Anda, Pangasinan native appointed Texas bishop

By Christian Crow Maghanoy

FOR the first time since its establishment in 1914, a Filipino has been appointed by Pope Francis as the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of El Paso in Texas, USA, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila said on Sunday.
    A native of Anda in Pangasinan, Bishop-elect Anthony "Tony" Celino, Licentiate in Canon Law or JCL, was appointed by the Vatican on Feb. 8, 2023.
    In a statement late Sunday, The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila said Celino is set to be officially proclaimed through an episcopal ordination at El Paso's St. Patrick Cathedral on March 31, 2023.
    The new Filipino immigrant prelate becomes the third of Filipino descent elected as a bishop in the US, following Bishop Oscar Solis of Salt Lake City and Bishop Alejandro Aclan of Los Angeles City.
    Celino will remain in his current position as Judicial Vicar of El Paso and Pastor of St. Raphel's Parish until later in the spring.
    Meanwhile, El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for showing his attention and care to his diocese by appointing Bishop-elect Celino, who is known for making "substantive contributions to the local church's life."
    "He brings a unique experience as a Filipino immigrant serving our border community as a priest for the past twenty-five years, a steadfast dedication to pastoral ministry, and fidelity to the Gospel," Seitz said.
    The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila said that Celino had attended high school and college at Mary Help of Christians Seminary in Dagupan City in 1993 where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and graduated his master's in Divinity and Sacred Theology at the University of St. Mary of the Lake and Mundelein Seminary in Illinois in 1997.
    Upon his priestly ordination in 1997, he was assigned as parochial vicar at St. Patrick Cathedral and Our Lady of Peace in Alphine, and became pastor of St. John Paul 2nd Parish, formerly Santa Lucia Parish.
    He also served as the diocese's vicar general, moderator curiae and chancellor, and appointed as delegate of the Apostolic Administrator to El Paso during sede vacante from December 2011 to July 2013.
    The Mary Help of Christians High School Seminary, on the other hand, congratulated the election of its "distinguished alumnus to the Order of Bishops."
    It prayed that Celino's appointment to the Diocese of El Paso, Texas, particularly his assignment in the titular see of Maronana, will come to success in his new ministry as bishop.
    "We pray that our seminarian-sons may soon become good and holy priests themselves. We pray for more vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life," it said. "Mary Help of Christians, pray for us!"
    It likewise added that Monsignor Celino was born on April 29, 1972 in Anda, Pangasinan to the late Mines (Cerdan) and Tedolodo Celino where the bishop-elect was the youngest of seven children. He was subsequently awarded a licentiate in canon law at the Catholic University of America in Washington.
    Celino's appointment was announced by The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila day after the Diocese of El Paso publicized the passing of its priest, Fr. Fulgenion Mayorga, SJ.
    In a separate statement, the Diocese of El Paso expressed its grievances for the passing of their resident priest who they claimed had served the Diocese for five years.
    The Diocese of El Paso stressed that Mayorga had served many places as a member of the Society of Jesus. His native country was Nicaragua. He chose El Paso to complete his priestly ministry.
    "Health issues limited his ability to serve, but not his desire. The Lord has called him home having fulfilled his mission and we are grateful for his service in our local church," the statement read.
    "Funeral plans are under the direction of his sister and we will share that information as soon as they become available," it added. "May the soul of Fr. Fulgencio Mayorga, and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in the mercy of God."
    Celino's appointment was first publicized in Washington D.C. on Feb. 8, 2023 by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the US.
 

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Family

CULTURAL NOTES

Richard Kinnud

Most often than not, family is translated in the local languages including ours in the Cordilleras as “pamilya.”  Easily, one can say that this translation is just referent to the English word.  Trivial as it maybe, this translation indicates that the Cordilleran societies’ understanding of the family has revolutionized.  This is not surprising as the family, considered to be the basic institution, is continually affected by economic and technological changes, the influence of foreign culture, and even the advancement of knowledge because of education. 
    In my native Ifugao language, the word family can be translated as “himbabbale.”  The root word is “bale” which refers to a house or a home and there is the prefix “him” which means togetherness.  The infix “ba” which is a repetition of the first syllable of the root word indicates more than two people.  Thus plainly, himbabbale means a group of people living in one house or one home.   It generally refers to a husband and wife and their children.
    It would be notable though that in olden times, children of age would not sleep in one house with their parents.  The Ifugao native house is usually a small one-room abode.  Rarely is a “kulob” or an extra room appended to the house.  Children thus simply come home, do chores to include feeding animals raised at the yard, eat, then go their respective agamang or sleeping quarters which are usually homes of folks who live alone, then go back home again in the morning to eat, change clothes perhaps, and go to their daily chores.
    When one would marry, or had own home, he or she would be considered “limmahun,” literally meaning one who went out or “immiwe”, meaning to separate.  This indicates that the parents are no longer accountable for the basics such food and clothing.  Someone of age may also opt to be an “immiwe” by living on a separate home.   Every son or daughter, though, whether marrying or living alone still have responsibility to the home especially to the parents.
    Distinct to himbabbale are himbale (husband and wife), hina’ama (father and children), hinama (father and child), hini’ina (mother and children), hinina (mother and child), hina’agi (siblings) and hinaappu (grandparent and grandchildren).  A family relate to other families as they could be from the same “tinanud” which can be termed as “himpananud” (clan).  And of course, there is the nun-aapu (kin by affinity).  All this are subsumed in the term now used -  “pamilya.”
    The practice of “agamang” has long been over and done.   And that would mean children and parents will literally be a “himbabbale.”  Marriage would not be the main reason for leaving the house (lumahun or umiwe), but for economic and similar reasons.  They go to school or land in a job away from hometown for instance.  However, it also happens that because the “pamilya” nowadays have bigger houses, married children bring their new family and live with their ascendants.
    On certain rituals or celebrations involving families, some changes are also observed. For instance, in the Ifugao engagement rite which is the bequeathing of the “momon” from the man to the woman’s family  it is ideal that the husband-to-be is not present during the occasion.  The wisdom behind is for him not to be part of the consumption of his own present, which usually is duck or pig meat or the animal itself, and more importantly, to wait that said momon which is actually a marriage proposal is accepted by the family of the lady.  

