrines and chapels to be declared pilfrimage sites for the whole centennial celebrations. The Archbishop is set to formally announce this to the faithful of the Archdiocese during the evening mass of the same day, marking the First Sunday of Advent.

He is expected to read the decree from the Vatican, granting the extraordinary privileges granted to the faithful for this “year of grace”. The Mass is also to be broadcast live via DWAL-FM 95.9 Radyo Totoo, the “evangelization radio” of the Archdiocese of Lipa.

Local media led by the officers and members of the Batangas Newswriters Association and the Batangas Press Club, including the staff of Ulat Batangan, the Archdiocesan newspaper, and the two radio stations of the archdiocese — 99.1 Spirit-FM and Radyo Totoo — have confirmed their attendance. National media outfits, including ABS-CBN and GMA, through their local correspondents, also confirmed their attendance to this live-broadcast press conference. CBCP news also said it will send their top writers for this important confab.

Aside from the Archbishop, Rev. Fr. Jojo Mendoza and REv. Fr. Bert Cabrera will make the presentations and Fr. Oscar Andal will head the reception. Fr. Nonie Dolor will moderate the open forum.

Archbishop Challenges Youth to Bring Christ to the Community

noniecdolor — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:28:01 +0000

(Lipa City, Nov. 22,2009) – Lipa Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles challenged the youth of Lipa and the other youth delegates from Asia and other parts of the country to bear witness to the Gospel message of love in their communities. Presiding over the closing ceremonies of the Archdiocesan Youth Day at St. Francis de Sales Major Seminary Gym, he said that the youth more than anybody else in our modern societies are more challenged to really prove that Christ is their King.

“The challenge of bring the kingdom of Christ to this part of Asia is not only a challenge to us Bishops and missionaries, but more so to you, young people,” he said during his homily.

The Archdiocese was host to 79 youth-delegates coming from Vietnam, Bangla Desh and Korea, and also to 79 Filipino youth delegates coming from different ecclesiastical jurisdictions like Puerto Princesa, Cubao, Military Ordinariate, Laoag, Legaspi, Paranaque, Romblon, Pampanga. All these were housed with the different foster-families in the parishes comprising the Fifth Vicariate of the archdiocese of Lipa. 63 local delegates joined them in what was dubbed as “Days in the Diocese”, simultaneously held with nine other dioceses. The DAD is part of the 5^th Asian Youth Day, which would be held immediately after following the Nov. 20-23 DADs at the Diocese of Imus.

“WE took pains to show our Asian delegates, who came from non-Christian countries, how we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King,” Fr. Dakila Ramos, chair of the Archdiocesan Youth Commission, noted. He said that most of the foreign delegates were awe-struck at the elaborate liturgical celebration for Christ the King, including the processions.

Meantime, the Archbishop revealed that on the vigil mass for the First Sunday of Advent, he will formally declare the pilgrimage sites for the centennial. He said that during his Mass, he’d read the Vatican document that granted the archdiocese the privilege to declare some 21 sites as pilgrimage churches/shrines. These sites would be furnished a copy of the official document in Latin and its translation in English and Tagalog. He ordered that these be posted at a conspicuous space in the church as a landmark.

The archbishop urged his clergy, especially the parish priests, to place especial emphasis during this Advent to the immediate preparation for the centennial jubilee of the Lipa as a local church. The Centennial celebration will commence on April 10, 2010 and end on April 10, 2011.

More Vicariates and Parishes Try CiDEs

noniecdolor — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:52:23 +0000

Since the Council of the Laity of the Archdiocese of Lipa decided to promote the Circles of Discernment for Elections and Beyond (CiDE), Fr. Nonie Dolor, the main promoter of this Dilaab-inspired response to ”evangelize politics” and give “pastoral accompaniment” to lay people in their political involvement as enunciated by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in their July pastoral statement “Lay participation in Politics and Peace Building”, was kept busy moving from one vicariate to another, and even visiting parishes to give the orientation for CiDE.

Last November 7, 310 participants from Vicariate 2 gathered at spacious Our Lady of Caysasay Gymn for a whole day seminar-workshop. The representatives of nine parishes, mostly from the Parish Pastoral Assembly and religious organizations, made 7 circles, since there were seven towns represented. Fr. Lito Malibiran, Lemery parish priests gave a doze of video presentation, depicting the present political realities. Fr. Nonie Dolor painstakingly explained the different role of the clergy and the laity in politics. He batted for the full involvement of the laity as it is “the duty of the lay faithful to directly engaged in politics” and the clergy to maintain a non-partisan role in making sure that the elections be peaceful, clean and credible. Fr. Gami Balita, Vicar Forane, personally accompanied the group during the entire exercise. Other parish priests lent their presence to inspire their lay partners in this endeavor, fully supported by Lipa archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles.

The following day, Fr. Dolor was orienting lay leaders of Vicariate V gathered at the San Sebastian Parish hall. He was held into a lively and animated discussion on the challenges of Christians in evangelizing thee political culture. The good priest emphasized “personal conversion” as the starting point of their involvement in social change. ”There are a lot to change in our existing political culture of political patronage. Our Bishops pointed this out in their pastoral exhortation in 1997 — politics, as practiced in our country, is doing us harm as a nation!” After explaining the Nominal Group Technique, he bid them goodbye to motor to nearby Padre Garcia Parish.

Here, there were more young people than the elders. Fr. Ferdie Jumaod, OSJ welcomed them. Bro. Ading Tejada of Ibaan gave the orientation to CiDE. Fr. Nonie Dolor facilitated the NGT with six circles of 50 participants getting the feel of the process. The adult lay leaders promised to bring this to the barangay level.

