Cool Catholics

Why You Should Ask Yourself "Who Am I?" Today More Than Ever

2013-04-12T16:43:00.000+08:00

"Who Am I?" The professor in my philosophy class decades ago mentioned that this question was one of the oldest questions that man asks about himself. I find that question quite challenging and annoying myself.

"Universe Closed" by Brian Arnold

We wish we don't have to answer this question at all. It is most convenient to evade it. After all, there is society around us, which has norms that we all just have to acquiesce to. In fact, society today wants exactly that - acquiescence.

Society tells us, "Hey, we've defined it all for you. Just be part of the big circle, dance with the music, and you'll go just fine!" Today, you find a society wherein there's no need to define yourself more deeply than how society already defines you. After all, should one bother about anything beyond what society deems acceptable?

Everytime someone does not acquiesce to something society says, society is in a dilemma. Just like the indvidual being, society wishes that it does not have to deal with this nasty question at all, "Who am I?" In fact, society today says, "We are what we all agree we are! We're a democracy, right?"

What's bothersome about that thinking is this: Is the collective agreement grounded on truth? or the common direction of the blind?

No matter how metaphysical these thoughts may sound, these are grounded on real life debates going on in the world today, and soon in the Philippines.

Have you read about these two debates lately?

When does life begin?

The abortion industry wants you to doubt when it really begins and the most guiltless of them would want you to think the answer doesn't matter. But there are those who believe that life begins at conception, not at 40. Deliberately cutting life at any stage is murder.

What does marriage mean?

The LGBT community would want you to think it's a mere union of two people, regardless of gender, who rear kids, regardless of where these kids come from. But there are those who believe that any so-called marriage outside of the context of pro-creation is an insult to natural law.

At the end of the day, we ask, "Who am I?"

Am I an "accident" that society allowed to happen in my mother's womb? or an angel from heaven sent to earth to be a blessing to many?

Am I a "bigot" who stick the to the "antiquated" notion that marriage is an exclusive affair between a man and a woman? Or am I a witness to the truth and sanctity of God's design?

Am I a just an insignificant dot in the vast oceans of humanity who inhabit the earth? or am I a unique being that no one can duplicate?

Are the answers to these questions subject to a collective agreement? Or are there established truths about these things that outlast empires?

5 Reasons Why The Images of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Got Me Excited

2013-03-28T17:02:00.000+08:00

Images and videos of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI kneeling together have filled the pages in the internet, right? I haven't given them much thought, except lately. Let me share with you how that happened.

In the midst of being busy with work and business, I thank the Holy Week for affording us some time to slow down and finally let our thoughts run freely. You just sort of sit back and watch your thoughts fill an imaginary screen in front of you, completely alive with imaginary surround audio and vibrations under your imaginary seat.

A lot of these images come from my Facebook Newsfeed and YouTube, hehehe. Soaking your brain in these pages in the internet is like falling asleep with your eyes wide open. Your spellbound brain ignores everything else that's happening around you, while your muscles prefer to just hang loose, except the muscles controlling the mouse.

I guess you know what I mean.

During this moment, the images of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI kneeling together has caught my attention, big time. Hey, we have a new Pope! But, hey, the previous one is still alive? As a Catholic, one normally doesn't see two living Popes. Tradition has it that you see a new Pope only after the previous one has died! That's just the way it goes.

But in fact, though rare, Papal resignations have happened in the past. The last time this happened has been 600 years ago! Yet, highly unlike this one we see today, I don't think there has been any warm and brotherly handshake between the living Popes. That makes these photos and videos doubly historic!

That got my thoughts excited.

The downside with letting your thoughts run freely is that, when something excites them, they multiply into a gargantuan mob and run you over. That's what's happening now, poor me. This is why I've ended up exercising additional muscles now: my two sets of fingers to tap on the keyboard, and my brain. The rest of my muscles stil hang loose and that's good.

But what does the image and videos tell us, really? Is it just the historic significance of the image? I mean, what was it in the image of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI that got me thinking?

Let me list five:

1. As I already said, it is highly historical!

I've already mentioned this and I repeat it here (that's what excitement does to you): they're a rare set of photos and videos unseen for, perhaps, the last 2,000 years! They're absolutely historical! One day we could tell children that this happened in our lifetime!

