Military diocese backs crackdown on private armies

THE country’s military Catholic diocese on Wednesday supported the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to “dismantle private armies” following the string of attacks against local officials.

Fr. Harley Flores, spokesperson of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines, said that private armies “only serve to promote lawlessness and instability”.

“They threaten the peace and security of the communities they operate in,” Flores said.

“It is therefore the responsibility of the government to take strong action to dismantle these groups and confiscate their weapons,” he said.

Marcos has earlier ordered for a crackdown of private armies and identify hotspots where local officials are being attacked.

The diocese also joined in condemning the recent murder of Gov. Roel Degamo of Negros Oriental and eight others at the governor’s residence in Pamplona town on March 4. Flores said that all the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

“These violent acts have no place in a civilized society governing a responsible citizenry under just laws,” the priest added. CBCP News

Palawan bishop calls for stronger resistance against ‘rape of nature’

A Catholic bishop held Mass at an anti-mining barricade in southern Palawan town of Brooke’s Point on Tuesday, urging demonstrators not to give up the fight against what he called the ‘rape of nature’.

Bishop Socrates Mesiona of Puerto Princesa lauded the protesters for their “brave acts” and even putting their lives at risk just to protect the environment from further destruction

“We need to remain vigilant and continue to help each other because it seems that this struggle will still take time,” Mesiona said in his homily.

“But our fight must continue,” he said. “As believers, we are called to protect and care for both creation and the human person.”

The bishop called the mining operations as “rape of mother nature” that will just be left alone after being “abused”.

“After they (mining company) get what they want, they will just leave us,” he said. “We will be the ones who will suffer and not the businessmen and that’s the sad reality,” he added.

The barricade has been ongoing for the 17th day in a row outside the Ipilan Nickel Corp. (INC) main office in the village of Maasin.

Demonstrators assert that the mining company has been operating without a mayor’s permit.

The bishop noted that the movement came from the grassroots and had its strongholds among small farmers, Palaw’an indigenous peoples and fisher folks.

Accompanied by about 10 priests, it was the bishop’s second visit to the campsite to show the Church’s support to their cause.

Also present during the Mass was Brooke’s Point Vice Mayor Mary Jean Feliciano.

“Destroying the environment is a sin. And so, as believers, we are obliged to protect our only home,” Mesiona said. CBCP News

Green group seeks urgent action on oil spill

A priest-led coalition that seeks to protect the Verde Island Passage (VIP) is calling for accountability and deeper look into the oil spill that wreaked havoc in the waters of Oriental Mindoro.

The Protect VIP campaign network said the incident must serve as an “eye opener” to the neglect the Verde Island Passage has long suffered despite its socioeconomic and ecological significance.

VIP is a strait that separates the islands of Luzon and Mindoro, connecting the South China Sea with the Tayabas and the Sibuyan Sea beyond.

The devastating oil spill occurred after MT Princess Empress capsized on Feb. 28, bringing down 800,000 liters of industrial oil.

“We call on the Philippine government for the most urgent action to contain the spill, assess the severity of damage, and prioritize the welfare of impacted communities who must receive livelihood support and protection from health impacts,” said Fr. Edwin Gariguez, lead convenor of Protect VIP.

“We also demand accountability from the owner of MT Princess Empress, RDC Reield Marines Services, and the fuel supply it contains,” he said.

The oil spill has put at risk more than 30 of Oriental Mindoro’s marine-protected areas, and has affected other provinces like Antique in Western Visayas.

The province of Oriental Mindoro has placed at least 76 coastal villages across nine out of its 14 towns.

The faith-based group said at least

Waterin the desert?A few years back, during our pilgrimage in the Holy Land, we were on our way to the St. Catherine Monasteryat the base of Mt. Sinai. From there we were supposed to walk up to the top of Mt. Sinai. We did not make it to the top.On our way, there was a flash flood in the desertand our tourist bus could not cross. We had to turn back and look for a hotelto stay until the water subsided. I asked our guide how come there was a flash flood in the middle of the desert.He said it came from the mountains where it rained. The next day we were able to visit theSt. Catherineof Alexandria monastery. It was also during this journey that we visited the site of our first reading, where Moses struck the stone and water flowed to provide the complaining Israelites with water (Ex. 17:6).The water still flows, in the midst of the desert.There are also oases where there are wellsthat arecenturies old and thisexplains the story of the meeting of Jesus and the Samaritan woman.

