CEAP and the New Evangelization

Speech delivered by Archbishop Socrates B Villegas at the National Convention of the CEAP held last August 29, 2012 at the SMX Mall of Asia

The importance of March 16, 1521 has been taught to us even when we were children in grade school. The standard statement to be memorized at class recitations was Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese sailor, discovered the Philippines on March 16, 1521; but something more important happened on that fateful day. Magellan is the not the most important character in the event of March 16, 1521. That blessed day saw the celebration of the first Mass in the Philippines. Ten days later, the first Filipinos were baptized and the image of the Santo Nino was given to the first Filipino Christians. March 16, 1521 celebrates indeed the arrival of Christianity in our holy shores and its gracious acceptance by our ancestors in the faith as proven by their baptism.

When the year 2021 comes, Christianity would be five hundred years in the Philippines. We will celebrate half a millennium of blessings looking forward to the next five hundred as a challenge for a new evangelization.

Like any big fiesta, the 2021 Jubilee will be preceded by a novena very much like the simbang gabi novena before Christmas. It will be launched on October 21 this year on the same day that our countryman Pedro Calungsod will be canonized by Pope Benedict XVI.

The nine year novena leading to the 2021 Jubilee will be an era of new evangelization.

What is evangelization?

Evangelization is the proclamation, witness and implanting of the Gospel given to humanity by our Lord Jesus Christ and the opening up of people’s lives, society, culture and history to the Person of Jesus Christ and to His living community, the Church, says the CBCP Pastoral Letter Live Christ, Share Christ.

Evangelization is Jesus in my heart, reaching out to your heart, said Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

Evangelization is not about telling people what to do but telling people what God has done for them, said Father Raniero Cantalamessa.

Evangelization is the life and mandate of Christ Jesus himself, “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you” (John 20:21) and “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, until the end of time” (Mt 28: 19-20).

Why do we call it new evangelization?

The first evangelization so to speak is dedicated to the proclamation of the Good News to persons and peoples who, until now, have not known the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The ongoing evangelization is the pastoral care of those already baptized who need to understand better and deepen their grasp of the faith and to live it more genuinely and more fully in all dimensions of life, private and public.

New evangelization is primarily addressed to those who have drifted from the Faith and from the Church or to those who have accepted the faith but have not sufficiently allowed the Christian message to transform their personal and social lives.

In the context of the Philippines, to whom will be the mission of new evangelization be addressed?

Let us look for Jesus among the poor, among the youth and among former Catholics who have drifted from the Church due to scandals, hurts, unresolved confusions and doubts.

Jesus is in them. We cannot love Jesus and ignore them. How Jesus dealt with them is how we must reach out to them.

How?

The poor are voiceless. The poor are ignored. The poor are a nuisance. How was Jesus to the poor? Jesus made the poor our teachers. He gave the poor a voice so that they may be heard.

Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Lk 6:20

Has not God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that God has promised to those who love Him? James 2:5

How was Jesus to the youth and children? Jesus just loved them. He gave them his gaze of love and tenderness. He looked at the rich young man with love.  Mark 10:21

And taking a child, He set him in their midst. And when He had embraced him, He said to them: Whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me. And whoever receives Me, receives not Me, but Him who sent Me. Mk 9:36

How was Jesus to the confused and the hurting and the marginalized? How did he deal with Zaccheus (Lk 19:2-7), with the woman by the well (Jn 4:7-30), with the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11), with Peter after the denial?(Mk 14:66-72) He just listened to them. He did not rebuke; he did not debate. He just listened to them because to listen is to love. Listening heals. Listening soothes.

Then Jesus, raising Himself up said to her, “Woman, where are those who accused you? Has no one condemned you?” And she said, “No one, Lord.” Then Jesus said, “Neither will I condemn you. Go, and now do not choose to sin anymore.” (John 8:10-11).

Where are the youth? In our schools and colleges and universities but also in the streets and dark alleys, in our malls and parks, seldom home yet everywhere.

Where are the poor? Can they afford our Catholic schools and colleges? Only the blind will say the poor are not with us. They are with us but we have managed to make them invisible so they will not prick our consciences and disturb us in our comforts.

Where are the confused and hurting Catholics? Is there anyone here who does not know any former Catholic now born again Christian, agnostic or free thinker? Right in our schools, our youth write essays in language classes calling the Church leaders ancient, archaic and out of touch.

Believe it or not, accept it or not, the Catholic schools and colleges and universities must be at the front lines of the new evangelization. The poor, the youth and the confused former Catholics are ALL in our campuses as pupils, as teachers, as janitors and carpenters and electricians, as cooks and drivers. They are all with us. To ignore them and not do something for them is to betray our mission as Catholic schools.

How do we start?

Before we begin our common apostolic action for new evangelization, it will be advisable to first examine our ecclesial and personal and corporate consciences and ask “Why is there a strong wave of secularization, a storm of antipathy or plain cold indifference towards the Church in some parts of the world necessitating a new wave of evangelization programs?” What can our Catholic colleges and universities contribute to the new evangelization of the Philippines and consequently of the rest of Asia?

The Catholic school must be a school of humility.

The gospel cannot thrive in pride. When pride seeps into the heart of the Church, the gospel proclamation is harmed. The task of new evangelization must begin with a deep sense of awe and reverence for humanity and her culture. Humility is truth. Humility is seeing ourselves the way God sees us; and we are sinners in His sight. Humility is solidarity with the rest of wounded humanity. Simplicity of life and humility of heart are indispensable tools for evangelization. Evangelization has been hurt and continues to be impeded by the arrogance of its messengers.

Unfortunately, our centres of learning can easily become centres of intellectual arrogance and conceit too. The Catholic school must be a school of the heart such that every theory we learn; every diagram we draw; every conclusion we make from our researches, increase our love and lessen our pride. The catholic school must be a cradle of truth and the greatest of all truths is that God is God and we are not He.

Sometimes, pride can disguise itself as academic freedom. In the name of liberal education, we disregard and consider as archaic the doctrine of the Church on basic teachings like the divinity of Christ and the virginity of the Blessed Mary. The unity of the Church is wounded not only by doctrinal heresies but also by heresies of morality. There is no such a thing as absolute freedom. Freedom is always subject to the parameters of law. Without humble obedience, freedom becomes arrogant autonomy.

