U Matuna Si Yu'os: Vol. 66 Iss. 7, February 12, 2012

VOL. 66, NO. 07

EV ENT

Bone Marrow Registry Drive Date: Sunday, February 12, 2012 Time: TBA Location: GPO in Tamuning Residents must be between the ages of 18 and 60, willing to donate to any patient in need, and meet the health guidelines.

SCHOOLS

PAGE 4 NDHS Photo

NDHS Appreciates Students, Faculty and Staff

To Hell With You Tim Rohr on how President Obama is manipulating the Church. PAGE 5

Church Gears for Pedro Calungsod’s Canonization Blessed Pedro Calungsod will be the second saint from the Philippines. PAGE 6

Church Eyes North Evangelization North Korea could be the stepping stone to spreading the good news across the communist state.

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SOLEMN HIGH MASS RETURNS TO GUAM (USY) On Sunday, February 5, the Solemn High Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal was celebrated on Guam for the first time in over four decades.

Celebrated at the San Fidelis Friary in Agana Heights, the Mass was celebrated in accordance with the norms and permissions granted by Pope Benedict XVI in his motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, issued in 2007 Mass in the and granting permission Extraordinary to all priests Form worldwide is celebrated to celebrate each Sunday at the sacra11:00am at the ments acSan Fidelis Friary, cording to with public Rosary the 1962 Missal, inimmediately cluding the preceeding.

Mass—now referenced as the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite and is occasionally called the “Old Latin Mass.” Also called the Tridentine Mass, the Extraordinary Form dates back centuries and was finally codified during the Council of Trent—the form it would maintain until today.

In contrast, the Ordinary Form (also called the Novus ordo or “Pope Paul VI Mass”) is the more commonly celebrated Mass as seen in Guam’s parishes. On Guam it is normally celebrated in the vernacular languages, such as See MASS, Page 2

FEATURED

Movie - Big Miracle An inspiring and uplifting feature suitable for all but the youngest viewers. PAGE 10

TOKEN

FAITH

“We put off our conversion again and again until death, but who says that we will still have the time and strength for it then?”

St . John Vianney

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Sunday, February 12, 2012

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our Conversation with Senator Dennis Rodriguez PAGE 9 Part 2 The trials of politics, the struggles of getting legislation passed, and the role of faith in public life.

Army Silences Military Archbishop on Contraception Mandate WASHINGTON D.C. — The archbishop who oversees American Catholic military chaplains worldwide claims the U.S. Army violated his rights by stifling a pastoral letter condemning the Obama administration's contraception mandate.

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio stands “firm in the belief, based on legal precedent,” that the Army defied his rights to free speech and free exercise of religion, according to a Feb. 3 statement from the military archdiocese.

U.S. Catholic military chaplains around the country were initially told to disobey their archbishop’s instruction to read a pastoral letter from the pulpit at all Sunday Masses on Jan. 28-29.

Although an agreement was eventually reached allowing the See CONTRACEPTION, Page 8

CNS Photo

Canon Jean-Marie Moreau elevates the Chalice during the Solemn High Mass at San Fidelis Friary on Feb. 5. USY Photo

Bone Marrow Registry Drive at GPO Today!

All of Guam’s Catholics and U Matuna Si Yu'os readers of age are asked to participate in the Bone Marrow Donor Registry drive today in order to support cancer patients in need of a bone marrow transplant. The drive, organized by Dr. Thomas Shieh, is intended to help find a bone marrow donor match for two individuals from the Pacific region.

Joey Tyquiengco, a former Guam resident, has been diagnosed with acute mylogenous leukemia (AML) and needs a bone marrow transplant. Joey resides in San Francisco, California where he is re-

ceiving treatment for AML. Janet Liang, an Asian-American, has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and has until April of this year to find a match.

Janet was born in Hawaii and attended the University of California, Los Angeles, before moving to San Francisco to undergo treatment.

The bone marrow registry drive began on February 10 and continues until today, February 12, at the Guam Premier Outlets in Tamuning. Residents must be between the ages of 18 and 60, willing to donate to any patient in need, and meet the health guidelines.

Lent Marks Renewed Effort to Bring Catholics Back to Church

By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — Just as they have during the season of Advent in recent years, some U.S. dioceses make concerted efforts at Lent to invite Catholics who have stopped going to church back into the fold.

Some dioceses have reported success with the "Catholics Come Home" campaign, while others have set their focus on using the sacrament of reconciliation during Lent to draw Catholics back who have drifted away from the practice of their faith.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, which this year is Feb. 22. A day of fast and abstinence, it is not a holy day of obligation, but is one of the top three solemn occasions in the church that draws the See LENT, Page 11

ARCHDIOCESAN

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Sunday, February 12, 2012

MATUNA SI YU’OS

STAY CONNECTED

R O M A N C AT H O L I C N E W S PA P E R

With Your Catholic Community

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Tune in for Mass every Sunday at 9:30am on Channel 8 or 11

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Studies for Certification in Youth Ministry

By Sr. Marian Arroyo The Archdiocesan Office of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry is pleased to announce the next installment of classes for its certificate program in Youth Ministry Studies. Classes will be held February 1718 and 19-20 at the John Paul the Great Center for Evangelization, Chancery Office.

Patrick Donovan Patrick Donovan from the Center for Ministry Development will teach the courses on Foundations for Ministry Leadership and Skills for Christian Leadership. Online registration (www.archagana.org) is available and must be completed with payment at the Chancery Office by February 16.

Foundations of Ministry Leadership (February 17-18) explores the theology, principles, and practices of effective leadership in Christian ministry. Participants will explore current leadership concepts and approaches, as well as Christian perspectives on leadership. Partici-

pants will also learn how to empower individuals and teams of leaders for ministry with youth.

The course combines theory presentation with experiential learning as participants explore (a) leadership theory and an assessment of styles for effective leadership; (b) theological and pastoral foundations for understanding leadership and empowerment; and (c) processes and tools for inviting, preparing and nurturing adult and youth leaders in ministry.

Skills for Christian Leadership (February 19-20) addresses the theories and skills needed for principle centered leadership in ministry.

Participants will develop a practical, working understanding of leadership process and skills and the experiential ability to use the skills.

The course stresses the application of leadership skills to various ministry settings, problems, and issues.

The Archdiocese of Agana Studies for Certification in Youth Ministry is a ministry training and education program for those who work with youth, ages 10-19, in both parish and school settings.

The program equips leaders with the knowledge, skills and practical tools and techniques for building vibrant faith communities and safe

environments in which our youth are an integral part. These studies respond to the expressed need of the Archbishop, pastors, parents and Church leaders to train and certify those who minister to youth on this island.

The program includes at least eight courses that will be offered within a two-year cycle. The primary aim of the program is to promote personal, spiritual, and ministerial growth. The certificate program is utilized in a number of ways: as an integrated formation program leading to a Certificate in Youth Ministry Studies; as an enrichment or continuing education program for veteran leaders; and as a workshop series which can be taken on a course-by-course basis by professional or volunteer leaders.

Participating leaders, parishes and schools will experience the following benefits. Confidence: Participants feel more confident in their youth ministry role because they have integrated and applied the most recent and innovative theory and approaches into their own setting and responsibilities. Competence: The comprehensive sequence of courses provides a solid foundation of theory, theology and practical approaches, which can

be applied in any parish or school youth ministry setting. Credibility: This is a nationally recognized curriculum, offered in over 30 sites and sponsored by over 50 dioceses, whose graduates are in parish, school and diocesan leadership positions all over the United States and territories.

Patrick Donovan serves as the Executive Director for the Office for Catholic Youth Ministry in the Diocese of Wilmington. He holds a Certificate in Advanced Studies in Ministry from Loyola University in Chicago and the Center for Ministry Development, and a Master's degree in Theology from the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana. Patrick has co-authored three books for Pflaum Publishing about using modern movies to teach. Patrick’s latest book, Using the Remote to Channel Jesus, was published by Saint Mary’s Press in 2008. He and his wife, Maureen, are the parents of four young children.

Register online today. Each course in $75, $55 (with materials) for YMS graduates. For more information call Division of Pastoral Ministries or Catholic Schools Office at 472-6116 or Pale’ Mike at 4779118 or email: mdpm@archagana. org.

PUBLISHER

Most Reverend Anthony Sablan Apuron O.F.M. Cap., D.D. DIRECTOR

Reverend Monsignor James L.G. Benavente EDITOR

Jeffrey L. Fitzgerald GRAPHIC ARTIST & WEBMASTER

Sedrick S. Serisola STAFF

Luz S. Oberiano CONTACT

Phone: 671.989.6391 Fax: 671.472.1729 news@umatuna.org NEWS DEADLINE

Deadline for news stories and photos is noon Tuesday prior to the date of ­publication. Please note that the U Matuna reserves the right to select and prioritize content based on relevancy and editorial discretion.

