The New Colonialism
MANILA, Philippines, February 21, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The bishops of the Philippines have responded emphatically to growing pressure from anti-life activists, calling for accountability from Catholics on moral issues.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) have rallied Catholic leaders throughout the country to educate parishioners on the immorality of artificial birth control methods, in response to a concerted onslaught by population control advocates.
Supported by the United Nations, activists for population control have launched an aggressive assault on the country, pushing for anti-life legislation that would limit family size to two children, increase the social acceptance and availability of artificial birth control and give greater access to abortion.
House Bill 3773, the responsible Parenthood and Population Management Act of 2005, is now before parliament.
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There's a hidden agenda behind the population bill," Archbishop Fernando Capalla of Davao, president of the Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, told reporters. "All this is being done in the name of business."
Capalla accused foreign companies that manufacture contraceptives of backing the strong lobby for the passage of Bill 3773, reported Ecumenical News International.
A US$1.4 million grant was given by the United Nations to help finance the population control program.
"The bishops were appalled by the swift release of the grant and the filing of the reproductive health bill and the launching of the health department's population control programs," said Jo Imbong, legal counsel of the Catholic Bishops' Conference.
No surprise there to find the UN doing what it can to encourage the pro-abortion agenda. This is the new colonialism where the UN and other groups work to force their "enlightened" agenda on countries. Groups like the Ford Foundation (which is the major money behind Catholics for a free choice) is also doing what they can money wise to corrupt the Philippines.
The bishops have instituted a course for parishioners on the fundamentals of Church teaching, called the Basic Ecclesiastical Communities seminar. Catholics are required to take the course, which runs for eight consecutive Sundays, before receiving sacraments for themselves or their children, and upon entering adulthood.
The course includes teachings on the basics of the faith, Bible study, Christian leadership, family and life apostles, salvation history, and the changing Church.
Sister Regina Arguelles of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, who works with the CBCP in offering the seminars, said the Catholic bishops have been alarmed by the “continuing moral decay” that was eating up the society.
The bishops are firm on the necessity of participating in the seminars before being allowed to receive sacraments.
“That’s the idea. That’s exactly the Church’s message. If you want to be a Catholic, act like one and follow the Church’s teachings,” Sister Arguelles said.
I just love to hear such plain talking, thank you Sister Arguelles.
A prominent mayor was not allowed to receive Catholic burial rites in the Church, after failing to participate in the course. The Manila Standard reports that following the incident, all government officials in the region signed up for the course.
Amazing what can happen when a bishops conference speaks both coherently and forcefully on a subject and then actually follows up with consequences. I think I am experiencing bishop conference envy. I wonder what was the last time the USCCB, if ever ,forcefully talked about the sin of contraception? I just don't understand how a situation where probably a large majority of Catholic are contracepting and going to Communion gets so little attention. Sure there are pastoral issues, but isn't preventing Catholics in objectively grave sin from receiving Communion sacrilegiously pretty important? How many of you have heard a homily on this subject for instance?
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Could we institute a requirement like that in the US? Good golly.
We usually have to sit through some kind of tripe-filled class about "community" (and how the church has done away with original sin!) before getting the next baby baptized. Deep sigh... But I would have NO complaints about having to sit through a basic doctrine refresher course like this.
Yes, the bishops and clergy need to do a better job of preaching the Gospel, and getting rid of cafeteria Catholicism. I've never heard a homily preached against contraception. Galations 1: 6-10
Sure there are pastoral issues, but isn't preventing Catholics in objectively grave sin from receiving Communion sacrilegiously pretty important?
Um, wouldn't it be right to call preventing Catholics in objectively grave sin from receiving Communion sacrilegiously a pretty big "pastoral issue".
Too often "pastoral issues" has become a euphemism for, "not wanting to hurt someone's feelings". Real pastorality (or whatever you call it) involves combating sin and working to increase the holiness of those of whom you are called to be in charge.
Rumors are a'flyin' that the Philippines may undergo a coup d'etat in the near future.
Wonder if this, ah, problem in their Government has anything to do with the impetus behind the coup's plotters?
The US Bishops Conference or whatever they call themselves is setting the US catholic church up for a schism from Rome.
We had to go on a retreat before we got married. They talked about contraception and cohabitation. It lasted all of 20 minutes, and I believe the deacon's wife's exact words in closing were, "So consider all this and do what you believe is right."
Gee, thanks. My fiance' and I put our comments on the evaluation form at the end, but never heard back from them. We should have gone to see the bishop instead.
Same here. We made the mistake of saying we were hoping for a large family. Our host couple tried to make us "think seriously" about this, fearing that a large family might take up so much of our time that we wouldn't be free for THEIR pet project, which was the Peace Corps.
So, I remember our Pre-Cana. The moderating couple asked a Creighton Model (NFP) teacher to present an intro to NFP at our Pre-Cana. The downside, only one model was presented (petty diocesan politics). However, after that, the moderators pled with us (the whole group) to take a serious look at it framed in Church teaching. They even pled with us (the whole group again) not to cohabitate. Sadly, only one other couple (out of 25 others) didn't have the "You're from outer space" look on their faces.
I also am experiencing bishops conference envy. To further support what the Phillipine bishops are doing, a while back they wrote a letter to their flock apologizing for the lack of instruction on the matter of contraception. I heard this at a Dr. Janet Smith conference. Cool stuff, not are they only teaching the truth, they had the cojones to fault themselves in not teaching the truth.
Big Tex, that's great news about the Phillippine bishops apologizing!