The Catholic school that promotes academic freedom without respect for the divine law is not living up to its mission to be teachers on behalf of Christ.

The Catholic school must be a school of saints.

The great poverty of the world now is the poverty of saints. Whether we come from the uplands of Region 1 or the national capital region, everybody is looking for models to inspire and emulate. Our youth need models to inspire them. They need living heroes to ignite their hearts and excite them to know Jesus and love Him more. And we are so poor in this regard. Evangelization is not about something we do but something we are. Evangelization is not about projects and programs and plans but allowing God to work in the lives of people. Letting God be. Contrary to the popular dictum that we cannot preach to empty stomachs, our experience in the rural Pangasinan tells me that the gospel can be preached to empty stomachs but only if the stomach of the preacher is as empty as his parishioners. May we check our school vision mission statements please? Globally competitive, world class students who change the course of world events? Only holy men and women can change the destinies of nations, only saints. Do our vision statements clearly say we want to contribute saints to society?

The product of a good school is a good person. The product of a Catholic school must be another Christ. The “production and sale” of “other Christ’s” must be the sole business of every Catholic school.

Catholic education must be constantly nurtured by prayer. The first and only power of the Catholic school is the Lord and our first and only way to the Lord is love. The best lessons in the Catholic school are learned not from the classrooms but from the chapel. We must pray in school but it is not enough to pray. Our prayer must make us think and talk and listen and act and be like Jesus—that is education that we need for the new evangelization. Catholic education that does not come from prayer is a betrayal of our mission. Any prayer that does not lead us to apostolic charity will wither. Love without service is mere sentimentalism. Service without prayer is social activism. The transmission of the faith is our primary mission. Mathematics and science, literature and social studies become more interesting if studied from the Gospel perspective.

United by baptism, united in prayer, united through charity, we will become saints together in the Catholic school. To be holy is our one and only vision. Everything and anything that leads us astray from this path must be cast aside. We are called to sanctify, to lead and to teach. We are here as teachers not by worthiness of our graduate studies but by the favour of God who is the real owner of every school. We are a community of disciples not a non stock corporation. None of us is master; all of us are stewards in the school of holiness.

Every Catholic school must be a charity school.

We will be credible bringers of Gospel joy if the proclamation is accompanied by its twin messenger of charity. The proclaiming lips must be accompanied by outreaching hands for service.

The Catholic school must be a school of practical charity, not just charity as a theological virtue in the religion class but charity that is lived by reaching out to the poor. Evangelization is proclamation of grace and liberation from sin. The proclamation of the gospel of charity must be accompanied by lives of service. The call for new evangelization will become an exercise in hypocrisy without a sincere program to make Catholic education realistically available to the poor.

We must insist passionately that our Catholic schools retain our Catholic identity. In a secularized and pluralistic society, the Catholic school must be a lighthouse of Christ. In the Moslem community, the Catholic school must engage in a respectful dialogue with culture but be clear about what we truly stand for. We must know who we are, show who we are, stay as we are—as Catholic schools.

We dream of a world in love with God. We dream of a nation living Christ and sharing Christ. Through humility, through holy living, through practical charity-- this vision can come true with the Catholic school at the forefront. Let the CEAP be at the forefront of new evangelization. It is not an option. It is a duty.

Would that every school and parish, every family and community, every nation and continent reach out to the poor and give them a voice to teach;

and every child and teen would be given eyes and hearts of love;

and every confused and hurting and angry soul be given a time to be heard—

then the world would be beautiful again and the gospel of Christ alone would reign supreme.

We dream. Let us dream and make this dream come true. The CEAP can only have a bright and secure future under the shadow of the Catholic Church. Without the Catholic Church we would be only EAP! The C in CEAP is Catholic. It is not just a description. It is our soul as an association. Without C we would die. Thank you. Peace be with you!

Father Soc celebrates Mass for Forgiveness of Sins in Binday

13 October 2011 – Binday, San Fabian, Pangasinan. There was a festive atmosphere filled with joyful songs the last time Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, celebrated mass with the people of Binday. During that time, Father Soc blessed the chapel rebuilt by the people after it was destroyed by a typhoon. The chapel was blessed in December 2009.

Today, the people of Binday were once again with Father Soc in a celebration of the Eucharist. But in a different situation. The mass was celebrated at the river bank where three abandoned houses were located, and  five other houses used to stand. Rampaging waters swept the houses during the height of Typhoon Minda last August.

The families who had lost their homes during the last Typhoon had been living in tents provided by the Rotary Club of San Fabian.

Mass for Forgiveness of Sins

The people celebrated today a Mass for Forgiveness of Sins. In his homily, Archbishop Soc reminded the people about their responsibility in caring for nature. He told them that the mountains, the rivers and the trees were all created by God before man was created.

“They are then our older siblings,” he said. “We should respect and care for them. They are our best friends forever. On the other hand, we should remain also their friends forever.”
He reminded the people again that instead of remaining best friend to nature, we have destroyed and raped her. The Archbishop then led the people in asking for forgiveness for the sins of destroying God’s creation, and moving them to a change of heart: to care and nourish creation.

NIA Position Against Quarry Operations

Regional Irrigation Manager John N. Celeste attended the Mass. The Region I National Irrigation Administration (NIA) was very categorical in its position that the  unregulated and unsystematic quarrying operations were a major factor in the destruction of the Bued River System. Barangay Binday which has received the brunt of nature’s destructive forces is located along the Bued River.

On 11 October 2011, the Regional Office No. 1 of the National Irrigation Administration stated their formal position on the effect of quarrying along the Bued River downstream of San Fabian Dam. The paper states that “to stop further the lowering of riverbed, no quarrying is allowed downstream of the dam. This is to allow the river to negate the effect of retrogression and extensive quarrying i.e., to replenish the extracted materials downstream of the dam p to the mouth of the river until such time that a gentler and stable slope shall have been attained.”

This position is contrary to the position of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) In a statement made in a local TV station, MGB said that  the quarrying done in Bued River System is not a factor in its present condition and in the erosion of its river banks, including the houses that were washed away.