The period after the momon is usually a time for relatives to register their objection to the impending marriage.  Nowadays, however, it is often seen that an engagement rite while still called a “momon” involves the presence of the parties involved.  It now becomes the marriage itself even if there no proper ceremonies by an authorized administering official as a priest or a mayor.  One reason that I usually hear is that “they have already children; there’s nothing to object on.”  Another reason involves being practical, “That would now be the celebration of the marriage so we will lessen on expenses.  They can invite on a grander one if they so desire and provisions permit.”
    In earlier times, one primary occasion that would gather families is the honga.  It is an occasion dedicated to celebrate the life of a living person.  And it should be the responsibility of children to afford one for their parents.  Honga is a community occasion which anyone can attend but the value of kinship is emphasized here particularly on the practice called the bolwa.  This is a system of sharing meat among kinfolks.  Children of honoree will first get their share to include the married grandchildren if there are.  After which, what remains of the meat will be divided between the himbale (spouses) honored in the occasion.  The split will then be distributed to the respective closest kins.  It is thus important that one knows the genealogy so as to know if the distribution of “meat” still comes to one’s reach.
    While honga is still being practiced today, sometimes children delay its happening.  For one, it is costly to host one.  Another is that it is often difficult to arrange a time when every one of the children of the honoree are present.  Unlike before when a family could be just within a village all involved in farming, often times siblings live far from each other or are in diverse works that there is no common availability. Besides, sometimes people find no utility for it in as far as knowing one’s relatives as there is already the clan reunion, which is an adopted practice. 

In other celebrations such as on weddings, age-old cultural practices dictate that the important people to invite (maayagan) are the relatives.  This surely strengthens the “himbabbale” and even the “himpananud.”  In modern times, the important guests would now extend to people that wields power and influence in the society.  It is evident on what people choose to be their ninongs or ninangs.  This surely influences certain dynamics in “pamilya” especially during political exercises.

As times go by, more changes will certainly happen on society’s understanding of the family.  But at any rate, people will surely like that these changes will be for the good and not for the deterioration of “pamilya.”

***

Religion, particularly Christianity which is the dominant one in the Cordilleras, is a major influencer in the dynamics of family.  In the Catholic Church, the Sunday after Christmas Day or December 30 if Christmas Day itself falls on a Sunday, is designated as the Feast of the Holy Family.  The Holy Family refer to Joseph, Mary and Jesus.  His emphasizes the advocacy of modeling one’s family to the Holy Family.  Some values often emphasized are surrendering one’s family to God’s plan, faithfulness and love.  Joseph and Mary both accepted their role as angels revealed even as their human reasoning would have dictated otherwise as the scriptures will tell.  They remained to be with each other despite the odds that they faced such as their escape to Egypt.  As pastors would tell, they have shown us how to show love in family.  Others would even say that our current cultural practices as family reunions and other family bonding activities that people do at Christmas time are good practices on how we shall model ours to that of the Holy Family.

After the Feast of the Holy Family comes the so-called Feast of the Epiphany.  This is a celebration of the visit of three wise men, some say kings, to the Holy Family.  If the catechism I heard don’t fail me, this is the manifestation that Jesus the Christ is not only a savior for a particular nation but for the whole of humanity as represented by the wise men or kings.  They have brought to the Holy Family gifts as gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Bible scholars have the interpretation that these are act of praises to the kingship (gold), divinity (frankincense) and humility/humanity (myrrh) of the Child Jesus.  I also read one that says, while these are acts of praises, the gifts are representative of the culture of these wise men.  This made me think, what if the birth of Jesus happened today and one of the wise men is from the Cordillera, what could one of the gifts be? 

When attending family occasions such as a honga, one can bring along as a present to the honoree a pig.  This is usually seen as a recognition of a close attachment to the family.  Usually, the family of an honoree will do the same when the occasion is also observed in the giver’s family.

As to new births, a usual gift given in earlier times is the “oban” or a “bayyaung”.  These are blankets that can be used to carry a child and the later can even be used later as an attire. 

So, if one of the wise men was a Cordilleran, would it be a black pig?  Or could it be one of those native blankets?  Anyway, this is just to tickle our minds on how we may be able to approximate the acts of praises of the Three Kings.