But outside of that, here are four more:

2. The Church has a succession of leaders? That's amazing! Oh yeah, I've been told that; but it didn't hit me til now.

For many Catholics, this thought sinks in only as an intellectual matter; like, hey, it would be in the quiz tomorrow in our religion class. Or it hits us like, yeah, we have a Pope. See that picture of Pope John Paul II? He's dead and it's Pope Benedict XVI now. No, no, no, it's Pope Francis now.

But you see, the thing is, Pope Francis has just shaken hands with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who's still living, in full view of the public!

What could possibly visually portray in today's world the unbroken line of Popes since the time of Saint Peter? Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has been the 265th successor and Pope Francis is the 266th. They're both in the same photo! Isn't that something?

It has been decades since my last religion class (I'm 44 as a I write this) and no one tells me anymore what I should know about the Church. Then, hey, all of a sudden you come face-to-face with an emotional realization that we Catholics actually have a worldwide leader at any given time. We are lambs and there is someone, indeed, who feed the lambs, even in today's world, just as Jesus has instructed Peter after the resurrection.

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. John 21:17 KJV

That thought has caught me.

3. Oh my, the Pope is real!

I mean the Pope, after all, is more than just a picture on the wall! He actually moves and speaks and he has a voice that we could hear. Isn't that something?

Hold on. Are you someone who live life today like there has always been Facebook or YouTube? Then you may not be able to relate well with this emotional reaction. You see, before Facebook or YouTube --- which wasn't very long ago --- photos of living or dead people can sometimes feel the same thing, if the living person in the photo is someone whom you do not physically see around you regularly.

I mean, yeah, as late as ten years ago, we knew we had a Pope, but there was no hard-hitting emotional experience to it. After all, accordingly, this guy lived in the kingdom of Far Far Away, in the great land called Vatican City somewhere towards the west. Yeah, we sometimes saw glimpses of him on TV speaking a strange language, but that was all. We lived in the Far East, for goodness sake.

So, the fact that we had a Pope actually felt like, yes, Jack and Jill went up the hill and fetched a pail of water. Everyone knew it and everyone was telling everyone else about it, and we just went along with it. After all, scripture and the catechism also made references to the Pope.

Social media has changed all that, big time.

Today, you can watch as much photos and videos as you want of the Pope. You can watch him move. You can see his facial expressions. You can hear his voice. You can see him smile. You see him embrace people. You can now even see a close up photo of the shoes they're wearing.

The list goes on and you simply end up saying, "He's real! I saw him! I heard him!"

4. Oh God, the Pope is just a human being.

Though the death of Pope John Paul II 8 years ago was an emotional one for many Catholics who watched him wave for the last time from the apostolic palace window, it also felt like, hey, the saint was in transition to become immortal, just like a butterfuly in a coccoon. Once it was over, the Pope would be sitting at table with God Himself. There was sadness there that was quickly overcome with awe at the greatness of the Divine Plan.

In contrast, the resignation of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI left us watching with sadness the departure of a Pope, but heaven was not in the picture (yet). His departure was through a Vatican helicopter that flew him into Castel Gandolfo, where he stayed in seclusion while the Cardinals elected a successor.

Then we read in the internet that his health is in bad shape, that he's using a pacer (whatever that is), and that one of his eyes is blind. Gosh, that's a picture of an old man --- a human --- who's waiting for a God-knows-when boarding time at the departure area of life. That's the fate of an average human, right?

We also read that the new Pope personally called the newspaper delivery in Buenos Aires to inform him that he was cancelling his subscription. He just moved to Rome after all! Pope Francis was also seen personally paying for his bills in Vatican City. To top all of that, we could hear accounts of Pope Francis using public transportation in Buenos Aires while being an Archbishop there.

Gosh, don't these Popes do the things we common humans do? Oh, yeah, the Pope is human indeed. He is no Superman. He eats 3x a day, catches colds, needs roof above his head, etc. just like the rest of us.

For a moment, that got me really worried.

5. Jesus Christ is building the Church indeed. Nothing else can explain it.

At the end of the day, we ask, how could these mortals have maintained a unified worldwide Church for 2,000 years? Is this the handiwork of someone whom most Catholics would not possibly recognize if the Pope would suddenly pop out in their streets, then or now? Is this the handiwork of someone who would one day pass away, just like the rest of us, and get replaced in less than a month?

Hardly, isn't it?

I mean, look, the Church has its own set of enemies across time, from within and from outside. We start with Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. Add to that the fear that gripped Peter and the rest of the apostles (except John) during the crucifixion. Well, the descent of the Holy Spirit during Pentecost changed all that. The apostles became bold!

