Colleagues consider Quevedo a 'cardinal for peace'

 News
Feb 222014
 

Pope Francis to elevate Archbishop Quevedo to cardinal

Pope Francis to elevate Archbishop Quevedo to cardinal . Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo arrives to attend a special consistory for the family led by Pope Francis at Paul VI’s Hall at the Vatican on Thursday, February 20. Quevedo will be elevated to cardinal, along with 18 others, on Saturday, February 22, in ceremonies to be led by Pope Francis. Reuters/Max Rossi

The Philippines’ newest cardinal may be expected by his colleagues in the Catholic Church to champion the cause of peace.

A report by radio dzBB’s Rodil Vega Saturday evening said Cardinal Orlando Quevedo is considered a “Cardinal of Peace.”

Quevedo, who serves as Cotabato Archbishop, was one of 19 Church officials elevated to the rank of cardinal on Saturday (Manila time).

According to the Vatican news portal, Quevedo is a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and graduated in Pedagogy from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.

“He was appointed first Bishop of Kidapawan (Philippines) when the diocese was created in November 1982, and nominated Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) by Pope John Paul II in 1998,” it said.
On the other hand, Quevedo has also been known to be low-key.

In January, he surprised a cell phone technician and a prepaid mobile phone card vendor in Davao City who didn’t recognize him as a future cardinal, according to an article on MindaNews. — JDS, GMA News

Catholic bishops welcome Quevedo cardinalship

 Entertainment
Jan 152014
 
Catholic bishops welcome Quevedo cardinalship

President Benigno S. Aquino III, accompanied by the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps His Excellency Archbishop Guiseppe Pinto and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, leads the traditional toast for the New Year’s Vin d’ Honneur at the Rizal Hall of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (January 11, 2014). The annual reception which marks the 27th Vin d’ Honneur since the 1986 EDSA Revolution was attended by government officials, members of the Diplomatic Corps, officials of international organizations and businessmen. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Catholic prelates were elated with the naming of Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, OMI as Cardinal by no less than Pope Francis at the Vatican. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle thanked Pope Francis for associating the Cardinal-elect prelate and the church in Mindanao to his Petrine ministry. Over the weekend, the Holy Father announced the names of 19 new Cardinals including Quevedo at the Vatican. “I thank Pope Francis for associating Archbishop Quevedo and the church in Mindanao to his Petrine ministry and solicitude for all the churches,” he said in a statement. He added, “The Church in the Philippines and Asia has been greatly blessed these past decades by the service and leadership of Archbishop Quevedo. Now this blessing extends to the whole Church.” The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) immediately welcomed the news on the Archbishop of Cotabato’s being named as a Cardinal. “He is known in the CBCP for his mental clarity and intellectual Read More …

Laid-off PAL workers ask Francis for help

 News
Sep 302013
 
Laid-off PAL workers ask Francis for help

Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:03 am | Tuesday, October 1st, 2013 Pope Francis: Help sought. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Apparently inspired by Pope Francis’ call for decent work and social justice, workers laid off by Philippine Airlines (PAL) has sought papal intervention in the labor dispute and in their campaign to be reinstated in their jobs. In a one-page letter to Pope Francis, Gerardo Rivera, president of the PAL Employees Association (Palea), brought to the Holy Father’s attention the plight of the airline workers who were laid off in 2011 as a result of the flag carrier’s decision to implement an outsourcing scheme. “As the only majority Christian nation in Asia, we deem an appeal from Your Holiness to the stakeholders involved—our employer [PAL] and the government—will (persuade them to) exercise moral suasion (that) may prove decisive in a settlement fair to the workers,” wrote Rivera. “We were fired with the intention of being rehired as contract workers doing the same jobs without security of tenure, lower wages, longer hours of work but without benefits,” he said. Such a scheme, the union official said, was “in contravention” of the social teachings of the Catholic Church, which has been advocating the primacy of labor over capital. Rivera said the union members were inspired and overjoyed after hearing the Holy Father call for decent work and social justice on World Labor Day five months ago. In his remarks on the occasion, Pope Francis encouraged governments and those in public service to make an Read More …