Meantime, I greet readers of this column and the Northern Philippine Times a Happy New Year and we now hear the salutations of Happy Three Kings, may it lead us to reflective celebration of the Epiphany.

 

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Church pushes 'principled collaboration' with Marcos gov’t

EDITORIAL

THE Philippine Catholic Church on Thursday assured newly proclaimed President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that it will continue to foster a "principled collaboration" with his government.
    In a statement, Caritas Philippines, the Catholic Church's social action arm, said it will work with the Marcos administration on initiatives that will "respect the rights and dignity of the Filipino people".
    "We will, as always, exercise principled cooperation with the government," it said.
    As such, the national Caritas added that it will support Marcos' programs that "honor the rule of law and history" and will "make government more accountable to its people".
    "With our post-election accountability program, we will hold him and all elected officials liable for all their election promises," Caritas said.
    "In all that is to come, we pray that his administration will be guided by justice, inspired by the people who elected him, and fueled by true patriotism," it added.
    Marcos was officially declared the country's next president on Wednesday. Congress also proclaimed Sara Duterte as Vice President-elect after only two days of canvassing.
    The proclamation took place at the Batasang Pambansa, in the presence of both houses of Congress.
    Marcos and Duterte, daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, will assume office on June 30.
    The RC’s “principled collaboration” with the incoming Marcos government deserves closer scrutiny as this country becomes more divided as ever.
    Times indeed have changed wherein trolls and people with evil intentions made falsehoods the “truth” and parlayed these to a gullible public. Call it “demo crazy.”  
 

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How Roman Catholic Mission started in Abra

Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian, SVD DD, of the Diocese of Bangued

By Susan C. Aro

BANGUED, Abra -- Do you know that a Roman Catholic mission which has helped greatly in the  growth of  Catholic communities in the province and in the country started  in Abra  more than a century ago?
    Society of the Divine Word or SVD Mission in the Philippines traces its humble beginnings to the town of San Isidro in Abra. It was established on August 23, 1909 by two German missionaries -Fr. Luis Beckert and Fr. Juan Scheiermann.
    Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian, SVD DD, of the Diocese of Bangued narrated that the mission established a parish in San Isidro and then moved to Tayum and then to Bangued. It eventually expanded to Manila, Mindoro until Mindanao.
    Founded by Fr. Arnold Janssen in 1875 in the Netherlands, the SVD   mission is “to preach the Gospel to all nations through pastoral and sacramental ministry, teaching and working among those in need.” This is done through ministries that build and staff schools, hospitals, orphanages and hospices. 
    As the country celebrates 500 years of Christianity with the theme, “Gifted to Give” or “Naparaburan tapnu Agiburay” in Ilocano, Bishop Jaucian shares some snippets about the SVD mission in Abra and its role in  the history of Christianity in the Philippines.
    The involvement of the SVDs church was holistic not only the spiritual and pastoral aspect but it also contributed to the socio-economic aspect to the lives of the people in the community.
    The SVD missionaries went all over Abra to do pastoral work, mission work establishing parishes, chapels and communities.Amoung the schools they founded is the Divine Word College of Bangued.             
    While doing their mission work, they invited the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters or the Servants of the Holy Spirit Sisters (SSpS) in 1912 to serve in the education ministry in charge of the diocesan schools. 
    The SVD  later on developed the local priests or the so called diocesan clergy local clergy. They built the Saint Joseph Minor Seminary  primarily to train young men to become priests who will later serve the Diocese of Bangued.
    The SVD eventually turned over 20 of their parishes to the diocesan priests. Only four remained with the SVD - in San Isidro, San Quintin, La Paz and Malibcong. The SVD Parish in San Isidro will remain perpetual and will stay for as long as the SVDs are in Abra, said Bishop Jaucian.
    The involvement of the SVDs was holistic, not only  in the spiritual and pastoral aspects but in socio-economic aspect as well.
    Back then, roads were   rough and in the interior towns of the province, there were no roads at all. The SVD Mission got involved in the construction of roads. They likewise established the earliest irrigation system called the Manabo Irrigation Project which was turned over to the laity.
    It also established the Abra Diocesan Teachers and Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (ADTEMPCO) which was initially intended for teachers but was later on  opened to anyone   interested to join. Now a billionaire cooperative, it has branched out to other areas to continue providing services to its members.  
    “We are so thankful. The first attitude is really gratefulness to God for all the blessings that He has given us in the Diocese of Bangued. We thank God for the gift of the SVD missionaries because it was in Abra which was their first mission in the whole Philippines,” he said.   
    “That’s a big contribution to the celebration because from the two German missionaries, we have now more than 200 Filipino SVDs. They are not only serving in the Philippines but there are at least a hundred Filipino SVDs all over the world as missionaries,” the Bishop noted. With the mission started by the SVD priests and continued by the diocese and priests, the Diocese of Bangued is very much ‘Gifted to Give’. We hope that we continue to share the blessings that we received through the 500 years of Christianity,” the Bishop Jaucian said. (JDP/SCA-PIA-CAR, Abra)
 

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Kapangan engages religious sector in drive vs Covid-19

