Questioning Faith

I have a couple of rules that I constantly abide by:

One, is to never fail to apologize. Whether it's to my wife for an unkind word said in anger or spite, or to a total stranger whose toes I've accidentally stepped on. I just feel that it is the decent thing to do, and decency is one of the things that separates us from animals. (Although I have to admit, I've caught my dog looking apologetic at times, for chewing up the morning paper.)

Another is to never question a man's faith. Oh, I'll question his motives, his background, his past actions, everything else...but never his faith. I believe that is between him and his God alone, and whatever reckoning he'll have at the pearly gates is his business, not mine. There are those who feel it is within their realm of expertise to do such things, I am just not one of them. And I will never be.

Several days ago, the now infamous "Macias letter" was forwarded to me, and it eventually found its way in our commentary, where it was systematically broken apart by our resident defenders. The funny thing was, I remember having a nagging thought in the back of my head about how the Easter Group will attempt to respond to TM's speech - especially since it obviously has nothing to do with them, and we all know how much they like to stick their noses in things they really have no business in.

So this Salvador Macias (who suspiciously sounds like someone whose initials are F.P.) who no one has ever heard of writes an email critical of Tony Meloto's Ateneo talk and sends it to the Easter Group, who then blasts it out to all who care to fish their emails out of their junkmail folder. Upon reading it, I thought to myself, "ah well there it is, at least we can now deal with it, IF it needs dealing." What I wasn't expecting was the supposed basis of this criticism: A confidential email from Caloy Palad to members of a private mailing list, which was forwarded to me soon after.

Now, we all have the freedom to disagree with anyone we choose to, much like I find myself disagreeing with Caloy's analysis of Meloto's speech. First, because I find it hard to judge a man on the basis of one speech. Second, well, because as I've stated above, I just don't believe I have any right to question a man's faith. We are all called to serve in our own capacity. If one feels that he best serves the Lord by being an authority on doctrinal issues, then so be it. I have not walked in Meloto's shoes nor have the power to look into his heart, I doubt anyone save those closest to him can. Until the day comes that I am able to, I will know the man by his works, and by his works I choose to respect him.

There is a well known story in the New Testament, where a woman poured expensive oils over Jesus' head. I think it is a fairly popular story that teaches us, among other things, to act with boldness, fervency and passion, instead of holding back or timidly going half way. I think this is the road that TM chose, and we've all seen its result.

I won't go into the Macias letter much, mostly because it's already been picked apart in the commentaries. I am quite surprised (or maybe not) at how calculated it was to evoke an emotional response, deftly mixing truth with lies. This entry will get too long if we went through each paragraph though, but I did compile the responses to make it easier for you all to get the gist of it.

Download the Salvador Macias letter and related comments HERE.

I did the same for Caloy's letter and the bloggers' responses to it.

Download Caloy Palad's email and related comments HERE.

However, I would like to state for the record that I have nothing against Caloy or his views. I know in my heart that he meant no harm to Tony, to GK, to CFC, and the IC. I am deeply saddened that his words were taken out of context and used maliciously by the Easter Group, who have shown a propensity for such behavior in the past. It seems they will jump at anything to further their causes, to hell with who they hurt along the way. That, my friends are not the actions of God fearing people, and that is the closest I've come to questioning anyone's faith.

I am requesting now for those who are doubting Caloy's loyalties to please stand down. He does not deserve it, and surely we are better Christians than that.

I am also taking the liberty of publishing his subsequent emails, condemning those who sought to sow discord among us through the unauthorized use of his words.

"Dear all:

"It has come to my attention that my [critique of] the speech of Tony Meloto in Ateneo has been forwarded [from a confidential mailing list] to the CFC-FFL of Frank Padilla, which has mass e-mailed my post to their supporters as well as to CFC members in order to defame the CFC-International Council.

"Now, because of the indiscretion of that mailing list member, the CFC-FFL is gleefully using MY GOOD NAME and is hiding behind MY REPUTATION in order to bring down Tony Meloto and the CFC International Council.

"As I took pains to point out in my original posting, it was NOT my intention to bring down Tony Meloto. Yes, he does have some theological errors IMHO, but these do not erase his dedication to service and his love for the poor. In pointing out certain weaknesses in his speech it was never my intention to denigrate his service, nor cast aspersions on his good intentions.

"I am ready to stand by my words and to face like a man whatever controversy comes my way, but it grieves me that my words are now being used in favor of a group (the CFC-FFL) that I have not ceased to warn people against."

Highlight mine.