Pinoy youths to represent country at animators' meet in Timor Leste

 News
Sep 052013
 
Pinoy youths to represent country at animators' meet in Timor Leste

Filipino youths will share learning and best practices with their counterparts from other countries at the Southeast Asia 2 Youth Animators’ Meeting and Workshop in Dili, Timor Leste on September 8 to 13. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said the gathering held every two years will have representatives from Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, and Timor Leste. “This initiative is to help countries share the richness of youth ministry for the possibility for the exchange of information to happen, to take place, especially best practices in doing youth ministry,” said CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY) executive secretary Fr. Conegundo Garganta. Representatives from the ECY and the National Secretariat for Youth Apostolate (NSYA), as well as youth leaders from several regions in the Philippines will be attending the workshop, the CBCP said on its news site. Garganta said the meet seeks to establish solidarity and unity among the SEA2 countries by threshing out youth issues unique to the region. It will also have the participants “collectively exploring ways of journeying with and assisting young Asian Catholics,” he added. Organized by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences Office on Laity and Family Life (FABC-OFL), the SEA2 Meeting and Workshop aims to have participants share “views and opinions to motivate the youth animators.”   Meanwhile, the CBCP said the participants will reflect on and be guided by the messages of Pope Francis, especially during this Year of Faith. Indonesia hosted the last SEA2 meeting. — LBG, GMA News

Outgoing CBCP head backs EDSA anti-pork vigil

 News
Sep 052013
 
Outgoing CBCP head backs EDSA anti-pork vigil

The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines on Thursday expressed solidarity with participants to an upcoming prayer vigil against the pork barrel system at the EDSA Shrine on September 11. CBCP president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma also called on the Catholics to make Saturday, Sept. 7, a “Day of Atonement” for letting corruption the pork system offend God. “It’s about time that people manifest their own conviction. The people have already organized. Ours is an expression of solidarity,” he said. Next week’s vigil is a follow-up of sorts to the anti-pork gathering at the Luneta in Manila last Aug. 26. Participants in the Aug. 26 gathering had called for the abolition of the pork barrel system in the wake of a P10-billion scam involving ghost non-government organizations that siphoned funds from the Priority Development Assistance Fund. Contrition In a pastoral statement Palma signed, the CBCP said “God is offended” because His commandments against stealing, coveting others’ goods and bearing false witness against neighbors are violated. It added the faithful’s first response to the pork barrel issue must be not protest but contrition. “We are not just victims of a corrupt system. We have all, in one way or another, contributed to this worsening social cancer—through our indifferent silence or through our cooperation when we were benefiting from the sweet cake of graft and corruption,” it said. While Palma urged the Catholic faithful to join Pope Francis in offering prayers and sacrifices on September 7 for peace Read More …

First PHL archbishop to receive pallium from Pope Francis June 29

 News
Jun 252013
 
First PHL archbishop to receive pallium from Pope Francis June 29

A Philippine archbishop will receive from Pope Francis in Rome this weekend the pallium, one of the most special symbols of the Catholic Church. Caceres Archbishop Rolando Tirona, who arrived in Rome Sunday, will attend the Mass and imposition of the pallium on new metropolitan archbishops at St. Peter’s Basilica. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said the Mass will take place at 9:30 a.m. (3:30 p.m. in Manila) on Saturday. It noted Tirona, a Carmelite missionary, will be the only Filipino archbishop to receive the pallium this year—and the first Filipino archbishop to receive pallium from Pope Francis. A pallium is a vestment made of white wool worn only by the Pope and archbishops. The pope uses the pallium to symbolize the plenitude of pontifical office. “Many of those receiving the pallium were appointed since June 29 of last year or during the term of Francis’ predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI,” the CBCP said. The CBCP said a pallium for archbishops signifies the authority from the Pope over their respective archdioceses, particularly their bond with the pontiff to pastors in their regions. It said the pope gives a pallium to newly installed archbishops around the world during the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Last year, four Filipino archbishops were given the pallium: Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle of Manila John Du of Palo Jose Advincula of Capiz Romulo Valles of Davao. Tirona, 66, was the last archbishop appointed by Benedict XVI on September 8, 2012, before Benedict XVI Read More …

Britain rejects involvement of pope in Falklands dispute

 News
Jun 202013
 
Britain rejects involvement of pope in Falklands dispute

UNITED NATIONS – Britain and a representative of the Falkland Islands on Thursday rejected the idea of Pope Francis intervening in the long-running dispute with Argentina over the islands, which Buenos Aires claims are Argentine territory. In 1982 Britain sent its armed forces to the Falklands to repel an Argentine invasion of the contested South Atlantic archipelago, which Argentina calls Las Malvinas. Just over 30 years later, memories of the conflict remain and Argentine President Cristina Fernandez has mounted a campaign to renegotiate the islands’ sovereignty, lobbying Pope Francis on the issue and rejecting a March referendum in which Falkland residents voted to remain a British Overseas Territory. “I think the last thing we need is religion inserted into this,” said Mike Summers, a member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly. Mark Lyall Grant, Britain’s U.N. ambassador, echoed his remarks, saying: “I certainly share the view that religion is not likely to solve anything.” Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, said in 2012 when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires that Britain had “usurped” the disputed islands from Argentina. In 2011, he said the islands were “ours,” a view most Argentinians share. Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman told reporters that London should engage in direct talks with Buenos Aires on the dispute. Lyall Grant said Britain was open to dialogue with Argentina, but only if the Falklanders are involved, a position Timerman dismissed. “I am the foreign minister of Argentina,” Timerman said. “I want to talk with the foreign Read More …