After the ascension of Jesus there came the persecution from Jews themselves, particularly in the hands of Saul. Well, Jesus showed himself later on to Saul who then made a 180-degree turn from a tormentor of Christians to a leader of Christians under the name Paul. A lot of books in the New Testament are attributed to him.

Yet the persecution continued under the hands of Romans. Batches upon batches of Christians were hauled to be eaten by lions, simply for not bowing to the Emperor who proclaimed himself as god. Well, the Roman Empire fractured due to in-fighting and one of the victors allowed Christianity to grow.

The dissolution of the Roman Empire however continued until it vanished. Did the Church vanish with it? No. The Church continued and picked up the pieces, which led to the creation of modern-day European nations, despite the persecution coming from the Barbarians.

We think all would be well for the Church then, but schisms after schisms battered the Church, which led to the formation of orthodox churches in Europe. Add on top of that the Reformation led by Martin Luther, which led to the formation of protestant Churches, which continue to revile the Catholic Church to the present day.

Internal issues have hounded the Church too. Sexual abuses by the clergy in the 1960s are like ghosts in the past that has diminished the moral ascendancy of the clergy today. Secularization of society today is pulling devout Catholics away from the Church and into the embrace of materialism.

Then, there are moral battles that the Church fights in all fronts today to uphold life from conception to natural death, to defend marriage as a sacred institution between a man and a woman who swear to bind themselves to each other in love, and to protect the right of parents to educate their children.

How can a mortal Pope do all of the work needed to pursue the mission of the Church amidst all the foxes and wolves along the way? How can a mortal Pope be credited for the continuing growth of the Church today and for its being the largest religion of the world with a central authority? The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI is a testimony to the validity of this question.

The answer is, No way. Clearly, nothing human can explain the way the Church has continued to exist and grow until today. Yes, nothing human can explain.

This alone can explain it:

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 16:18 KJV

Realizing that, my hair stood up. The Church is alive. The Church is alive because Jesus Christ is alive! The Church would continue to live because Jesus Christ is also the Alpha and the Omega.

The Next Pope: Is it Our Business to Speculate?

2013-03-02T09:00:00.000+08:00

The upcoming conclave to elect the next Pope of the Catholic Church has generated a lot of frightening materials in the internet. You can see that for yourself by searching for articles about the Catholic Church in the last 7 days or signing up for a Google Alerts account (which is Free with your Gmail account) and request for daily listing of internet material about the Catholic Church.

"Vatican City" by Doug Wheller

The real question each Catholic should ask today is this: Is it our business as Catholics to speculate about who the next Pope should be?

To speculate, in my humble opinion, is to let ourselves be trapped into the absolutely wrong notion that we - whether the clergy, religious or the laity - have a say on who the new Pope should be. We may justify our speculations based on our understanding of the challenges that the Church faces, but that's risky spiritual business.

If we, as Catholics, truly believe that it is Christ himself who builds our Church, then we should look at the upcoming Conclave as the work of Christ himself, through the Holy Spirit working among the Cardinals. It takes FAITH no less to surrender our brilliant minds to that reality.

Yes, that's reality, not a concept or sweet talk.

Once upon a time, someone chose a lowly fisherman as the leader of the band. When this person got arrested, this lowly fisherman denied him thrice. The rest of the band deserted him. Worse, everything was due to the act of a member of the band who betrayed this person.

That's the Catholic Church, then and now!

If we are to act like we do today and transport ourselves to the time of Christ, oh we would be having a field day criticizing Christ himself at every turn. How do you think we would look in the eyes of the all-knowing, almighty, yet compassionate God?

God would look at us like little children. Isn't that humbling?

This is the time to trust the Lord Jesus Christ more. Let us silence our minds and submit ourselves to the outcome of the upcoming Conclave.

When Grace Isn't Exactly Free?

2013-02-23T16:25:00.003+08:00

Is grace free? Oh yes it is. But why does the Church collect an amount when you ask for a wedding or baptism? That is the question posed by Sherilyn in her blog post of the same title (minus the question mark).

Shigetoshi & Mai Wedding ceremony

As Catholics who went through the same exercise, allow us to share our thoughts on this question.

Whatever it is you're paying to the Church for your marriage, if not coming from the heart, is just a piece of meaningless money. From Sherilyn's post, one gets a sense that, because a Church caters to your spiritual needs, it should provide so for free. Weddings for instance should be free. Baptisms should be free.