“Bless those who bless You; curse those who curse You”

With right hands stretched out over Bued River, Archbishop Soc led the people in prayer. “Bless those who bless the river, curse those who destroy it,” he prayed. 

Prayer of Commitment

Police Inspector Amor Somine led the people in praying the Prayer of Commitment. “Our world’s picture is reflected in our little corner in Pangasinan and particularly in our Bued River System. Today, we commit ourselves personally and as a community, to contribute our energies and resources towards its healing by preserving what is left of its beauty and goodness and restoring the beauty, freshness and goodness that have been destroyed."

ICTHUS Song

ICTHUS Song

The Vision and the Mission of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan in a song. The lyrics were written by Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan. Mr. Ryan Cayabyab wrote the music.
ICTHUS Song

Pastoral Statement of the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan on the RH Debate

CHARITY AND CONSCIENCE ON THE RH DEBATE

Pastoral Statement of the Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan to be read as the homily in all Masses on May 29, 2011, the Sixth Sunday of Easter. (Pangasinan Translation can be found at the end of the statement)

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

Love is the core of the message of Jesus in today’s gospel. Love is indeed the trademark of the followers of Jesus. The Lord promises further in the gospel that if we choose the path of love and keep His commandments we will never be orphans.

The past few months have seen many of us who belong to the same Church and who share the same faith in Christ at odds with one another on the issue of the reproductive health bill in Congress. It is indeed sad and perhaps even scandalous for non Christians to see the Catholic flock divided among themselves and some members of the Catholic lay faithful at odds with their own pastors. If we fail to have love, we make ourselves orphans.

BRING BACK CHARITY

It is certainly not our intention to add more flame to the fire but rather to make an appeal for the triumph of reason and sobriety. We want to make a plea for greater charity even as we passionately state our positions on this divisive issue. At the end of the heated debates, we will all be winners if we proclaim the truths we believe in with utmost charity, courtesy and respect for one another. Charity is at the heart of the social doctrine of the Church Pope Benedict XVI reminds us. In the first letter of Peter today, he admonishes us today never to be without gentleness and reverence.

RETURN TO CONSCIENCE

We appeal to our Catholic brethren who stand on opposing sides on the reproductive health bill to return to the voice of conscience, to state their positions and rebut their opponents always with charity. Today’s second reading is a call for clarity of conscience beyond reproach. The moral conscience is man’s sanctuary through which the voice of God is heard, that voice that tells us to embrace what is good and reject what is evil. However, conscience is not the ultimate tribunal of morality. Conscience must be formed in the light of truth. Conscience must be enlightened by the Spirit of God. We appeal to both sides engaged in debate to pray, to seek the light of God and allow the voice of an enlightened conscience to prevail. We pray conscience does now allow itself to be swayed by statistics or partisan political positions. The only voice conscience must listen to is the voice of God. The only way for conscience to speak is through the language of Christ-like charity.

RESTORE UNITY

We appeal to our Catholic brethren to remember that the unity of the Church does not only pertain to the acceptance of a set of doctrines. Our Catholic faith has a moral mandate. It is not enough to recite the Apostles’ Creed; we must show that we are Catholics by living by the norms of Catholic morality. We are Catholics by creed and cult and code. We are Catholics in beliefs. We are Catholics in prayer. We are Catholics with one moral life.

In matters of faith, unity; in matters of opinion, liberty; in all things charity!

The issue of contraception belongs to the realm of faith not opinions. Blessed John Paul II repeatedly taught us during his papacy that contraception can never be justified. We must not make wrong right by the sheer force of surveys or legislation by the majority or the convenience of some. People in authority who mislead others on the matter of contraception put themselves in open conflict with the law of God and lead others to sin.

FIGHT ALL CORRUPTIONS

The Church holds close to her heart the dream of everyone to rise out of poverty and live the fullness of life. Pope Paul VI correctly pointed out to us that “the causes of underdevelopment are not primarily of the material order. They lie above all in the will, in the mind and, even more so, in “the lack of brotherhood among individuals and peoples”. In other words, the greater cause of underdevelopment is corruption of the soul and corruption of society. Contraception adds to the moral corruption of our society and family.

We all want progress for the nation and for the family of nations. We cannot progress without freedom. Jesus died and rose to set us free. Indeed EDSA 1986 taught us that. But freedom must always be grounded in truth. Freedom is not absolute. Freedom must submit to truth. Freedom without truth is only sentimentalism and will only lead to social laxity.

In fact, ethical relativism eventually leads to totalitarianism. Ethical relativism destroys freedom. Ethical relativism turns freedom into licentiousness. Licentiousness and laxity has destroyed many great civilizations of history. Those who ignore the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them.

CHURCH AS MOTHER

We plead with our officials in government and our friends in media to look at the Church as a partner in the mission of development. The Catholic Church throughout its two thousand year history in the world and almost five hundred years in the Philippines has proven itself as a potent agent for holistic authentic human progress and not an obstacle for development. If the Church issues this stern warning about the reproductive health bill, it is not to impede national progress but to protect our nation from greater harms and tragedies in the generations ahead. On this highly divisive issue, the Church is still a mother protecting her children from greater dangers and moral traps which until now her beloved children are still unable to foresee.

We need God if we want development. Jesus is the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life for us. There is none like Him. We will be lost without Him. Ignoring Him and setting Him aside in pursuing progress we do only at our own peril.

From the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, May 24, 2011, Feast of Mary Help of Christians.

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS

Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan

——————————————————————-

PANGASINAN TRANSLATION

PANANGARO TAN KONSIENSIA ED DEBATE NA RH BILL

Pastoral Statement of the Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan to be read as the homily in all Masses on May 29, 2011, the Sixth Sunday of Easter.

Pinablik iran agagi ed Kristo:

Say panangaro so walad utel na mensahe nen Jesus ed say Ibanghilyo natan. Say panangaro so twan tanda na saray mananombok nen Kristo. Walay sipan na Katawan diad ibanghilyo ya no pilien tayo so dalan na panangaro tan tooren tayo ray ganggan to, ag itayon balot magmaliw ya olila.