That letter was followed by this:

Dear All:

These past few days have been especially painful for me. First, due to an indiscretion, my casual email regarding Tony Meloto has been transformed by Frank Padilla's minions into a weapon to unjustly tar, not just Tony Meloto, but also CFC-Global.

As I expected, this has caused an immense amount of anger, directed not at FFL, but personally at me. And the most unfair thing is, I have no way of defending myself. My mother has informed me that I have been personally denounced by members of Couples for Christ as an enemy and as a supporter of Frank Padilla. Nothing could be further from the truth! I am firmly convinced that this unjust and malicious action was done by FFL not only in order to discredit Tony Meloto, but also to discredit me, whom they have long known to be an uncompromising critic of Frank Padilla's cult following. Indeed, my mother had the humiliation of having to hear my email discussed in the highest council of the Handmaids of the Lord. God knows what other things have now been said behind my back. I feel that my back is against the wall, and I can expect no support now.



Carlos

An UPDATE:

Dear All:

I RETRACT the accusation that I had made against Jack Burgoyne, an accusation that I previously believed rested on strong evidence, but which, upon further reflection, was not sufficiently strong to warrant my public emails.

I have also requested http://defendingcfc.blogspot.com to erase the offending passage from my emails (which they had posted). And, for the benefit of those who may already have read the accusation, I have also added a comment to the said website enunciating the same retraction that I here publish.

I ask forgiveness of all who may have been hurt by my reactions. My own pain (and that of my mother) cannot justify what I have done. And I would like to thank the CFC members who have assured me of their prayers, and of their love and support.

I also ask you to pray for me. I am ashamed that my reaction to this Cross has not been Christian. I am sorry that I have not given good example in my reaction to calumny and the varied insults that came my family's way.

I also ask you to continue praying for my health.

Carlos

Brother Caloy, let it be known now that I am defending you and you have MY support. I know that your first email was posted here and commented on by the bloggers, yet I see that you have their respect, not only for the courage to state your opinions but for the backbone to stand by them. I am posting your responses here in the hopes that it reaches those who need to know the truth of the matter.

Speaking of which, that's something that our Easter Group brothers up to now have not been able to do. Need I remind them of their emails accusing our good bishops of "twiddling their thumbs" and "smoking pot", of which we haven't heard even a whisper of an apology to the clergy members in question?

Let me remind you all of an entry from back in February, where I quoted in full an email from Sis Norinna Palad, in which she prophetically corrected the FFL's Ado Paglinawan, who was planning another misuse of someone else's words:

In all of these, we have to remain vigilant especially when invoking the Holy Spirit, lest we grieve Him by making or passing on statements given by others, to which individuals are ASKED to commit or agree to, LEST they commit the "unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit".. This is plain and simple HERESY. We ALL have the power to call upon the Holy Spirit for guidance and discernment., in order to make wise and individual decisions. No person can say that he has the sole prerogative of speaking for the Holy Spirit. Not even the Pope makes that claim, and not even the Pope says that those who disagree with him can never be forgiven.

Let us all be guided by the Holy Spirit at all times.

Your sister in Christ,
Nori Palad

Let us not doubt where the Palads stand in this battle, because it is VERY clear to me. Their plight now paints a grim picture of how low the Easter Group will stoop to further their causes. I also enjoin the bloggers to leave comments to show your support for Caloy and his family.

* * *

Still related to the Macias and Palad emails, here is an article by Bishop Claver, a follow up to the first which was also posted here, and arguably a great response to the Macias email.

Here are the two pages excerpted from the CPBP Monitor:



I've also taken the article text and pasted it into Word to make it easier to read, you may download that with the two pages from the CBCP Monitor HERE.

One last thing:

Over a week ago, when I first received Salvador Macias' (which I'm almost 99% sure is a nom de guerre, unless Mr. Macias cares to step forward to stand up for his work) and Caloy's emails, my first response was to either post it as an update to the Ploughshares entry or start a new one around them, to get the word out and have the defenders start responding. Somehow though, something told me there was more to it. Lo and behold, as things developed, a few days later we see Caloy's response. Then a couple of days after that, his second email. I don't know what might have happened if I'd followed my first impulse, but all I know is, something stopped me. The whole thing just felt wrong, and I knew that Caloy Palad would not let this pass without a good fight.

Sometimes, we've gotta learn to really listen to that little voice with a big message that seems to come from the back of your head but is really emanating from the heart. I've heard it said that when the Lord speaks, it's not with a megaphone (Although, I'd like to think Typhoon Frank and the Marikina fiasco is an exception).

Those who truly hear the Lord are those who choose to LISTEN.

May God bless us all, have a great weekend my friends.

ps.

I changed the template again (and added a new sidebar section called "Site News"), I'd really appreciate some feedback. Is it easier to read now? Colors ok?