ADVERTISING DEADLINE

Deadline for reserving advertising space is 3 pm Tuesday prior to the date of publication. Camera-ready copy is due at the U Matuna Si Yu’os office no later than noon Wednesday prior to the date of publication.

The office of the U Matuna Si Yu’os is now located on the second floor of the Dulce Nombre Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagåtña.

Mass CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 English and Chamorro.

The Solemn High Mass requires the participation of the priest, the deacon, and the sub-deacon, each of whom must be proficient in the liturgical practice established for the Extraordinary Form.

The celebration coincided with the weeklong visit of Canon Jean-Marie Moreau of the Institute of Christ the King, a priestly community totally dedicated to the Extraordinary Form. During the week, Canon Moreau also presided at the Masses of the Purification on Feb. 2 and of St. Blaise on Feb. 3 in addition to giving a series of classes on topics related to the Extraordinary Form.

All over the world, many priests have begun celebrating the Eucharist in the Ex-traordinary Form, some weekly and others periodically. In 1998, Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron, OFM Cap., DD, approached Pale' Eric Forbes, OFM Cap, to see if he could fulfill the desire of those seeking Mass in the Extraordinary Form, as it is called now. The Extraordinary Form has been celebrated on Sundays by Pale' Eric, and now also by Father Andre Eduvala, OFM Cap, since then.

Mass in the Extraordinary Form is celebrated each Sunday at 11:00 a.m. at San Fidelis Friary, with public Rosary immediately preceeding. Booklets with both Latin and English are provided for those who attend.

For more information and for pictures, please visit: http://traditioguam.blogspot. com/.

is an entity of the Archdiocesan Development Group 207 Archbishop Felixberto C. Flores Street Hagåtña, Guam 96910

MISSION The U Matuna Si Yu’os is published every week by the Archdiocese of Agaña, Guam. Our mission is to print and distribute a true report of the Roman Catholic Church’s ministry of changing lives though the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

By offering news and commentary about issues impacting the Catholic Church, it aims to serve as a focal point for the ­expression and discussion of the Catholic faith on Guam.

ONLINE

Jacqueline Mendiola of San Vicente Parish in Barrigada, took her second step into the cloister of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Morristown, New Jersey, on January 1, 2012. She begins her new life as Sr. Sarah Rayah of God. She is the third girl from Guam to enter the monastery. Within her in the monastery are former Guam residents, Sr. Hannah (Angela Tackney, Agana Cathedral Basillica) and Sr. Judith (Mary Clare Nadolny, St. Anthony Parish in Tamuning) Photo by Benjamin Leon Guerrero

Connect with the U Matuna Si Yu’os by visiting our website at:

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GOSPEL & REFLECTION

Sunday, February 12, 2012 ANNOUNCEMENTS ACADEMY OF OUR LADY OF GUAM Feb. 18: Songfest/Family Night Feb. 20: Presidents Day - No Classes Feb. 22: Ash Wednesday Liturgy; 8:30 a.m., Dulce Nombre de Maria CathedralBasilica. Parents are invited to attend.

Feb. 24: Early Dismissal; 1:45 p.m.

Staff Development; 2:00 p.m.

Feb. 25: Placement Test for New Students; test fee of $45 must be paid to the school’s Business Office prior to test date.

Join the AOLG Advancing Women Educationally (AWE) Program to help prepare for the G.E.D. test. Program open to women 18 years or older who do not have a high school diploma and who qualify.

Classes to be held on Saturdays at AOLG campus. An appraisal test must be taken to determine math and language skills level prior to attending classes. For more information, contact Marilyn Magofna at 734-7407/email: tonlyn123@guam.net or call the school at 477-8203. Application available online at www.aolg.edu.

Please visit the school’s website at www. aolg.edu.gu or call 477-8203 for more information.

NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL Feb. 20: Presidents Day, Observed - No Classes Feb. 22: Ash Wednesday Mar. 2: Songfest Practice at the Phoenix Center Mar. 3: Songfest / Family Night at 4:00pm Mar. 5: Discovery Day, Observed - No Classes

MASS FOR AN INCREASE OF VOCATIONS All those interested in the vocation to the priesthood or religious life are invited to attend a weekly Mass for Vocations offered every Wednesday, at 7 pm at Santa Barbara Catholic Church. For more info, please contact Fr. Paul Gofigan at 4880613. Those interested in the permanent diaconate ministry are also invited to attend.

ARCHDIOCESAN WORLD YOUTH DAY 2012 ANNOUNCEMENTS Call For Youth Volunteers The AWYD 2012 Planning Committee is calling for youth volunteers to assist in the operation of AWYD 2012 on Palm Sunday, interested youth age 14+ should leave their name and contact information at 734-3723 or email awyd2012@gmail.com.

AYWD 2012 WEBSITE For more information about AWYD 2012 visit us online at http://guam2012awyd.tk AWYD 2012 REGISTRATION BEGINS FEB 3 Registration begins online and through Catholic Parishes and Schools beginning February 3. Registration Fee will be $5. For more information on Registration, please visit our website: guam2012awyd.tk.

BONE MARROW REGISTRY DRIVE Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012 at GPO in Tamuning.

Residents must be between the ages of 18 and 60, willing to donate to any patient in need, and meet the health guidelines.

Please send all announcements to ­ news@umatuna.org or contact 472-6201 or 989-6391.

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at home. But more than anything far and wide the story of his healelse, it was Barry’s offer of friend- ing. Once an outcast, the healed man becomes a proclaimer of the ship that touched him the most.

Many years later, Barry’s act good news of salvation he himself of generosity and kindness would received. The Gospel tells us that prove to have greatly influenced when dealing with God we have Jerome’s choice of a state in life. Je- everything to gain and nothing to rome, who graduated valedictorian lose by being bold and daring. God of the graduating class, went on to sets an example by showing his grabecome a priest. Barry, the salutato- ciousness toward us. God so loved rian, became a heart surgeon. Now, the world that he sent his only Son while Doctor Barry cures physical to be its Savior. God could not have ailments of the heart, Father Je- given us anything greater. For in his rome heals spiritual wounds of the Son, our loving Father has given us ARCHBISHOP soul. Jerome knows how and why his very self.

This gospel reflection is taken he has to be an instrument of healing: he himself experienced such from St. Paul’s 366 Days with the Lord. May your day be filled with healing. All because Barry dared. isters and Brothers: Barry Today’s gospel narrative also love and may Almighty God bless and Jerome were classmates tells of daring actions. Bold actions, you in the name of the Father and in their fourth year of high we may even say. First, there is the of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. school. They were not close leper’s behavior. In Jesus’ time, lep- Amen. friends but neither were they bit- rosy is believed to be God’s punishter enemies. They were both very ment for sins. Therefore, a leper is Pinagat Atsubispo Anthony bright students and either one not only considered as physically of them was likely to graduate as unclean, he is also thought to be Sablan Apuron, Kapuchinu valedictorian. Each considered the spiritually and ritually unclean. He Mane’lu-hu: Si Barry yan Jerome other as his is excluded from the community klumasmate gi mina’ kuattro na esstiffest rival.

TODAY’S GOSPEL It happened and from the temple worship and kuelan high school. Ti gumefatungo’ has to live as a solitary vagrant. i dos lao ti gumefinimugu lokkue. that Jerome Until he has been healed and rituMark 1:14-20 Todu i dos gofmalati’ ya unu entre became af- ally purified, everyone who touches siha sina magraduha komu mas flicted with him or even comes near runs the tatkilu. Umakunsidera i dos komu chicken pox two weeks before the risk of being rendered unclean. But kumpitensiha. Ma susedi na inatditi final examinations. Realizing that the leper in the Gospel ignores all si Jerome ni ‘chicken pox’ dos simahe could not afford to miss classes, restrictions and dares to approach na antes di uttimu na eksaminasion.

