A New Normal?
Young college boys in a face-to-face class in the seminary...
Category Archives: Shalom
Creators of New Meanings?
In last week's Shalom column I referred to government officials, doctors and nurses, and all medical/health workers as people who create new meanings for old symbols. No, I was not referring to them as poets, mystics, theologians or philosophers who are the real creators of...
Old Symbols, New Meanings?
In last week's Shalom article I showed how our clenched fist acquired new meanings. FIFTY-ONE fishermen's clenched fist and mine made a mutual but gentle knuckle strike after saying, "I bless you, your family and SMC pump boat in the name of the Father and of...
Clenched Fist: Is clenched fist an interfaith sign?
In last week’s Shalom article on blessing fishermen and SMC pump boats, I wrote that it was an interfaith experience which was characterized by acceptable words and gestures of the hand. I forgot to mention Clenched Fist. Why clenched fist? Actually, this was not explained as...
Praying over, and blessing 51 fishermen and their SMC pump boats, a rare interfaith experience!
The unique blessing took place on 28 May 2021 in Kairo Beach Resort in Barangay Lambahon. Two years ago I also blessed SMC (San Miguel Corporation) pump boats in Barangay Lucud and Barangay Bacoling. All are located in the big coastal town of Baganga, Davao...
St. Peter Chanel and conversions
I don't know much of his life. I write here what I heard from others. They said Fr. Peter once made a humble rating of himself in his report to his superiors that he was a failure as a missionary. His reason? Very few natives wanted...
Conversions due to prayer, suffering and death like Jesus’s
In last week's Shalom I wrote how the Gospel writers Mark, Matthew and Luke narrate the conversion of the Roman centurion on Calvary. Of the 3 narratives, the more personal wording of St. Mark seem to tell us how and why conversion happened. "The centurion,...
Conversion at the foot of the Cross
Our traditional celebration of the Passion is full of dramatic actions. They were very often mercilessly violent, painfully bloody and selectively inhuman. This was the behavior of the Roman soldiers led by their leader known as the centurion. He supervised the public shaming and torture...
Coco Levy Issue (2)
In last week's Shalom of May 2, I wrote one comment from the National Federation of Coconut Farmers Organizations (NFCFO). They believe that the new law establishing a National Trust Fund Committee (NTFC), composed of Government Officials and Coco Farmers Reps, to manage the 90B+...
The Coco Levy issue
The issue involves the staggering amount of 90B in Philippine peso. A law was recently passed to establish a National Committee to manage the funds for the benefit of coconut farmers and the Philippine Coconut Industry. The Committee shall be composed of Government officials and...