Pulp Fiction

Sometimes, one can get a bit frustrated at the far reaching effects of a well orchestrated misinformation campaign. Something that, sadly, the Easter Group is extremely competent at. We've just been asked by Tito Joe Tale to try and keep our emotions in check and to be careful about our defensive responses, so lets try and keep an open mind. I also don't want to give the Easter Group more issues to twist and have them say I'm now attacking a priest, which I'm not. In fact, I think the greater sin is not in inviting the clergy to a reasonable discourse, but in intentionally misleading them to achieve a questionable goal.

Sometime ago, I said that these rehashings of past issues by the Easter Group was not worth responding to anymore. I mean, they'll say it again, and we'll defend it again, and so on, ad infinitum, I GUESS. But in this latest "attack", I can't help but think that there is still much damage being done, much misinformation being spread, and that it is still hurting our brethen who are affected the most: Those on the ground spreading the good Word and the good work. So why should we not come to their aid? At some point, even our very own Multimedia Center felt the need to address the lies that are constantly being spun by the Easter Group in order to gain an audience and put down the organization they left.

An article by a Fr. Tulabing was published in the Negros Chronicle Sunday Edition and has been circulating in the commentaries for a while now, in fact eliciting several responses here, here, here, and finally here. It also seems the good father may have felt compelled to respond to our bloggers' reactions, esp. since one of them emailed the Negros Chronicle. There may have been just a single article planned, but an impromptu 2nd part was written by Fr. Tulabing and published last July 6, defending his views and claims. I say impromptu since, well, part 2 just seems....hurried.

You may download both parts HERE, but I'll be quoting and responding to some relevant portions.

Father Tulabing makes several claims in his article, specifically:

In part 1

"...Gawad-Kalinga has been over-emphasized, putting aside Family Evangelization, Spirituality, and Renewal."

Need we go into this again? It is a rehash of Frank Padilla's GK-3 paper, and has already been covered, discussed, attended to, and finally DEALT WITH. Please Father, if you have further, recent proof of this claim (other than what your FFL advisers have told you), come forward so it can be addressed.

"...reluctant founder of Couples for Christ Frank Padilla..."

"CFC-FFL has all the rights to use the name Couples for Christ because Frank Padilla is its founder and FFL is consistent with the vision-mission of the true and genuine Couples for Christ which has never veered away from its original purpose while remaining faithful and loyal to the Catholic Church authorities"

First off, it's been proven that Frank Padilla is NOT the founder of CFC. That's a done deal and this article in the CBCP states it in no uncertain terms. Also, using the term "reluctant founder" shows clearly where you are getting your information, as these are the exact same words the FFL use to refer to Frank Padilla.

Secondly, I hope you realize that your insinuation of "veering" are the words the FFL uses, if you are trying to make a case, then please show some tangible and documented proof. One can't just bring forward an FFL leader and say, "Here, take his word for it." I'd like to ask what you see that made you believe that CFC veered from its original charism? Do you also believe that all the CFC members in your parish are veering away now?

In part 2

Ironically the 2nd article starts with a quote from what I would guess is a CFC member, to which Fr. Tulabing responds,

"This kind of comment is surely missing the point."

To which I would most respectfully respond, surely Father, you are missing the truth. Have you seen the emails in this blog? The documents? How about the Playboy Bunnies' meeting minutes?

"So how can some leaders and members of couples for Christ Global GK..."

Now I might be nitpicking, but how badly edited must this be, to not only fail to capitalize, but to come up with a brand new term for CFC: couples for Christ Global GK? This is why I said part 2 seemed a little hurried. And no Father, I'm not making a big deal out of this. I just thought you should tell your newspaper's editors to pay closer attention. Yet, frankly, we'd appreciate it if you didn't corrupt the name any further. Thank you.

"...they try to poison the minds of their members about my purported “panaot” of Couples For Christ. And by the way, the Church is not expected to serve the interest of Couples for Christ. It should be the other way around: Couples for Christ should serve the interests of the Church."

Oho! Now we come to some strong words. Poison. I believe that is the gist of all our problems, tho not in the context in which you are using it. Also, yes, while Couples for Christ should be serving the interests of God, our priests have the moral responsibility to be well aware of what they are feeding their flock, lest they accidentally poison them.

"My intention really is to save Couples for Christ from utter destruction at the hands of the enemy."

Father, I really do not see any destruction going on here, other than the tearing apart of CFC by the Easter Group's continued attacks.

I also take it you don't believe these good men are doing a good enough job of saving us:

"Priests need to exercise authority over Couples For Christ in their parishes, after all it is within the realm of the priests’ duties to govern."