Jerome dared to go to school after Jesus. Though respectful in his supPut no u fatta umeskuela, matto ha only two days at home--just when plication for healsi Jerome dos dithe chicken pox lesions were begin- ing, he is nonehas despues--anai ning to show. When his classmates theless insistent. ... when dealing hatutuhon umanbecame aware of his condition, no Then there is nok i minapta with God we have one dared to go near him. Some Jesus’ response. i ‘chicken pox’. even taunted him: “Hey, pockface! As a rabbi, he everything to gain and Anai ma tungo’ Go home before you infect every- is forbidden to manga’chongone!” His teacher sent him home, touch the leper. nothing to lose by being ni na i kundisiontelling him not to go back to school To do so could rena, taya ni unu bold and daring. without his doctor’s clearance. sult in ritual immalagu’ umariJerome went home crying, deep- purity. But Jesus, mayi gue’. Gualy hurt by the rejection of people moved with pity, ha unos kuantos kumakasi gue’: whom he thought were his friends. stretches out his hand and touches “Hey, pakpak fasu! Hanao tatte gi Moreover, he knew that his absence the afflicted man. He dares to ignore gima’-mu antes di un tanme todu!” would certainly affect negatively the law of Moses and obeys instead Nina’hanao put fin ni ma’estro’-na, his quest for the highest honors. the law dictated by his heart, the sinangani gue’ na cha’-na fafatto Blinded by tears, he did not see law of love and compassion. As a tatte astaki tinago’ gue’ ni mediku.

Barry following him. Much to his result of these two bold actions a Kumakati si Jerome humano surprise, his closest rival promised man regains not only his dignity para i gima’-na, gof pininiti ni marito visit him everyday and share his but also his rights as a human being. chasa gue’ ni taotao siha ni hinassoclass notes with him. Barry was true He returns to his community and na amigu-na siha. Mas ki enao ha to his word, and Jerome was able to becomes its animator. He spreads tungo’ na i tumaigue’-na gi eskuela keep up with the lessons even while sina inafekta i chansa-na para u mas tatkilu magraduha. Bachet ni kati-na, ti ha li’e’ na tinattitiyi gue as Barry. Sinenhinenghang anai sinangani gue’ as Barry na para u binisita gue’ kada diha ya ufina’nu’i ni tinige’-na kada diha. Mumagahet si Barry ni fino’-na ya si Jerome ha kumple i leksion-na gi gima’. Lao mas ki todu i inatungo’ Barry para guiya sumenpacha gue’ si Jerome.

Meggai sakkan despues, i gineftao yan i che’cho’ karidat Barry inafekta gue’ si Jerome ni inayek-na para i istadun i lina’la’-na. Si Jerome, ni magraduha mas tatkilu’ entre i manmagraduha, humanao para u pale’.

Si Barry, ni tinatte-na, mumedikun kurason. Pa’go, mientras i Doktot as Barry hana’hohomlo’ i minalangon tataotao tat komu i kurason, si Pale’ Jerome hana’hohomlo’ i minalangon i ante. Ha tungo’ si Jerome taimanu yan sa hafa na Servus Tuus Staff recipient Josephine Paulino shares a photo with mama’instrumenton muna’homlo’ Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron, O.F.M., Cap., D.D. during Catholic gue’; sa guiya mismo umeksperienSchools Week at Notre Dame High School. Photo courtesy of Jessica Perezsiha enao na klasen nina’homlo’. Ya Jackson ‘96 todu sa’ put muma’tatnga si Barry.

I Ibangheliun pa’go hasan-

Anthony Sablan Apuron, O.F.M. Cap., D.D.

S

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gangani hit put matatnga na aksion. Taffu na aksion, sina ta alok.

Fine’na atan ha’ i aksion nasarinu.

Gi tiempon Jesu Kristo, nasarinu mahongge komu kastigun Yu’os para i umi’isao. Enao na i nasarinu ti aplacha ha’ gi tataotao ha, na kuntodu aplacha gi espirituat yan ritualidat na banda. Mana’susuha ginen i kumunidat yan ginen i inadoran i templo ya ma’afuetsas para u la’la’ komu u lumalaoya na taotao. Astaki mana’homlo’ gue’ ya mana’gasgas gi serimonihas, todu ni pumapacha gue’ pat humihuti gue’ mana’aplacha’. Lao i nasarinu gi Ibangheliu ha abandona todu reklamento ya ha tafu’i fumana’ si Jesu Kristo. Maseha respetayon gi ginagao-na para si Jesu Kristo, ha insisti na u hiningok. Pues, i ineppen Jesu Kristo. Komu pale’ Hudios, ti ma sedi gue’ na u pacha i nasarinu. Sa’ yanggen ha cho’gue este siempe nina’aplacha gue’. Lao si Jesu Kristo sa’ muma’ase’ ha estira i kannai-na ya ha pacha i nasarinu na taotao. Ha tafu’i i lai Moises ya ha osge in lugat i lai ni dinikta ni kurason-na, i lai guinaiya yan yine’ase’. I risuttan i dos taffu’ na aksion i taotao ha ganna tatte ahi ti i diknidat-na ha’ lao lokkue’ i direcho’-na komu taotao. Numa’lu’ tatte gi kuminidat-na ya guiya hayengyong siha. Hana’famta i istorihan i mana’homlo’-na. Esta un ma richasa na taotao, i manan’homlo’ na taotao prumuklama i maolek na nutisihan satbasion ni guiya mismo rumisibi. I Ibangheliu hasangangani hit na yanggen ma a’adiga hit yan si Yu’os todu ha’ para ganansihata ya taya manmalingu-ta yanggen man taffu’ ya ti mankubatde hit.

Si Yu’os hana’i hit ihemplo’ anai hafa’nu’i hit i grasi’osu-na para hita.

Si Yu’os ha sen guaiya i tano’ enao mina’ hana’hanao i uniku na Lahina para satbadot-na. Ti sina si Yu’os hana’i hit mas dangkolo ki este. Sa’ gi Lahi-na i guaiyayon na Tata-ta hana’i hit nu guiya ha’ mismo. Este na pinagat machuchule’ ginen i Lepblon San Papblo 366 Dihas yan i Saina. Ohalara ya u bula guinaiya i ha’anen-miyu ya i todu hana’sina na Yu’os infambinendisi gi na’an i Tata yan i Lahi-na yan i Espiritu Santo. Amen.

Ibangheliu (Marcos 1:40-45) Un nasarinu malak guatu gi as Jesus, dumimu papa’ ya finaisen gue’ para u inayuda. Ilek-na, “Yanggen malagu’ hao sina un na’gasgas yu’.”

Nina’senma’ase’ si Jesus ya ha estira i kannai-na ya ha pacha gue’. Ilekna, “Malagu’ yu’, un mana’gasgas!”

Gotpe ha’ malingu’ i nasarinu gi taotao ya gumasgas gue’. Linalatde gue’ as Jesus ya rinitira gue’ insigidas. Ilek-na, “Adahi na un essanganini hayi put este. Lao hanao tunas guatu gi as pale’ ya un ineksamina; despues ufresi i sakrifisiu ni tinago’ Moises, para prueba para todu na gasgas hao esta.” Lao ma’pos i taotao ya ha tutuhon sumangannaihon gi todu i banda put este i masusedi.

Ya put i mineggai taotao ni humungok gue’ ti sina esta si Jesus humalom gi sengsong pupblikamente. In lugat di u halom gi sengsong sumasaga gue’ gi sanhiyong anai taya’ taotao, ya manmafatto i taotao siha ginen todu i banda.

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CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

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Sunday, February 12, 2012

Academy of Our Lady NHS Inductees

(L-R): Mr. Ivan Pineda (AOLG Campus Minister), Kriselle Perez, Marylou Javelosa, Cirena San Nicolas, Ms. Diana Calvo (CSS Executive Director), Danielle Fejeran, Raelina Babauta, Mrs. Mary Meeks (AOLG Principal) and Ms. Christy Alcantara (AOLG Theology Teacher). Photo taken at AOLG. Photo courtesy of AOLG

(Bottom Row, L-R): Erica Fastidio, Liane Peraja, Maurissa Sayama, Nicole Brindejonc, Aileen Fabia, Amanda Muna, (Center Row, L-R): Christine Kim, June Chew, Hannah Sablan, Alessandra Lacson, Audrey Olchondra, (Top Row, L-R): Min Kyung Kang, Marie Leon Guerrero, Ma. Denise Robles, Elizabeth Kim, Tana Ramos, Anna Eliza Sy. Photo courtesy of AOLG

AOLG Students Donate to Catholic Social Services

On January 30, 2012, Academy of Our Lady of Guam students and teachers, with funds collected during their Thanksgiving Liturgy, donated $439.27 to Catholic Social Service, a non-profit organization which assists the elderly and disadvantaged families in Guam.

NDHS Appreciates Students, Faculty and Staff During Catholic Schools Week

By Jessica Perez-Jackson ‘96 Notre Dame High School the Servus Tuus Staff award in honor c­elebrated Catholic Schools Week of her excellence in promoting Cathby honoring parents, guardians, fac- olic education. ulty, staff and students through a variety of different activities. Each day of Catholic Schools Week held Right: Sophomores Thomas a theme, inspired by Notre Dame’s Quichocho and Amanda Cruz set up Alma Mater. On January 31, 2012, the their table before the barbeque. students and Administration presented faculty and staff members Below: NDHS Servus Tuus nominees with certificates and gifts of appreJosephine Paulino, Staff and Jadeline ciation, honoring Royal Faculty and Mullikin, Faculty Staff as “beacon[s] of righteousness.”