Living Water

Reflections

Rev. Fr. Antonio P. Pueyo, DCC tonypoy_dcc0@yahoo.com

18,000 fisherfolk in Oriental Mindoro alone have been robbed of their livelihood as fishing activities are forcibly put on hold.

Residents, it added, are also robbed of their seafood supply — “a heavy blow for a province in which over 50% of households already suffer various levels of food insecurity”.

“We thus join local residents in lamenting what would be a prolonged suffering of the local fishing industry –valued at Php 11.80 billion across the 5 provinces of VIP in 2021 – as impacts of the oil spill are expected to be felt for years to come,” said Gariguez, who is also the former executive secretary of Caritas Philippines.

He also stressed the need for the flowing) or stagnant. As typical of John’s gospel, Jesus gave a deeper meaning toliving water when He said, “the water I shallgive will become a spring of water wellingup to eternal life” (Jn. 4:13).He was referring to Himself and His word, “One does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes forthfrom themouth of God “ (Mt.4:4).Jesusis the Living Water and the Bread of Life.Jesus quenches our thirst and hunger.By welcoming Jesus, we discover a deeper meaning to our life andfrom there springs up joy.This was what the Samaritan woman discovered.She was considered a public sinner even by her own people (the reason why she went to the well at noontime when there were no other people).Her dialogue with Jesus was so comforting that she went to the village and toldthe others what she experienced. She became an evangelizer and the people of the village welcomed Jesus to listen more to His words oflove, forgiveness, reconciliation and salvation. government to take into account the bigger picture and what is at stake in the oil spill incident in biodiversity-rich VIP.

The group has been raising alarm on the issue of having more heavy industry development around the VIP area –especially fossil fuel power plants and LNG terminals which would receive shipped cargoes of liquefied natural gas or LNG.

“More plans for LNG terminals means more shipping vessels passing through the marine corridor. This increases the possibility of a similar situation happening in the future,” Gariguez said.

“The Verde Island Passage must be afforded no less than the greatest protection due to a global treasure for marine biodiversity,” he also said. CBCP News

It was noontime and Jesus was thirsty. His disciples had gone to the village to buy food.He had no pail to tie to the rope to draw water from the well (Jn. 4:5-ff.) That was why He asked for a drink from the Samaritan woman. This was a big “No,no!” Jews and Samaritans did not mix nor talked to one another.The Samaritans were considered by the Jews as an impure race who intermarried withtheir conquerors in the past. Such was theprejudice between them thatthe Samaritans built their own temple rather than worship in the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus brokea barrier when He talked with the woman. Not only because she was a Samaritan but because she was a woman.A man does not talk to a woman who is unaccompanied by relatives or other women. That was the reason why the woman was totally surprised when Jesus spoke to her.

Jesus made use of the image of water to talk of something spiritually deeper.Water can be living (fresh and

On another level, we can talk about living water as the water of baptism.Blood and water flowed from the side of Jesus when He was on the cross.It is bythe water of baptism thatweare made one with Jesus, as well as by the blood of the Eucharist.Jesus is the sacrament of life.By His Word, wounds, and sacrifice on the cross we aresaved. This can only happenwhen we allow Jesus to enter our life and be indialogue with Him.The Samaritan woman and her covillagers found the water of eternal life by conversingwith and welcoming Jesus.

This season of Lent is a good time to dialogue with Jesus. We arebusy with our everyday concerns thatperhaps stress us.Whydon’t we takesome time to just set aside ourdaily pre-occupationsand converse with Jesus on a deeper level, perhaps in the early morning or late evening when things are quiet. Or even go to a sacred place just to drink from the source of life, Jesus the living water. You might discover something joyful and become an evangelizer.

Readings: no. 237, p. 421

1st Reading: 2 Kings 5.1-15a

Gospel: Luke 4.24-30

Readings: no. 238, p. 424

1st Reading: Daniel 3.25, 34-43

Gospel: Matthew 18.21-35

Readings: no. 239, p. 427

1st Reading: Deuteronomy 4.1, 5-9

Gospel: Matthew 5.17-19

Readings: no. 240, p. 429

1st Reading: Jeremiah 7.23-28

Gospel: Luke 11.14-23

Readings: no. 241, p. 431

1st Reading: Hosea 14.1-9

Gospel: Mark 12.28b-34

Readings: no. 242, p. 434

1st Reading: Hosea 5.15b – 6.6++

Gospel: Luke 18.9-14