Agreed Father, it is also their job to show their flock the truth.

'The point is that there have been directives and guidelines, there have been dialogues and meetings to reconcile and check the errors, but the International Council of Couples For Christ-GK insisted on their mistakes."

Speaking of directives, guidelines, and dialogues, I'd like to remind you of Bishop Reyes' statement, made after the dialogue between the FFL and CFC. I quote:

"...Frank Padilla “will form the Couples for Christ for Family and Life” and “should start as a diocesan association, “then later can apply for recognition as a national association if it has branches in other dioceses and even later as an international association.”

I don't believe anybody in the Easter Group even as much as gave that order a second glance.

"All the members of CFC must be made aware of the existing problems within CFC."

To this, I heartily agree, and they should also all be made aware of what the FFL has been doing.

"The members should even protest about what their International Council is doing (disobeying the bishops).."

Actually Father, if you want to be more specific, it was the Elders Assembly who as a group discerned and decided not to follow the Bishops' recommendation. Must we define recommendation once again? Does this mean that since the FFL did not follow the orders of the Bishops after the dialogue, you believe the FFL members should protest as well?

"...the donations that they still receive from Pharmaceuticals manufacturing and distributing contraceptives. The Church still considers contraceptives anti-life, and Couples For Christ is supposed to be Pro-life."

A picture to refresh our memories:

Frank Padilla at the launching of Gawad Kalusugan, sponsored by Pfizer, Wyeth, and Unilab.

The statement alone is patently false, since that partnership with Pfizer had been rescinded this past May upon the instructions of Cardinal Rylko and was printed in a paid ad by the IC. Father, might I remind you that Frank Padilla was present and part of that partnership. Shouldn't some accountability fall on his shoulders too, even as he passes the blame while still claiming to be the founder? Also, if that was the case, why do you not question all the other religious organizations accepting donations from pharmas who distribute contraceptives? You may also want to ask Frank Padilla why he holds office in the establishment of a known anti-life politician.

"I like and I commend CFC-Foundation for Family and Life headed by Frank Padilla because they work very hard for the RESTORATION and the REFORMATION of Couples for Christ. May the other members follow your example."

Heaven forbid. I don't think the Supreme Court has enough space in their building for all the landscam cases that will arise from that. Ok, I'm joking, but seriously, if the examples being set by Frank and Co. in document forgery, accusing the Vatican of trying to save face, accusing Bishops of "twiddling their thumbs and smoking pot", were to be used as guideposts, I would be quite afraid of what would become of the FFL's members.

In all seriousness Fr. Tulabing, I think your words say it all: You "like" the FFL. What this is based on I don't know, but it comes across as unobjective. You like them, therefore you are pushing for them. Isn't that a tad unfair? In liking them, did you then overlook the questionable actions of the Easter Group? The documents, emails, the honest depiction of the events that led to the fateful split are all here for you to see and peruse. They've been made public for exactly that reason; so you can be fair to both sides. That's all we are asking. Give CFC a chance to make its case, a chance you've obviously given the FFL. Give us a chance to present proof, to show that we are sincere in our efforts to better ourselves. If we've somehow made a mistake in your eyes, then show us forgiveness by example. Your obvious bias for the FFL and your trumpeting their cause's repetitive and oft rehashed chants of veering and disobedience hurt people who care about you and what you say.

That is all.

* * *

Just for the record, and to finally set things right, the CBCP has acknowledged LNP's role (through Vic G and Fr. Schneider) as the founder of CFC. Here's the article in full, it's also linked in the Archived Documents section on the right column.

CFC-International Council to reinforce tie with RP bishops

MANILA, July 6, 2008--Couples for Christ-International Council (CFC-IC), has been seeking the support of Philippine Bishops to strengthen cooperation between them.

“CFC-IC has designed suggestions and recommendations on how to improve and strengthen the relationship between our shepherds [bishops] and CFC-IC so that together, we can fulfill our shared mission of spreading God’s will to all,” said Joe Tale, executive director of CFC-IC International Council, in a letter addressed to all the bishops of country, dated June 4.

Tale also said that CFC-IC is gearing up for a new springtime of its evangelization and values formation mission.

“We have lined up Christian life and community values programs for 62,000 settlers along the railroad tracks now recoated in Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Taguig, and take care of OFW’s and their families left behind in the Philippines,” Tale said.

CFC-IC also asked the bishops to pray for CFC-IC that its resolution of the conflict that has embroiled CFC-IC community may grow in positive manner.

CFC is a lay Catholic group established in 1981 by Fr. Herb Schneider, SJ and Vic Gutierrez. CFC got split from its original group “Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon Community” in 1993.