I, too, am experiencing Bishop Conference envy. We here in St. Paul / Mpls are fortunate to have Archbishop Flynn 'at the helm' for now. But I would be really impressed to see the USCCB stand up and speak the truth to Americans *and follow it up with consequences*. Not only does truth/Truth set you free, He's also downright ATTRACTIVE! (That is, if you are clued in to your dire need for help, which has happened to me on occasion.)
Jeff, thanks for posting about the Phillippine bishops!
Big Tex,
Are you in the Ft Worth diocese? Are you totally hyped about Bishop Vann? Do you think the marriage prep program will improve? We just had our 5th anniversary, so we've thought about joining the sponsor couple program at our parish. But we don't know if we would be able to relate to our candidates being that we are traditional and also younger than most people getting married these days. I just wouldn't be able to relate to some 35-year-old couple that's been shacking up for 5 years and already has children, you know.
When my husband and I were preparing to marry, our wonderful, loving priest said he wouldn't marry us unless we lived the teachings of the Church on cohabitation (we were living together.) That loving, compassionate and sensitive intervention saved our marriage and our souls.
We abstained and lived like brother and sister until our wedding, and then we threw out the birth control.
We're expecting our third child, all because a priest loved us too much to allow us to continue in sin and think that the Church would tolerate it. (He also lent us the money to pay for the wedding.) God Bless you, Father Pat! Now that's the pastoral touch!
Here in Canada, we could use a bit of the cajones of the Fillipino bishops, too. C'mon, stand up, our shepherds, and speak the truth!
never.
I talk a lot about NFP to anyone and everyone, what I find is that non-Catholics have an interest in natural birth control too. If not more! Sometimes it is the Catholics, who fear judged by secular society who fear this discussion. What woman isn't interested in learning about her body?
Andrew,
We're in the Archdiocese of Seattle. :-( Lots of west coast mish-mash. At the time, we were in the Diocese of Austin. Bishop Aymond is good in most respects. At least what I know about him. Of course, the Pre-Cana I took was in college at Texas A&M (St. Mary's). Otherwise, you're more likely to get some mish-mash.
I remember Ft. Worth being rather liberal for a while. I grew up in Dallas with Tschoepe and now Grahmahn.
Before my wife and I got married, we were at a parish in Pflugerville. Nice people (mostly), however the marriage prep was almost non-existent. We elected to do a scripture study with a good priest and the Pre-Cana on our own. Of coure, we chose College Station as a place to do it because we knew the folks there moderating would be faithful to Church teaching. Plus, I got to go eat at the original Freebirds World Burrito. :-)
Anyone know any e-mail addresses for the Phillipine bishops to support them? Or the USCCB to give a nudge?
Re: sponsoring
Well, who else is going to be a mentor and an example for that theoretical 35-year-old cohabitating couple? I think a lot of people out there would like to see a good example, not to mention some kind of evidence that married people can actually stay together, faithful to God and each other. If that's all the Holy Spirit uses you to do, it might be enough.
CBCP contact details are here:
http://www.cbcponline.net/contact/contact.html
What a great idea. I'll email them too.
I wonder what was the last time the USCCB, if ever ,forcefully talked about the sin of contraception?
Well, the last time the Candian CCB forcefully talked about contraception was to wholeheartedly endorse the use of it by the faithful.
Regarding the UN, I'm curious as to why they've targeted the Phillipines for depopulation measures and not, say, a country like Yemen.
Oh wait...nevermind.
In a lot of countries, such as the Phillipines, the people can't fathom the idea of taking "medicine" when they're not sick. I'm not sick, so why take a pill?
I've also heard it said that these pills have been used as fertilizer for flower gardens and such.
Big Tex has hit the nail on the head! Fertility is not a disease to be "cured." It is something that should be celebrated. Unfortunately, many women in America see it as something that only gets in the way of carefree sex. They don't appreciate their fertility until they're finally ready to have a child in their mid-to-late thirties and they have trouble concieving.
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As soon as they get rid of the lefty from Seattle (when his term is done), Cardinal George will take over as president. I expect major changes.
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Why don't you? It's never too late to go to the bishop.
Well, maybe we will join the sponsor couple program after all. We married young and have a small house and three children and no money. Not exactly a sign of "success" to most people these days. We attend a fairly wealthy parish, too. I just worry that we are too different from most other people. But, we'll just trust the priest to match us up with the right couples.
The Philippines has its share of liberal idiots who parrot Western garbage. For the longest time, an allotment for artificial birth control was a requirement for any USAID loan to the Philippines.
The CBCP is actually still stretching its new legs. For the longest time, it was the strong personality of an alpha-male type bishop (Cardinal Sin before he died) who acted as the voice of the CBCP. For the first time in a long while, they're beginning to act as a conference. And getting results. Their enemies are beginning to use the old caricatures of the Spanish friars to tar these bishops. As Don Quixote would say, "The dogs are barking. We must be moving".
BTW, the Philippines is a country wherein every government building, despite "separation of Church and State", has a Catholic chapel inside, freely set up by government employees (even the corrupt ones!). (No mandate to do so...no mandate needed) It is also country in which every shopping mall has Sunday Mass. Just to put CBCP influence in context. :)
Yes, we do have sacred images in the lobby of the government building where I work in Metro Manila. An we have Masses for First Fridays and big feasts of the Church during lunch breaks.
But despite the CBCP's strong pro-life stance, we cannot become complacent here. The influx of Western entertainment has been a moral and cultural disaster (Big Brother? Ugh!) and illicit sexual pleasures are stil very much commonplace.