Incidentally, just like anything else on earth, when something is free, it only means that someone else is paying for it - if not money, then with their time and talent. There are those who pay tithes regularly to the Church ... in silence (coz that's what the Church teaches). There are also those who sing and serve in the Church for free, out of the goodness of their hearts and desire to serve the Lord.

Therefore, either we actually pay something or not, the right attitude is GRATITUDE. Let me elaborate.

When we go to the Church, we thank the Lord for the priest, the altar boys, the choir, the lectors, commentators, the staff in the convent, the guard (if any) who guards the premises, the electricity while you're being wed, your exclusive use of the Church premises while you're being wed, etc.

The list is long, isn't it? How much would all these cost if you were to pay for the full amount, including the time and energies of people involved to have your wedding celebrated in the Church? Give it a thought.

Ok, how much? P1,300? P400? Come on!

Gratitude, guys. G-R-A-T-I-T-U-D-E.

If we go to the Church to be wed and all we do is complain about these costs, this only means that you are not participating in life and mission of the Church.

If you measure your affinity to the Church by claiming entitlement to Church services at absolutely no material cost to you, without a sense of gratitude to people who would be serving in the ceremony, then you may need to review your understanding of how the Church operates.

Worse, if you look at the Church as an institution that is supposed to make you feel good, then, guys, you're absolutely in the wrong premises. Go find what you're looking for somewhere else, but not here.

Be in the Church - the Catholic Church - to participate in it.

Hear Now the World Youth Day Rio Official Anthem

2013-02-22T10:21:00.000+08:00

The spirit of World Youth Day in Rio is spreading fast! We just got this link to the video of its official anthem (in English) from Ooberfuse. Can't wait to share it with you.

Lead Singer Cherrie Anderson is a Philippines-born Brit based in London. You may follow the Ooberfuse band in Twitter @ooberfuse or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Ooberfuse

UPDATE (23-Feb 2013):
Click this to view their Press Release: BRITISH FILIPINO BAND CHOSEN TO SING ENGLISH ANTHEM @ LARGEST GLOBAL YOUTH FESTIVAL - WYDRio2013

Protecting Life in the Constitution of our Souls

2012-11-03T22:52:00.000+08:00

A lot of bright minds have poured their brilliance into the Reproductive Health (RH) debate in the Philippines. These minds are way beyond my league. I'm just a guy working for a living. My wife and I are raising two kids aged 9 and 4 as of this writing.

How else do we interpret this provision?

Tonight however, I found myself tapping the keyboard to search the Constitution of the Philippines. Thanks to technology, a simple search for the word "family" would bring you to Section 12 in less than a second.

There it says very clearly, and I quote (emphases mine):

Section 12. The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. The natural and primary right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and the development of moral character shall receive the support of the Government.

I don't know how else to interpret Section 12. But the news we hear are disconcerting, to say the least. There's a big reason why that provision has been written there, and that big reason is being challenged.

The big reason is in the words "sanctity of family life". The word sanctity means "the quality or state of being holy or sacred" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). It alludes to something beyond us that we pay homage to. It also alludes to our deeply ingrained Filipino belief that life is borrowed, never owned, and such life is given to us through the family, specifically through the union of our father and our mother.

No religion holds claim over that belief. It is the natural cycle of life, clearly observable to those who look. It is however something that, incidentally, the Catholic Church upholds much more than the others.

The reason for that is simple. We have a name for the "something beyond" and such name is God, the holy and living God, the source of all life as we know it, including our own. We believe that there is a river of life that flows from God to us. The path through which that river flows is holy, and that includes the womb of the mother.

We talk about these things in all our seminars in my Catholic community. But to someone who keenly observes the cycle of life, it is easy to see the sanctity of life as a whole.

Let me correct myself. It is easy to sense the sanctity of life as a whole, though we may sometimes not see it. For indeed, our eyes can sometimes deceive us.

The real question now is, how many of us sense the holiness around us?

Marvin

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The RH Bill and the Gospel Today: Do you also want to leave?

2012-08-26T20:00:00.000+08:00

Endorsement of the RH Bill by ADMU professors still reverberates in the news today. A fellow Ateneo alumni defended such act simply as a reflection of the academic exercise in Jesuit education. He said, we consider all sides of the story.

I can certainly relate with everything he said. I have vivid memories of classroom discussions in my days under Jesuit instruction that drew from each one of us what we were thinking, rather than what we were perceiving, without necessarily being constrained by any perspective. Opposing opinions were welcome because it was part of refining our understanding of the subject and the lines that mark the difference between Church teaching and what the world teaches.

