The Federal Assembly — The Swiss Parliament: The Council of States has voted against making shop opening hours more flexible. It refused to consider the relevant bill and intends to stick with the current limit of four Sundays a year where shopping is permitted without a special permit.

The debate over more flexible shop opening hours is a perennial issue; regulations for Monday through Saturday are the responsibility of the cantons. However, when it comes to Sundays, federal law applies—specifically, the Labor Act.

To date, municipalities and cantons have been permitted to authorize shopping on a maximum of four Sundays per year without requiring a special permit. In the view of the Council of States, this arrangement should remain in place for the time being.

On Tuesday, the Council decided by a narrow margin—22 votes to 21, with one abstention—not to proceed with the bill proposed by its Committee for Economic Affairs and Taxation (WAK-S). A “Sunday Alliance” comprising council members from the SP, the Greens, The Centre (Die Mitte), and the SVP prevailed. Council of States President Stefan Engler (The Centre/GR) cast the deciding vote.

“SUNDAY ALLIANCE” PREVAILS

During the debate on whether to consider the bill, members on the left argued that the proposal was socially unjust, endangered employees’ health, and disregarded democratic decisions. Carlo Sommaruga (SP/GE), for instance, described it as a “frontal attack on workers’ rights.”

People in this sector already suffer from difficult working conditions. Sommaruga emphasized the importance of Sunday as a shared day of rest, particularly for employees and their families.

Opponents argued that a Sunday free from shopping strengthens social cohesion and should not serve the purpose of boosting consumption. Furthermore, they maintained that consumer spending depends primarily on purchasing power rather than on which days shops are open. Representatives from the SVP and The Centre parties also weighed in: “Shopping is merely spread across an additional day, while costs for staff, operations, and infrastructure rise,” said Andrea Gmür-Schönenberger (The Centre/LU). Jakob Stark (SVP/TG) spoke of the “Sunday Alliance.” Any potential economic benefits would not outweigh the social downsides. “The value of Sunday must be preserved,” Stark stated.

Pierre-Yves Maillard (SP/VD) noted that the public has consistently rejected Sunday shopping. For instance, voters in the Canton of Bern rejected a proposal to increase the number of Sundays shops could open from two to four in a 2021 referendum.

REJECTION DESPITE “MAY” PROVISION

The legislative proposal—now rejected by the Council of States—originated from a cantonal initiative by Zurich, which had previously been endorsed by both relevant parliamentary committees.

Cantons such as Zurich and Schaffhausen had actively advocated for the expansion to strengthen local brick-and-mortar retail against international online competition and cross-border shopping in neighboring countries.

“People have an increased need for flexibility,” said Tiana Angelina Moser (GLP/ZH). This is reflected in shopping habits: shops that are open on Sundays—such as those at airports—experience high foot traffic.

Proponents also argued that the Swiss economy is being hit hard by crises. Extending the timeframe for economic activity through more flexible shop opening hours could boost economic output. Small businesses and service providers—sectors particularly vulnerable to crises—could especially benefit from this.

Furthermore, a provision allowing—rather than mandating—such measures would have enabled flexible adaptation to local needs without requiring a comprehensive overhaul of the Labor Act. “This is a bill that creates an option. That is also what the majority of the cantons wanted,” said Moser.

NOT THE FIRST ATTEMPT

The Federal Council also welcomed the proposal. “As is currently the case, the cantons can decide for themselves how they wish to use this option,” said Economics Minister Guy Parmelin. It therefore represented a “measured move towards flexibility” that continued to leave it up to the cantons to determine how to handle Sunday work.

The amendment that has now failed in the Council of States marks the second recent attempt to expand Sunday shopping. In February of last year, the Federal Council announced that it had halted work on new regulations for Sunday shopping at the national level.

A consultation process regarding the revision planned at that time took place between November 2023 and March 2024. Center-right parties and cities felt the proposed liberalization did not go far enough, while left-wing parties and trade unions opposed any loosening of the rules. According to the Federal Council, the draft failed to garner sufficient support at the time.

On Tuesday, too, the bill failed in the smaller chamber—likely not least…

Prophetic Link:
“The Sunday-Sabbath institution is traced directly to the Romish Church, which, indeed, claims the honor of originating it; and no one has been able to dispute this claim. The Sabbath of Jehovah commemorates the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the commandment for its observance was given that the earth and its inhabitants might glorify the creator. The law which compels the observance of the Sunday-Sabbath annuls the commandment of God, and the earth and them that dwell therein are caused to do homage to the power which originated it, by resting thereon. Protestants have ascribed various institutions to the papacy, and applied this prophecy to them; but in none is the earth, in distinction from those who dwell upon the earth, caused to worship that power, except in the Sunday rest enforced upon all the land.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, page 503.1

Source References

• Council of States Rejects Additional Sunday Shopping

CNN: Taiwan’s military fired rockets in China’s direction from “shoot-and-scoot” mobile launchers on Wednesday in a demonstration of how it might try to repel a Chinese attack.

While the US-supplied system known as HIMARS has been tested before, the latest live-fire exercise was the first time its rockets were fired into the waters of the narrow Taiwan Strait that separates the self-governing island from China.

“Due to the current enemy threat, we will continue HIMARS training with unwavering determination to protect Taiwan as the nation’s strongest force,” army Sgt. Wang Ming-hui said.

The military said it used reduced-range practice rockets that don’t fly very far from the coast before falling into the water.

When asked about the test-firing by CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Wednesday, Taiwan’s representative to the US Alexander Yui said the army was practicing with the newly-acquired HIMARS.

“We’re an island; we can only shoot east or west, so they chose west,” he told CNN.

China views Taiwan as a renegade province and says it must come under its control at some point in the future. It sends warships and planes into the skies and waters near the island almost every day and has held major military exercises in its vicinity in recent years. The United States does not recognize Taiwan as a country, but it opposes any change to its status by force and is its main supplier of weaponry for its defense.

The HIMARS, which stands for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, is part of a US-encouraged shift in strategy, toward an asymmetric approach designed to keep China at bay rather than trying to go head-to-head with big-ticket weapons purchases. The truck-mounted pod of rockets can be driven out from a hidden position to fire its missiles, then quickly taken to a new hiding place in what are called shoot-and-scoot tactics.

They were fired on the second day of exercises on Taiwan’s west coast, which faces China. The drills, which also included 155 mm howitzers, simulated a response to a Chinese invasion and were designed to test rapid deployment and precision-strike capabilities.