On Thursday, February 2, the Notre Dame community held a campuswide barbeque to honor the “Children of Mary,” Notre Dame’s Royal student body.

Faculty and Staff members also attended the Catholic Educators Conference on Friday, February 3, at the Phoenix Center, where faculty members, Jadeline Mullikin, and staff member, Josephine Paulino, were nominated for the Servus Tuus Award. Ms. Paulino was presented Photos courtesy of Jessica Perez-Jackson ‘96

STA Model UN Event Promotes Peace

On February 4, 2012, the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School Model United Nations Club celebrated humanity in its diversity by organizing a cultural night.

The event took place on the campus of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School and was opened to the public. More than three hundred guests and family members attended. After opening with a prayer dedicated to world peace, guests were treated to a variety of showcases of the

following cultures: C ­ hamorro, Japanese, Mexican, Palauan, Philippine, Spanish, and Southern US. Nearly fifty homemade ethnic foods from chalakilis to brak, edamame, tapas, cassava bibingka, enchiladas and Kansas City style ribs were available for tasting; and a variety of performances including the Taotao Lagu cultural dancers and Yellow Led youth band, provided entertainment to our guests.

The high note was the performance on the belembaotuyan

by Ms. Laling Taitano. This instrument is known as one of the most ancient Chamorro musical instruments.

Congratulations to all Model UN members, their officers and advisors, Dr. Tim Guile and US Attorney Alicia Limtiaco, for engaging the whole school community into the conversation of embracing cultural diversity to foster a better understanding of other cultures and promote world peace.

Photos courtesy of STA

CHURCH & SOCIETY

Sunday, February 12, 2012

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ITE MISSA EST From the Mass to the Market: Engaging the World Beyond the Church Doors

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SYSTEM 4 U (next to Logan Farms) Marine Corps Dr., Tamuning Tel: 646-4909

So said Bishop Zubik of Pittsburgh on January 27. Contrary to what some are attempting to contrive, Bishop Zubik was not saying “to hell with you” to President Obama. He was characterizing what Obama was saying to the Catholic Church by forcing us to comply with a mandate that treats fertility as a disease.

In any event, Zubik”s “to hell with you” is telling of just how hot this showdown has become. And on February 3, the USCCB turned the heat up big time by essentially calling the President a liar. In a statement posted to the USCCB website, the bishops shout FALSE!, FALSE!, and more FALSE! in response to claims made against the USCCB by the White House.

Catholic commentators across the networks are expressing a combination of outrage and disbelief that the President could be so unilaterally brazen. Many think this is political suicide, that it’s going to cost him votes.

But the president knows exactly what he’s doing. And he has good reason to believe he will win. Here’s my take: Obama is not fundamentally anti-Catholic. He is simply a statist with a progressivist agenda that includes same-sex marriage, unlimited access to abortion, and a health care system which ultimately gives the state the power of life and death over every individual.

The Catholic Church is simply in his way. He needs to get it out of his way yet still keep the Catholic vote.

His strategy is simple and brilliant: draw the bishops into an open war, publicly discredit them, and then, mission accomplished, throw them the bone they are barking for, and once again, walk away with the Catholic vote.

The first step is already underway. Obama made the next step on February 2 when he posted a report by the Guttmacher Institute showing that 98 percent of Catholic women already employ the contraceptive methods required by his mandate. In short, on this issue, Catholics have been shouting their own version of “to hell with you” to their own bishops for several decades.

And this is Obama’s silver bullet. He is betting that the damning report will turn the bishops into paper tigers. It may work. Regardless of what the Church officially teaches, the fact is that for several decades, not only have many pastors including bishops been relatively silent about contraception, some have even counseled that its use is a personal

decision. (It’s not.)

Obama knows that this is checkmate for the Church. Once exposed, the bishops either have to accept that they are irrelevant to the people they claim to lead, or that they have previously turned a blind eye to the near universal embrace of contraceptive evil by their own ranks. Either way, Obama will use this to paint their current bluster as a hollow attempt to save face. And he’ll have plenty of help from a contraceptive-loving media and the Pelosi/Biden/Sibelius brand of “Catholics” that he has recruited to his administration for this very moment.

At the height of this Obama Inquisition, look for the President to sweep in with an offer to dialogue and seek to “work together”. This will position him as magnanimous, compassionate, and modern compared to the bishops who will have been made to look like a desperate pack of angry medieval clerics desirous of burning contraceptive heretics at the stake. Simply brilliant.

Some think that at this point Obama will just string the bishops along until he gets reelected. But I think he’ll probably grant the bishops’ desire for a larger exemption. He’ll do this for two reasons: 1) such a grand act of compassion (wink) will secure the lion’s share of the Catholic vote, and 2) the number of people covered by the exemption is inconsequential.

Amazingly, the bishops, in their quest for conscience rights for those in their employ have left the rest of Catholic America outside the gate. Regardless of the nature of the exemption sought by the bishops, Catholics not in the employ of the Church will still be forced to materially cooperate in moral evil “as a condition of breathing” as candidate Rick Santorum put it. That there is hardly a mention of this by Catholic commentators or leaders is symptomatic of why we are in this fix in the first place.

Our bishops must fight to eliminate the entire evil edict, NOT just lobby for a wider exemption! Indeed, they should fight to dismantle the whole of Obamacare as it is sure to hold more anti-life surprises. In fact, the Church needs to discard the idea of insurance based and state-supported health care altogether and return to its own historical mission and mandate to care for the sick as a corporal work of mercy. It may have to. We have already had a taste of what Obama means by “mercy”.

This column reflects only the views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff and management of the Umatuna.

Hyperlinks to supporting data can be found on the online version at www.themassneverends. com The author can be contacted at timrohr. guam@gmail.com

umatuna.org

6 PHILIPPINES

REGIONAL

Sunday, February 12, 2012

KOREA

Church Eyes North Evangelization Believes formation of refugees could open doors in future

Google Images

Church Gears for Pedro Calungsod’s Canonization

MANILA — The Archdiocese of Cebu has taken the lead role in both the spiritual and physical preparations for the canonization of the Philippines’ second saint in the person of Blessed Pedro Calungsod which will likely take place during the later part of 2012.

Fr. Marvin Mejia, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines assistant secretary general said CBCP President and Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma has organized three different committees in Rome, Cebu and at the national level.

“The preparations include catechesis, to inform the general public of the life of Blessed Pedro Calungsod, to organize pilgrims who will attend the canonization rites in Rome and to invite national figures into the Thanksgiving Mass in Cebu City scheduled after the canonization,” Mejia told CBCPNews.

Heading the publicity committee is Cebu City-based Fr. Trinidad Silva, the archdiocesan media director, said Mejia.

Asked of a definite date for the canonization rites, Mejia said the Vatican still has to announce the schedule.

“The canonization comes at a most opportune time because the Catholic church in the Philippines just ended the Year of the Youth last December and has embarked on the Year of the Missions this 2012,” Mejia said.

According to Mejia, there are five phases in the program including activities related to the pre-announcement phase, the post announcement, pre-canonization rites where catechetical conferences on the wouldbe saint will be held across the country, the canonization rites in Rome and the post-canonization phase where a National Thanksgiving Mass will be scheduled in Cebu City.

Blessed Pedro Calungsod was a young man when he joined the missionaries to Guam and was killed because of his unwavering faith in Christianity. (CBCPNews)

The evangelization of North Korean refugees could be a stepping stone to spreading the Good News across the communist state in the event reunification takes place in the future, a symposium was told yesterday.

At present, evangelization in the North is impossible, but the Church is hoping that will change in the not too distant future.

To this end participants at the symposium in Seoul were encouraged to conduct mission work among North Korean refugees in South Korea.

The Church can have “indirect interaction” with North Korea and prepare for future work in the North through the refugees, said Father Norbert Cha Dong-yeob, director of the Future Pastoral Institute, which organized the event.

Sister Stella Lim Sun-yun, director of the Center for North Korean Refugees in Incheon diocese, suggested introducing refugees to the Church through a trial cat-

A speaker addresses a symposium at the Future Pastoral Institute. UCA NEWS Photo

echism or Bible study program.

This could be a way of testing the waters better when and if reunification does take place, she said.

James Nam Dong-jin, vice-president of Incheon diocese’s Korea Reconciliation Committee, however, says his committee has already introduced several evangelization projects aimed at North Korean refugees.

He said that he and 15 parishioners have formed a group with several refugees and organize monthly prayer meetings and other activities.