In a sense, academic freedom applies to the present debates about the RH Bill. But in a bigger sense, it does not. Let me tell you why.

What the professors did was different. They made a public endorsement of the RH Bill as professors of ADMU, a Catholic university. That certainly is not an academic exercise anymore. That is a civic exercise, dragging along with them the name of the Catholic university.

You see, the whole objective of existing debates is to define public policy. We don't end this debate with an "A" mark. We don't even end this debate with who's right or who's wrong - everyone would find that hard to believe, yes. We end this debate with a law that the majority in Congress would approve for everyone to be subjected to. Each legislator would decide on which vote he'll take for what he perceives as good. Only God knows how each legislator actually thinks.

Ergo, this whole "noise" about the RH Bill is about marketing. In political parlance, we are in the business of lobbying. When we advertise, do PR campaign, or lobby, the objective is to send a loud and clear message. In this case, the anti-RH campaign thrown in by the Church is a strong lobby.

Incidentally, in this whole affair, there is a Catholic message. That message has been defined by the clergy. By clergy, I am referring to priests and bishops who actually run dioceses, parishes, missions, etc., not academic institutions. As to lay people like us, our job is to understand and accept the Catholic position. If we happen to be leaders or teachers in a Catholic institution, we are expected to do much more. We are expected to teach it!

Now, If ADMU's own former president (a Jesuit priest cum Constitutionalist cum lawyer) writes columns and professors collectively sign statements in support of something that the Catholic Church defines as immoral, then clearly some people in ADMU ranks have a very serious identify crisis. Is ADMU Catholic? or not? We take "independent thinking" as a defense there. But I see something more serious - disobedience or not being in communion with the Church. Serious accusation, right?

Incidentally, it isn't me talking here. My view is simply a reflection of what's happening across the Catholic world. We know what's happening to schismatic congregations like SSPX. But have we heard about universities being stripped of its Catholic status? That happened in Peru recently. Closer to home, Couples for Christ was castigated by the Vatican.

The use of the word "Catholic" is not a right, but a privilege. We don't debate about it. We simply accept what is given, with gratitude. Who hands anyone that privilege? The independent thinkers? Or the Magisterium? The MAIN difference between Catholics and Protestants is the Magisterium. It is why the Catholic Church remains the largest Christian Church in the entire world under a single leadership. This is also why the Catholic Church is the oldest fully functioning institution on earth with its own diplomatic relationships with more than 170 countries.

One can accept or reject the authority of the Magisterium in matters pertaining to faith and morals. That's a God-given choice. But that choice would also define whether you are in communion with the Church or not.

This easily reminds us of the gospel today, August 26, 2012. Even when Jesus was personally here on earth, even his own disciples could not take his teachings.

As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”

It was Peter's response that ultimately gave us the Church we have today:

Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

Now, perhaps we, Catholics of today, ought to answer this question as well, "Do you also want to leave?"

Did the Catholic Church "Suddenly" Embrace Condoms?

2012-08-19T07:58:00.000+08:00

Pope Benedict XVI said something about condoms that has been taken totally out of context in many articles, including the column from esteemed William Esposo in Philippine Star today.

The 1st sentence of his 3rd paragraph says,

"... Pope Benedict XVI had reversed the position of the Catholic Church on the use of condoms and said that condom use is allowed if it is to protect life?" ("Beware the God of the Old Testament", As I Wreck This Chair, The Philippine Star, Aug 19, 2012)

First of all, the Pope's statement was made SPECIFICALLY in the context of AIDS and it was a personal remark, not a statement made ex-Cathedra. Certainly, it did not mean that the Catholic Church is employing the use of condoms in its work against AIDS. Neither did it mean that the Catholic Church is now endorsing the use of condoms for everything else.

That is clear to everyone except to those who want to use the Pope's statement to grab the remotest moral justification for their stance on the RH Bill.

The official Church position against condoms was clarified during the HIV/AIDS Summit held at the Vatican. As the transcript from that conference goes (emphases mine):

"MSGR. JEAN-MARIE MPENDAWATU MUSIVI, Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers (through translator): I think we should read everything in the whole speech that the pope made, because if you just extrapolate a few sentences, then these few sentences will not give you the whole meaning of the discourse of the pope. Therefore, you have to go into details and read the entire passage in order to understand the real meaning."