The HIMARS was the centerpiece of the drill. After receiving a firing order, the vehicles maneuvered into position and launched their rockets with bright flashes within three minutes, demonstrating their mobility.

The US announced plans in December to sell 82 more HIMARS systems to Taiwan as part of a major arms deal, but that package appears to have been put on hold after President Donald Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing last month.

Prophetic Link:
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Matthew 24:6

Source References

• Taiwan test-fires rockets in China’s direction from US-supplied mobile launching system

WFMD: A Colorado teacher has been fired after an investigation found students were allegedly asked to kiss classmates during classroom skits, with some reporting they felt pressured to participate because the performances counted toward their grades.

CBS News reported Monday that the Denver Public Schools board voted 7-0 on May 20 to terminate French language and culture teacher Jennifer Honka at Northeast Early College for “incompetence and neglect of duty,” finding she had at times allegedly suggested that students kiss during in-class skits. 

The outlet reported that an April 30 independent review, a copy of which was obtained by CBS Colorado, found that the students who were allegedly encouraged to kiss were always the same sex. 

“One student told an NEC chemistry teacher about the skits in April 2024,” CBS News reported. “The student was very uncomfortable and did not know what to do,” the report said. “She went ahead and kissed another student at (Honka)’s direction. The student then shared a digital meme with (the chemistry teacher) that included a picture of (Honka) and the caption ‘she makes girls kiss.’ The meme had circulated among the students.”

Per the report, following this incident, “the student’s attendance decreased dramatically.”

Additionally, CBS News reported that “One student interviewed directly in the independent review also testified that Honka always selected girls to act in the skits. Despite a nearly 50/50 split among boys and girls in the class, the student ‘could not recall Honka choosing a boy actor.’ This student refused to participate and testified that she received a zero score for a grade on this assignment.”

Another student reportedly walked out of the class, and an English teacher at the school “testified that several students approached her as well. One of the students ‘appeared upset and defeated,’ as stated in the independent review. ‘The student told (the English teacher) that she had been asked to kiss three other girls in one of (Honka)’s skits.’”

According to the report, the skits where Honka asked students to kiss were titled “The Neighbors Saw Everything” and “The Boring Kiss,” which was about characters who were dating. 

One student reportedly said that Honka had a classroom rule that went, “the answer is always ‘yes’” which was used by Honka to encourage students to participate in the skits, which were biweekly and part of their performance grades. 

Honka had allegedly disclosed to the class that she was a lesbian and an LGBTQ supporter.

Jennifer Warren, the principal at Northeast Early College, filed a police report with the Denver Police Department following a third student who said there was kissing during class skits. 

CBS News reported that Honka testified that “she did not force students to kiss and would give them alternatives such as blowing a kiss or ‘fist bumps’ if they were uncomfortable. One of the complaining students, in fact, did testify in the independent review that Honka ‘would allow students to pretend to kiss.’” 

The report also alleged that Honka shared personal details, including fertility struggles, suicidal ideations, and being a victim of child abuse.

She defended her personal disclosures to students in class in the report stating that she was trying to build trust with students, but one student who was struggling with suicide reportedly walked out of her class. 

Keith J. Kirchubel, a Colorado administrative law judge, wrote in the independent review that, “Regardless of whether (Honka) ‘forced’ the participants to kiss, her choice of script forced them to express their preferences and consent about a very personal and sexualized activity on the spot in front of their peers.”

“They were also forced to determine whether they were comfortable dissenting from the direction of the script to their teacher, who was in a position of control over the situation,” he continued.

“[W]hile the notion of using skits as a way to teach French Language may have been effective in general, the way it was implemented by (Honka) was irresponsible and inappropriate,” Kirchubel said.

Honka now appears to be listed as an English language development teacher on the website of Malley Drive Elementary School in Northglenn, Colorado. 

Scott Pribble, director of external communications for Denver Public Schools, told Fox News Digital in a statement, “The safety, emotional well-being, and dignity of our students are the absolute highest priorities of Denver Public School. All schools must be spaces where students feel safe, respected, and supported.”

Pribble continued, “Following a thorough district investigation and an independent review by a state administrative law judge, the DPS Board of Education voted unanimously to terminate the employment of Jennifer Honka. It was determined that her actions did not protect the best interests of the children in her classroom.”

He added, “We commend the bravery of the students who came forward to report these incidents, as well as the school staff who acted immediately as mandatory reporters. We remain fully committed to upholding the highest standards of professional conduct and ensuring our classrooms remain safe spaces for all.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Honka, Warren and Kristin Powers, principal at Malley Drive Elementary School, for comment but did not immediately receive responses.

Prophetic Link:
“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” Luke 17:28, 30

Source References

• Colorado teacher fired after students allegedly pressured to kiss classmates in skits

Futurism, by Victor Tangermann: Editing the genes of a human embryo remains highly controversial, particularly after Chinese scientist He Jiankui shocked the world eight years ago by doing just that using the popular gene-editing technique CRISPR — and then allowing the embryos to be carried to term and born.

Proponents say the tech could allow us to treat diseases in powerful new ways, while critics liken it to eugenics, arguing it could set a dangerous precedent by allowing parents to select certain desirable traits.

It should therefore come to no surprise that the most recent attempt to edit human zygotes, embryos at their earliest single-cell stage, has once again fueled controversy. As detailed in a yet-to-be-peer-reviewed paper, a team led by Columbia University geneticist Dieter Egli used a technique called base editing, essentially editing a single strand of DNA, to edit two genomic sites.

The goal wasn’t to establish promising new therapeutic or medical treatments, as the scientists noted in their paper. Instead, they attempted to demonstrate that base editing was a viable way of editing sequences of DNA in embryos without risking the damage earlier attempts involving CRISPR have caused.

But as Scientific American reports, the latest research could lay the groundwork for more controversial work, despite the embryos not being carried to term, with pioneering genome‑editing researcher and Alexis Komor, who helped develop CRISPR, telling the publication that the “cat’s out of the bag.”

Komor argued that without any strict regulatory oversight in the US, Egli and his colleagues may have broken an existing “gentleman’s agreement,” in the kind of research that “kind of opens the floodgates.”

The geneticist called the latest study a “gateway to embryo editing to do enhancements,” highlighting how controversial the field remains.

The research is also being supported by Nucleus Genomics, a company that screens IVF embryos for genetic disorders, which has already been steeped in controversy over its claims.