Diad saray apalabas ya pigaran bulan et anengneng ed saray dakerakel ya kabiangan na saksakey a Simbaan tan minanabang ed saksakey a pananisia ed Kristo so mansusumlangan nipaakar ed say isyu na reproductive health bill diad Kongreso. Saya so twan makapaermen tan ingen makapa-iskandalo para saray aliwan Kristiano ya makakanengneng ed saray dibisyon na saray Katoliko, tan saray arum  a Katolikon laiko so walay sumlangan dad saray pastol da. No agtayo mangaro, pagmamaliwen tayon olila so dili tayo.

IPAWIL SO PANANGARO

Anggapod getma tayon aruman a parlangan so apoy, no ag say panpikakasi tayo ya mantalongaring komon so dunong tan kareenan. Labay mi so mikasi para say mas baleg a panangaro, anggaman masimoon min ipapalapag so posisyon mi nipaakar ed sayan isyun mangiiter na dibisyon. Kasumpal na sarayan ampetang a sangsangan, sikatayon amin so mantalongaring no ibelyaw tayo so katwaan ya panisian tayo a katekep na panangaro, respeto tan pamagalang ed balang sakey. Say panangaro so walad puso na social doctrine na Simbaan. Saya so ipapanunot nen Santo Papa Benedicto XVI ed sikatayo. Diad unaan a sulat nen Pedro, mangiiter na simbawa ed sikatayo si Pedro ya ag balot komon itayo naandian na kasimpitan tan pamagalang.

SAY IPAWIL ED KONSIENSYA

Manpipikasi kami ed saray agagi min Katoliko ya walad nanduroman dapag nipaakar ed say Reproductive Health Bill ya ompawil ed say bosis na konsiensia, ipalapag day posisyon da tan ebatan da ray walad duman dapag a katekep toy panangaro. Say kumadwan babasaen natan so manatawag na kalinewan na konsiensia ya anggapoy pakabalawan. Say konsiensia ya moral so ayaman na too ya pakarengelan na bosis na Dios. Sayan bosis so mangibabagan lakapen tayo no anto so kamaungan tan ipolisay tayo so kaugsan. Balet, say konsiensia so aliwan sampot ya okoman na moralidad. Nepeg a say konsiensia so naliwawaan na katwaan. Say konsiensia so nepeg ya naliwawaan na Ispirito na Dios tan abuloyan ya say bosis na aliwawaan ya konsiensia so tumboken. Manpipikasi kami ya say konsiensia so ag komon natenyeg na statistiko odino say posisyon na partisan politics. Say saksakey ya bosis ya dengelen labat na konsiensia et say bosis na Dios. Say saksakey ya pansalita na konsiensia et nepeg unong ed say panagsalita na panangaro nen Kristo.

IPAWIL SO PANKAKASAKEY

Manpipikasi  kami ed saray agagi min Katoliko ya ag da lilingwanan ya say pankakasakey na Simbaan et aliwa labat nipaakar ed say pangawat na saray doktrina. Say Katolikon pananisia et walay kabiangan ton ganggan nipaakar ed say moralidad. Agto sarag ya amta tayon dasalen labat so “Manisia ak”; nepeg ya ipapanengneng tayon sikatayo et Katoliko diad panamegley na pangibibilay tayo ed saray Katolikan moralidad. Sikatayo so Katoliko unong ed say pananisia, panangidayew tan moralidad. Katoliko tayo ed saray pananisia tayo. Katoliko tayo ed panagdasal tayo. Katoliko tayo ed say saksakey a panagbilay tayo na  moralidad.

Diad nipaakar ed pananisa, pankakasakey; diad nipaakar ed opinyon, kawayangan; diad nipaakar ed amin ya bengatla, panangaro!

Say isyu nipaakar ed contraception et walad sayakop na pananisia aliwan opinyon. Inulit-olit ya inbangat nen Beato Juan Pablo Segundo nipaakar ed say anggapoy katonongan na contraception. Ag nepeg ya pagmaliwen tayon matunong so aliwa unong ed say pakayari na saray surveys odino diad panggaway ley na mas dakel odino unong ed say pakainawaan labat na arum. Saray totoon walad pakayari ya mamapalikdo ed arum nipaakar ed say contraception so aawiten day dili ran onsusumlang ed say ley na Dios tan tatanguyoren daray arum ed kasalanan.

LABANAN SO AMIN A CORRUPTION

Asingger ed puso na Simbaan so pirawat na amin ya ombangon ed kairapan tan nagamuran so kagnapan na bilay. Twan intoro na Santo Papa Pablo VI ya “saray rason no akin walay underdevelopment et aliwan manunaan lapud say materyal ya kipapasen.” Diad arum ya pangibaga, say mas nin rason na underdevelopment et corruption na kamarerwa tan corruption na sociedad. Makaaro-arum ni so contraception ed say corruption na moralidad na sociedad tayo tan say pamilya.

Labay tayon amin ya say bansa tayo tan say pamilya na mundo so onaliguas. Agtayo maka-aliguas no anggapoy kawayangan. Inatey si Jesus ed krus tan inmolid bilay pian inter toy kawayangan tayo. Saya so bangat na EDSA nen 1986. Balet nepeg ya say lamot na kawayangan et naalmo ed katwaan. Aliwan nagnap so kawayangan. Nepeg ya panlinkuran na kawayangan so katwaan. Say kawayangan ya anggpo ed katwaan et aliling toy liknaan labat. Saya so manbunga na mapaolyan ed moralidad diad sociedad tayo.

Say twa, say ethical relativism so manbunga na totalitarianism. Deralen na ethical relativism so kawayangan. Lapud ethical relativism, say kawayangan so magmaliw a karumsisan. Say karumsisan tan mapaolyan ed moralidad o laxity so nanderal na dakel tan datin mabiskeg iran civilizations. Saray ag mangasikaso na lingo na akauna nen sikara so kapalaran dan mauges ya man-ulit ed saraya.