Nam also told the symposium that once a year, they invite around 100 refugees to a home-stay program.

According to him, three North Korean refugees in Incheon diocese have already undergone missioner formation.

North Korea, with a Catholic church in Pyongyang, insists it has some 3,000 Catholics but no residing priest or nuns.

The South Korean Church prohibits its priests from visiting the communist state to say Mass because it does not believe there are really Catholics there. (UCA News)

Bishop Calls for Health Act Revision Says Mother and Child Health Act 'effectively legalized abortions'

timated that 1.5 million abortions are performed annually in South Korea.

“The Catholic Church teaches that human life begins from fertilization. Abortions and the destruction of human embryos are heavy crimes that destroy life,” Bishop Chang told about 1,000 attendees of the Mass. (UCA News)

Bishop Gabriel Chang Bong-hun celebrating a special Mass.

UCA NEWS Photo

A Catholic bishop yesterday called on the government to amend a reproductive health law that he said encourages women to have abortions.

Bishop Gabriel Chang Bonghun of Cheongju, president of the Bioethics Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea objected specifically to Article 14 of the Mother and Child Health Act, which was passed in 1973.

“Article 14 … should be abolished because the clause encourages women to have an abortion,” Bishop Chang said during a Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral.

The Bishops’ Conference holds a Mass on the nearest Monday to February 8 each year, which was the date on which the legislation was originally enacted.

According to Article 14 of the law, an abortion can be performed in case of pregnancy by rape or incest, certain kinds of genetic, men-

tal or physical conditions or if the mother’s health is in danger.

Critics of the law have pointed out that it was passed under the rule of a military dictatorship and has effectively legalized abortion because the government has been lax in enforcing it.

Thomas Cha Hee-jae, president of the Korean Pro-Life Doctors Association, said the law is regularly abused by people seeking an abortion for reasons outside its parameters.

He said he had heard of a man who took his sister to a sexual violence relief center after she accidentally became pregnant by her boyfriend. There, she was advised to claim that she had been raped.

“The worker new about Article 14, and so advised the woman accordingly,” said Cha, adding that the government should amend the clause immediately.

Local Church officials have es-

Philvolcs Chief Calls for Immediate Repair of Old Churches MANILA — The country’s seismology bureau has called for an immediate repair of old Catholic Churches which are prone to damage by earthquakes.

According to the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) warned that historical churches must be prepared for quakes as the country is not far from active fault lines.

Dr. Renato Solidum, Philvolcs director, noted the initiative of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts to renovate old churches but he said this must be done as soon as possible.

“It’s a race against time… I hope they will do it fast,” he said. “These churches are important because of their history and also for tourism.”

Solidum issued the statement a day after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit Visayan provinces and reportedly killed at least 52 people.

Several highways, churches, houses and buildings were also damaged.

There were 90 destructive earthquakes that shook the Philippines over the past 400 years and 40 of them generated tsunamis.

Solidum previously said that they found the records of these powerful quakes mostly in markers of some old Catholic Churches.

The Philvolcs official also suggested the conduct of earthquake drills in churches to further improve the evacuation preparedness of churchgoers.

He said that people should be well-trained in the proper way of dealing with quakes to ensure that everyone will act calmly and responsibly. (CBCPNews)

Sunday, February 12, 2012

NATIONAL

umatuna.org

7

Federal Judicial Panel Rules California Proposition 8 Unconstitutional

By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — By a 2-1 vote, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the California ban on same-sex marriage, saying that it violates the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees citizens due process and equal protection under the law.

The majority opinion, issued Feb. 7, said that the state, which had given homosexual couples the right to marry, could not revoke that right.

The National Organization of Marriage Education Fund, in a statement issued by its director, Brian S. Brown, accused the judges of "finding a 'right' to same-sex marriage in the United States Constitution!"

"This sets up an all-ornothing showdown at the United States Supreme Court," said Brown, who asked for contributions to help fund a possible Supreme Court challenge to the lower court's ruling.

Auxiliary Bishop Gerald E. Wilkerson of Los Angeles, president of the California Catholic Conference, expressed disappointment in the ruling but also confidence that it would be reversed.

"We are disappointed by the ruling today by a panel of the 9th Circuit that would invalidate the action taken by the people of California affirming that marriage unites a woman and a man and any children from their union," he said in a Feb. 7 statement.

"However, given the issues involved and the nature of the legal process, it's always been clear that this case would very likely be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Marriage between one man and one woman has been -- and always will be -- the most basic building block of the family and of our society," Bishop Wilkerson added.

"In the end, through sound legal reasoning, we believe the court will see this as well and uphold the will of the voters as expressed in Proposition 8. We continue to pray for that positive outcome."

An estimated 18,000 same-sex marriages had been performed in California before 52 percent of the state's voters in 2008 approved Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriages in the state.

ProtectMarriage, which put Proposition 8 on the

ballot and fought in court to uphold it, can appeal the decision, either to the full 9th Circuit or directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, the appeals panel said no same-sex marriages can be performed.

The appellate court majority said it did not answer the question of "whether under the Constitution same-sex couples may ever be denied the right to marry," calling it "an important and highly controversial question."

‘Proposition 8 served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in ­California.’

Judge Stephen Reinhardt "Although the Constitution permits communities to enact most laws they believe to be desirable, it requires that there be at least a legitimate reason for the passage of a law that treats different classes of people differently," said the majority decision, written by Judge Stephen Reinhardt. "There was no such reason that Proposition 8 could have been enacted."

"Proposition 8 served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California," it added.

All Proposition 8 did, the court said, was to strip samesex couples of "the right to obtain and use the designation of 'marriage' to describe their relationships. Nothing more, nothing less. Proposition 8 therefore could not have been enacted to advance California's interests in childrearing or responsible procreation, for it had no effect on the rights of same-sex couples to raise children or on the procreative practices of other couples. Nor did Proposition 8 have any effect on religious freedom or on parents' rights to control their children's education."

The 9th Circuit issued its opinion in an appeal filed by supporters of traditional marriage after now-retired U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker ruled the voter-approved initiative was uncon-

stitutional under the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The group challenged Walker's standing in the case, because the judge, who is gay, did not disclose his sexual orientation or reveal that he had a longtime romantic partner until after he had retired from the court. The 9th Circuit panel said it found no evidence Walker was biased.

The three-judge panel's decision is on hold at least until the deadline passes for ProtectMarriage to file an appeal, meaning no same-sex marriages would be conducted in California in the near future.

Currently, seven states and the District of Columbia permit same-sex marriage.

Among the states considering a same-sex marriage bill is Washington, which falls within the jurisdiction of the 9th Circuit. The governor, Christine Gregoire, a Catholic, has said she will push for its passage in the state legislature.

The passage of Proposition 8 inserted language into the state constitution that marriage was between one man and one woman, overriding the California Supreme Court, which struck down a pair of laws in the summer of 2008 that had restricted marriage to one man and one woman.

A Pew Forum analysis on attitudes toward same-sex marriage by religion released Feb. 7 said Catholics supported same-sex marriage 52 percent to 37 percent, with 11 percent undecided as of an October 2011 survey. That is up from a 46 percent favorable opinion (42 percent unfavorable) in a survey conducted in August and September 2010.

Hispanic Catholics are split, 42 percent to 42 percent, on same-sex marriage, while white Catholics approve of same-sex marriage by a margin of 57 percent to 35 percent.

Overall, same-sex marriage was favored by Americans 46 percent to 44 percent in the 2011 poll; in the 2010 survey, it was opposed 48 percent to 42 percent. The only religious groups remaining opposed to same-sex marriage in the latest survey were white evangelicals, 74 percent to 19 percent, and black Protestants, 62 to 30.

Protestants overall remain opposed to gay marriage, 58 to 34. (CNS)

8

umatuna.org

INTERNATIONAL

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Vatican Astronomer Says Big Bang Theory in Tune with Creation History VATICAN CITY — The director of the Vatican Observatory said that the Church is open to the scientific theory that the world began from a cosmic explosion billions of years ago.

“The Big Bang is not in contradiction with the faith, ” Father Jose Gabriel Funes said during a Feb. 2 announcement of a Vatican exhibit that will feature photos, research tools and minerals from the Moon and Mars.

The exhibit titled “Stories from another world: The Universe within us and outside us,” will be on display March 10 - July 1 in Pisa, the birthplace of Galileo, the father of modern astronomy.

Fr. Funes told CNA at the event that the Big Bang explanation “is the best theory we have right now about the creation of the universe.”

The theory holds that creation began some 14 billion years ago with a colossal explosion in which space, time, energy and matter were created, and galaxies, stars and planets – which are in continual expansion – came to be.