Hopes high for a visit from Pope Francis in PHL in 2016 — CBCP

 News
May 252013
 
Hopes high for a visit from Pope Francis in PHL in 2016 — CBCP

The Philippines may get a visit from Pope Francis (Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio) in 2016 if a request by the Vatican is any indication, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said. CBCP president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said he received a request from the Vatican to move the 2016 International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) slated in Cebu City to an earlier date: January 25 to 31, instead of May 23 to 29. “Two weeks ago, we received a letter from (Archbishop Piero Marini, president of the Pontifical Committee on the International Eucharistic Congress) asking us if we could move the event to the second preferred date because the pope has another schedule in May,” Palma said in an article on the CBCP website on Wednesday. “We told them that January is fine because our suggestion was to make the pope’s visit to the Philippines a priority,” he added. The Philippines had already started preparations for hosting the event, which is expected to draw thousands of laity and Church leaders from around the world. Held every four years, the 51st International Eucharistic Congress 2016 will reflect on the theme “Christ in You: Our Hope of Glory.” Meanwhile, Palma called on the Filipino faithful to continue praying Pope Francis will indeed make a papal visit to the Philippines. “We know that the pope continues to inspire us and his visit will have an enormous impact on our faith and our Christian life,” he said. Pope Francis’ first international visit Meanwhile, Read More …

RH, LGBT advocates: No change in sight with 'traditional' new Pope

 News
Mar 142013
 
RH, LGBT advocates: No change in sight with 'traditional' new Pope

Pope Francis will be installed on March 19 at the Vatican. Newly elected Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after being elected by the conclave of cardinals, at the Vatican, March 13, 2013. White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney and the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica rang out on Wednesday, signaling that Roman Catholic cardinals had elected a pope to succeed Benedict XVI. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez Advocates of reproductive health (RH) and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in the Philippines on Thursday said they do not expect any change in the Roman Catholic Church after the election of Pope Francis. Danton Remoto of the Ladlad party-list, which represents the LGBT sector, said he expects the Roman Catholic Church’s leadership to remain “in the dark ages” with a Pope who openly opposed same-sex marriage. “Si Pope Francis, siyempre he will just uphold the traditional Catholic dogma. That is expected of him. The Roman Catholic Church will never elect a pope who will bring it to the 21st century,” Remoto said in a phone interview. On Thursday morning (Manila time), Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was chosen to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, following Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation last month. The 76-year-old Bergoglio, who chose the name Francis, is the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. As a cardinal in his home country, Pope Francis opposed a bill giving same-sex couples the opportunity to marry Read More …

Pope Francis' election 'shocks' Jesuit priest

 News
Mar 142013
 
Pope Francis' election 'shocks' Jesuit priest

Catholics jubillant over election of Pope Francis . Seminarians from Australia show a special edition of the Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano to diners from Ireland at a restaurant in Rome on Thursday, March 14. Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was elected as the new leader of the troubled Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday, taking the name Francis and becoming the first non-European pontiff in nearly 1,300 years. Reuters/Chris Helgren The election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church has surprised a Jesuit priest, saying Jesuits are commonly “servants, and not people in authority.” In a panel discussion aired on GMA News TV’s “News To Go,” anchor Kara David cited a post on the Twitter account of Catholic News Services quoting Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi, also a Jesuit, as saying he was “shocked” with the election of a Jesuit priest as the new pope. “Personally, I’m a bit shocked to have a Jesuit pope. Jesuits think of themselves as servants, and not authorities in Church,” according to Lombardi’s statement. “We, Jesuits, have never considered ourselves better than others. [I’m] glad he chose the name of St. Francis and not Ignatius,” it added. For his part, Father Joe Quilongquilong, a Filipino Jesuit, and assistant professor of spirituality at the Ateneo de Manila University, said Jesuits are more accustomed to being a follower. “Our identity and our spirituality is to obey and serve the Church,” he said during the panel discussion. “But now, as Read More …

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