Simply put, base editing makes tiny incisions in a single strand of DNA instead of removing entire segments, as is the case with CRISPR. Early experiments have already proved promising. Last year, a 9.5-month-old baby was cured of a rare genetic disorder thanks to a cutting-edge gene therapy involving base editing.

Egli and his colleagues targeted two genomic sites that correspond to cholesterol management and hemoglobin production-related genes for their research, “because they are well studied in the context of somatic gene editing, rather than based on therapeutic promise in the germline,” according to the paper.

But the results left something to be desired. For one, many of the edited embryos featured the same type of cells that differed genetically from each other, a phenomenon called mosaicism, which can lead to medical problems if the zygotes were to develop into embryos and eventually babies, as the New York Times points out.

“It is possible that some of the potentially harmful effects would not be evident until after birth,” Wake Forest University bioethicist Ana Iltis, who was not involved in the research, told the NYT.

The researchers behind the latest study, however, remain hopeful, explaining that plenty of work remains until the tech could be used to cure or head off diseases.

“There’s still work to do before getting to that point, but this research gets us closer,” coauthor and Nucleus Genomics chief clinical officer Nathan Treff told the NYT.

Others put it far less favorably.

“What they are really doing is providing the ‘baby improvers’ with a how-to manual for forays beyond the ethical pale,” University of California, Berkeley, geneticist Fyodor Urnov, who was not involved, told the newspaper.

Prophetic Link:
“But if there was one sin above another which called for the destruction of the race by the flood, it was the base crime of amalgamation of man and beast which defaced the image of God, and caused confusion everywhere. God purposed to destroy by a flood that powerful, long-lived race that had corrupted their ways before him.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 1, page 69

Source References

• Scientists Concerned Latest Gene Editing of Human Embryos Could “Open the Floodgates”

Rolling Stone, by Anthony Giancatarino: Last Monday, Pope Leo released Magnifca Humanitas, his much-anticipated first encyclical as pontiff. In it, he takes aim straight at artificial intelligence, one of the most feared and disruptive forces in our world today. In these 40-something pages, Pope Leo makes the case, plain and clear, that AI is a threat to humanity and the planet. He also makes it clear that this technology is part of a long cycle of exploitation and destruction. Therefore, if we are going to contend with it, we must ground in a framework of social justice.

While many have expressed surprise at Pope Leo’s bluntness and boldness in taking on such a polarizing issue, I am not. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pleased and, as a lifelong Catholic, I am proud. But, to me, Magnifica Humanitas is picking up where Pope Francis’ first encyclical, Laudato Si, naturally left off.

When Laudato Si was released in 2015, it, too, was lauded as a bold and welcome statement from the Vatican. In it, Pope Francis laid out a clear case for how a culture and economy of extraction, human exploitation, and blind faith in technology and finance has damaged creation. It called for an ecological conversion and illustrated that the “cry of the earth is the cry of the poor.”

In Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo explicitly links the ecological damage from AI to that foretold by Pope Francis. He talks about the degradation of our common resources like land and water for technological consumption, the waste and pollution from technological development, and the negative impacts of rare earth mineral mining. He calls out the hypocritical slowness to adopt environmental commitments, compared to the race to develop AI.

Pope Leo argues that if we are going to bring forth the ecological conversion and care for creation that Pope Francis called us toward, then we must take seriously the dignity of humanity. To that end, we must recognize “the human being as a creature embedded in a network of relationships with other living beings and with all of creation.”

Pope Leo also calls out the idolatry of profit and “structural sins” within capitalism and markets. He points out AI’s potential for oppression and new colonialism, the subjugation of people into data points, and the threat to our labor and creativity. In fact, he takes this so far as to link AI to the legacy of slavery and to apologize for the Church’s historic role in sanctioning the slave trade.

This apology has been a long time coming — centuries, in fact. Without the Church’s explicit blessing, perhaps best illustrated by the Doctrine of Discovery, it is hard to conceive of a world in which colonialism and slavery have shaped the world as we know it. As Pope Leo notes in his encyclical, his own namesake, Pope Leo XIII, was the first to condemn slavery in 1888. Pope Leo XIV, whose lineage includes enslaved people, rightfully took it a step further.

As one of the leaders of Taproot Earth, we work with frontline communities around the world, but especially in the Global South, toward climate solutions that put their needs and their voices first. Again and again, we have heard from frontline leaders that the road to climate repair must start with an acknowledgement and apology for the wrongs of colonialism and slavery — both of which paved the way to today’s climate crisis. Pope Leo’s acknowledgement and apology for the Church’s role in slavery builds on Pope Francis’ 2023 acknowledgement and apology for the Doctrine of the Discovery (a 15th century Church teaching that sanctified colonialism and land grabs for Christianity). I, for one, am thrilled to see that the Catholic Church is showing what it means to take critical steps toward repair.

Given the role that AI plays in the climate crisis and destabilizing and decimating the labor force, it is not only logical that the Church take a stand on it — it is what the Gospel requires us to do. That same Gospel also requires us to go beyond acknowledging the harm and toward active repair.

Pope Leo steps up to that plate with an honest and intentional call to repair: “Living out justice in the Church means … acknowledging the harm done, just reparation and taking steps to prevent it from happening again.” That calls for one thing and one thing only: reparations.

For climate reparations to take root, we must steward the common good and creation in a way that centers community and shared futures. This requires us to take a deep look at how people can move to survive or stay on their lands to cultivate care. It means making sure communities are in a position to determine how resources are managed, received, and used to support climate solutions. Climate reparations are about self-determination, collective governance, and liberation.

In a world already roiled by the climate crisis, true climate reparations will also have to address the way that people move. Simply put, we need to affirm and implement the right of free movement of peoples. The Church has long supported this right and Pope Leo affirms this assertion and explicitly names the right to remain and the right to migrate.

The affirmation of these rights is deeply human. And that ultimately is the point of this encyclical. “We must remember that humanity flourishes not despite limitations, but often through them,” writes Pope Leo XIV. As a parent, I live this reality daily — as my kids lovingly remind me of my limitations. And it leads me to grow, learn how to be more caring, and how to show that repair and truth are possible in an ever changing world. It is in these limitations and humanity that we find community and we can build solutions for the common good.
Last year, I wrote that while Pope Francis was known as “the people’s pope,” I was hopeful that Pope Leo would pick up the mantle to become “the planet’s pope.” A year later, it looks as though those hopes were well-placed.