"RAY SUAREZ: Meaning, in short, that the pope's statement didn't change policy. Catholics and Catholic agencies wouldn't use condoms as part of an AIDS prevention strategy." (PBS Newshour)

MOST IMPORTANTLY, the Catholic Church has NOT changed its position AGAINST the GENERAL USE of contraceptives.

The Vatican on Tuesday clarified the pope's controversial comments about condoms and HIV, saying he by no means suggested their use could be condoned as a means of avoiding an unwanted pregnancy. (CBS News)

Anyone who speaks about the RH Bill, or any issue whatsoever that is important to the life and mission of the Catholic Church, need to guard themselves against misquoting or misinterpreting statements from the Church and confuse the public. Furthermore, Catholic institutions are expected to participate in clearly conveying the position of the Church.

I place such high expectations on Ateneo de Manila University. Sadly, they fall terribly short of such expectation, starting from the President, Father Joaquin Bernas, S.J. down to its faculty (reportedly 160 of whom publicly signified their support of the RH Bill) and its studentry (the debating club of whom goes out publicly to argue in favor of the RH Bill).

I'm a product of a Jesuit spiritual education too. I grew up in a parish held by Jesuit priests Father Luigi Moggi, S.J. (RIP) and Father Bittner. I graduated from a Jesuit high school Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan and got my MBA from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business.

But with a bleeding heart I dare say that it is time for the Ateneo de Manila University to STOP calling itself a Catholic university.

The RH Bill: Aren't we shooting ourselves in the Foot?

2012-08-12T13:49:00.000+08:00

The debates about the RH Bill in the Philippines do not sound nice. Just look at the web pages and the posts in social media. Catholics have even pitted themselves against Catholics. That stumps me right there. If opposing sides in the debate become a few notches more passionate about their positions, the picture won't be pretty. I believe God Himself won't allow it.

Anti-RH Rally Amidst Rains. Image from Inquirer.net

I'm clearly with the position of the Catholic bishops and priests about the RH Bill. The moral, ethical and scientific aspects of this bill have been debated left and right.

But let me just share with you my own thoughts about the matter.

First, the Philippines seeks greater prosperity in the middle of challenges hounding the world today. In the midst of slow economies in US and Europe and the peace and order situation in the Middle East, we have approximately 10% of our population working overseas, most of whom come from the low income clases. We call them OFWs, or Overseas Filipino Workers. Whatever happens to any part of the world today, chances are that there would be families somewhere in the country that would be directly affected. Conversely, our country's dollar remittances would feel the pinch.

Photo from Inquirer.net as cited by soyummykaya.com

We have another set of Phlippine-based OFWs, who likewise contribute to our country's dollar remittances. These are the Online Filipino Workers. They consist of workers in the BPO industry as well as home-based online workers who serve clients overseas (I'm one of these people).

Filipinos in BPO Industry. Image from betterphils.blogspot.com

Whatever other industry that has kept this country afloat the past decades have not generated more news than above. Mining? No Good. Tourism? Struggling. Agriculture? What's new and exciting there? Manufacturing? Again, what's new and exciting there?

If I'm wrong, then I'll celebrate with you. But if this viewpoint is correct, then we can at least agree that, unless all of a sudden we manufacture mind boggling technologies that the world wants or when all of a sudden 20 million tourists swarm our country next year and every year thereafter, we have nothing but our people to rely on. Even our real estate industry recognizes that - just ask them how much of their sales come from OFWs. The sweat and tears of ordinary people are generating the most excitement to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Here comes the RH Bill whose purpose is to curb population growth (as if it's not already slowing down), gather billions of pesos in annual budget for such purpose.

Is that the best way to spend our country's energy and resources? Are we bent on curbing the growth of our greatest asset, rather than endeavor to turn them into even better assets? Aren't we Filipinos shooting ourselves in the foot?

What do you think?

The Waves that Jesus Made (A Lenten Reflection)

2012-04-05T10:07:00.000+08:00

The waves that Jesus made 2,000 years ago continue to land in the shores of at least 2 billion people in the world today. These waves are aimed at one thing - to strengthen the bond between God and man.

Photo: "waves" by esther**

As you grow in faith you begin to see the significance of the Lenten Season in its fuller color. This is the season when we celebrate the divinity and Kingship of Jesus through his suffering and resurrection.

The passion of the Christ defies human logic. Fortunately, outside of technology and lifestyle, people of today have something else that the people 2,000 years didn't have - a historical perspective that affirms further the words of Jesus. You see, 2,000 years ago, Jesus made the choice to suffer and die on the cross. On the third day, Jesus rose up. Who else could create ripples of waves like that through time?

