Becoming irrelevant to the secular society

          

Catholicism in the country is becoming irrelevant in today's secularized society. Many of the Catholics are good only in name but in their actual living they no longer practice the teachings of the church. This is now the very sad reality in the Philippine Catholic society. The Filipino family, which is the basic foundation of society, is being attacked by the secular culture of D.E.A.T.H.S. (Divorce, Euthanasia, Abortion, Total Population Control, Homosexual Marriage, Sex Trade Legalization) and yet the church's efforts to protect the family is not even gaining enough support from its own flock.

Maybe the time has come for the Catholic church in the Philippines to wake up to the reality that the Philippines is no longer a predominantly Catholic country. Statistics may show that many former Catholics have now been changing religious affiliations, while other Catholics have become practical atheists.

What about the rest of the Christian denominations in the country, what has been happening in their respective flocks? Are they also experiencing relatively similar things as the Catholic flock? Has Christianity in general become irrelevant in today's secularized world? With how secularism had grasped today's society, it seems that the verse, "You are the light of the world and the salt of the earth" has now become a mere religious cliche'. Many Christians seem to only love the "feel good" effect that they get from the messages in the pulpit but in their daily living they are not actually doing what they are hearing.

The secular world is always clamoring for absolute freedom and ultimate individual human rights, and the world's governments are happy to provide them. And so since today's societies wanted the laws to serve their every desire, their secular governments willingly crafted them. Welcome to the world of democracy -- a secularized government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Nothing of God, by God, and for God.

God help the governments of the world... or maybe not. Let us live with and hopefully learn from the consequences of our self-guided decisions and actions.

"O, mga katoliko, dawn mass uli tayo mamaya ha. Ang saya kasi ng feeling ng Xmas natin pag palagi tayong nag a-attend ng dawn mass."

         

Let us be an extension of the Lord's hands

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Kababayans, parts of Mindanao are severely devastated by typhoon Pablo and many are suffering. They need all the help we can give.

May our hearts be touched by God's love and be moved with compassion that we may show kindness and extend our helping hands to our kababayans in Mindanao who have been broken by life's circumstances. We never know the only remaining thread that some souls in that devastated area may be hanging on to is our kindness. Let our kindness be an extension of the Lord's hands that those broken souls can hold on to for strength in their moment of weakness.

Bless others; and you too shall be blessed evenmore.

Nothing of evil intent could ever come from God, but when bad things happen, God is able to turn blessings out of them. Would you be willing to be an instrument of God's blessings?

There is no such thing as an Atheist

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Watch the full video: The Virtue of Faith
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No Dynastic Reputation Is Immune

FVR urges Congress to pass anti-political dynasty bill
By Amita O. Legaspi
GMA News Online

Former President Fidel V. Ramos has added his voice to those calling for a law against political dynasties, admitting the absence of such has allowed rich and powerful families to abuse their authority and the country’s resources. “Nakikita naman natin na sinasarili nila ang mga [resources]… kakaunting pamilya na mayayaman, malalakas,” Ramos said in an exclusive interview with GMA News Online editor-in-chief and News To Go anchor Howie Severino aired Friday morning. He lamented the fact that more than two decades after the Constitution was crafted, Congress has yet to define what a dynasty is, therefore preventing it from coming up with a law against political dynasties. “Ang sabi ng Saligang Batas, that (dynasty) is prohibited, as may be defined by law. Pero hanggang ngayon, after [nearly] 26 years of the '87 Constitution of [the late President] Cory [Aquino], wala pang naisasabatas na definition of what is political dynasty kaya katakut-takot ‘yung turncoatism,” said Ramos, who succeeded Aquino in the presidency. “Simple lang ito: ilagay natin sa language of the Constitution ‘yung definition of political dynasty and the punishment or the penalty, if you are liable,” he added. Article II, Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution states that: "The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law."

He also said there is no need to amend the Constitution in order to put a stop to political dynasties.

“Para sa akin, dapat meron tayong maliit na reporma sana sa ating Saligang Batas. Hindi amendment to the Constitution ang pinag-uusapan [kundi] the enactment of the law to define what is a political dynasty,” he said. Ramos noted that the Constitution has a provision that bars the president from appointing any of his relatives to the fourth degree of affinity or consanguinity to an executive position. He was referring to Article VII, Section 13 paragraph 2 which states that: “The spouse and relatives by consanguinity or affinity within the fourth civil degree of the President shall not, during his tenure, be appointed as Members of the Constitutional Commissions, or the Office of the Ombudsman, or as Secretaries, Undersecretaries, chairmen or heads of bureaus or offices, including government-owned or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries.” He said this definition could be adopted in the anti-political dynasty bill.

“Ilagay din natin ‘yan sa political dynasty, para tapos na. Ngayon, ‘yung mga amendment or revision sa Saligang Batas ay mangyayari sa Kongreso ‘yan kaya mahirap din ang proseso na 'yan, pero meron tayong people's iniative,” Ramos said. At the Senate, an anti-dynasty bill — filed by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago — is still at the committee level. Under Senate Bill 2649, political dynasty exists when the spouse of an incumbent elective official or relative within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity holds or runs for an elective office simultaneously with the former within the same province or occupies the same office immediately after the term of office of the incumbent official. The bill further states that political dynasty exists where two or more spouse or relative within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity run simultaneously for elective public office within the same province, even if neither is related to an incumbent elective official.

According to Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, such bill will most likely be approved in the Senate, but not in the House of Representatives. He narrated that in 1995, the Senate was all set to submit a committee report on the anti-dynasty bill but decided against it upon learning that their counterparts in the House will not act on it. He said the 1995 version of the anti-dynasty bill had a specific, realistic definition of a dynasty. Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona had a similar experience. In 1987, the anti-dynasty bill introduced by Guingona passed the Senate with 16 votes in favor, three opposition, and one abstention, according to a 26-page petition for mandamus he filed Thursday with the Supreme Court asking it to compel Congress to craft an anti-dynasty law. "Congress [then] took no action on the bill passed by the Senate. The bill died in the House of Representatives," the petitioners, which included Guingona, said.

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Few years ago, I was amazed to discover this mushroom growing on the cushion material of a wrecked chair in our junk pile.

If in government institutions where political dynasties are left to flourish unchecked and tolerated by the constituents, it would just be a matter of time before the virus of "innocent" corruption begins to grow like mushroom, and no dynastic reputation can ever be fully effective to immunize itself against the disease.