Prophetic Link:
“Romanism is now regarded by Protestants with far greater favor than in former years. In those countries where Catholicism is not in the ascendancy, and the papists are taking a conciliatory course in order to gain influence, there is an increasing indifference concerning the doctrines that separate the reformed churches from the papal hierarchy; the opinion is gaining ground that, after all, we do not differ so widely upon vital points as has been supposed, and that a little concession on our part will bring us into a better understanding with Rome. The time was when Protestants placed a high value upon the liberty of conscience which had been so dearly purchased. They taught their children to abhor popery and held that to seek harmony with Rome would be disloyalty to God. But how widely different are the sentiments now expressed!” Great Controversy, 563.1

Source References

• Leo Shows He’s the Planet’s Pope by Taking on AI

Reuters, by Michael Holden: Staring at the burned out shell of his Belfast home, Jamie Corry said he would ​never get over the sight of watching his house go up in flames, torched by anti-migrant protesters angry at the brutal stabbing of ‌a man in Northern Ireland’s capital.

“I was actually standing right there watching my whole house just go up, slowly but surely, and that was it. There’s literally nothing I could have done about it,” the 33-year-old told Reuters as he surveyed the wreckage of his terraced home.

“I’ll never get over that feeling,” he said.

Corry’s property was one of those ​attacked by hundreds of masked protesters across the region after a video of the knife attack, in which the victim lost an eye, ​went viral on social media on Tuesday. A Sudanese man has been charged with attempted murder.

PEOPLE ARE ANGRY

Police and politicians ⁠said angry protesters had randomly targeted ethnic minorities as violence flared on Tuesday night. But those such as Corry found themselves caught up in the ​disorder.

On his street, bunting with British flags fluttered from the walls next to charred windows and doors, while burned wreckage from houses was piled next to ​destroyed cars.

Despite his own situation, he said he had some sympathy with the anger that people had felt.

“It’s people that’s angry, lashing out, you understand why,” he said. “I mean one of our own people’s basically been butchered in the middle of the street.”

ECHOES OF A SECTARIAN PAST

For 30 years, the British province saw violence – known as the “Troubles” – between mainly Catholic ​Irish nationalists seeking Irish unity, and predominantly Protestant pro-British “loyalists” wanting to stay in the United Kingdom, which led to the deaths of more than 3,600 ​people.

While some splinter groups remain active and trouble still often flares, the 1998 Good Friday Agreement mostly brought an end to the killings.

But for Methodist minister Reverend Brian Anderson, ‌the violence ⁠was reminiscent of those dark days.

“I saw, particularly on these two streets, just violence upon violence. I think I could use the word anarchy,” he told Reuters. He said the influx of migrants had put pressures on employment and housing.

“There are issues to be dealt with and we need our politicians to step in and help that debate. But we cannot, cannot, cannot, cannot do it by violence,” he said. “It just takes us back to the old days ​and we don’t want to go back ​there.”

RISING TIDE OF RACE CRIMES

In ⁠recent years, the sectarian violence that blighted the region is starting to be replaced by growing incidents of racism.

Northern Ireland’s population is 97% white according to a 2021 census, but migration has been increasing in recent years, and with ​it, a growing hostility.

According to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, there were 2,367 race incidents and 1,507 race ​crimes in the ⁠year to March 2026, the highest since records began in 2004/05. In that same period there were 71 sectarian incidents.

There was anti-migration rioting in both 2024 and 2025, the latter sparked by accusations against two teenage Romanian boys over an alleged sexual assault, charges which prosecutors later withdrew.

“I’m afraid maybe I might be the next to ⁠be attacked ​on the street,” said Anselme Shima, 48, who moved to Northern Ireland from the Democratic Republic ​of Congo in 2013 and has lived on the street next to Corry’s for almost a decade.

“I was not able to take my son to school because I don’t know … if we’ll ​be able to reach the school. So we are locked in the house with my wife and my three children.”

Prophetic Link:
“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.” Luke 21:25

Source References

• Belfast’s anti-migration violence brings back dark memories of the ‘Troubles’

ABC 7: Stress along the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults in Southern California has reached the highest levels in 1,000 years, according to new research from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

The study outlines implications for seismic hazard assessments in one of the nation’s most populated and infrastructure-critical regions.

Scientist Liliane Burkhard said that “the region may be capable of a large through-going rupture involving both fault systems,” and that researchers “also found that Cajon Pass may act as an ‘earthquake gate,’ sometimes blocking large ruptures from crossing between the faults, and sometimes allowing them to pass through and involve both systems in a single event.”

Looking back at 1,000 years of Earthquake History

Researchers designed a physics-based model that simulates the stress build up on the two fault systems including at the Cajon Pass.

By feeding the simulation 1,000 years worth of earthquake history from the region, they estimated how much stress has built up. Burkhard said, “Right now, with stress at historically high levels across the region and more than 160 years elapsed since the last major rupture, the system is in a critically loaded state.”

The study found that stress normally released in large earthquakes has continued to grow up to unprecedented levels. It also found that the Cajon Pass could cause a joint rupture of both faults simultaneously. Densely populated areas including Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and the Coachella Valley would be significantly affected.

The San Andreas Fault is the primary boundary between the Pacific and North American plates. It runs up the Peninsula and stretches about 650 miles, with other faults, including the Hayward Fault, branching off it.

Prophetic Link:
“There will soon be a sudden change in God’s dealings. The world in its perversity is being visited by casualties,—by floods, storms, fires, earthquakes, famines, wars, and bloodshed. The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power; yet He will not at all acquit the wicked. “The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.” O that men might understand the patience and longsuffering of God! He is putting under restraint His own attributes. His omnipotent power is under the control of Omnipotence. O that men would understand that God refuses to be wearied out with the world’s perversity, and still holds out the hope of forgiveness even to the most undeserving! But His forbearance will not always continue. Who is prepared for the sudden change that will take place in God’s dealing with sinful men? Who will be prepared to escape the punishment that will certainly fall upon transgressors?” Final Events, 356.2

Source References

• San Andreas Fault hits highest stress level in 1,000 years, study finds

Fortune, by Meg Short and Bloomberg: In the hope he’ll land a job in finance, Andre Bonnick spends hours rehearsing what he’s going to say. He’s using key words from job listings, making eye contact — following advice he’s gotten from recruiters.

But Bonnick, a student at Warwick University, isn’t preparing to talk to a human hiring manager. He’s tackling initial screening rounds done by artificial intelligence-powered software.

With more firms adopting AI, students gunning for a career in banking and finance are preparing to be up against such technology at first interaction. If they get in the door, they’re then faced with the question of whether the jobs will be available to humans in the next few years.