The result? Many have a closer relationship with the Creator today, through the Church that Jesus has established on earth. The laws laid down by Moses, though important to the Covenant between God and man, could not have accomplished the same thing. Many emperors and kings of the past have tried to accomplish the same thing -- but they all melted away through the passage of time, the same way that the calm and still waters under cloudless skies gradually swallowed the Titanic.

But do we have a perfect Church? I believe yes, and that is so despite the imperfect people that run it. Peter and Judas were of the same lot, weak human beings subject to the cravings of human nature. Judas ruined himself by his greed. Peter ruined himself by his fear. Both betrayed Jesus. But Jesus knew well in advance the weaknesses of the two. Peter repented and asked forgiveness. Judas repented but didn't ask for forgiveness. Instead he ruined himself further by punishing himself. Again, same lot, different choices and a perfect God.

The journey of Jesus continues until the present day through the Church. We have a suffering Church, scourged by abuses of the clergy and the indifference of many faithfuls much more than the sufferings inflicted on it by its detractors. It is so now. It has always been since Day 1.

Photo: "The Obelisk" by Dennis Jarvis

Yet the Church has lived for 2,000 years under the leadership of an unbroken line of successors to Peter's throne. That can only be the work of Jesus himself, the risen Lord, the King who is to come in great glory. The Church lives because of the few who have chosen to suffer and be crucified for the gospel. Blessed John Paul and Mother Theresa would count among the thousands of saints in Church history.

It is the second coming of Jesus that is even more significant to our covenant with God. We believe that the man whose flesh was torn by thorns and whips, whose hands and feet were pierced by nails, whose side was wounded by a spear ---- what body of evidence did we need to see that he was a man, a human being with flesh and bones subject of pain and fear? --- was (and is, and will be) God Himself. That man rose up on the third day, true to His Word.

Yes, human logic couldn't grasp it but this is where faith and the help of the Holy Spirit come in. This is where we need the Holy Spirit, to engulf us, today, to fill us with enlightenment and courage to proclaim that Jesus is God, Lord and King, indeed; that we may lay claim to a seat in the banquet of the Lord when he comes in glory with His angels.

"Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." Luke 9:26 NAB.

Have a solemn Lenten Season everyone!

COOL CATHOLICS
Living an All-Embracing Faith in an All-Embracing Church
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They paid him thirty pieces of silver

2012-04-04T09:43:00.001+08:00

FROM THE GOSPEL TODAY
Wednesday of the Holy Week

“What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. Matthew 26:15 NAB

P.S. #1 Help spread the gospel to your family, friends and acquaintances. Simply click the "Like" button at the Cool Catholics - Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations Facebook Page.

P.S. #2 Do you have a testimony of God's grace today? I welcome sharings from brothers and sisters around the world in this blog. Send it to me at marvin.macatol [at] gmail [dot] com

COOL CATHOLICS
Living an All-Embracing Faith in an All-Embracing Church
Follow Cool Catholics on Blogger, Facebook and Twitter

3 New Things About CoolCatholics.org

2012-03-24T13:50:00.001+08:00

"There has to be a better way of spreading the Word!" That thought has nagged me for almost 90 days now. If you want to know more about the Word, just Google it! If you want news and analyses about the issues confronting the Catholic Church today, again, just Google it!

But before going on I'd like to share with you the verse I got from the gospel reading that would be read in all the Holy Mass celebrations around the world tomorrow, the 5th Sunday of Lent. It's in the image above. Great reminder, isn't it?

Back to this blog, there will be changes as follows:

1. Weekly list of daily gospel readings in this blog. Every Monday (or Sunday evening, depending on which part of the world you are), we would be posting the daily gospel readings for the entire week, all in one go. (We would however continue posting the gospel verses daily in Facebook and Twitter.) You'll see this change in the next two weeks.

2. Weekly blog post or posts. The posts would be about our most recent Catholic experience. I do not have the wisdom nor experience nor the authority to tell you anything about Christianity or the Catholic Church; BUT ... you can count on my authority to tell you about my experiences, struggles and victories. That would be a great deal for you, isn't it?

3. A Series on Christian Life. I've occasionally given talks in Christian Life Programs (CLP) of Couples for Christ for years now. There is a burning urge inside me to share with anyone who cares to read the very exciting and empowering Word of God as I've heard them in the CLPs I've attended, facilitated, lead and spoken in. It would sound and feel very selfish to keep all of them to myself! Watch out for it in around a month.