Last year, CFC got split further into two--CFC-Foundation for Family and Life (CFC-FFL), which is headed by Frank Padilla, and the CFC-International Council (CFC-IC), which works with Tony Meloto and Gawad Kalinga, the social arm of CFC-IC that builds low-cost houses for the poor across the country.

Last month, both the groups were battling each other for the use of the CFC name after the Securities and Exchange Commission lifted the 2003 revocation order on the use of the name Couples for Christ Foundation Inc.

Meloto and Padilla, both founding members of one of the country’s biggest Catholic lay group, stepped down from the board of CFC last year over debates on the group’s direction.

CFC-FFL and CFC-IC are trying to win the support of Philippine bishops and trying to show their allegiance to Church hierarchy in the country. (Santosh Digal)

post script:

I apologize about the typos and other errors, I've edited what I found. As you may have noticed, this was a late night entry because I was trying to make the Feedburner blast at 9am, so coffee and lack of sleep is not good for spelling and getting some facts straight, hehe. If you catch anymore please do let me know.

A Tale to Tell

Updated: July 8, 2008
A Sunday Reflection, and a special message from Tito Joe Tale and Tito Joe Yamamoto.

In a little over month's time, we will be marking the first year of this blog's existence. What arose out of a personal conviction to get to the bottom of how CFC was being torn apart has developed into a more enlightened and focused effort to get the truth out.

I have to admit, I started out completely ignorant. It was only when I started hearing trickles of information - some rumors, some apparently the truth, that I was made aware of what would soon be a protracted battle to keep CFC together and most importantly, on course. As the trickle turned into a steady stream and soon, a flood, I started to ask myself if those who tried to keep things under wraps to prevent scandalizing people they respected and cared for were out of their minds.

"Why," I asked, "should they try to protect those who were speaking out against them?"

What I will learn in the year that followed and the examples the IC set were abject lessons in humility and an enlightened understanding of Jesus' teachings.

At first, I could not bring myself to believe what I was hearing and discovering about Frank Padilla. His deeds and accomplishments after all were almost legend. I still get sad now, in seeing that his current misdeeds might just eclipse the legend. But as I discovered more, and in digging verified what I was hearing, I came to realize that maybe this information was not meant to be kept under wraps. Whether I was wrong or right, I guess only history will tell.

If you were to ask me now if I'd do it again: I'd look at every smiling face drenched in the rain at Luneta, and say without regret...yes.

I've heard it said that necessity is the mother of innovation. These modern days of text messaging, email, and countless other electronic means of spreading information has definitely given me options, but none seemed adequate to keep a permanent record of everything we all deserved to know. That's where Blogger came in and CD was born.

My first clumsy attempts reflected my pain, when I was still indignantly flinging responses to the Easter Group's attacks. In fact, one of my earliest communications with others was with Boogie Boydon, who apparently was able to save those early pages of this blog and emailed me to ask about them. I still owe you an explanation Boogie, and thank you for the reminder that at any point I had to be able to look my work in the eye, and not flinch.

It was when the blog became more focused and steadily gained readership, that I along with them actually gained discernment. I went from questioning both sides to realizing just which side I was actually on. The turning point came when an anonymous comment questioned what I was doing, and wondered if I was giving voice to both sides of the issue or just plain biased. That question formed a concrete answer in my heart: I AM defending the real CFC. The facts had spoken for themselves, the Easter Group's actions had cemented my own course. The blog did open the floodgates, as more and more people realized an outlet and a way to express their feelings about this whole affair. Along the way, it also served as a repository for documents and information that I started receiving through emails, some anonymous, some not. Thank you all once again for those, as you've made my job much easier, yet still enormously difficult as I had to discern whether some information I received would do the community good...or make things worse. The scariest phrases I would see in an email would sometimes not be what was disclosed, but when they tell me, "....CD, it's up to you if you want to publish this."

After a while, the blog took a life of its own and the commenters started to take up the slack, and now it's almost completely in their hands. The incredibly lucid and well written comments left here have left me believing I'm wading in waters waaaay above my head. Whatever credit I was given, you all deserved more. This blog will not be the same or as effective without YOU all.

I'd like to make it clear now, once and for all. This blog is a sole operation without ties to the IC. I alone am accountable for what is in here, for my actions, and my claims. I never asked for any recognition and I still don't want it. What you learn here, what documents you see, and discernment you make is in your hands. The comments left are sometimes anonymous, but now have mostly been identified in the A Call To Arms entry, which garnered 500+ statements of support for the IC that have brought me to my knees in humility.

I received an email yesterday, one that I never expected.