By Susan C. Aro

KAPANGAN, Benguet -- The local government here has engaged the religious sector in influencing their flock to help in government’s campaign against Covid-19.    
    Mayor Manny Fermin, in an interview by Presidential Communications Operations Office Sec. Martin Andanar in the Laging Handa Network briefing, said first thing he did  this  year   was  meet with the religious sector based in this town.
    He sought their help in informing their flocks about health protocols  and  Covid-19-19 Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases(IATF) guidelines  including  what local government   units are doing to  combat the dreaded virus.  
    “Mga pari, mga pastor, sila ho yung katulong natin to implement these protocols and then to pray over for the municipality, the nation, everybody and the whole world,” Fermin said.
    Recognizing the influence of the religious over their followers,   the mayor  added , “Sa lahat ng antas ng religion, it very is important for them to help us.  Sila po ang tutulong na magbigay ng IEC sa ating mga kababayan na sana naman sundin  ng lahat ."
    This even as religious gatherings under the General Community Quarantine issued by the Benguet Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid-19 allows only up to 30 percent of the seating capacity.
    Meanwhile, Fermin said    measures imposed by the Kapangan LGU  to strengthen the campaign against COVID 19  include  imposition of curfew, scheduling trips of public vehicles, issuance of health declaration form for essential travel only, monitoring of  limited mass gatherings, among others. – PIA Benguet

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SIL, Kalinga folks translate Bible to Minangali dialect

By Peter Balocnit

CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga - - The relation between religion and culture was made stronger with the New Testament Bible translated in the Minangali dialect and dedicated  for official use in masses and other religious activities.

    Apostolic Vicar of Tabuk Bishop Prudencio Andaya presided the dedication of the Bible in Minangali with the theme “Niyi Mangalin’n Ugud Apu, Basaon Ta Ikatagu Taku”, through an ecumenical rite held at the St. William’s Cathedral here on Oct. 24. 
Representatives of other religious sects participated during the dedication.
    The Minangali translation, the third of local translations in three Kalinga dialects, was a project of the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL).
     It was the SIL that established residency in Mangali, Tanudan in the early 1970’s that worked for the translation of the Bible. SIL a non-government organization in special status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, and affiliated with the Department of Education.
    SIL International – Philippines Director Jill Choa congratulated the translation team and the Mangali people for patiently working on the project for  years.
     “Your enormous labor of love over many years and staying true to the course to finish the New Testament in your own language is truly a big milestone,” she said.
    Meanwhile, project director Evelyn Caress encouraged everyone to take the challenge and be part in spreading God’s Word among the iKalinga.
    “Dayawek ti dakkel nga ayat yu nga maaddaan kayu ti Bibilia nga Minangali tapnu nalaka yu nga maawatan ti soa ti Apu” (I praise your great desire to have your bible in the Minangali dialect so that you understand better the Word of God,” she said.
    A Minangali dictionary was also produced and is planned for registration to the Commission on Filipino Languages. (JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga)
 
 
 
 

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Muslim mosques padlocked in Baguio to ensure no gatherings

BAGUIO CITY -- All mosques in the city have been padlocked to ensure that no Muslim groups will gather in observance of the Ramadan.

National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Director Abel Macarimpas made this assurance to mayor Benjamin Magalong after the mayor relayed reports that some mosques are tolerating gatherings in the city.

The mayor said gatherings have not been allowed since the start of the Enhanced Community Quarantine and for the Ramadan, rites should be strictly private and family focused.

Macarimpas admitted receiving a report that one group used to pray in congregation and that he had acted on it by adding more padlocks to seal that particular mosque.

As to the other mosques, he said the administrators swore that these had remained closed since the ECQ declaration.

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Nueva Segovia prelate issues guidelines on observance of church services during ECQ

By Freddie Lazaro

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur – Bishop Marlo Peralta of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia has issued guidelines on the conduct of masses and church services of the Catholic Church while the province is under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID – 19).

In his Circular No. 3 series of 2020 addressed to priests and lay leaders, Peralta said that all barangay masses, daily and Sunday masses with congregation, including barangay and town fiesta masses are suspended during the period of the ECQ to keep everybody safe from COVID – 19.

“The faithful are dispensed by the Archbishop from their Sunday obligation during the ECQ but are highly encouraged to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in their homes through the different forms of media outlet (radio/television) or social media (Facebook, etc.) but parish churches will remain open seven days a week during day time for the people to feel free to enter and pray anytime they want,” the circular reads.

The Archbishop said the celebration of weddings and baptisms are to be postponed to a later date after the prescribed ECQ.

“Funerals are allowed so long as the family members and relatives are limited to less than 50 persons,” he said.

He added that sick calls are to be responded to with the precautionary measures to be strictly observed by the minister.

Every Friday of Lent and Good Friday are to be obligatory days of fasting, prayer and penance to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The circular added, “Bells are to be rung at 8:00 in the morning to signal the simultaneous hour of adoration to be done in all parishes, oratories and religious houses. Bells are to be rung at 12:00 noon and 8:00 in the evening every day to invite people to communal praying of the Oratio Imperata or prayer for protection against the spread of COVID-19.”

The bishop said that church offices (including Imprenta) and Nueva Segovia Archdiocesan Catholic School (NUSACS) shall remain closed to business until April 14 but the employees are entitled to their salaries.

“Regarding the collection of tithes, each parish should take precautions to ensure the health of collectors,” the prelate said.