SAY SIMBAAN A SAKEY YA INA

Manpipikasi kami ed saray opisyales na gobierno tan saray kakaaro tayod media ya mi-kabiangan ed say Simbaan diad misyon na paka-aliguas na bilay o development. Say Simbaan Katolika diad dwan libon taon to la diad mundo tan masulok ya liman lasus diad Pilipinas et nipanengneng to la ya say Sikato et mabiskeg ya instrumento na matwan aliguas na too tan sikato so aliwan makasebel ed aliguas na bilay. Diad sayan isyu ya mangiiter na baleg a dibision, say Simbaan ni so sakey ya ina ya mangilalaban ed saray anak to ed saray mas baleg ya kaatapan tan patit a moral ya anggad natan saray pinablin anak to et agdani naneneng-neng.

Nakaukolan tayo so Dios no labay tayo so onaliguas. Si Jesus labat so Dalan, say saksakey ya Katwaan, say bokor a Bilay tayo. Anggapo la so mipara ed Sikato. Nabalang tayo no anggapo’y Jesus ed sikatayo. Diad dilin pakarisgo so onsabid sikatayo no gamuren tayo so aliguas ya  paolyanan tan ipireg tayo si Jesus.

Diad Katedral nen San Juan Evangelista, Mayo 24, 2011, Fiesta nen Maria, Mananulong na saray Kristiano.

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS Arsobispo na Lingayen-Dagupan

Archbishop Soc in Inmalog Sur

17 March 2011 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. The mountains and the people of the upland barangays of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, welcomed with great joy the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, Msgr. Socrates B. Villegas, DD as he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to  children and young people of the place. The Sacrament of Confirmation was celebrated within the Holy Mass presided by the Archbishop. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest, concelebrated.

More than 50 children and young people received the Sacrament of Confirmation after undergoing catechism in preparation for the reception of the sacrament.

The candidates came from four barangays, namely, Brgys. Lipit-Tomeeng, Inmalog Sur, Inmalog Norte and Bigbiga. After the mass, Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas held a “Question and Answer” forum with them.

The Holy Mass was celebrated at the Don Rafael Hufana Civic and Sports Complex in Inmalog Sur, San Fabian, Pangasinan.

 

Photos courtesy of Justine Ivy Pagarigan Bautista’ s Facebook

Christmas Everyday!

Christmas Message of Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, DD

My dear People of God:

On this happy occasion of Christmas, I wish to convey to you and your loved ones my greetings of peace and blessings of joy.

Christmas has many symbols. We hang lanterns. We put up Christmas lights. We decorate Christmas trees. We exchange gifts. We have traditional Christmas goodies and we party. All these symbols are seasonal. We cannot keep them the whole year round otherwise they become stale and life becomes expensive!

But Christmas is not just a day in the year. Christmas is everyday, in fact it can be every moment. Every time the priest whispers the words. “This is my Body … this is my Blood” over the bread and the chalice of wine, it is Christmas! Every time we celebrate the Mass, God comes down from heaven; dwells among us; enters our hearts and stays in our souls. Every time there is a Mass, we join the angels sing “Hosanna in the highest!”
If you want to fulfill the wish of the song, “Araw-araw ay Paskong lagi”, you do not need to keep the Christmas decors and eat the Christmas goodies the whole year. Go to Mass everyday — that is daily Christmas! Receive Holy Communion as much as possible everyday — that is Christmas everyday! So many lives have been changes by frequent Holy Communion. So many have become saints by daily Holy Communion. If all of us become saints, isn’t that why Christ was born?

Indeed the Mass is a celebration of Christmas every moment and everyday. As I bless you on this happy night, let me also invite you to pray in your families that one of your sons may be called to be priests. How can you have Christmas without priests? Do not take your priests for granted. They may possible the continuing rebirth of Christ among us. How can you celebrate Christmas without the priests? The priest is your father but he is also the mother who gives birth to Jesus on the altar not only once but everyday.

Treasure the daily Mass because that is your daily Christmas. Love your priests — you need them; they give you Jesus.

Merry Christmas to all!

From the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, Dagupan City, December 24, 2010.

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS

Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pangasinan Translation

Diad sayan maliket ya panaon na Fiestay Inkianak, labay kon inter ed sikayo tan saray inanaro yo so kareenan tan bendision na gayaga.

Dakerakel so simbolo na Christmas. Mangisasabit tayo ran a parol. Ontan met ed say Christmas lights. Dekoraan tayo so Christmas tree. Walay iteran tan balesan na regalo. Wala met iray kakanen ed Christmas, tan sikatayo so man-party. Amin darayan simbolo et nagagawa ed nigeter a panaon da labat. Aliwa ran sakey taon irayan gagawaen no andi et naderal tan naandid rad panaon tan magmaliw a mabli so panag-bilay!

Balet say Christmas et aliwan sakey labat ya silibrasyon ed sakey agew kada sakey taon. Inagew-agew so Chrismas. Say twa, anggan anton panaon. Kada say pari et ibalikas to so salitan, “Saya so Laman ko … saya so Dalak” diad say tinapay tan kupa na alak, et Christmas la! Kada sikatayo so mansilibra na Misa, say Dios so onakseb a manlapud tawen; manayam ed kapegleyan tayo; onloob ed kapusoan tayo tan manayam ed kamarerwa tayo. Kada walay Misa, kaiba tayo ray angel ya mangakanta na “Hosanna ed sankatageyan!”

No labay yon nagetma so pilalek na samay kansion “Araw-araw ay Paskong lagi”, agyo la nakaukolan ya isinop iramay dekorasyon na Christmas tan kanen iray kakanen na Christmas ed sakey taon. Mimisa kayo --- satan so inagew-agew a Christmas! Akoen yo so Masanton Komunyon anggan inagew-agew --- satan so inagew-agew a Christmas! Dakerakel lan bilay so apasimbalo lapud say mabetbet ya panagkomunyon. Dakerakel la so nagmaliw a santo diad panamegley na Masanton Komunyon. No amin tayo et magmaliw a santo, amta sikato ya so rason no akin et si Kristo so inyanak?

