Veritas PH

The WORD. The TRUTH.

CBCP Statement on the Orlando Tragedy

SHARE THE TRUTH

 154 total views

 

WE ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS!

The scene is becoming disturbingly frequent in the United States — lifeless bodies strewn all over the place, and an assailant gone berserk who, by brazen thoughtlessness, changes lives and communities forever. With the families of those who lost their lives at Orlando, Florida, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines grieves. We, bishops of the Philippine Church, unite ourselves with those who mourn in prayer. But a tragedy like this challenges us to ask ourselves how we can all, not Americans alone, become a better people after having recovered from our grief.

First, this was a hate-crime — the murder of persons because of disgust for their sexual orientation. Bearing in the depth of his or her soul the image of the Creator, no human person should ever be the object of disgust. While we may have reasons to disagree with sexual preferences, or reprove certain forms of sexual activity, this can never justify hatred, let alone, murder of another human being.
Regrettably, this tragedy occurs in the midst of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. But this grim event merely underscores how right Pope Francis was in convoking this year as a year of mercy. The heartlessness with which so many were cut down in their youth or in the prime of life only makes clear how much the world needs mercy. As important as it is to be right, it is far more important to be merciful!

Second, we can and should never reconcile ourselves with violence in society — whether this be the violence of lawless elements, the violence of the self-righteous, the violence of vigilante groups, or the violence of government. Violence leaves only mourning, and loss, and bitterness in its wake. We cannot and should not accept a society that tolerates and perhaps even foments forms of violence, even if this should be in the name of restoring law and order.
Third, while the whole world is rightly shocked by the brutality of the tragedy at Orlando, from this darkness we see the light that Pope Francis holds out to us through his exhortation, Amoris Laetitia. No matter that we may disapprove of the actions, decisions and choices of others, there is absolutely no reason to reject the person, no justification for cruelty, no reason for making outcasts of them. This is a project on which we, in the Philippines, must seriously embark for many are still forced to the peripheries because the norms of “decent society” forbid association with them. Pope Francis sternly warns us that this cannot be Christian. We must continue the dialogue and the conversation with them over the things about which we disagree, but this dialogue must always be an encounter of brothers and sisters, an encounter of friends in the Lord.

We your bishops therefore urge school administrators and youth leaders to be particularly vigilant about cases of bullying, ostracism and harassment. We urge government to educate the nation in the ways of the respect for all life. We call on all Christians to show the world that our fidelity to Christ and our citizenship in his kingdom are of far more importance than whatever else may keep us in disagreement.

May you grant the fallen, Merciful Father, the peace and the light of your Kingdom, and may you grant us, who must continue on our pilgrimage, the wisdom to move from the darkness of grief to the light by which we recognize in each other the sons and daughters you adopted in Your Son, Jesus Christ.

From the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, June 13, 2016
+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan
CBCP President

ads
2
3
4
previous arrow
next arrow

Veritas Editorial

Rev. Fr. Anton CT Pascual

Rev. Fr. Anton CT Pascual

President of Radio Veritas

Ningas-cogon

 32,213 total views

 32,213 total views Kapanalig, ang salitang “NINGAS-COGON” ay tumutukoy sa ugaling Pilipino … Masigasig at masipag sa simula lamang, ngunit walang natatapos sa kalaunan (NEVER TO FINISH WHAT THEY STARTED). ANG “NINGAS-COGON” AY karaniwang maihalintulad sa mga “hearing in-aid of legislation” ng Kongreso na binubuo ng Mababa(Kamara) at Mataas(Senado) na Kapulungan ng Kongreso. Kadalasan, ang Kongreso

Read More »

Job Mismatches

 43,288 total views

 43,288 total views “Job-skills mismatches”, Kapanalig ito ang malaking problema sa Pilipinas na hindi pa rin natutugunan ng pamahalaan at education sector. Sa pag-aaral ng Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), malaki ang ambag ng “job-skills mismatches” sa umployment at underemployment sa bansa kung saan hindi napapakinabangan ang potensyal ng young workforce. Ayon sa Commission on Higher

Read More »

Mining

 49,621 total views

 49,621 total views Kapanalig, nararanasan natin sa Pilipinas maging sa buong mundo ang “climate crisis” na dulot ng climate change o nagbabagong panahon. Ang Pilipinas bilang tropical country ay dumaranas ng mahigit sa 20-bagyo kada taon na nagdudulot ng matinding pinsala sa ari-arian, kabuhayan at buhay ng mga Pilipino. Ngunit sa kabila ng banta ng climate

Read More »

Kasabwat sa patayan

 54,235 total views

 54,235 total views Mga Kapanalig, ganoon na lamang ba kababa ang pagpapahalaga natin sa buhay ng ating kapwa-tao na handa natin itong bawiin ng mga iniluluklok nating berdugo sa ngalan ng pagkakaroon ng payapa at ligtas na kapaligiran? Ganyan kasi ang mapapansin sa mga sentimiyento ng ilan nating kababayan habang isinasagawa ng Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee

Read More »

Walang magagawa o hindi handa?