Most executives are in agreement: Jobs will be cut as AI is implemented. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon said in December that the technology “will eliminate jobs.” Jane Fraser, Citigroup Inc.’s CEO, said some jobs “will no longer be required,” while Goldman Sachs Group Inc. President John Waldron referred to employees as a “human assembly line” ripe for automation.

As Standard Chartered Plc CEO Bill Winters put it: “It’s not cost cutting; it’s replacing in some cases lower-value human capital with the financial capital and the investment capital we’re putting in.” (He later apologized for his remarks.)

With those recent comments, industry workers have been left dazed about whether their jobs are safe. Even for those in higher levels, the risk that AI could eventually replace their roles has grown.

And while executives, including Dimon and Barclays Plc Chief Executive Officer CS Venkatakrishnan, have talked about retraining and reskilling employees to protect some jobs, it’s unclear how that would work in practice, said David Parsons, an employment lawyer at Mishcon de Reya.

One investment banker in the United Arab Emirates, who asked not to be identified, joked he may not be needed in the next five to 10 years, after he used Microsoft Corp.’s Copilot to help make a last-minute elevator pitch before a client meeting.

“It’s fair to say middle office is vulnerable,” Parsons said. “That’s the difference with this wave of automation, it impacts jobs higher up the chain.”

Students, who for years gravitated to finance for its stability and high-paying nature, are now finding less entry-level roles available to them.

“I was looking at potentially applying for a master’s to give me another year to apply for jobs,” Bonnick said.

Banks are cutting junior analyst classes by as much as two-thirds while sourcing roughly 62% of their AI talent from those same cohorts, said Debasish Patnaik, senior partner and leader of QuantumBlack, McKinsey & Co.’s AI consulting arm.

While graduate intakes “will shrink,” banks are unlikely to shed them altogether, according to Patnaik.

“Banking is an apprenticeship business. Today’s junior analysts become tomorrow’s managing directors,” said Patnaik. “Senior judgment cannot be manufactured laterally.”

Targeted Use Cases

By and large, banks are currently trying to implement AI across certain functions, including customer service and transaction and trade monitoring.

“Rather than looking for the Battleship Galactica, all singing, all dancing bank run by agentic AI, we’re going to see much more single point use cases over the over the coming years,” said Antony Jenkins, a former CEO of Barclays and founder of core banking platform 10x Banking.

Citigroup is rolling out a conversational AI-powered wealth management avatar that offers clients financial guidance. The multilingual avatar can advise on what to do when your bank certificates of deposit are maturing, for example, or how to manage your children’s college fund.

Barclays is using AI to monitor calls involving human customer service staff, which is helping to improve efficiency without putting jobs at risk, Venkatakrishnan said earlier this year. The firm saidin February that it had seen efficiency gains with more than 8 million customer calls summarized by generative AI since the program rolled out in October.

Digital bank Revolut Ltd. recently launched an in-app AI assistant called AIR that gives customers a granular breakdown of spend, sorting travel and essentials or setting card controls.

It’s designed to make financial management “as easy and natural as sending a text,” said Julia Ponomareva, Revolut’s partner and general manager of customer experience and AI products.

In terms of hiring and interviewing functions, some recruiters think banks won’t lean on AI. While Bonnick, the student at Warwick, may be preparing to speak to an AI bot in screening interviews, banks are unlikely to use such technology because the risks are significant, according to Tom Lakin, global head of future of work at recruitment firm Robert Walters. At least one screening software company removed a facial analysis component in 2021, he added.

Separately, some remain wary of the consequences of redundancies across certain functions.

“If you are laying off a large number of your junior workforce, or laying off administrative staff who are predominantly female, there are huge discrimination risks,” Parsons said. “It’s an underpriced risk.”

There’s also doubts over whether many of the job cut announcements so far have truly been related to AI.

“I think a lot of companies have too much bureaucracy and they may use AI to cover up the fact that they should never have hired those people in the first place,” Dimon said at JPMorgan’s China summit in May.

For many, AI has been touted as a way to bypass grunt work. Still, presentation decks and valuation models are broadly accepted as a necessary learning tool.

Graduates broadly speaking are finding it difficult to break into the sector, said Timothy Lee, a student at Warwick University who leads its business and finance society.

“Before Covid, class sizes were increasing a lot,” Lee said, though he has accepted a job from Wells Fargo & Co. “When banks were doing well, they were hiring more but now they don’t need to.”

To be sure, some banks are pressing ahead with plans to hire interns and new employees. Bank of America Corp. is committed to the 2,000 summer interns and another 2,000 full-time recruits set to join this month across eight lines of business.

Still, the bank wants headcount to stay flat and using AI to encourage efficiency.

Our Comment:
No human discretion as technology rigidly follows the rules.

Prophetic Link:
“And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.” Revelation 13:15, 16

Source References

• Banks lay groundwork for mass workforce cuts as AI takes hold

Sight Magazine, by Adelle M. Banks: The leader of President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission said that church and state separation is a falsehood at the group’s final meeting, drawing criticism from an advocacy group that supports it.

At a Monday hearing at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, a Republican and the chair of the commission, asked, “Would it not be a good recommendation that every school, every university, every business, has to have that one sheet on the bulletin board about protecting people’s religious liberty, and that the separation of church and state is the biggest lie that’s been told in America since our founding?”

His question was posed to Helen Alvaré, a law professor at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, as Patrick compared the notion of such a bulletin board announcement to the federal notices from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that are posted in classrooms and other buildings that aim to promote safety and prevent hazards.

Alvaré, a onetime top staffer for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops representing the bishops’ anti-abortion stance and a witness at the hearing, agreed with Patrick’s suggestion.

“It would be an appropriate time to put up some information about these sorts of rights,” she said. “You’re responding to the signs of the times where this has been misunderstood, and like any other thing, where people are unclear about their rights, this might be a way to clarify them.”

Rachel Laser, the president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, rejected Patrick’s stance.

“Church-state separation ensures we are all free to live as ourselves and believe as we choose, as long as we don’t harm others,” Laser said in a statement issued Monday. “It allows us all to come together as equals to build a stronger democracy. It is an American original, something we should be proud of, fight for, and cherish.”

Trump signed an executive order last May at a National Day of Prayer ceremony in the White House Rose Garden that created the commission, saying it would release a report on the “foundations of religious liberty in America,” “current threats to domestic religious liberty” and “programs to increase awareness of and celebrate America’s peaceful religious pluralism.”