Twa say Misa et silibrasyon na Christmas ed kada oras ed inagew-agew. Diad say pangiter koy bendision ko ed sikayo ed sayan maliket ya labi, imbitaan takayo met ya manpikasi ya diad pamilya yo wala komon ed sikayo so tawagen na Katawan a magmaliw a pari to. Panon  ya walay Christmas yo no anggapo ra so papari? Agyo ya ra ipireg-pireg so papari yo. Lapud sikara, say lawas ya inkianak nen Kristo ed kapegleyan tayo so nagagawa. Panon kayon mansilibra na Christmas no anggapo ra so papari? Say pari et sakey ya ama yo balet sikara met so ina yo ya aliling day mangiyanak ed si Jesus diad altar, aliwa labat ya maminpinsan no ingen diad inagew-agew.

Pabli yo so inagew-agew a Misa; sikato ya so inagew-agew a Christmas yo. Aro yo ray papari yo --- nakaukolan yo ra; iiter day Jesus ed sikayo.

Merry Christmas ed sikayon amin!

Diad Katedral nen San Juan Evangelista, Dagupan City, 24 Disiembre 2010.

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS

Arsobispo na Lingayen-Dagupan

Father Soc with the Altar Servers

 

14 December 2010. San Fabian.

Ad Limina Visit of Archbishop Soc and Bishop Rene

Ad Limina Visit: 27 November 2010

The visit ad limina means, technically, the obligation incumbent on certain members of the hierarchy of visiting, at stated times, the "thresholds of the Apostles", Sts. Peter and Paul, and of presenting themselves before the pope to give an account of the state of their dioceses. The object of the visit is not merely to make a pilgrimage to the tombs of the apostles, but, above all, to show the proper reverence for the Successor of St. Peter, to acknowledge practically his universal jurisdiction by giving an account of the condition of particular churches, to receive his admonitions and counsels, and thus bind more closely the members of the Church to its Divinely appointed head. (From The Catholic Encyclopedia)

Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, DD and Bishop Renato P. Mayugba, DD with Pope Benedict XVI

 

Photos from Servizio Fotografico L'Osservatore Romano

BECAUSE WE BELIEVE, WE REJECT

Pastoral Statement on Gambling

We believe that God Almighty created man according to His likeness and saved him from eternal damnation by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that human work has been sanctified by Jesus Christ the worker and that human labor can sanctify humankind.

We believe in the right of all human beings to leisure and recreation within the bounds of Christian justice and charity.

We acknowledge the separation of Church and State and uphold the right and duty of the State to pursue the common good, to promote the welfare of the poor and to provide equal opportunities of advancement for all.

We believe that an honest and just society is possible through the grace of God and the obedience of all peoples to the Ten Commandments.

Because we believe these truths and uphold these principles,

1.       We reject the culture of gambling as a means of livelihood. Gambling is addictive. Gambling corrupts the gambler and the operator. Gambling exploits and diminishes human dignity. Gambling destroys peoples. Gambling kills.

2.       We reject the promotion of the small town lottery as the means to stop illegal gambling. A government that promotes gambling is a morally corrupt government.  Corruption is not just about bribes and graft. Corruption is an attitude that started as an uncorrected bad habit. Gambling started as a small fire. Because we ignored it, this fire has now grown enough to burn our whole nation to ashes. The small town lottery is added fuel to the fire.

3.       We reject the scheme of the small town lottery to give local officials and police officers percentage shares in the revenue of the lottery. This scheme will breed greater moral evils in government service. This scheme is unfair to the poor bettors. This scheme is deceptive.

As we reject the culture of gambling, we also extend our hands of cooperation to our government officials in the pursuit of progress and development.

1. Instead of allowing sugarcoated jueteng in our province, we invite government to partner with the Church and other NGO’s to promote livelihood programs for the poor and provide family oriented values education especially on the dignity of labor and the primacy of honesty in private and social life. It has been done with success. It is being done. We can do it together.
2. Instead of allowing the cheap and easy alternative of small town lottery, I invite government to sustain micro financing programs that are already in place in many parts of Pangasinan. This is the long and tedious but sure way to arrest the growth of a gambling culture.
3. Instead of denying the presence of illegal gambling, let government truthfully accept its presence, humbly accept its failure to stop it and resolve now in cooperation with all peoples of good will, with utmost political will, to restore integrity in public life.

We believe in the beauty and goodness of all. We reject corruption and laziness as against the values we stand for.

We extend our hands for cooperation. If they refuse our offer of help, we will fight without relent.

From the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, Dagupan City, November 13, 2010.

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS

   Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan

Homily of Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, DD on the occasion of his silver jubilee as a priest

Bruce Lee’s Priest

Homily delivered by Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, DD on the occasion of his silver jubilee as priest held at the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, Dagupan City last October 6, 2010 at 10:00 o’clock in the morning.

God called me to follow Him and He called me through Bruce Lee. Before I heard the word of Jesus “Come follow me”, I first heard the words of Bruce Lee “Be yourself and learn the art of dying.”

Bruce Lee, not Jesus was my teen age idol. I was too sickly to engage in martial arts but I was an avid reader of Bruce Lee’s philosophy. Bruce Lee said:

Be flexible. Be formless. Be fluid. Be shapeless like water. You put water unto a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. Water can flow or it can crash or creep. Be water my friend. Water has the continuity of movement. You must free your ambitious mind and learn the art of dying. The cup realizes itself only by being empty. Be yourself.

These words touched me deeply within. It disturbed my sleep. It distracted my studies. It left me desiring passionately to learn the art of dying. I wanted to be empty like the cup. I wanted to be formless like water. I wanted to find myself. This search brought me to the gate of San Carlos Seminary in Makati because our high school principal said that was where I could learn the art of dying like my idol Bruce Lee.

Called to Die

In San Carlos Seminary, they took me as I was – a Bruce Lee fan. I opened myself to my spiritual director but I kept it from my classmates. I was afraid they would not understand. Seminarians can be tough. They were all there because of Jesus. I was there because of Bruce Lee.  Patiently, the spiritual director taught me: Tow thousand years before Bruce Lee, another wiser man said in Galilee, “If the seed dies, it bears fruit”. I fell in love with this man wiser than my teen age idol. I laid aside Bruce Lee album and magazine collection and answered the call of Jesus, “Come follow me.”