“We know that God is the creator,” he added, “that He is a good Father who has a providential plan for us, that we are his children, and that we everything we can learn by reason about the origin of the universe is not in contradiction with the religious message of the Bible.”

Fr. Funes said that as an astronomer and a Catholic, he is open to this explanation of the creation of

Contraception CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 letter to be read, a key passage urging Catholics to avoid complying with the “unjust law” was removed.

On Jan. 20, the Department of Health and Human Services announced a new mandate that will soon require virtually all employers to purchase health insurance coverage that includes contraception, sterilization and drugs that cause abortion.

The announcement sparked protest around the country, as Catholic leaders and religious organizations argued that they were being coerced to violate their religious beliefs.

Although a religious exemption to the mandate exists, it does not apply to organizations that are willing to serve or employ members of other faiths. As the mandate stands, most Catholic schools, hospitals and charity organizations would be excluded from the exemption.

More than 150 Catholic bishops across the country have spoken out against the directive, saying that it violates the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom. Several have called for civil disobedience in response to the new regulation.

On Jan. 26, Archbishop Broglio joined many of his fellow bishops around the country in issuing a pastoral letter on the mandate to be read from the pulpit at all Sunday Masses throughout the following weekend.

the universe, despite “some yet unanswered questions.”

He noted, for example, that while there is no proof of other intelligent life in the universe, “we cannot rule it out,” since studies show that there are nearly 700 planets orbiting other stars.

“If in the future it was established that life, and intelligent life, exists, which I think would be very difficult, I don’t think this contradicts the religious message of creation because they would also be creatures of God,” he said.

Ultimately, Catholics “should see the cosmos as a gift of God” and should “admire the beauty that exists in the universe.”

“This beauty we see in some way leads us to the beauty of the creator,” he said.

“And also, because God has granted us intelligence and reason, we can find the logos, that rational explanation that exists in the universe that allows us to engage in science as well.”

The Church’s official interest in astronomy dates back to the 16th century. In 1891, Pope Leo XIII decided to officially create the Vatican Observatory to show that the Church is not against scientific development, but rather promotes it.

Since then, the Vatican Observatory has operated out of Castel Gandolfo and uses a telescope located in Tuscon, Arizona, for research.

(CNA) The pastoral letter argued that the mandate violated the religious freedom protected in the U.S. Constitution and called on Catholics to resist it.

However, according to the archdiocese’s statement, the Army’s Office of the Chief of Chaplains sent out an e-mail instructing that the letter “not be read from the pulpit.”

The e-mail said that the letter could instead be mentioned in the Mass announcements and distributed at the back of the chapel, but that it had not been coordinated with the office and should not be read during Mass.

After a discussion between Archbishop Broglio and Secretary of the Army John McHugh, “it was agreed that it was a mistake to stop the reading” of the letter.

However, the line, “We cannot – we will not – comply with this unjust law” was removed from the letter by the archbishop at the prompting of Secretary McHugh, who believed that it “could potentially be misunderstood as a call to civil disobedience.”

According to the archdiocese, Archbishop Broglio believes the move violated both his rights and “those same rights of all military chaplains and their congregants.”

The archdiocese did not give any indication that it intends to pursue legal action over the incident. It said that it “did not receive any objections to the reading of Archbishop Broglio's statement from the other branches of service.” (CNA/EWTN News)

Sunday, February 12, 2012

FEATURE

umatuna.org

9

DIFFERENCES… BUT WITH

RESPECT

Our Conversation with Senator Dennis Rodriguez Senator Dennis Rodriguez was elected to his inaugural term as a member of the Guam Legislature in 2010 and has been a voice for many of the concerns for the Church, particularly in pro-life issues. The senator sat down to speak with U Matuna Si Yu'os to discuss his perspective on becoming a more public figure and the hopes and challenges of being a legislator.

At the conclusion of part one of our interview last week, USY made a transcription error in quoting Sen. Rodriguez as saying that as senators, “we have to seek to do what is bad.”

The quote should have read, “we have to seek to do what is best.” Although the context of the Senator’s words demonstrated that this was our error, USY apologizes for the mistake and any confusion that resulted.

In our conclusion, we speak with the senator about the trials of politics, the struggles of getting legislation passed, and the role of faith in public life.

challenges in trying to introduce your legislative ideas on behalf of the people of Guam?

DR: If I can bring up one specific issue,

and probably the first really contentious issue that really came up for me, was my initiative to save [F.Q. Sanchez] Elementary School in Umatac from closing. That was something that I thought would be a no-brainer—something our leaders would stand up for. We have a school down south that was a very small school, to be sure, but the students were doing well and were even improving.

When something is working out well, you shouldn’t shut it down, uproot the students.

My initiative then was [to save the school] since the school term was about to begin. We can’t do things like that, especially in a small community. Schools like that are the pride and joy of their communities. As it turns out, I was the only one who stood up for that.

Looking back now, I think part of it was Not long ago, we spoke with a person that “new guy” stigma: the sense of “What who was very involved in politics. When does this new guy think he’s doing?” That we asked him if he would get involved or could have been one of the root problems at run for office again, he laughed at us and the time. said, “There is absolutely no way.” When Still, I don’t regret doing what I did. Repressed why, he only said, “Politics on ally, I think now as our school year starts to Guam are brutal. There are others who come to an end, and we get a better sense of misquote you or misrepresent you—de- the results of these actions we have taken [in closing Sanchez] and the expense, I think liberately. You have to have really thick we’ll all see that [the results] are not what we bill and understand it before you just jump to conclusions, and I think that’s what we saw skin to succeed in politics here.” He then expected it to be. here. It was really a small, small victory in the asked if I would run, and I said, “No…for protection of life. It is a small victory, but it The pro-life legislation that you intro- is a victory. The efforts in the community like the same reasons.” duced also proved to be quite conten- Project Esperansa I think really pay off. WithDR: In politics it is important to be surrounded by and work with people who are tious, to put it mildly. The pro-life issues, out the backing and support of the communihonest. But there are plenty of people who the same-sex marriage issue—these al- ty, none of these bills would advance forward. will be very critical of you in the editorials in ways excite the passions, and for good Related to that, how do you understand newspapers and especially in blogs on the in- reason. What lessons did you draw out ternet because of the anonymity. I understand of that whole experience—not just the as a senator, a father, a husband, how all that, and I have no problem with it because end result—but the whole experience, do you understand the role of religion in public life? In other words, how does I knew this was the situation that I “signed up” and did you draw out anything that for. your own approach to your faith impact When responding to some of the people might alter or shape how you would pur- how you proceed in your political life, who write editorials about me, I can only say sue various issues in the future? your legislation, your decisions? that I truly have no problem with them being DR: Two of these bills originated with the DR: In my own life, in my work and in my critical of me, but the only thing I ask of those Governor and found their way into my compeople is that they be accurate. When you say mittee, where they remained for lack of sup- family, what I put first is my God. Whatever something, be accurate and be true to your port. So I think what I’ve learned from my I do in my work, as a senator and as a father, research. [Those who are critical] may think experience is that education is really needed has to be centered on that. It’s what I know. they are hurting me—and yes, it does hurt here—not just of the public, but even for the It’s my faith. That has to be the center of the sometimes—but [when they aren’t accurate] members of the Legislature so that they un- political side as well. they are hurting my wife, my family, my staff derstand what it is exactly that these pieces who work so hard. So that’s what I tell people: of legislation are actually going to do. I think There the famous line in the Robert you may not like me, you may not like a group that once we see a title about abortion, we au- Bolt’s play “A Man for All Seasons” where or a position, and we may have our differenc- tomatically go to a position of pro-life or pro- Thomas More says, “When a man sacries, but at least have that much respect. choice, when that’s not necessarily the case. fices his private conscience for the sake example, my recent bill 323 was going to of his public duty, he leads his country by To move to a few more pointed ques- For require parental consent for any minor who a short route to chaos.” Does that sense tions now: there have been difficulties in was seeking an abortion. Right away, people pushing through some of the legislation thought, “What are you doing with abortion? of conscience—enlightened by faith—dithat you have introduced in the Legisla- You’re a Democrat! This is too hot a topic!” rect you in your personal legislative priorities, or do you think your efforts are ture over the last several months. What Things of that nature. You just don’t do it. more to “maximize the public good?”

But what I say is that you have to read the do you find to be the root problems or

USY Photo

DR: I think [conscience] really does factor in…We must have faith in people, and we must all be true to what we believe it, the people we believe in—even if it would be politically expedient to cut them loose. That’s not the way I was raised, and that’s not the way I like to do things.

If you have a constituent, or if you know someone with a problem, and your assisting them will hurt you, you have to think and really ask yourself, “What would the Good Lord do here?” You can’t abandon [people], whether in your personal life or as a senator.