The commission members have included some of Trump’s evangelical allies, Catholic bishops, a rabbi and TV host Phil McGraw.

In February, Americans United joined Democracy Forward in filing a lawsuit against the commission, challenging its composition that included one non-Christian and stating that its “Christian members do not represent the full diversity of the Christian faith”. The suit was filed on behalf of interfaith, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu organisations. Americans United and Democracy Forward have since sought a preliminary injunction to prevent the publication of a commission report while their case is considered by a federal district court.

Members of the commission include Pastor Paula White-Cain, senior adviser to the White House Faith Office; Dr. Ben Carson, former secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Trump; Catholic Bishop Robert Barron, leader of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota; Cardinal Timothy Dolan, retired archbishop of New York; Rabbi Meir Soloveichik of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York; and Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

The commission is set to expire on 4th July, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, according to the executive order, unless the president extends it.

Prophetic Link:
“The dignitaries of church and State will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of divine authority will be supplied by oppressive enactments. Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected. In the soon-coming conflict we shall see exemplified the prophet’s words: “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” [Revelation 12:17.]” Great Controversy, 88 592.3

Source References

• Church-state separation is a “lie”, says Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission chair

Catholics for Catholics: In the month of June, we the Catholic People celebrate the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Since 2023, Catholics for Catholics, in an effort to manifest the beauty and sacredness of Catholicism in America, has been launching an annual campaign to celebrate and honor the Heart that burns with love and mercy for all humanity. 

This year’s campaign is even more special since it is complementing the initiative of the US Bishops to consecrate our beloved nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

This is not a mere billboard ad, but a public prayer, wherein we display the sweet face of Jesus and His Heart burning with love for souls—together with a forceful declaration: That we, the United States of America, are “One Nation under Christ” and that our primary allegiance is to Him and His Holy Catholic Church.

Your financial support helps us continue evangelizing America. Together, we ask Our Lord for His Mercy on this nation and all of her children that need urgent conversion.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, America Trusts In You. 

This year, we’re planning to place the Sacred Heart Billboards in different cities of the nation, starting in Phoenix, AZ. Your generosity will help us expand this campaign to other cities.

Prophetic Link:
“But Romanism as a system is no more in harmony with the gospel of Christ now than at any former period in her history. The Protestant churches are in great darkness, or they would discern the signs of the times. The Roman Church is far-reaching in her plans and modes of operation. She is employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fierce and determined conflict to regain control of the world, to re-establish persecution, and to undo all that Protestantism has done. Catholicism is gaining ground upon every side. See the increasing number of her churches and chapels in Protestant countries. Look at the popularity of her colleges and seminaries in America, so widely patronized by Protestants. Look at the growth of ritualism in England and the frequent defections to the ranks of the Catholics. These things should awaken the anxiety of all who prize the pure principles of the gospel.” Great Controversy, 565.4

Source References

• One Nation Under Christ: Consecrating the USA to the Sacred Heart

Vida Sacerdotal, by Pedro María Reyes Vizcaíno: For centuries, the Church has prescribed the obligation to hear the entire Mass on Sundays and some more important feasts (the so-called holy days of obligation ).

The purpose of this article is to explain the scope and legal obligations arising from this precept, as well as to offer some pastoral considerations. Those who wish to delve deeper into the Christian meaning of the Sunday precept may read the Apostolic Letter Dies Domini , by John Paul II, of May 31, 1998.

In current law, canon 1247 establishes this obligation:

Canon 1247 : On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in Mass; and they are to abstain from those labors and activities which hinder them from giving worship to God, from enjoying the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, or from enjoying due rest of mind and body.

The holy days of obligation are indicated in canon 1246:

Canon 1246 § 1. Sunday, on which the Paschal Mystery is celebrated, is to be observed throughout the Church, by apostolic tradition, as a holy day of obligation. Likewise, the following days are to be observed: Christmas, Epiphany, Ascension, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Mary Mother of God, the Immaculate Conception and Assumption, Saint Joseph, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and All Saints.

§ 2. However, the Episcopal Conference, with the prior approval of the Apostolic See, may suppress or transfer to Sunday some of the holy days of obligation.

This obligation also appears in the Catechism of the Catholic Church in no. 1389 and no. 2181. We will see in this article the scope of this precept.

Holy Days

It is a precept of natural law to dedicate a day to rest and the worship of God , although the specific day of this precept varies. Under the Old Testament, that day was Saturday, but since the time of the apostles, in the Church it has been observed on the first day of the week, that is, Sunday, which is why it received this name ( dies dominicus , the Lord’s Day).

In addition to Sunday, there are other holy days of obligation , which are the ten listed in canon 1246 § 1, already cited. However, as indicated in § 2 of the same canon, Episcopal Conferences can suppress or transfer some of these feasts to Sunday. In fact, most Episcopal Conferences have suppressed or transferred several of these feasts. It should be noted that religious obligations do not always coincide with civil holidays or festivals. Readers who wish to know whether a particular feast is a holy day of obligation in a specific location can consult their parish priest.

A particular question arises if, due to the requirements of the liturgical calendar, a solemnity of obligation is transferred to the first day off. This can happen, for example, with the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), which, if it falls on a Sunday, is transferred to Monday, December 9. In these cases, as the Dicastery for Divine Worship clarifies in a note , the solemnity is transferred, not the obligation . The faithful are therefore not obliged to fulfill the obligation of the Immaculate Conception on Monday, December 9.

The precept for these days (Sundays and holy days) is observed by fulfilling two obligations : rest and worship of God. The latter is fulfilled by attending Mass according to the guidelines we will see below.

The obligation to hear Mass

The faithful are obliged to attend Mass on all Sundays and holy days of obligation, an obligation that entails grave sin if not fulfilled. Paragraph 2181 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that “the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on holy days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (e.g., sickness, caring for infants) or dispensed by their own pastor (cf. CIC can. 1245). Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.”

Who is obligated

The obligation to hear Mass applies to all Catholic faithful from the age of reason who are not legitimately impeded or have not received a dispensation.

Therefore, it is binding on Catholic faithful ; non-Catholics are not obligated to attend Mass. However, it should be remembered that they have an obligation to worship God, as this is a matter of natural law.

It is binding from the age of seven : Canon 11 establishes that purely ecclesiastical laws bind the faithful “provided they have sufficient use of reason and, if the law does not expressly provide otherwise, have completed seven years of age.”