When the Lord says, “Come follow me”, He really means to say, “come and die with me.” The priesthood is a call to crucifixion. Priesthood and victimhood are two inseparable side to the same coin. Among all men in society, it is the priest who must be an expert in the art and science of dying. This is the dying that opens more lives. This is the dying that brings bright hope. This is the dying worth celebrating. I celebrate today twenty five years of dying for and with the Lord.

Without this art of dying, there would be no Church; for indeed Church was born from the pierced side of Christ. The Church was born from the dying and rising of our Lord. The most important, the highest, the most sublime expression of our faith is the Eucharist – the memory of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. How can the Eucharist be offered without the memory of the dying of Christ? The Eucharist teaches us ho to die, how to love, how to live.

Be like water

Bruce Lee taught me to be like water. Be flexible. Be formless. Be fluid. Be shapeless like water. You put the water unto a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. Water can flow or it can crash or creep. Be water my friend.

Bruce Lee taught me to be shapeless and flexible like water. Jesus taught us that too. In becoming a man like us, Jesus became a man among men. He did not cling to the honor of being God, he stripped himself of glory and became like us in everything except sin. Like flowing water, Jesus stooped down before his disciples taking the form of a slave and washed their feet and told us to do the same. In the Philippines, Jesus is a Filipino. In Dagupan, Jesus is a Pangasinense. He is like us. He is not different. He has embraced us. He has pitched his tent among us and live among us. Bruce Lee taught me the mystery fo the incarnation and inculturation long before my professors wrote those big words in the blackboard of the seminary classrooms.

It is Bruce Lee and it si Jesus who helped me in the vast and rapid changes in my ministry. From urban EDSA Shrine to rural Bataan, Bruce Lee helped me quietly to be formless like water. You put water into a cup, the water become the cup. They sent me to EDSA, I became EDSA. They sent me to Bataan, I became Bataan. They sent me to Pangasinan, I became Pangasinan. Take the form where you are poured. Flow like water. Be like water.

Dedication and Sacrifice

Bruce Lee said: Success flows form dedication and self-knowledge. What ws success for Bruce Lee was holiness for Jesus. Bruce Lee only saw success and nothing beyond it. Jesus pointed beyond success and opened the door to perfection. Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, Jesus taught. What is the way to success? What is the way to perfection? Bruce Lee and Jesus shared a common road map – sacrifice.

If the seed dies, it bears fruit. If you want to be my disciple, carry your cross daily and follow me. Bruce Lee echoed this Christian tenet in these words: You must free your ambitious mind and learn the art of dying. The cup realizes itself only by being empty. Be yourself.

There is no holiness without the cross. There I no love without sacrifice. How mut the priest live out this call to die? Cardinal Sin taught me two very important lessons in dying. The Eucharist and the confession are sure way to the art of dying. Free your ambitious mind though confession. Learn the art of dying through the Mass.

My brother priests: Our vocation is such a great blessing but it can also be a great temptation. The priesthood can lead us to heaven as we touch heavenly thing here on earth or it can lead to our damnation if we take for granted the holy mysteries we hold. If you want sincerely to take care of your vocation, three things are necessary: celebrate Mass daily, pray the complete Liturgy of the Hours faithfully everyday and go to confession monthly.

I ask for the gift of your commitment to celebrate Mass everyday regardless of the number of parishioners attending or the Mass offerings from the sponsors. Celebrate Mass daily even if it is only the sacristan beside you. Don’t say it is a waste of time it is such a great blessing to offer jut one Mass. Believe that one single Mass has power to change the cosmos. Can you imageine the power of the daily Mass? And you have that power, priest of God! No day without a Mass. A day without Mass is a day without breath. If you feel that way when you are unable to offer a Mass, you have begun your journey to mystery. Celebrate the Mass with utmost reverence, vigilant not only for validity, but for fruitfulness. Keep the fire in your heart each time you offer the Mass; this way, you can set other hearts on fire also.

My brother priests: relish the sacrament of penance. Relish hearing confessions regularly with much patience and compassion because we are sinners ourselves. We are not angels. If you start to think of yourselves as angels, you will end up acting like beasts. Frequently go to confession yourselves and avail of the grace of the sacrament of mercy often. The barometer to gauge the depth of your spiritual life is the frequency of your confession. You may be a good administrator or a fast builder or an eloquent teacher or a popular pastor, but if you are far from the sacrament of penance, you are only yourself. You are not another Christ.

The breviary must be our daily companion. To pray the entire divine office daily is a grave duty for every priest. Don’t rush the breviary. Our first duty is to be intercessors. Our first duty is to pray. We can change the world on our knees not through rallies. Praying the breviary faithfully will expand your heart for love and strengthen your heart against sin prayer will keep you pure of heart.

My dear brothers and sisters, how can you help us priests? The Archbishop of Cologne had a ready answer. “If you want to help priests, go to your priests for confession.” The greatest pastoral achievement is the chance to penetrate hearts, restore peace to sinners and share the hope of God. Every absolution is an immense pastoral success! An absolution after confession is a greater pastoral success than building cathedrals or universities!

Friends of priests: How can you help priests? Go to Mass daily. Learn from the altar the art of dying. Let Jesus teach you how to follow him and how to die with him. Nobody remains the same after receiving Holy Communion.

Thank you for the grace of your presence today. I have been asked: What is my most memorable moment as a priest of twenty five years? My quick answer: Everyday … Everyday is memorable. Every day is a grace. You my friends have made every day of my twenty five years memorable.

Thank you, Bruce Lee, for being an angel to me. Thank you, Cardinal Sin, for teaching me to love my priesthood.

Thank you, Jesus, for calling me to be yours.

I am yours forever.

Amen.

MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD OR SILVER

Meditation on the occasion of the twenty fifth priestly anniversary of Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan

How fast time flies! It has been twenty five years since the late Jaime Cardinal Sin laid his hands on me and ordained me a priest. What a blessing it was! What a blessing it continues to be! My vocation has been shaken by crises and subjected to endurance trials. All those trials and difficulties were blessings from God. I thank God for them. The pains that come from God are not meant for our stumbling. The trials that come from God can only make us better.