Dear CD and all the CFC defenders,

This is the first time I am writing to your blog site, or to any website, for that matter. I am doing so now for several reasons.

I confess that I very seldom visit the site, but brethren sometimes give me hard copies of interesting comments and posts, so I get updated from time to time about the issues that are discussed here.

I would like to make it clear that up to now, I do not know who CD is and I am not in a hurry to unravel the mystery of CD's identity.

I write you now, first, to thank CD for putting up this blog. This site has provided many people with the venue to express their views on many issues that have beset our community over many months. This has allowed many to ventilate their opinions. This has also enlightened many of our brethren on the myriad details that surround the major issues. Whether the views are right or wrong, the bloggers have been grateful for the chance to interact with one another.

Second, I wish to thank the many bloggers who have been vocal about their defense of CFC and of the International Council. I am humbled by your firm stance to protect the community. When my attention was called that the post "A Call to Arms" had begun to elicit an avalanche of comments from many people from around the globe, I did take the time to visit the site and I was moved by the expressions of support. Many of the bloggers in this post identified themselves and I saw some names that I knew but many names that I am not familiar with. The fact that they, who I surmise I have probably never even met, took the time to write and show their support was humbling and uplifting at the same time.

Third, I would like to remind everyone in this site to please refrain from any unchristian comments. We are, after all, Couples for Christ and we should show, by what we write and what we do, that we are indeed FOR Christ. I understand the frustration behind many of the comments and I commend those who seem to regularly remind everyone of our Christian duty to always be loving and respectful in our relationships. Let the discussions remain focused on the issues and principles.

Fourth, while I respect the decision of those who choose to remain anonymous, I commend all the bloggers who have identified themselves. I honor you for your transparency. It is understandable that CD continues to be anonymous, for now anyway.

Fifth, I would like to thank all of you for your keen interest in all of our CFC activities. I assume that many of you were present in all of them, particularly in our anniversary celebration, which was a blessed event.

It is not too late to wish you all a happy 27th anniversary.

God bless us all. God bless CFC.


JOE TALE

* * *

July 8, 2008


Dear CD and all CFC Blog-Heroes,


This statement of gratitude and honoring has been waiting in the wings for quite awhile and I have been waiting for the most opportune time to express my sincerest and heartfelt 'Thank You' to all who, in the darkest hour of CFC's history, stood at the plate and made their voices and choices known. I believe that that day is today.

In yesterday's MCG gathering at the Ateneo Grade School, during my sharing. I asked if you, CD, were there. But even if you had not been there, the question was a simple and indirect way of honoring what you and the other quiet defenders of CFC have done for our beloved community. At a time and particular circumstance when it was not fashionable in CFC to call for Defenders , you were used by the Lord to be the voice of the many nameless and anonymous members who were shocked by the events and therefore at a loss to explain or understand what had befallen CFC. But now, we all know best- CFC is the community worth living, defending and dying for.

Your tiny electronic voice became the beacon and ray of light and hope for the community members. Soon, your voice was reinforced by the many electronic voices of equally courageous and passionate CFC members who saw in your platform the venue to search for the Truth and share the same Truth. Your collective voices have become thunderous and inspiring. The rest is history , as they would say. But I hasten to add, our history is still unfolding.

In the near future, when the definitive history of our Community, is written, I am sure that the immeasurable contribution of CD and the unsung heroes of the blog will be highlighted for it has become a cherished part of our collective tradition and memory. In the retelling of the 2007 historical crossroad in our CFC life, the saga of the Bloggers will stand out as a singular and special event.

Yesterday too, I shared – "Our God is the God of Creation, Time, Space and History and He has called CFC as His own." Perhaps by alluding to history, I tangentially touched on the efforts of the CFC Bloggers.

From practically day 1 of this Blog, I have regularly logged in and read and reread the entries. I was not too sure where you were coming from, initially, but after a few days, I was convinced that you and the Defenders have the interest of CFC at heart.

As one of the IC members who have been tasked to lead and navigate the CFC community through difficult, stormy and treacherous waters, it was indeed comforting to have you and the others on the side of the Real CFC. Frequently, I have been asked if I know CD and my ready answer is" No." I have resisted all entreaties to know the identity of CD because CD and some other Defenders best serve the Community in their anonymity, at least for now. There is a time and a season for everything.

In the near future, when the identity of CD and the other defender-bloggers would be revealed, I would like to be one of the first to say 'Thank you." I would also like to make this wish and invitation: May your tribe increase! Yours is not only the quest for the Truth but a defense of the Truth. You did your work in the best tradition of CFC- with love, service, humility, wisdom, fortitude and above all, fraternal restraint.

I enjoin you all to continue the good work and to offer all fruits thereof for the greater glory of God. Let me end with Romans 8:28- " We know that all things work for good for those who love the Lord , who are called according to his purpose..."


In Christ,


Joe Yamamoto



Thank you TitoS Joe. I am humbled once again. I reiterate, I could not have done it alone. Thank you for taking the time to acknowledge us here. Once again, no credit is craved or needed, I am sure I speak for everyone here when I say that we look forward to the day this blog can be put to rest. I have had so much help; in technical expertise, assistance with the intricacies of internet navigation, etc., that to call this a personal blog would be an injustice.

(For the record, I was not able to make the MCG at Ateneo, though any of the bloggers could have stood up represent the blog. Maybe next time?)

I tip my hat to the unsung heroes who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to stay the course, and who continue to, despite the disappointments and stresses they have had to deal with. You know who you are, and thank you for teaching me that the best way to win a fight is on my knees.

This is the one thing that the servant general will never understand; that the making of heroes is not in giving the title or instilling the thought that they are in their minds, but in making the fact absolutely apparent, in the eyes of others.

To TitoS Joe and the rest of the IC: You sirs may not consider yourselves heroes, but you certainly are mine.

Thank you, and I remain,

CD

Blame It On The Rain

Why were we so happy?

Why all the smiles? The laughter? The joy?

Well, you can blame it on the rain, but unlike Milli Vanilli, we sure weren't lipsyching! (10 pts to whoever gets that 80's joke first, hehe.)

Here's a little weekend treat mga kapatid. For those who weren't able to make our 27th Anniversary celebration at Luneta, I hope this will help take you there: Wet, drenched, and happy.

God is good. ALL THE TIME.

My sincerest thanks goes out to the writer who spent many hours crafting this, yet chooses to remain anonymous.

Each image can be clicked to enlarge:
Download A Time To Celebrate! as a PDF document HERE.


And a couple more videos sent in:

Mass

The beautiful fireworks display

All 27th Anniversary entries are HERE, and don't forget to visit the official Couples for Christ website for more anniversary pictures.

Ploughshares or Hammers?

Update:
Pic and Video added.

Update July 3, 2008:
Long version of talk added for downloading in PDF format.



Last week's relative silence in this blog was dedicated to the incredible 27th Anniversary celebration we had at Luneta. It was my hope that the manner in which God spoke to us then would be received in similar fashion by the FFL leadership, I believe you all know what I mean.

There were several statements released by Frank aka Servant General since then, and I will get to those. You can visit their Multiply site if you can't wait to read them, but now I believe Mr. Tony Meloto's piece from the Philstar deserves our full attention. He will get no praise from me since he already gets it in heaps from everybody else. What he gets is something I do not give easily, and that is, my RESPECT. And that friends, is something no psuedo-militaristic titles can ever force, or deserve.

I want to be a good Catholic

By Antonio Meloto
Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Theology Class Public Lecture
Ateneo de Manila University
July 1, 2008

There is a time to speak and a time to be silent. Tonight is the first time that I will speak publicly about the upheaval that rocked Couples for Christ.

For over a year, I chose to keep quiet out of respect for long cherished friendships and refrained from adding fuel to the fire while emotions were high. What was an internal leadership transition within an organization I felt should not have been made into a public issue and prudence should have been taken not to drag the Catholic Church into the conflict. I must admit that it was tempting at times for me to speak out and defend myself but I listened to the voice within my heart that kept telling me “keep still, I will defend those who defend the poor.”

Now I understand how God shielded me by making me computer illiterate. The fight for control over CFC was being waged in the internet, while the struggle to ease human suffering was happening in the GK communities. During the most difficult moments, I went to the poor for consolation. It became clear to me that the poor are oftentimes the victim when there is conflict among leaders. When politicians fight, it is the poor who suffer. Ironically, when religious leaders fight it is also the poor who suffer, just like the CFC controversy where Gawad Kalinga became the central issue. My stand on this is clear; I will always be on the side of the poor. As a Christian, I believe that this is also the stand of Jesus. I have remained with CFC that is building the church of the poor.

As I turn the page to start a new chapter in my life, I want to make one thing clear. Contrary to allegations, I have not veered away from the Catholic Church and set aside my faith for social work. I have put my social work inside my faith.

It is my personal conviction that I am not a good Catholic if I do not love my country or if I allow my countrymen to remain poor even if I live a devout and decent life. Within our context, where 85 percent of our population profess to be Catholic, faith and patriotism must go together to address the twin sisters of underdevelopment — poverty and corruption.