Note that there is no upper age limit beyond which people are no longer obligated to attend Mass, as is the case with the obligation to fast . Therefore, the elderly are obliged to attend Mass, and age is not considered an excuse, although they may often be legitimately prevented from doing so due to illnesses and infirmities that come with old age.

It does not oblige those who are legitimately prevented . The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that “the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on holy days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, caring for infants)” (n. 2181). Other examples would be those who legitimately work on Sunday (police officers, doctors, etc.) or those who live in a place where Mass is not celebrated. In these cases, canon 1248 § 2 states:

Canon 1248 § 2 : When the sacred minister is lacking or some other grave cause makes participation in the Eucharistic celebration impossible, it is strongly recommended that the faithful participate in the Liturgy of the Word, if it is celebrated in the parish church or in some other sacred place as prescribed by the diocesan Bishop, or remain in prayer for the required time personally, in their families, or, if appropriate, in family groups.

Those who are legitimately prevented from attending Mass are not obliged to do so, although it is recommended that the faithful who are regularly in one of these circumstances attend Mass on another day of the week, given the centrality of the Eucharist in the life of a Christian. As already stated, this is a recommendation, not a precept, but they do have the obligation to worship God, as it is a matter of natural law.

It does not bind those who are legitimately dispensed. Canon 1245 states:

Canon 1245 : Without prejudice to the right of diocesan Bishops contained in canon 87, with a just cause and according to the prescriptions of the diocesan Bishop, the pastor may, in particular cases, grant a dispensation from the obligation to observe a feast day or penance, or commute it for other pious works; and the Superior of a religious institute or of a society of apostolic life, if they are clerical of pontifical right, may do the same with respect to his own subjects and others who live day and night in the house.

Bishops often grant dispensations from the obligation to attend Mass on holy days of obligation that are not civil holidays. If any member of the faithful has a question about a specific case, it is recommended that they inquire at their parish.

When is the obligation to attend Mass fulfilled?

This obligation is fulfilled by the faithful who attend Mass on Sunday. Furthermore, the Church, in consideration of the circumstances of the modern world, has established that the obligation to attend Mass is fulfilled by going to Mass the day before.

Canon 1248 § 1 : The precept of participating in the Mass is fulfilled by anyone who attends it, wherever it is celebrated in a Catholic rite, both on the feast day and on the preceding evening.

A particular problem arises if there are two consecutive holy days of obligation (for example, if Monday is a holy day of obligation). It may happen that the Vigil Mass is celebrated on Sunday afternoon in accordance with liturgical norms. In these cases, the faithful who attend Mass on Sunday afternoon fulfill the Sunday obligation, if they had not yet attended Mass, and must also fulfill the Monday obligation. And the faithful who had already attended Mass that Sunday fulfill the obligation of the following day. Therefore, that Mass fulfills the obligation of either holy day, and the faithful who attend that Mass only fulfill one obligation, not both.

When does Sunday vigil begin ? This is a question that is often difficult to answer. By vigil, we certainly mean the afternoon of the preceding day; but it is difficult to pinpoint exactly when that afternoon begins. Sometimes Sunday Masses are found very early on Saturday afternoon, even immediately after noon.

John Paul II offers a criterion that helps clarify the matter. According to him, “the valid time for the observance of the obligation begins on Saturday evening, coinciding with First Vespers of Sunday. Indeed, with them the liturgical feast day begins” (Apostolic Letter Dies Domini , no. 49). Therefore, Evening Mass can be celebrated when Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours can be prayed, thus recalling that the eve, for these purposes as well, is a canonical hour. For its part, the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours indicates that “Vespers are celebrated in the evening, when the day is drawing to a close” (no. 39). That is, one must wait until the day is drawing to a close. This moment depends on the time of sunset, which varies throughout the year.

Given that in the canonical hours Vespers are preceded by Sext (midday, when the sun is at its zenith) and None (the first part of the afternoon), it seems excessive to bring forward the Vespers Mass to twelve o’clock, and even four or five in the afternoon would be too early, although to fully affirm this, the places and times of the year must be taken into account.

In some places, the Bishop has established the rule that, for the purposes of celebrating the evening Mass, the vigil begins at four o’clock in the afternoon throughout the year. This rule is obligatory in those dioceses and may serve as a criterion and interpretation by analogy in other places in the same region.

Hear the entire Mass

To fulfill the precept, the entire service must be heard. That is, from the moment the priest leaves until he gives the final blessing and dismisses the people. But many ask if a delay causes them to break the precept. Or rather, when is the delay significant enough to prevent them from fulfilling the precept?

The traditional answer was that the essential part of the Mass is the Eucharistic liturgy (the part that begins with the offertory), so whoever misses it breaks the obligation and must attend another entire Mass. Currently, the answer must take into account, as the Second Vatican Council states, that “the two parts [Liturgy of the Word and Eucharistic liturgy] are so closely linked that they constitute a single act of worship” (Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium , 56), so one cannot be excused from grave sin for omitting one of the two parts entirely.

Even so, the doubt remains. I think the question is when is there sufficient integrity, that is, which parts are so essential that without them there is no complete Mass. The homily or the Creed are not essential, because they are missing from many Masses. The Gospel would certainly be essential. Even so, the complete answer to this question should introduce the subjective element. The same answer should not be given, for example, to a father or mother who arrives late because they have young children at home (who are often very difficult to get out on time) as to one who arrives late because they are watching television or browsing the internet.

Furthermore, the precept is to attend the entire Mass. Whoever omits a part of it commits a sin, which will be venial if the omission is slight. Pastorally, it is important to remember that arriving late to Mass is an objective sin, although it will be venial if no essential part was missed. Many authors indicate that someone who arrives late to Mass can avoid the venial sin by attending another Mass and hearing the part of the Mass that was omitted. This is only valid if sufficient integrity was observed at the previous Mass; if it was not, the person must attend the entire Mass.

Sunday rest

As already stated, the faithful “shall abstain from those works and activities which prevent them from worshipping God, enjoying the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, or enjoying the due rest of mind and body” (canon 1247).

Note that the purpose of this precept is above all to worship God, not merely to attend to the need for rest. For further details on the profound meaning of Sunday rest, see the Apostolic Letter Dies Domini of John Paul II, dated May 31, 1998, nos. 64-68.

As has been indicated, the Sunday precept, which includes the duty to rest, is a serious obligation. Practical questions arise in the lives of the faithful, which we will attempt to clarify.

The obligation to rest covers all paid work , with the exceptions noted below. This obligation does not apply to those who work in unpaid activities, even if they involve physical effort, such as home repairs, gardening, etc.