Quite often today, people think of everything in terms of “It’s my right!” and ground everything in what seems to be a rather inflated sense of justice. When it comes to legislation, say regarding same-sex marriage, then where would you draw the line separating private life from public morals? How far could or would you go as a legislator?

DR: People know my position on this, and

I have friends that have chosen to live in a particular lifestyle. I have told them openly, “This is my position on this. If it comes up, and I have to make a decision regarding extending rights of some kind, then I am going to have to vote against it. Period. It’s against what I believe in. It’s against my upbringing.” But one thing I do say is, “I do respect you. You are my friend. But I cannot support this.”

FAMAGU’ON Yan MANHOBEN

umatuna.org

10

Puzzles & Games

MOVIE REVIEW

Big Miracle

WORD SEARCH Find all the words hiding within the puzzle. Words are placed diagonal, forward, backward, up and down.

B Z E T C S R E D I A R S O N

THEME Catholic Schools on Guam Mascots COUGARS OBISPOS VERITAS FRIARS PHOENIX ROYALS BRAVES SPARTANS RAIDERS CRUSADERS LION

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B F B A Z U S W E Y S B J W T

S B A Y L I O N R O I L K T R

By Joseph McAleer

F D Q B D Q G U S T W Q C R J

E G Z C O U G A R S V L R B M

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Catholic News Service

NEW YORK — "Free Willy," the 1993 whale rescue film, looks like child's play when compared to "Big Miracle" (Universal), in which not one but three giant mammals are trapped in Arctic ice, and it takes a whole lot more than a sleepy Alaskan town to save them.

Directed by Ken Kwapis -- and based on the real-life events recounted in Thomas Rose's 1989 book "Freeing the Whales" -- the film is an animal rights activist's dream. Families, neighbors, corporations, and even superpowers set aside their differences for a spell and work together, seeing in the innocent cetaceans a metaphor for peace and understanding.

It's 1988, and television reporter Adam Carlson (John Krasinski) is biding his time in Alaska, hoping to land the really big story that will serve as his ticket to a better job in the Lower 48. Knocking about the desolate town of Barrow with local Inupiat boy Nathan (Ahmaogak Sweeney), Carlson stumbles on a hole in the offshore ice.

Within it he finds a headline waiting to happen: Peeking out as they surface for air is the cutest family of California gray whales you've ever seen, a clan Carlson eventually names after television's Flintstones: Fred, Wilma, and Bamm-Bamm (not Pebbles, as the baby is a boy, you see).

Their migration south was halted due to freezing ice. Trapped five miles from open water, they'll drown unless something is done to

John Krasinski and Drew Barrymore star in a scene from the movie "Big Miracle." The Catholic News Service classification is A-II, adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. CNS photo/Universal free them.

Carlson files his story -and catches the attention of NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw who is -- so Jack Amiel and Michael Begler's script informs us -- "a sucker for these animal stories." Carlson's piece is broadcast nationally, and overnight the world takes notice. The media descend on tiny Barrow, unprepared for the frigid conditions and lack of amenities.

Luckily for Carlson, his ex-girlfriend, Rachel Kramer (Drew Barrymore), runs the local chapter of Greenpeace.

She badgers oil magnate J.W. McGraw (Ted Danson) to finance the release. She jumps into the icy waters to swim with Bamm-Bamm, the better to raise awareness. And she fends off the Inupiats, who want to harvest the whales for food, interpreting the creatures' arrival as a gift from their traditional deity.

The rescue takes on an international dimension when the Reagan White House espies an opportunity to burnish its environmental record. The National Guard

is called up and, in the spirit of glasnost, the Soviet Union is asked to bring in an icebreaker.

Whether President Ronald Reagan (Quinn Redeker) really picked up the phone and opened his conversation with Mikhail Gorbachev by saying, "Gorby? This is Ronnie!" remains, however, open to question.

Chilly relations thaw along with the ice as enemies cooperate, at least for a while: Greenpeace and big oil, Yanks and Russians all join in the effort, and both modern methods and native ways are brought to bear.

As it recalls these unifying events, "Big Miracle" emerges as an inspiring and uplifting feature suitable for all but the youngest viewers.

The film contains a few mild oaths and one semiprofane expression. The Catholic News Service classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. (CNS)

Baltimore Catechism

The sentence below is encrypted using a secret code. Your job is to break the code by substituting the correct letter for the ones given. Each letter given in the code always represents the same letter throughout the puzzle. HINTS: Y = d N = e

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Sunday, February 12, 2012

S

K

D

N

“Jesus answered, Truly, truly I say to you: Unless you are born of water and the Spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom of God!“ (John 3:5)

For decades, the Baltimore Catechism was the primary tool used by CCD teachers throughout the US to help teach young people the basics of the Faith. Presented in a simple, question-and-answer format, the Catechism also gives a citation from Scripture that help us to understand that the Catholic faith is indeed “Bible-based.”

The U Matuna Si Yu’os is please to be able to offer this weekly series as both an instruction for youth as well as a refresher for adults.

71. How can a sin be venial?

A sin can be venial in two ways: (1) when the evil done is not seriously wrong; (2) when the evil done is seriously wrong, but the sinner sincerely believes it is only slightly wrong, or does not give full consent to it.

72. How does venial sin harm us?

Venial sin harms us by making us less fervent in the service of God, by weakening our power to resist mortal sin, and by making us deserving of God’s punishments in this life or in purgatory..

But I tell you, that of every idle word men speak, they shall give account on the day of judgment. (Matthew 12:36)

THE LIFE OF FAITH

Sunday, February 12, 2012

umatuna.org

With Whom Do You Want To Be?

Man is a social being and therefore it is but natural for us to associate with people. No man is an island and we need each other to live, survive and face the challenge of life.

This is one of the most common and basic reasons why people form groups, associations, clubs, teams, gangs, peers, Fr. Joel De Los Reyes company and Divine Mercy Moments the list can be endless. It is our innate inclination to interact and mingle with others, seek company, enjoy friendship or simply

enjoy the presence of love ones. But society sometimes tend to classify, label or categorize us with the kind of people we are with and so goes the old line; “ Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are.“ If that is true, then, be with one who makes you happy, understands your shortcomings and inspires you to move on with life despite some setbacks and defeats. It doesn’t do you good to be with someone who constantly demeans you, destroys your day, violates your right to happiness or gives you a hard time all the time. Be with someone who can lead you to the right direction, inspire you to overcome fear and who honestly tells you of your errors and mistakes.

Be with one who makes you

smile and laugh, for that person is like a good physician who prescribes you the right and effective medicine to be healthy and make your day. Be with someone who can help you live each day with meaning and direction and who can lead you to the right decision in the midst of confusion. It doesn’t do you any good but harm to be with a person who drives you crazy and puts you in a sad and miserable situation. Be wise, use your common sense and fix up the mess for everyone deserves fair treatment. A reminder to those who unjustly treat others; “ What goes around, comes around”, and watch out because Someone up there is watching!

On a side note, live life as best as you can, try hard to make it last and not lost. Let your smile change the

world but don’t let the world change your smile. There are some who dress up well and speak well but don’t live well because their manners are ill. Live life nicely each day, because it is too short and goes by too fast. I would propose that you look at yourself like a crayon. It may not be your favorite color, but who knows, someday you will need it to complete your life’s picture.

Another lesson of gold from a personal postscript is to laugh at your mistakes, but learn from them, joke over your troubles, but gather strength from them, have fun with your difficulties but overcome them.

When you feel discouraged just tell yourself that things will get better, and keep believing yourself. These are some of the secret formulas of happy living and success.

Be with someone who loves you and gives love in return. Don’t wait until your time is through and his or her life is over. Moreover, true love is not based on romance, candle light dinner and walk along the white sand in the beach, but on respect, compromise and trust.

Always remember that everything happens for a reason, live it, love it and learn from it. Amen on that folks!!!

In her Diary entry no. 360, St. Faustina wrote; “ Jesus likes to in-

Lent CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 biggest crowds.

Catholics Come Home, an organization based in the Atlanta suburbs, has been used in 33 dioceses with television commercials reaching an estimated 40 million viewers in regional Lenten and Christmas campaigns -- and 250 million in national campaigns, said the organization's founder and president, Tom Peterson.

Not all dioceses have beforeand-after numbers, but "in those dioceses that have had historical census data and have been able to track since Catholics Come Home, Mass attendance has increased an average of 10 percent," Peterson said.