Bishop Francisco Claver, SJ., comments on the reluctance before of the Church to address this issue in his new book The Making of a Local Church. “Economics, so the charge went, is outside of the Church’s competence. Not so much now. It is readily seen that if, faithful to Christ’s concern for the least of his brothers and sisters, we must feed the hungry, teach the ignorant, heal the sick, we can and must do something about the causes, not just the symptoms, of their hunger, their ignorance, their sicknesses.” When addressing corruption, which is a moral issue, the Church is also being accused by the powerful and those with vested interests, “of meddling in politics.”

Central to my being Catholic is Jesus’ love for the poor. He saw the world through their eyes. His world-view was from the bottom up. His value system was always skewed in their favor — the last shall be first, the lowest shall be raised to the highest. The challenge for me is to care for them in a manner that will help them rise to their highest potential. My piety and pity alone will not save them; the squatters need land, not alms… justice, not dole-out. Without land, they cannot build homes or produce food. Without decent homes, they have no dreams. Without dreams, they have no desire to study or work. It is terribly unchristian for Filipinos to be squatters in a country where there is so much land in the possession of a few.

One interesting issue raised about me was that I was talking too much about nation-building when I should be preaching about Kingdom-building. For me, there is no dualism: nation-building is Kingdom-building. We need to make every Filipino passionate nation builders. Our country needs more builders, not just more preachers. The Jesus of history that I know, before he became the transcendent Christ to us, was a carpenter and the builder of both a physical and a spiritual kingdom. His disciples followed his example and built the early Christian communities where believers shared their resources with one another and no one was in need. This was the inspiration to start the first Gawad Kalinga village in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City. Building sustainable GK communities is about values as well as economics. It is also about politics. It is our antidote to corruption by promoting servant leadership. Our slogan for leaders is “Una sa serbisyo, huli sa benepisyo” (First to serve, last to benefit! ).

What happened to us?

At the heart of Christianity is social justice anchored on Jesus’ love for the oppressed and the spirit of democracy is equality for all but looking at the vast social inequity in wealth and opportunity in our country clearly shows that we have been unfaithful to our core values and belief systems.

God is not about structures and rituals but about caring. Nation is not about politics but patriotism. Politics is competition for power; patriotism is giving up our lust for power, sharing our wealth and making heroic sacrifices for the weak to build our collective strength as a people.

We have not invested enough in building the church of the poor. We missed Jesus’ point of view and wisdom when he spoke about leaving family as a condition for discipleship. The poor not only deserve our attention but investing in them will catalyze economic activities, create opportunities, and build a safer environment for our children. Our greatest asset, our biggest market — the poor — are just waiting to be mentored, empowered, and harnessed as our engine for growth. The stones that were rejected will become the cornerstone for nation-building.

Knowing this, how do we face the future as Catholics in a country of immense potential but mired in poverty of spirit and body?

My personal response is simple: Gawad Kalinga — the Filipino expression of integral evangelization that seeks to build good citizenship on earth as it is in heaven. Being Catholic is my choice that demands conviction and action from me.

1. This is my anchor: faith in God, love for family, and pride in being Filipino.

2. This is my compass: Christ as the core of my conscience, my model of citizenship, and the source of commonsense. He is my navigator through controversy and conflict, the mirror to my soul, my companion and consolation.

3. I go to Church for mass and communion every Sunday but I strive daily to be in communion with the masses and those who want to see their lives improve. To many, going to church is an end. For me, being Catholic begins the moment I step out of the church.

4. To build solidarity, I am guided by Pope Benedict’s spirit of ecumenism in this country divided by religious intolerance and partisan politics. For me, Catholic fundamentalism is just as bad as fundamentalism that we deplore in other religion. Hypocrisy and bigotry in any language and form are unacceptable to me as a Catholic as they were to Jesus.

5. With all our imperfections, I am proud to be Catholic and I want to bring passion in the Church to serve God by serving the poor. There are rumors that I am doing all of these because I will run for public office. To set the record straight, this is not my desire or calling. I value the freedom to serve more than the authority to rule. To gain freedom, I will not seek political power or personal profit from business. Real power is in not wanting it. True wealth is in not loving money but sharing it with those deprived of a dignified life due to lack of it. To be free is not to put a price tag to one’s soul. To end, let me share with you my wish before I die. I want to see the Philippines as the first Catholic nation in Asia that will rise from third-world poverty and corruption. I will not rest until we put Fr. Damaso and Dona Victorina finally to rest.


Bishop Claver's response:

Download the longer version of this talk HERE.

* * *

And that, is how you affect lives, empower people, and inspire change.

Also, here's something interesting from the PCIJ blog, circa August 2006.