There have been changes outside of those listed above. One is the new header. Did you notice it? I'll make sure that the cover photo of the Cool Catholics Facebook Page and the header of the Cool Catholics Blog would look the same (except for minor nuances).

There are all for now.

GOD BLESS YOU, YOUR HOUSEHOLD AND YOUR DREAMS!

Gospel Today - When the Son of Man comes in his glory ... all the nations will be assembled before him

2012-02-27T08:00:00.000+08:00

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." Mt 25:1-2

February 27, 2012 - Monday of the First Week of Lent

1st Reading -- Lv 19:1-2, 11-18
Responsorial -- Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life
Gospel Today -- Mt 25:31-46

Gospel Today - Repent, and believe in the gospel

2012-02-26T08:00:00.000+08:00

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 NAB

February 26, 2012 - First Sunday of Lent

1st Reading -- Genesis 9:8-15
Responsorial -- Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant
2nd Reading -- 1 Peter 3:18-22
Gospel Today -- Mark 1:12-15

Gospel Today - I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners

2012-02-25T08:00:00.000+08:00

Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” Luke 5:31-32 NAB

February 25, 2012 - Saturday after Ash Wednesday

1st Reading -- Isaiah 58:9b-14
Responsorial -- Psalm 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth
Gospel Today -- Luke 5:27-32

Gospel Today - Days will come when the bridegroom is taken away, then they will fast

2012-02-24T08:00:00.000+08:00

Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. Matthew 9:15 NAB

February 24, 2012 - Friday after Ash Wednesday

1st Reading -- Isaiah 58:1-9a
Responsorial -- Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn
Gospel Today -- Matthew 9:14-15

Gospel Today - Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it

2012-02-23T08:00:00.000+08:00

Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. Luke 9:23-24 NAB

February 23, 2012 - Thursday after Ash Wednesday

1st Reading -- Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Responsorial -- Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord
Gospel Today -- Luke 9:22-25

Gospel Today - Your Father who sees in secret will repay you

2012-02-22T08:00:00.000+08:00

But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. Matthew 6:3-4 NAB

February 22, 2012 - Ash Wednesday

1st Reading -- Joel 2:12-18
Responsorial -- Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
2nd Reading -- 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2
Gospel Today -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Gospel Today - Whoever receives one child in my name, receives me

2012-02-21T08:00:00.000+08:00

Taking a child he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.” Mark 9:36-37 NAB

February 21, 2012 - Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

1st Reading -- James 4:1-10
Responsorial -- Psalm 55:7-8, 9-10a, 10b-11a, 23
R. Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you
Gospel Today -- Mark 9:30-37

Gospel Today - Everything is possible to one who has faith

2012-02-20T08:00:00.000+08:00

It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Mark 9:22-23 NAB

February 20, 2012 - Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

1st Reading -- James 3:13-18
Responsorial -- Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart
Gospel Today -- Mark 9:14-29

Gospel Today - Child, your sins are forgiven

2012-02-19T08:00:00.000+08:00

They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:3-5 NAB

February 19, 2012 - Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

1st Reading -- Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25
Responsorial -- Psalm 41:2-3, 4-5, 13-14
R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you
2nd Reading -- 2 Corinthians 1:18-22
Gospel Today -- Mark 2:1-12

Gospel Today - The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen

2012-01-01T08:00:00.000+08:00

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. Luke 2:20 NAB

January 1, 2012 - The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

1st Reading -- Numbers 6:22-27
Responsorial -- Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
R. May God bless us in his mercy
2nd Reading -- Galatians 4:4-7
Gospel Today -- Luke 2:16-21

Gospel Today - Those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God

2011-12-31T08:00:00.000+08:00

But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. John 1:12-13 NAB

December 31, 2011 - The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

1st Reading -- 1 John 2:18-21
Responsorial -- Psalm 96:1-2, 11-12, 13
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Gospel Today -- John 1:1-18

Gospel Today - The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom

2011-12-30T08:00:00.000+08:00

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. Luke 2:39-40 NAB

December 30, 2011 - Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

1st Reading -- Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3
Responsorial -- Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways
Gospel Today -- Luke 2:22-40

Gospel Today - Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word

2011-12-29T08:00:00.000+08:00

Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32 NAB

December 29, 2011 - The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

1st Reading -- 1 John 2:3-11
Responsorial -- Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Gospel Today -- Luke 2:22-35