 55,796 total views

 55,796 total views Mga Kapanalig, kasabay ng malakas na ulang dala ng Bagyong Kristine dalawang linggo na ang nakalilipas ang buhos ng batikos kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos Jr.  Ika-23 ng Oktubre, kasagsagan ng pananalasa ng bagyo, nang bigyan ng situation briefing ng mga pinuno at kinatawan ng iba’t ibang ahensya si PBBM. Papalapit na noon ang

Read More »
catholink
Shadow
truthshop
Shadow

Related Story

Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

DON’T LEAVE GOD WHEN YOU VOTE

 19,340 total views

 19,340 total views Pastoral Message in the Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan for the 2019 Mid Term Elections Brothers and sisters in Christ in Lingayen Dagupan: All elections are important. Each vote is the power of the people to choose their leaders. It is the backbone of democracy. The candidates are job applicants for vacant positions. They

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

GOD IS LOVE

 19,253 total views

 19,253 total views Fatherly Message to the Youth and Children of the Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan My dear children of God in the Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan: Through social media, you have been sadly exposed to the cursing, threats and shaming by the President of our country. Choose to love him nevertheless, but stay in the

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

HE IS INSANE. HE IS POSSESSED.

 19,233 total views

 19,233 total views Gospel Meditation for Sunday June 10, 2018 based on Mark 3:20 Jesus was thought to be insane by his relatives. They wanted to bring Him home by force. Jesus was thought to be possessed by the Scribes because His powers looked superhuman. Jesus had been called many names and accused of many crimes

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

TURNING TO MARY IN OUR NEED

 19,233 total views

 19,233 total views Today is the feast of Mary Help of Christians. Mary the Helper is as old as the title Mary the Mother. This devotion was the armament of the Popes in the past against the attacks of kings and emperors on the Church. The devotion to Mary Help of Christians has been the recourse

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

CBCP President Message for Lent and Easter

 19,355 total views

 19,355 total views Lent and Easter My brothers and sisters in the Lord! I am grateful for this opportunity to share with you myLenten and Easter message, my thoughts and reflections these days. I have to tell you that I have been very much inspired by the Lenten Message of our Holy Father for us this

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

Should you blindly follow those Holy Week traditions?

 28,985 total views

 28,985 total views By: Archbishop Socrates Villegas Holy Week is about what Christ has done for humanity. Let the memory of God’s mercy sink in without any compulsion to do something. Just relish His mercy and bask in the radiance of His love. During Holy Week, tell God “Thank you.” Holy Week is not what men

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

FILIPINO CITIZENS AND CITIZENS OF HEAVEN

 19,225 total views

 19,225 total views Pastoral Moral Guidelines for Our Catholic Faithful in the Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: For some time now, the President and his followers have campaigned aggressively for the revision of the Constitution to establish a federal government. As your pastor, I discern the responsibility to enlighten in the

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

INVITATION TO START THE HEALING

 19,224 total views

 19,224 total views Our Catholic Bishops in the Philippines appealed for a season of mourning and prayers for the dead from September 23 until November 1 this year, by daily rosary, church bell ringing and candle lighting at eight o’clock each night for the victims of the spreading culture of killings. The whole message of this

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

LORD HEAL OUR LAND(cf. 2 Chronicles 7:14)

 19,241 total views

 19,241 total views Our brothers and sisters in Christ: Kian, Carl, Reynaldo…they were young boys, enjoying life, loving sons of parents who doted on them. Now an entire nation knows them by name because their lives have been snuffed out so cruelly, their dreams and aspirations forever consigned to the sad realm of “what could have

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

ANG KAMPANA NG KONSENSIYA!

 19,207 total views

 19,207 total views Panawagan sa Bayan ng Diyos sa Archdiocese ng Lingayen Dagupan Ang gulo ng bayan! Parami nang parami ang mga ulila sa magulang, sa asawa at sa anak. Pakiusap na “Huwag po!” naririnig sa mga eskinita at tambakan. Patayan sa magdamag. Panaghoy at hikbi sa madaling araw galing sa mga ulila. Ang multo ng

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

CONSECRATE THEM IN THE TRUTH

 19,250 total views

 19,250 total views Brothers and sisters in Christ: A key dimension of Jesus’ mission was to preach the truth, and in His high priestly prayer, He prayed that His disciples might be consecrated in the truth. We, the Filipino nation, are part of the community of disciples for whom He prayed. At his trial, the question

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD…

 19,216 total views

 19,216 total views God saw all that he had made…and it was all very good! The Christian must nurture earth and care for creation, for so is the Creator paid homage and done reverence. Creation bears the Divine imprint, and they who deface it transgress against God’s sovereignty. For too long now, we have dealt with

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

Post-Permanent Council Meeting CBCP Pastoral Statement on Death Penalty

 19,221 total views

 19,221 total views “God proved his love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8) On this third Sunday of Lent, the Gospel of John tells us how the Samaritan woman—having found in Jesus the “living water” she had longed for—left her jar of water by the well (John 4:28).

Read More »
Pastoral Letter
Riza Mendoza

Prayer To Heal Our Land

 19,231 total views

 19,231 total views We turn to God in fervent prayer to heal our land. We beg the Lord to pour forth upon us the passion NOT for vengeance but for justice. We humbly pray to the Lord who called Himself the Truth to set our hearts aflame for the truth, the truth that sets all of

Read More »

Latest Blogs

Scroll to Top