“We owe it to the people we have sworn to serve, to protect them and the common good. Now is an opportune time for us to be united in invoking the mercy of God to stop the transmission of this dreaded disease and to implore the intercession of Apo Caridad, the patroness of Ilocandia,” he added.

 

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Cardinal Tagle is rising star

PERRYSCOPE

 Perry Diaz

Cardinal Luis Antonio “Chito” Gokim Tagle is Primate of the Philippines and archbishop of the diocese of Manila. He is the country’s 32nd archbishop and when he was named a cardinal in October 2013, he became the second youngest cardinal in the world (he is just two years older than Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal of India). Cardinal Tagle is already a household name in the Philippines and is often seen around Manila, commuting to work on his bike. At 62, he is one of the youngest “papabile” (one who is likely or possible candidate to be elected pope).  Many Filipinos are hoping he will become Asia’s first pope.

Fr Francis Lucas, executive secretary of the Filipino bishops’ commission on social communication and mass media, believes Cardinal Tagle has the qualities necessary to be the next Bishop of Rome. “He’s humble, meek, simple, bright, media-savvy, spiritual,” he told GMA News. “He prays a lot… you can’t see any conceitedness in him.”

Born in Manila on June 21, 1957 to Manuel Topacio Tagle Sr and Milagros Gokim Tagle, he and his only brother, Manuel Gokim Tagle Jr, were brought up in a devoutly Catholic environment. At the age of three he was already able to recite the rosary. He went to school at St Andrew’s in Parañaque City where he hoped to become a doctor.  But when he visited with his parish priest he was struck by the needs of a poor parish and felt a calling to become a priest. As a seminarian of the San Jose Major Seminary he read philosophy at the Ateneo de Manila University, the second highest-ranked university in the Philippines. He then went on to study theology at the Loyola School of Theology.  He completed his licentiate and doctorate at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC., where he earned a doctorate in theology, writing his dissertation on the evolution of episcopal collegiality since the Second Vatican Council.

 He was ordained to the priesthood at the age of 24 and was appointed pastor at St Augustine parish in Mendez, Cavite. He taught theology at three different seminaries, one in Cavite and two in Metro Manila.

In 1997 Blessed Pope John Paul II appointed Fr Tagle as a member of the International Theological Commission, where he became a close collaborator of Pope Benedict XVI, who was president at the time. Assisting the Holy See and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Tagle played a key role in examining and addressing doctrinal questions. Fr Tagle developed ties with the progressive theological School of Bologna, contributing to the school’s controversial history of the Second Vatican Council project, which interprets Vatican II as a “new beginning” for the Church.

In 2013, Pope Benedict appointed Fr. Tagle cardinal. When Cardinal Tagle received the red hat, he broke down to tears, which led an observer to comment, “A leader of the Church can be emotional at times, but not all the time.”  Cardinal Tagle apologized to Pope Benedict XVI the next day.  The Pope replied, “No, you don’t have to say sorry. We need heart in the Church.

In 2015, Tagle was elected president of Caritas Internationalis, the global confederation of national Catholic charities; he was re-elected to the position in May. And, in late 2014, he was elected to a six-year term as president of the Catholic Biblical Federation. (Source: Catholic Herald)

 The Red Pope

Recently, Pope Francis announced a significant appointment.  He appointed Cardinal Tagle as prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.  In his new role in the Catholic Church, he will head the office that deals with most of the dioceses in Africa, Asia, and Ocenia and shape the church in these territories. 

His appointment is very important because the influence of his congregation is far-reaching.  Originally called the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (Propaganda Fide), it was created in 1622 to deal with the missions opened up by European colonization. 

The Propaganda Fide, “Prop” for short, does the work of both the Congregation for Bishops and the Congregation for the Clergy.  The Prop is responsible for nominating and supervising bishops throughout Asia, Africa, and Oceania, which is about one-third of the dioceses in the world.  As prefect, Cardinal Tagle will look for candidates who will support the pastoral vision of Pope Francis.  His congregation can also influence how seminaries train future priests. 

Under the proposed reform of the Curia, the congregation will have two sections: one for the missions and the other re-evangelizing the old Christian Propaganda world. This has led many Vatican observers to refer to its prefect as the Papa Rosso (Red Pope), for the scarlet robes that the cardinal wears.  

Coming from Asia, Cardinal Tagle will be sympathetic to Pope Francis’ desire that Christianity reflect local cultures and traditions rather than simply imitating how Catholicism is lived in Europe. 

As prefect, Cardinal Tagle will also distribute funds collected by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, which supports missionary work around the world. Here he could direct the money to serve the people rather than the clergy. Pope Francis wants a poor church serving the poor, yet in some missionary countries the clergy live better than their people. 

Cardinal Tagle is an enthusiastic supporter of Pope Francis, who needs all the support he can get from the Vatican’s Curia. Cardinal Tagle shares the same pastoral approach to church issues as does Pope Francis.  He definitely is pro-Francis and would support his agenda.  It is expected that Cardinal Tagle, known as the “Asian Francis,” would seek to appoint bishops for missionary territories that would be in the mold of himself and Pope Francis. 

