RH Experience

The Catholic Church lost its fight against the Reproductive Health (RH) bill at the Lower House and its approval on second reading at the Senate. But the fight is not yet over! Msgr. Esteban Binghay of the  Cebu Archdiocese  told Cebu Daily News said the Catholic Church will continue to preach against the RH bill since some of its provisions are contrary to morals. The passage of the RH bill can be an occasion for more people to become martyrs by denouncing it. 

Dr. Ligaya Acosta, executive director of Human Life International (HLI), expressed disappointment over  congressional support of the RH bill which is nearing approval.  “This is really the saddest Christmas we’ll ever have… This is not the end. This is not over. Certainly, we will do something.”

Reflecting on this experience, I would like to share a special message from the National Catholic Register (a service of EWTN) and America’s most complete catholic news source. Its context is the recent American election. But its message can be an eye-opener also for Catholics in the Philippines (www.ncregister.com).

There aren’t enough of us!

The truth is that, right now, there aren’t enough informed, faithful Catholics engaged in the political process.

Sure, there are lots of Catholics. It’s well known that “the Catholic vote” tends to determine who wins or loses an election.

The problem is that so many Catholics are disengaged . . . don’t recognize the dangers to our country . . . don’t take them seriously . . . or — worst of all — are actively working to promote evil.

That means there is one thing that we urgently must do . . .

We’ve got to start changing minds!

It’s as simple as that. We need more informed, faithful Catholics working to save our nation, and that means we need to start changing minds.

And not just about political issues — because politics is not at the core of our faith.

We need to get people engaged with the Catholic faith itself — to learn it, to love it, to live it — and the rest will follow.  And we need your help!

What’s wrong with the world?

As Cardinal Dolan told the U.S. bishops at their recent meeting:

“The premier answer to the question ‘What’s wrong with the world?’ is not politics, the economy, secularism, sectarianism, globalization or global warming — none of these, as significant as they are. As Chesterton wrote, the answer to the question ‘What’s wrong with the world?’ is just two words . . . ‘I am.’”

We have to change on the personal level, one individual at a time — which is the way the Church has always grown.

It’s important that we not give up on our nation. We need to fight as hard as we ever have to deal with the many problems we face.

And we need to work hard to help catechize people about the Catholic faith, because that is the ultimate key . . .

The Truth will set us free

We live in an age of secularism and relativism, when so many cynically ask, “What is truth?”

But as Catholics, we have the Truth. We have Jesus Christ Himself, and it’s time we redouble our efforts to share Him with others.

That’s why Pope Benedict XVI recently called bishops from all over the world together to energize the Church for a wave of New Evangelization.

This urgent task will require all of us — bishops, priests, deacons, religious and laity.
That means . . .

We all have to do our part!