Paring Batangas Failed to Defend General Champion Title

noniecdolor — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:55:13 +0000

(October 23, 2009) – Paring Batangas fell one point short to Paring Lucena as the Batangas clergy failed to defend the general championship title they held for the past two years. This despite the 40s and above recovered the title in basketball, where their 39s and below yielded the tile and settled for the runner-up trophy in the same sport. Fr. Oscar Andal, reporting to DWAL-FM program “Dito Po Sa Atin”, also disclosed that the next Southern Luzon Tagalog Region (SOLTARE) sportfest will be held next year with Lipa as host. It will be remembered that 2010 is the centennial year of the local church of Lipa.

“The players vowed to regain the title as we host this event for the second time,” Fr. Chancellor quoted the players from Lipa. If ever, this will be the fourth staging of this event, which was first hosted by Lipa, then Lucena, and this year by the Diocese of Boac.

CiDEs, Catching Fire in the Archdiocese

noniecdolor — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:54:05 +0000

(October 19, 2009) – The Circles of Discernment for Elections and Beyond is slowly catching fire in the Archdiocese of Lipa.

It started with the eagerness of the officers and members of the Archdiocesan Council of the Laity, headed by Bro. Loreto “Ito” Guinhawa. The ACL made the CiDE as one of their activities in the celebration of the Laity Week.

“We are responding to the challenge posed to us lay people, especially the leaders, to take an active part in social change in our country. We know that the forthcoming May elections is a means towards that change. However, the CBCP is right in pointing out that it is incumbent on us, lay people, to evangelize politics in our country,” declared Bro. Ito in appearing in an interview over the Archdiocesan radio, DWAL-FM 95.9 RAdyo Totoo, in the program hosted by Fr. Nonie Dolor and Lita Bicol, both veteran broadcasters of the defunct AM radio of the Archdiocese. The newly-opened FM radio is what Archbishop Ramon Arguelles calls “evangelization radio”.

After the CiDE, facilitated by Fr. Nonie Dolor and Fr. Lito Malibiran, the ALC officers decided to bring CiDE to the vicariate level, after conferring with Fr. Oscar Andal, the spiritual director of the Council of the Laity in the Archdiocese. Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, on his part, gave his support, noting his disappointment with the few turn-out of a previously set July CiDE, where only 12 parishes and two schools sent representatives despite his previous announcements in the priests’ assemblies. The team of Fr. Carmelo Diola from Cebu, where CiDE was born and currently being spread through the country, came over for that July CiDE, intended to be an orientation for priests and lay leaders of the Archdiocese. Frs. Dolor and Malibiran previously attended CiDE workshops in Cebu, separately.

Last October 10, Vicariate VII, under Fr. Matty Orario and its lay Vicarial Coordinator, Bro. Demmy de la Cruz, invited Fr. Nonie Dolor to give the CiDE orientation to the Vicariate lay leaders. Close to 50 leaders came to the Parish of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Fr. Nonie Dolor said that he needed to explain the role of the laity in political involvement to these leaders who have been indifferent even to volunteer to the usual political engagement of the Church during elections in movements like PPCR and Namfrel. Of those who attended only three have said that they were volunteers of PPCRV and Namfrel during election; the others were mere by-standers saying that they did not know that it is the duty of Catholic faithful to participate directly in politics. Fr. Dolor took pains in explaining to them the laity’s vital responsibility in evangelizing the political sphere.

Last October 17, Fr. Nonie Dolor went to Tanauan City to give the CiDE orientation to the lay leaders of Vicariate VI. Fr. Cris de Guzman, the newly-installed Vicar Forane, welcome the more than 70 participants. He emphasized the call of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, for the faithful’s active participation and duty in social transformation. CiDE, he said, is a way to do this, especially given the worsening political situation and culture in our country. After Fr. Dolor’s presentation, which zeroed in on the two CBCB recent documents relating to lay participation on politics and peace-building, the leaders, headed by Bro. Cris Perez of Sto. Tomas Parish, promised to bring CiDE even to the barangay or MSK level. The CiDE orientation was held in the morning.

Simulataneously with the Tanauan CiDE, Bro. Ding Tejada presided over the orientation to CiDE at San Juan Nepomuceno Parish, San Juan, Batangas. The half-day seminar-workshop drew some 260 participants coming from the various barangays and church-based organizations, headed by the Parish Pastoral Assembly, including lay-faculty members of Joseph Marello Institute. Bro. Ting Tejada reported that Fr. Randy Marquez, parish priest and Vicar Forane of Vicariate IV, was with them the whole of the CiDE exercise. He also said that they were able to hold a real CiDE, with 25 participants composing a circle. Fr. Marquez promised to bring this down to the “tuklongs” of the parish, as a way of political education of the people.

Some 196 participants gathered that same afternoon at St. James Academy Gym to hear Fr. Dolor’s orientation on CiDE. With the help of Fr. Jorge de Chavez, OSJ, who recently joined the National Discernment of the the Clergy in Their Role as Prophets, the participants were able to get a glimpse of how CiDE works and more importantly, why it is important in changing the political scene in the community.

Lastly, yesterday, October 19, the lay leaders of the Parish of St. Joseph, San Jose, Batangas underwent a similar orientation with close to 90 participants. It will be noted that it is only Vicariate IV that took the initiative to have parochial CiDE orientation. Others have scheduled their by Vicariates. The parishes composing these vicariates would decided on their future moves of accepting or not CiDE as a means of their political education.