Waging such a campaign, especially with TV ads, can seem costly, Peterson admitted. "Bishops and dioceses don't have extra money to do things like this, but when families and parishioners are asked if they have a relative, a friend, a neighbor or a co-worker away from the church, nearly 100 percent say yes," he said. "And when they're asked, 'Would you like them to come home?' Tens of thousands of people say yes" by contributing to the cost of such a campaign.

Peterson told Catholic News Service that a campaign can be undertaken "that would be bringing souls home for about 11 dollars apiece -- a pretty good investment, in my view."

The Diocese of Colorado Springs, Colo., used Catholics Come Home

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tervene in the smallest details of our life, and He often fulfills secret wishes of mine that I sometimes hide from Him, although I know that from Him nothing can be hidden”.

Tune to KOLG 90.9 for the Divine Mercy prayer at 3 p.m. daily. Recite the Chaplet of Mercy for peace in the world and conversion of sinners.

Thanks to Rita Reyes and family for the presentation of the Divine Mercy devotion, veneration of the first class sacred relics of St. Faustina and Blessed John Paul 11 in their home in Mongmong last Sunday afternoon January 5, 2012. Likewise to the Divine Mercy prayer team for your faithfulness in our Sunday afternoon Divine Mercy home apostolate/visitation. May the good Lord continue to bless you and your families with the abundance of His grace and mercy.

To arrange for Divine Mercy presentation, prayer and veneration of the first class sacred relics of St. Faustina and Blessed John Paul 11, please contact Amy Borja at 4727778. Thank you.

I will conduct a Divine Mercy Symposium at St. Anthony Church spiritual center on February 18, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.. You are welcome. for "two or three years" when the program was still in its infancy, said Bishop Michael J. Sheridan.

"I, as any bishop, recognized the fact that there are many, many Catholics out there who for one reason or another have drifted away from the practice of their faith," Bishop Sheridan told CNS. "It was as successful as anything I had ever seen. I'm glad to see it's gone national," Bishop Sheridan added. "Pastors tell me that they're in the confessional for hours, more than their regularly scheduled time.

People will come, and they'll sit in there for two or three hours to hear confessions. It's clear that people want to get reconciled with God and the church. Many are regular faithful Catholics. Others are returning to the practice of their faith after many years."

The Archdiocese of Boston worked with Catholics Come Home last year during Lent, said Scot Landry, the archdiocese's secretary for Catholic media.

Landry said he worked with Catholics Come Home last Lent, having first gotten in touch with the apostolate in 2008, after "somebody sent me a link to their first commercial, and I thought I was the best presentation of the Catholic faith I had seen in just two minutes."

"Many Catholics held their head low here for many years," Landry said. "But with the frequency of the commercials that were aired, they started saying, 'Gee, I didn't know the church had been involved in all this for all these years.'" (CNS)

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Sunday, February 12, 2012

Looking Forward

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I’m Just Saying:

And Now… A Beverly Hills Yard Sale

By Jeffrey L. Fitzgerald Guam. Super Bowl Monday.

As I was getting ready for work and waiting for the start of what promised to be a great football game that I would not get to watch, I listened to the golf announcers on another network covering the Phoenix Open. As I poured my coffee-to-go, former pro golfer and funnyman David Feherty commented, “Golf out here today has been like a Beverly Hills yard sale.”

I stood there, coffee pot in hand, and I thought about it. Then I thought some more.

And then I thought, “What?”

Beverly Hills yard sale? What does that even mean?

I thought about it all morning, and I think I get the gist of it, but it’s annoying because it sounds like a joke I should get, but somehow don’t.

When I was in middle school, I had this terrible crush on the bus with this cute lass we’ll just call Spooky Girl #5. This barely pubescent torturer of lost souls taught me this nifty (albeit horribly cruel) trick to play on another poor, unsuspecting child involving telling a joke that doesn’t make any sense. For example: You: “Hey, want to hear a really funny joke?”

Victim: “Sure.”

You: “Ok. Two penguins are in a bathtub.

The first one says, ‘Boy, I could sure use a typewriter.’ [Insert chuckle here] The other says, “You know what else? Chocolate milk!’

[Now laugh hysterically]. You get it?”

Victim: “Oh, yeah. Yeah. I get it” You: “What? There’s nothing to get. It doesn’t make any sense, lame-o. What a poser!”

Now pulling this stunt on some poor kid without many friends in front of a group of mean kids on the bus is just plain wrong, but brutality being what it is, it was standard fare for our middle school. Such is bullying.

How do I know this is cruel? Because she did it to me, and let’s face it: you can’t really appreciate a good ol’ fashioned humiliation until you’ve been on the boot-licking end of the joke. Except the joke’s really not that funny.

For the record, that’s the thing about bullying that we often forget. To the bully, it’s not bullying; it’s just humorous. Bear in mind, of course, that when you consider that serial killers tend to view murder as a moment of selffulfillment, the fact that bullies don’t grasp the evil that they do doesn’t excuse anything, the freaks. I’m just saying.

Yeah, I’m not real big on bullies. Color me nutty, but it puts me in an odd frame of mind as a teacher. The kind of thought process that rather delights in making bullies feel very very very small.

Then again, that’s the problem anyway— they feel really small, so they compensate.

Kind of like men during a mid-life crisis, not to mention Kim Kardashian.

“Beverly Hills yard sale.” I just couldn’t quite figure it. Is that what Feherty was doing?

Telling a joke I wasn’t supposed to get, or am I just slow on the uptake?

As a teenager, my grandmother (the one who says whatever comes to her mind, regardless of circumstances) mentioned during

a car ride with myself and my cousins Shelia and Bryan that a woman we knew had a child who was “born on the wrong side of the blanket.”

“Um…what?”

“You know, born on the wrong side of the blanket…as in she wasn’t married to the father?!”

“Sorry, G-money [our nickname for her], I’ve never heard that expression before.”

“Good Lord, Jeffrey, you really need to read more!”

My cousins in the back seat—both of whom knew me all too well--howled with laughter since, by the age of 16, I had read virtually the entire Norton Anthology of both British and American literature, had plodded my way through the fiction of the French existentialists, and read our local paper, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times every single weekday since I had started in high school (courtesy of an excellent public school library). Read more? To do that, I would need an extra head.

It’s a curious thing, this bit about knowledge. Aristotle begins his Metaphysics with the simple phrase, “All men by nature desire to know”—itself a sentence that has launched hundreds of thousands of written pages of commentary.

Do we really “desire to know?” Given the

AROUND THE WEB

seeming infinity of questions that can be asked, we certainly seem to have this urge.

But what is this “knowing” really all about? Is that different than a desire to learn? More to the point, what’s to desire about it?

Thomas Aquinas (and Augustine before him) saw knowledge as what happens when our experience molds or shapes us. To use Augustine’s term, it “impresses” itself in us, rather like the imprint of a wax seal in wax, or a child pressing its hands into wet concrete.

The impression is there, and it’s there for life.

Whether it’s the colors of the rainbow, remembering the name of your 6th grade math teacher, or writing a doctoral dissertation on Medieval Japanese poetry, the fact remains that our experience of these genuine realities makes a mark in us.

This is really rather different than our modern approach to knowledge. Most of us think of the natural world—or all reality, for that matter—as something we actively acquire by knowledge based on thought. That’s the influence of Descartes, I’m sorry to say. What a drab worldview that turns out to be.

It ironic that a view of the cosmos as bold, dynamic, and somehow inter-active (in the proper sense of the word) is a view shared by theologians and artists, while the rest of us poor souls see only a mechanical world to be explained with numbers. Either that, or a na-

ture to be overcome for our own power, pleasure, or profit.

Nothing wrong with any of the “three Ps,” don’t get me wrong. But the loveliness of life in the world as it is demands a bit more respect. That means not just that we “know,” but that we “know that we know.”

I know lots of stuff, but I also know what I don’t know. I know that my Latin and Greek are pretty good. I know that I don’t know Urdu. I think I know the name of my next door neighbor in 2nd grade. I know that I don’t know about figure skating. I know enough about roller derby to know that if I tried it, I would probably wind up in the hospital.

In all, I know. So do you. Do we desire to?

Maybe not consciously, but we do. If we didn’t, we would seek anything in life. We wouldn’t ever step away from our small selves.

Even the simple, sometime angry venting at the Almighty—a loud, frustrated, “Why, Lord?”—bespeaks our desire to know. And once we do know, there’s a real satisfaction there. We’ve been changed somehow, and can rest if only for a few moments in these newly molded creatures that we become.

As for the Beverly Hills yard sale, I still don’t really get it. But then again, I don’t know everything. Thank God.

People wait in line to enter the cathedral of Bogota, Colombia, to see the capsule containing the blood of Blessed John Paul II Jan. 20. The blood will be on tour throughout the country, according to local media. CNS photo/Felipe Caicedo, Reuters