Pope Francis’successor

But Tagle’s high-profile appointment has all the benefits of being close to the powers-that-be in the Vatican.  It certainly grooms him as a “papabile,” a strong contender to succeed Pope Francis who turns 83 later this month.  In any case, the decision to choose the next pope rests on the cardinals who will elect him at the next conclave.

               Cardinal Tagle is supportive about the agenda of Pope Francis, speaking out for migrants and refugees, and trying to implement the Gospel of the Poor in his role as President of Caritas, the Church’s charitable arm.  Cardinal Tagle is a passionate communicator, having hosted hour-long television programs in the Philippines on the Bible and questions of faith.  He comes over as humble and joyful, and regularly tears up when talking about the suffering of people he has encountered through his ministry.

New Mentality 

Rome can no longer see itself, and Europe, as at the center of Christianity. It is tasked with serving the growing missionary churches. Propaganda Fide, some in Rome argue, has been one of the slowest to adopt this vision, and to adopt the reforms of the Second Vatican Council which sought to give a voice to local churches and bishops.

Like Pope Francis, Cardinal Tagle is a Roman “outsider” having never studied or worked in the Eternal City until now. The decision to give him one of Rome’s biggest jobs is a way of testing his mettle ahead of a future conclave. One of the reservations some have about Cardinal Tagle’s candidacy is whether he is robust and savvy enough to handle the brutal politics of the Roman Curia. Working at Propaganda Fide will be a chance to see how he fares. His potential as future pope will depend in his new role and what the cardinals think about the current pontificate at the next conclave.  If they have a favorable impression perhaps Cardinal Tagle would seem more attractive.  However, if they have a negative impression, the cardinals would thumb him down.  But that is still in the future, which gives Cardinal Tagle enough time to do a great job as the Papa Rosso.

Indeed, Cardinal Tagle is a shining rising star where evangelization of peoples of Asia, Africa, and Oceania would be on top of his agenda.  (Source: National Catholic Register)

(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

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Who Are the Baptists?

TRUTH FOR TODAY

Jun Malazo

SAGADA, Mountain Province -- It is a question I have been asked many times in Sagada where we minister.   I believe this is an honest question because most people do not know our history.  Usually people think of religious groups as a denomination, so whenever I explain that we are not part of a denomination people often get confused.  So in this article I will try to explain who we are as Baptists.  But first there are a few things to consider.

Have you ever wondered where all the religious denominations of today came from?  Church history is a lengthy but interesting subject.  Most religious groups of today that identify as “Christian” can be traced from an era in history called the Protestant Reformation. 

It all started when men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox and many others grew tired of the tyranny of the hierarchal state church known as the Roman Catholic Church.  From its inception in the 4th century, the Catholic Church has been the dominant religion all over Europe. 

Until one day in the year 1530 Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis on the Catholic Church door in Wittenberg, Germany.  The thesis exposed the heretical teachings in the Catholic Church that went against clear Biblical doctrines.  Years later, others like John Calvin in France in 1541, and John Knox in Scotland in 1560, followed suit and left the Catholic Church.

Meanwhile in 1535, the king of England, Henry VIII, also grew tired of the absolute iron rule of the Catholic church.  However, his intentions were more personal than doctrinal.  King Henry VIII was mostly known for his six marriages.  He wanted to annul his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon.  He was not granted the annulment because the pope and the Catholic Church did not allow such an activity.  This led King Henry VIII to separate England from authority of the Roman Catholic Church and started what we know today as the Church of England, also known as the Anglican Church.  Later on it would be called the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

From the Church of England sprang the Puritans and Quakers, both of which saw many problems in the Church of England philosophically and doctrinally.  They saw that, even though the Anglican Church separated from the state church, they still held to many of the heresies held by the Roman Catholic Church.  Because of their efforts at purifying the Church of England, intense persecution ensued from England’s state church, which prompted the Puritans to look for other places to live and freely worship.  Eventually, the Puritan forefathers found themselves aboard a ship called the Mayflower en route to the “new world.” 

Years later in the “new world” many prominent religious groups sprang from the Puritans.  First it was the Congregationalist Church.  From the Congregationalist Church came out men like Charles Taze Russell of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Watchtower Society and Joseph Smith of the Mormon Church (also known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).  The Modern day Pentecostal and Charismatic churches can also be traced from the Congregationalist group. 

What I have just described to you covers centuries of church history.  It is a very basic model that shows where most of the denominations came from.  My initial aim was to show our readers that most Christian religious groups known today can be traced back to the Roman Catholic Church, which was established by Emperor Constantine in the 3rd Century.  Secondly, I wanted to show our readers that nowhere in this basic model of church history will you find a group of Christian believers called the Baptists. 

Who are the Baptists?  Where did they come from, and why is it that they were never part of the Protestant Reformation? 

In order to answer this question, we must trace back in the Scriptures and see the kind of church that Jesus established in Matthew 16:17-18 which reads:

"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"  (Matthew 16:17-18, KJV).

The preceding verses describe the establishment of the New Testament Church.  It is important to note that when Jesus established the church He did not established a denominational group or any particular religious organization.  He established the New Testament Church.  The church would continue even after the ascension of Christ though His commission to the disciples to carry on the work of Gospel in all the ends of the earth.  The New Testament  Church is an organized body of believers carrying out the Great Commission with established doctrines.  These doctrines were taught by Jesus Himself and the other apostles as recorded in the Book of Acts and in the Epistles. 