How shall I describe the past twenty five years of my life? It is grace. It is a gift by a generous God to an undeserving man. So much has been given to me—more than I need, more than I deserve, more than I can use, more than me. The blessings of God for me are larger than me. Everyday of my life since October 5, 1985, I have never missed a single day without offering the holy sacrifice of the Mass thanking God ceaselessly for calling me to be His priest. Whether on international travels or on vacation, in the thick dark forests or by a calm sea, on solitude retreats or on busy days, I have never missed a day without offering the Mass. In offering the Mass, I am most priestly. Being able to stand in the presence of God on behalf of men and being able to face men and offer them the love of God even if they are thousands of miles away, what an awesome grace! That grace is mine as a priest. I must never take this grace for granted. I must never get too familiar with this grace because this power is not even given to the highest of angels. It is mine. I am His priest.

My thanksgiving for my silver jubilee as a priest is not just a personal song of Magnificat. I thank God not alone but as a son of my Mother Church, a brother of my people, a disciple among disciples. I admit that the temptation was strong to celebrate my silver anniversary in quiet solitude as my heart has always longed for. Although I wanted to be a monk earlier in life, God called me to be a pastor in the world. I cannot and I must not celebrate like a monk. That is clearly not the will of God for me. I must celebrate as a bishop among his people—disciple among disciples, a brother of my people and a son of my Mother Church. My silver jubilee is not just a story of grace between God and me. There are thousands of people who became channels of grace for me through the years. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would live at Villa San Miguel under the shadow of a great man of the Church and eventually be allowed to witness the awesome unfolding of the history of God’s love for the Philippines. I was there as the story of EDSA was happening. I was there! I did not know why God put me there. It is grace. 

I never thought that my appointment as the first rector of the EDSA Shrine would last me fifteen years. When my Archbishop gave me the assignment, he only told me to set the structures in place; that I was only to be a transitional rector and my duty was just to pave the way for the real rector. In fact, he did not install me as EDSA Shrine rector because he always considered me only as temporary rector. The EDSA Shrine was my first born, my first love with whom I shared my priestly dreams and passion. How did it happen that the temporary rector stayed on for fifteen years? It is grace. The EDSA Shrine community is a grace for my vocation as I am sure the Shrine has been a blessing to so many tired and weary souls. When the Holy Father sent me to Bataan to shepherd the people of God there, I went with love and obedience but with excitement and joy also because I have heard of the valor and rich heritage of that peninsula bloodied during the last war. EDSA Shrine was my first love but Bataan was love at first sight. I fell in love right away with her seas and mountains, her brilliant sunrise and fiery sunsets. But most of all, I fell in love right away with the tenderness of her people. After my brief and quick five year ministry in Bataan, I was asked “What was my most memorable moment in Bataan?” right away I answered: Everyday!

God willed it that I celebrate my silver year as a priest in Pangasinan as the pastor of this metropolitan See. I never thought this would happen when Cardinal Sin ordained me in 1985. Strange indeed are the ways of the Lord! God is a God of surprises. God loves to play jokes on people who plan their lives. Although Bataan was my love at first sight, Dagupan has quickly become the apple of my eye. Pangasinan excites me. Its people make my heart beat faster like seeing your crush. The priests of Lingayen Dagupan give me fire in my heart and blow strong winds beneath my wings. I don’t know why. The heart has reasons reason does not know. It is grace. I cannot explain it. It is a mysterious gift from God. 

I have so much to be grateful for. I have been blessed more than I can ever imagine or ask for. Even then, let me dare bare my soul and ask for your gifts as I celebrate my silver year.

My brother priests, I ask for the gift of your commitment to celebrate Mass everyday regardless of the number of parishioners attending or the Mass offerings from the sponsors. Celebrate Mass daily even if you it is only the sacristan beside you. Don’t say it is a waste of time. It is such a great blessing to offer just one Mass. Believe that one single Mass has power to change the cosmos. Can you imagine the power of the daily Mass? And you have that power priest of God! No day without a Mass. A day without Mass is a day without breath. If you feel that way when you are unable to offer a Mass, you have begun your journey to mystery. Celebrate the Mass with utmost reverence vigilant not only for validity but for fruitfulness. Keep the fire in your heart each time you offer the Mass; this way, you can set other hearts on fire also.

My brother priests: relish the sacrament of penance. Relish hearing confessions regularly with much patience and compassion because we are sinners ourselves. We are not angels. If you start to think and act like angels, you will end up acting like beasts. Frequently go to confession yourselves and avail of the grace of the sacrament of mercy often. The barometer to gauge the depth of your spiritual life is the frequency of your confession. You may be a good administrator or a fast builder or an eloquent teacher or a popular pastor, but if you are far from the sacrament of penance, you are only yourself. You are not another Christ.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, make me happy and complete my joy for this silver jubilee by promising me that you will pray for the sanctification of priests everyday. Pray the rosary everyday and offer one decade for the sanctification of priests. Pray to keep us pure and humble and chaste of heart. Pray to keep us courageous and faithful and honest. Pray for us to discover again the power of being poor, the elegance of simplicity, the eloquence of working hidden. Every reform in the history of the Church started with the reform of priests. The crisis of the Church is really a crisis of saints. We lack saints but we have too many celebrities. The luster of celebrities is temporary. The saints will shine like the stars for eternity. May all priests be saints and may I be a saint with them.

What a great mystery, what a great gift the priesthood is! The decreasing number of young men ready to answer the call can be a symptom of a deeper crisis in society—the loss of the sense of mystery and the loss of the meaning of gifts.

In a society that is only focused on the palpable and verifiable, on the logical and scientific, mystery is absurd. Mystery has no place. 

In a society where everything seems to be available in the classified ads and the media offers everything for sale, all gifts have price tags and no one needs to thank.

If we regain the sense of mystery and awe, the capacity to dream and wonder, we will regain the meaning of living. If we can say “thank you” and “please” more often, we shall realize that so much in life is a gift and we have so much to thank for. And we can be happy again!

Priests are mystery men. Priests are gifts of God to the world. Priests are gifts of the world to God. I am His priest and I am grateful, forever grateful. Amen.

September 28, 2010

 

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS

  Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan