FACES PRIESTS
MANILA, MARCH 14, 2012 (BULLETIN) Instead of priests,
Filipino boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao will be the one to
give a recollection to the men of the cloth.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said Pacquiao is set to give the
recollection to the priests of the Diocese of Marbel, South Cotabato on March
12.
"He will talk about the importance of the Bible. As we all know, he was
transformed by the Bible," he said in an interview.
"He no longer gambles and that's because the Bible changed him," added
Pabillo, former member of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines
(CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Biblical Apostolate (ECBA).
ECBA chairman Pampanga Auxiliary Bishop Pablo David, for his part, said since
a recollection is sharing of one's experience, he is convinced that what
Pacquiao supposedly experienced in his dream is worth sharing with the people.
Early this year, Pacquiao revealed that a dream he had after his fight with
Juan Manuel Marquez last November started him on the road to change.
In his dream, he said he was walking inside a beautiful forest when a bright
light shone on him and a voice asked: "Son, why are you going away from me?"
Pacquiao said he looked for the meaning of the dream and found answers in the
Bible.
David said the pound-for-pound king's interest in the Bible is something that
priests want to help him with.
"If he is interested in the Bible, we want to make some priests available to
him in case he has some questions to ask about the Bible," he said.
"Like if he talks about spiritual experience, normally, you'll ask if this is
a message from God or not. This kind of conversation is what we call spiritual
direction. You have to have a spiritual companion who would discern with you the
signs to say if it is really God who is communicating with him," added David.
To recall, the CBCP earlier invited the boxing champ to help in its Bible
campaign by promoting the Bible to the people.
The recollection is expected to take place at the house of the lawmaker in
the province.
FROM THE PHILSTAR
Pacquiao as 'Bible Ambassador' sends wrong signals
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo (The Philippine Star) Updated
February 19, 2012 12:00 AMComments (6)
[PHOTO - MANNY PACQUIAO ATTENDING MASS AT QUIAPO CATHOLIC
CHURCH]
The Roman Catholic Church is confronting big problems. Theirs is a dwindling
flock. Despite all those big World Youth Day events that are held every so
often, more and more young people see the Roman Catholic Church as irrelevant to
their lives.
Newsbreak's Aries Rufo bared the following in his February 14, 2012 posting:
"Among the 86 dioceses in the country, the bishopric of Pampanga boasts a
singular honor: it has the highest incidence of priests engaged in
extra-curricular (sexual) affairs."
He added: "Consider this: 5 priests have sought for dispensation - those
granted dispensation are freed from their priestly duties and assume the life of
an ordinary layman — while 2 have been suspended, which underscores the gravity
of the situation."
Furthermore, Rufo wrote: "A retired archbishop said in an interview that more
than a dozen clergymen in Pampanga are known to maintain lovers. A former
lawmaker from Pampanga, who has extensive contacts with the Church, however said
that of the more than 100 priests there, more than half are having affairs."
Over at the Vatican, they're having serious political problems involving no
less than the powerful Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone who has been
accused of trying to load the dice in favor of another Italian succeeding Pope
Benedict XVI. Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the former Deputy Governor of
Vatican City, exposed a major scandal earlier when he claimed that he was
transferred after reporting a web of corruption, nepotism and cronyism in the
awarding of juicy contracts.
It's a complex problem for the Roman Catholic Church, not one that could be
dismissed by a simple act of faith. The truth is the Roman Catholic Church came
to this pass because many of its adherents see a lack of Christian living — love
— and have lost hope in their Bishops. Within the Church, there's an urgent need
for serious introspection and dialogue.
The problem with the Roman Catholic Church leaders is that a dialogue with
them isn't really feasible — not when one must be the Pope and you just have to
be a listener to his so-called infallibility. A dialogue is meaningful when two
parties agree to see eye to eye, with mutual respect for the other party's point
of view. Old bad habits aren't easily shaken off. Many Bishops are still donning
the medieval mindset of the Inquisitor, the very same who could sentence a
genius of science to a life of misery for perceived heresy.
The latest birdbrained idea to be floated by the Roman Catholic Church in the
Philippines is to make boxing champ Manny Pacquiao a 'Bible Ambassador' — for
him to promote Bible reading among Catholics. Despite all the documented
goodness of the late former president Cory C. Aquino as well as the urgent need
of the world of politics for a patron saint and a Catholic role model — the same
Roman Catholic Church could not see fit to initiate sainthood proceedings for
her. Despite all the reported controversies of Manny Pacquiao — the Roman
Catholic Church saw him as fit to be sent all over to promote Bible reading
among Catholics.
Bishop Virgilio David extended the offer to Manny Pacquiao last January 30th
on behalf of the CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines). Bishop
David was inspired to make the offer to Pacquiao after seeing how Filipino born
US football star Tim Tebow made a big positive impression as an effective
promoter of the Word of God. Dubbed as "God's quarterback" — Tebow is a
well-known devout Catholic. Therein lies a big difference. Manny Pacquiao is
hounded by several controversies, which include marital problems.
In that lackluster Pacquiao performance against Juan Manuel Marquez, their
third fight, media accounts pointed to a husband and wife quarrel between Manny
and his wife Jinkee on the eve of the fight as the cause of the Sarangani
Congressman's disappointing showing. Before that, Pacquiao was linked to a movie
co-star. Other than media reports of Pacquiao's so-called 'extra-curricular'
activities, he is also talked about in gambling circles as heavily involved in
the vice that has been known to ruin fortunes and families. My good friend
Ronnie Nathanielz was ostracized from the Pacquiao camp because Ronnie wrote the
inconvenient truth.
Pacquiao was quick to send signals that suggested that he'd take on the offer
of the good Bishop. Pacquiao was quoted as claiming that "he had renewed his
faith and given up vices following an 'encounter with God' during a dream."
Per the Manila Times website: "In the dream, Pacquiao said that he found
himself in a forest, where a bright light shone, believed to be God, asking the
fighter why he was veering away from Him." Pacquiao added: "I woke up crying. I
remember I was crying in my dream and when I touched my pillow, it was wet," he
said.
Wow! That's a scene that the late Hollywood producer, Cecil B. De Mille,
would just love to include in The Ten Commandments, the 1950s movie that
catapulted the late Charlton Heston to stardom. Good thing that Manny Pacquiao
didn't make any claims of walking with Jesus Christ on the water of Manila Bay.
Good thing that Manny Pacquiao did not bring down with him from Mount Olympus —
oh, sorry that was Greek mythology — the updated tablets of The New Ten
Commandments?
The Catholic Church barely survived the 'heresy' of Bro. Mike Velarde and now
they're plunging into a partnership with someone compared to whom Bro. Mike may
just appear to be pious. At least we never heard Bro. Mike make any claim to
seeing a bright light and hearing a voice that could only be God's in the Manny
Pacquiao script. The Catholic Church has not yet recovered from the growth of
the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) from under their very noses. Come to think of it,
Bro. Mike's El Shaddai might just be a declaration away from becoming another
INC.
The possibilities are endless. What happens if Bro. Mike and Manny Pacquiao
decide to join forces in establishing their own Iglesia ng mga Pacman? Bro. Mike
could use a second wind to propel his wings once again while for Manny Pacquiao
the combination is a powerful engine for a presidential ambition. Just picture
them on the campaign trail together, Bro. Mike would shout "Amen!" while
Pacquiao would counter HYMEN.
Who ends up being shafted? The poor gullible Catholics for one are royally
shafted and also the leaders of the Catholic Church in the Philippines.
'New' Pacquiao faces priests in Mindanao
03/14/2012 2:15 AM Pinatunayan ni Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao na
karapat-dapat siya sa kanyang tungkulin bilang Bible ambassador. Sa harap ng
higit 100 na mga pari sa Mindanao, ibinahagi niya ang kanyang nakaraan at mga
nalalaman sa Bibliya. Magba-Bandila si Jay Dayupay. Bandila, Marso 13, 2012,
Martes
CLICK LINK TO WATCH VIDEO:
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/lifestyle/03/13/12/new-pacquiao-faces-priests-mindanao#ooid=NndjRzMzppgWE0kABOIDz9Q6XCyadhAL
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
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