It was these doctrines that separated the New Testament Churches apart from any religious groups from the time of Christ’s ministry and throughout church history.  It was also because of these doctrines that many Christians paid the ultimate price of death for not recanting their deep convictions based on these doctrines.  The first 500 years of church history marked one of the bloodiest time periods of history when Christians were continually persecuted by the Roman Empire.  Yet, the more these Christians were brutally persecuted, the more they grew in numbers and in their faith. 

Even when Emperor Constantine sought to legalize Christianity in AD 313 by amalgamating the Christian religion with Greek and Roman Mythology to what we know today as the Roman Catholic Church, separatist groups that identified with the New Testament Church refused to join because of deeply held convictions and doctrines. 

What are these convictions and doctrines?  In summary these Christians believed that the Bible is the final source of authority for faith and life (see 2 Timothy 3:16).  They also believed in the autonomy of the local church.  This simply means that each church is independent from any type of hierarchy or denominational authority because it is supposed to be self-governing (see Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22-23).  They also believed in the priesthood of the believer. God’s Word assures us as believers that we have direct access to God through our relationship with Christ (see 1 Peter 2:5; Hebrews 4:14–16).  They believed that the Scriptures only mention two church offices—pastor (also referred to as elder or bishop) and deacon (see 1 Timothy 3:1–13).  They believed in individual soul liberty which means each person must make a personal decision of repentance and faith in Christ (see Romans 14:12). 

Additionally, they believed in separation of church and state.  This means that the government and the church should be independent of one another and that salvation must be a personal decision of faith, free of any outside coercion.

They believed that there are only two ordinances in the church—communion and baptism.  Christ instructed His disciples to practice both baptism and communion ( see Matthew 28:19; Matthew 26:26–28; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).  Both of these are ordinances commanded to be administered by the church and are for believers only.  They cannot redeem us, but they are practiced by the redeemed.  They identify us with the church body and are part of our fellowship through Christ in the body.

These are some of the basic doctrines of the New Testament Chuch.  Most importantly, they believed that the salvation of mankind only comes in the person of Jesus Christ by grace and faith alone (see Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).

Where do the Baptists fit into this picture?  All throughout church history there were groups of people who refused to identify with the state church and the other churches that came out of the Reformation Age.  As mentioned before, they separated because of issues of salvation by grace alone, infant baptism, and baptism by immersion among other issues.  They held to their beliefs; and as they fought against heresy, millions of them paid the ultimate price of losing their lives. 

Many of these of groups were called by their oppressors the “Anabaptists” which means “ones who baptizes again.”  Those who were enlightened and turned away from the state church to join these groups were baptized again because their baptism in the church state by sprinkling as an infant was deemed unscriptural.  Hence, the term “Anabaptist.”  The name eventually was shortened to Baptist.

As Baptists we have a deep heritage.  Our forefathers held to Biblical convictions that we still hold to so dearly today.  Baptist history is written by the blood of the martyrs that withstood intense persecution during their time.  We were never part of the Protestant Reformation because the Baptist Church never came out of the Roman Catholic Church. Though it was not called a Baptist Church, we identify with the church that the Lord instituted in Matthew 18.

I understand that not all Baptist Churches are alike today.  Our church, Central Sagada Baptist Church, still holds to the traditional beliefs of our forefathers.  Though not perfect, we strive by God’s grace to uphold each of these Biblical doctrines.

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A father’s influence

TRUTH FOR TODAY

Jun Malazo

SAGADA, Mountain Province -- One of the greatest privileges I have in life is being called “Dad”.  The Lord has blessed my wife and me with five children between ages 1 and 16.  I vividly remember the time we found out that we were expecting our first child as though it were just yesterday. 

I remember feeling a mix of both excitement and apprehension.  I was excited because becoming a father was a fulfillment of a life-long dream. 

However, I also felt nervous and apprehensive.  I was worried that I would not measure up to the demands of this unchartered territory in my life called fatherhood. 

The first few years of parenting were like unending episodes of trial and error.  I remember the frustrations and heartaches as the reality of parenting hit me.  Throughout the early years, God gave me spiritual mentors that patiently taught me how to be a godly parent.

 They were people for whom I have the utmost respect.  I am thankful for their patience and love for me and my family.  I was comforted to know that almost all of them had made the same mistakes that I had made when they were younger. 

The key to their success was not their abilities or their background.  The keys to their success were the grace of God and the principles they learned from the Bible.  I have learned that without God’s help, I cannot be the father and leader that I need to be for my family. 

One of the greatest examples in my life is my own father.  To me he exemplified true leadership, commitment, devotion, and compassion.  He made his share of mistakes as all of humanity has, but to me he is my hero.  Everything I am today I account to my Papa’s example of Christlikeness.  Though he lives thousands of miles away in another country, his influence in me still resonates.

Every year on Father’s Day, I am always reminded of the awesome responsibility fathers have been given.  I am also reminded of the solemn fact that there are many fathers who have either not taken their roles seriously or have completely abandoned their God-given responsibilities. 

I am not just talking about providing the basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, and shelter.  I am speaking of not fulfilling our leadership roles as fathers.  The results are devastating.  I remember many years ago I stumbled upon a newspaper article that was released around the time of Father’s Day. 

