IF we want to be with God always and to know the fine points of his mysterious will and ways, we need to be always simple and childlike. Christ may have told us also to be clever and shrewd like serpents, but that quality which...
LET’S be frank about ourselves. We are all sinners! No matter how much we try to be good and holy—and to a certain extent, we can actually manage to achieve that ideal to some degree—we can still find ourselves falling into sin, if not big...
LET’S never forget this fact of life. For as long as we live in this world, and if we want to be consistent to our dignity as children of God, waging a kind of war of peace and love is a necessity. We cannot help...
FOR as long as we are true disciples of Christ, we cannot aspire to be greater than Christ, our master. Obviously, among ourselves, it is highly possible that a disciple or even a servant can in time outrank his leader and master, as can easily...
(An excerpt from the Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao, June 28, 2021 during the live streamed mass of the 41st Anniversary of the Dedication of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Pedro.) San Pedro Cathedral is a symbol for us in...
Recently, I visited a friend who just came back from quarantine due to COVID 19 infection and suffering from depression. He told me, “Where is God now? Why did He allow this pandemic to happen?” The question is as relatable and real to many who...
THAT’S what Christ wants us to be, if we are to be his faithful disciples. It’s not easy, of course. But we have his assurance that as long as we are with him, we truly can be as shrewd, cunning and clever as serpents and...
(This piece was delivered by the writer as his eulogy/reflection during the 9th day novena for his late mother, Josefa Fe “Jessie” Villafuerte Escario, last April 14, 2021 at the San Pablo Parish Church, Davao City.) To paraphrase the title of a novel by Gabriel Garcia...
The Covid-19 pandemic started as a health issue in December 2019. Over the months that followed it has not only affected the health of people but also in the areas of finances, emotions and even spirituality. Many professionals and church people have linked efforts to...