On March 1, three days from today, Catholics worldwide will receive the ashes on their foreheads as a reminder that "they are from dust and into dust they shall return." This day marks the beginning of the Holy Season of Lent. It is also a...
What I believe is being tested by what is happening around me. I believe in God but many brilliant people tell me there is no God. Why? Because there is so much pain, suffering and death around. If He exists He would not allow this...
The Pastoral Letter of the Bishops of the Philippines is addressed to the "Beloved People of God". The addressees are the clergy, the consecrated religious and lay, and the lay faithful in general. As recipients of the Letter the people should know its content, the...
Today 5 February 2017, as agreed on January 29 the second day of the bishops' annual assembly at the Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila, the Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines on the issue of illegal drugs will be read during...
Yes, why not? Her personal life and the unusual circumstances surrounding her sudden death are sufficient signs to believe that she is in heaven with God. Of course, we cannot be absolutely certain. Irene's personal life was already described in my previous 2 Shaloms. Most important...
Every January 1st the Church celebrates World Day of Peace. This celebration was initiated by St. John Paul II. His purpose was to start the New Year in an appropriate way by him issuing a papal exhortation focused on values, issues, and concerns grounded on...
[gallery columns="1" size="full" ids="13715,13716,13717,13718,13719,13720,13721,13722"] The mother of two young men and the wife to a busy TESDA personnel, Irene Sagrado Tabada was an official of the Department of Budget and Management's Regional Office here in Davao City. This was her official and time-consuming job but mostly...
For the first time in my 55 years as a priest, 40 of which as a bishop, I experienced a mysterious happening. I'm happy and grateful for it as one witness among many. I am referring to the unusual behavior of Irene Sagrado Tabada a week...
Three exclamation points are not enough to express the inexpressible joy of a columnist like me, nor does the entire column Shalom. But I put them here to show that our immediate reaction as soon as we see the word Christmas is -- joy. Yes, Christmas...
Many readers will wonder what this is. Actually, it is the name given to a historic, unprecedented and unique consultation undertaken in mid 2009 by our group the Bishops-Ulama Conference(BUC). It was requested by the Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo after the Supreme Court in 2008...