According to the article, a survey was conducted in the prisons of America.  It was found that a very high percentage of those incarcerated for such serious cases as rape and murder, where men that grew up without fathers.  While not all that grow up without a father will end up in prison, the statistics are still staggering. 

Homes need leaders, and children need loving and compassionate leadership.  If this type of leadership is absent, there will surely be devastating results.  These results have generational consequences.  The absence of male leadership in the previous generation has resulted in young people today who have no sense of commitment or direction in their lives. 

What I’ve learned is there is vital importance of the role of fathers in the rearing of children.  God designed the role of a father to be a powerful influence in children’s lives. 

The God-designed structure for the family is that fathers possess the sole responsibility of leadership. This includes the instruction to bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  Ephesians 5:23 says, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."  If you are a father that lives by these principles, I commend you. 

There are many external pressures in the world that undermine our role as fathers.  Today fathers face unique challenges that many of our predecessors would never have imagined.  One of these challenges is the advancement of technology but more specifically the advent of social media. 

Through the means of different social media platforms, the world can potentially have unbridled access into our homes and eventually into the minds of our children.

Maybe you are a father who did not have any type of father-like leadership while growing up.  I want to encourage you that your past does not have to dictate how you parent your children today. 

We are all responsible for our own choices.  The fact that you did not receive love and attention during the years of your upbringing, does not mean that your children should miss out on these blessings.

As fathers, we are to leave a lasting legacy that our children will hopefully carry onto the next generation.  It is not an easy task, but God can give the grace we need as we navigate through our role as fathers. 

As we approach Father’s Day 2019, I want to encourage you with some Biblical principles that I have learned throughout the years—all of which I am still trying to put into practice on a daily basis.  I do not always succeed, but by God’s grace He is helping me to be the dad that my children desperately need me to be. 

The Bible gives us an example of a father in the Old Testament.  His name is Joshua.  Notice what he says before all the tribes of Israel:

"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."  (Joshua 24:15)

Clearly Joshua was a committed leader.  He determined that in spite of what others would do, he would remain faithful to God.  Commitment is something that our world is seriously lacking.  Marriage breakups happen far too often in our society, and far too many fathers “abandon ship” when the hard times come.  There will be plenty of challenges along the way. 

We will face many temptations to quit.  I am reminded of a quote from someone that says, “Quitters never win and winners never quit.”  Fathers, now is not the time to quit.  Now is the time to take up our baton of leadership and be committed to our families.  I am thankful for fathers like Joshua who remained committed to God and his family.  God blessed him for his commitment.

Another important Biblical truth to follow is the principle of living by example.  The Apostle Paul puts it this way:

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."  (1 Corinthians 11:1)

He understood the very important principle of living by example.  As fathers, we need to lead not only by our words but also by our actions.  Actions do speak louder than words as some would put it. 

The “do as I say and not as I do” mentality only leads children to hurt and confusion.  I recall the many moments that my children observe me with watchful eyes.  They pick up every word and action in my life with keen radar-like senses.  Your children do too.  Elsewhere in the Bible the Apostle Paul says:

"In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,"  (Titus 2:7)

What kind of example are you setting before your children?  While I have not always succeeded in this area, by God’s grace I do try to exemplify a pattern of good works towards my children. 

In our endeavor to live by example, we must have consistency of character.  Children have an uncanny ability to sense whether we are real or fake.  Nothing hurts children more than inconsistency.  When our character is inconsistent, it breeds doubt and resentment from our children. 

We need to be truthful in everything that we do.   If we fail in this area, we must be humble enough to acknowledge our inconsistency and apologize for it.  While children do have sharp senses for our true character, they are also very forgiving.  Acknowledging your mistakes teaches them about humility which they will benefit them through their adolescent years and entire life.

One last important principle that I want to share with you is leadership through compassion.  Love must characterized our parenting.  The Lord Jesus Christ made such a difference during His earthly ministry because everything He did was prompted by His compassion towards others.  Notice what Jude says in the Bible: "And of some have compassion, making a difference:"  (Jude 1:22)

As fathers we must display patience because our children will make mistakes.  Hopefully through our loving correction and care they will learn to make the right decisions in life.  This is an area that I constantly have to work on. 

As a father, are you known to your children as a compassionate leader?  If not, you need to ask God for help to start afresh.  God’s grace is always sufficient, and He will not give us a command in which His grace cannot sustain us.

We need to be committed in our roles, consistent in our character, and compassionate in our leadership.  These three principles have helped me throughout the years of being a father. 

Though I have made my share of mistakes and hesitate to say that I still make them, I am thankful to the Lord for a very forgiving wife and for the patience of my children.  Next to my great desire to please God, my wife and children are my greatest motivation to live by these principles. 

In closing, I want to reiterate the importance of fathers in our society.  Your children and the next generation need you to take your role seriously.  They need your commitment, consistency, and compassion.  Start today to leave a legacy for your children.  Happy Father’s Day!

(The author Jun Malazo is a Pastor of Central Sagada Baptist Church. Malazo is from Pampanga but stayed for years in Canada and now a resident of Sagada with his family. His email: armalazo@gmail.com. --- Ed)

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