Moralists teach that it is legitimate to work a few hours on Sundays , perhaps two hours at most. However, it would be incorrect to delve into detailed casuistry. The Lord rebuked the Pharisees for having entangled the precept of Sabbath rest with human traditions (cf. Mt 12:1-13), so we should not do the same in our time.

Those who perform essential services for the community (police officers, firefighters, on-call doctors, etc.) and those whose work allows others to rest (sports centers, museums, restaurants, etc.) may legitimately work on Sundays and holy days of obligation . These individuals should, moreover, have another day of rest during the week, which they should dedicate to the worship of God, although attendance at Mass is not obligatory, as previously mentioned.

In our time, it must be taken into account that the circumstances of many of the faithful sometimes make it very difficult to fulfill the precept of rest . The current trend is to allow shopping centers to open on Sundays: John Paul II reminds us that “it is natural for Christians to ensure that, even in the special circumstances of our time, civil legislation takes into account their duty to sanctify Sunday. In any case, it is a matter of conscience to organize Sunday rest in such a way that they can participate in the Eucharist, abstaining from work and activities incompatible with the sanctification of the Lord’s Day, with its typical joy, and with the necessary rest of mind and body”: Apostolic Letter Dies Domini , no. 67.

Currently, workers in large retail stores (and those in small businesses in commercial areas that cannot afford to miss out on weekend income) are forced to work on Sundays. Workers in summer resort areas, which attract many people for several months, also face difficulties complying with this requirement. These businesses cannot afford to close on Sundays, the days when they likely generate the most revenue. A similar problem arises in rural areas where agricultural work, such as harvesting, must be carried out for a few weeks. During these periods, work cannot be suspended for even a single day because the crops could be lost.

It is recommended that those in these circumstances speak with the parish priest . As mentioned earlier, canon 1245 authorizes the parish priest to grant a dispensation in these cases.

Prophetic Link:
“Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience.” Great Controversy, 588.1

Source References

• The precept of hearing Mass on Sundays

AP News, by Jim Gomez and Joeal Calupitan: An offshore earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 hit the southern Philippines on Monday, killing at least 35 people, injuring more than 200 others mostly in ruined buildings and sending a 1-meter (3-foot) tsunami into nearby coasts.

Several mostly low-rise buildings collapsed or sustained heavy damages in the hard-hit city of General Santos. Tsunami damage was reported in at least one southern coastal village. Smaller waves were measured in Indonesia and Palau and as far away as southern Japan.

The quake also triggered a landslide in Glan, a municipality in the province of Sarangani, that killed 13 villagers, Rene Punzalan, a provincial disaster-mitigation official, told the DZBB radio network. Four other villagers died in Sarangani, he said.

The major earthquake was the strongest to hit the Philippines this year, Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said. He warned people to seek advice before returning to damaged buildings and houses, which could collapse due to aftershocks.

The United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines, said it was coordinating with Manila and was ready to support Philippine response efforts. France, Japan and New Zealand also expressed support.

“Our pickup truck suddenly jerked and I thought we had a flat tire,” Rod Sosmeña, a regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, told The Associated Press from General Santos, where he was traveling when the quake struck at 7:37 a.m.

“The shaking was very strong and people dashed out of houses into the streets,” Sosmeña said.

Epicenter in sea off Mindanao

More than 100 students in uniforms and a dozen teachers had gathered for a flag-raising ceremony in a coconut tree-ringed grade school compound in the rural town of Malita in Davao Occidental province when the ground shook, turning the first day of school after a two-month summer break into chaos.

“Their excitement on the first day of school turned to trauma,” school principal Rosavel Cachuela told the AP.

Some of the young students screamed in panic and wept but most remained seated and still, preventing any injuries, Cachuela said, adding that a motorcycle was damaged when a shed crumbled to the ground.

At least four people remained missing in General Santos, a port city of more than 700,000 people and a regional hub for the tuna export industry. Search and rescue teams worked to find people who may have been trapped in a supermarket, a warehouse, a grade school, and other small buildings that either collapsed or were severely damaged, officials said.

The international airport in General Santos was temporarily shut due to the earthquake and 17 domestic flights were canceled, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said.

The quake was centered at sea off Mindanao, the second most populous island in the Philippine archipelago. According to Bacolcol, the quake occurred at a depth of 33 kilometers (20 miles), about 32 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani province.

Assessing damage and casualties

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the cancellation of classes and directed disaster-response agencies to immediately get to work in quake-hit provinces, saying “the national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind.”

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the threat of a tsunami largely passed about five hours after the quake. Philippine officials also lifted a tsunami warning by mid-afternoon. Six shanties on stilts were damaged in a coastal village in Zamboanga del Sur province due to the quake and taller waves, officials said.

Aside from the landslide in Sarangani, most of the other deaths were caused by collapsing buildings and falling debris, including in a damaged mosque, in the southern provinces of South Cotabato and Davao Occidental, and on Balut Island, according to Sosmeña and another disaster-mitigation official, Ednar Dayanghirang.

The DZRH radio network in Manila reported that a four-story commercial building where its provincial station was located partly collapsed and staffers dashed to the ground floor without injuries.

Tsunami waves near 3 feet measured

Waves of 1 meter (3 feet) were monitored in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani. A 1.4-meter (4.6-foot) wave hit at one time in Kiamba town, Bacolcol said.

The quake was also felt in Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo island. Sabah is just a boat ride away from southern Philippines. An 83-centimeter (2.7-feet) tsunami was measured by a gauge off Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, and the PTWC said 30-centimeter (1-foot) waves were measured in Palau.

Waves up to 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) were detected on the remote Japanese island of Chichijima and the central Japanese town of Kushimoto, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The Philippines is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults around the ocean.

The archipelago is also battered by about 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.

Prophetic Link:
“The time is at hand when there will be sorrow in the world that no human balm can heal. The Spirit of God is being withdrawn. Disasters by sea and by land follow one another in quick succession. How frequently we hear of earthquakes and tornadoes, of destruction by fire and flood, with great loss of life and property! Apparently these calamities are capricious outbreaks of disorganized, unregulated forces of nature, wholly beyond the control of man; but in them all, God’s purpose may be read. They are among the agencies by which He seeks to arouse men and women to a sense of their danger.” Prophets and Kings, 277.

Source References

• A 7.8 magnitude quake in the Philippines kills at least 35, collapses buildings and sparks tsunami