Awesome 5 days of 'fine tuning,' renewal for RP priests

Philippine Daily Inquirer/Feature/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo Manila, Philippines--“I SHED TEARS of joy. It was a time of renewal,” said Fr. Rocero Barroga of Ilocos Sur, a priest for 28 years. Salesian Fr. Francis Gustilo of the National Congress of the Clergy II (NCC II) program committee said of the experience: “It hit the core of our priesthood. It was a happy surprise, a common learning experience. We relearned and renewed. It will have a great...

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When 5,000 priests gather

Philippine Daily Inquirer/Opinion/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo STARTING MONDAY AND UNTIL TOMORROW, Friday, some 5,000 Catholic priests, both diocesan and religious, from all over the Philippines are closeted at the World Trade Center (WTC) in Pasay City for the Second National Congress of the Clergy (NCC II). They are on a spiritual retreat. Political candidates are not allowed in the venue. During last week’s press conference, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales stated this plainly. People who are into cosmic projection, energy tracking, mystical divinations...

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Haiti’s Filipino nuncio counters critics on slow aid

Philippine Daily Inquirer/Feature/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo MANILA, Philippines—“Getting better every day.” This was how Filipino Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, described the progress of relief efforts in earthquake-ravaged Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital city. He had some words for his critics who said relief efforts had been slow, chaotic and hampered by rivalries. “They have forgotten the tragedies when four hurricanes hit...

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Haiti's history of slavery and bravery

DESPITE SO MANY deprecating descriptions of Haiti, this country whose capital city is in ruins because of last week’s deadly earthquake, has produced remarkable individuals that shine in the field of art, music and literature. Right now when I think Haiti, I think reggae, too.Last month, before the great destruction in Port-au-Prince, journalist Joel Dreyfuss who is of Haitian origin and who calls himself a “diasporate,” wrote for The Haitian Times an article titled “A cage of words” where he lamented the frequent use of what he called “The Phrase”...

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Taking child's play seriously

Sunday Inquirer Magazine/FEATURE/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo “FOLLOW the child.” This was what it all meant. In a dream she had many years ago, noted child psychotherapist Doctor Ma. Lourdes A. Carandang found herself looking deeply into a child’s eyes. The child was looking back into hers. Later, during a spiritual retreat, Carandang realized the dream’s significance. It was not only an affirmation of her calling.Shortly after, her career as a therapist...

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Catholic lay faithful's letter to bishops, priests, religious

Philippine Daily Inquirer/Opinion/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo A GROUP OF FILIPINO Catholics are preparing for the scheduled "Discernment on the Prophetic Calling of the Lay Faithful in Philippine Society" in Feb. 2010. A prelude to that gathering is a letter they (I, among them) have written and addressed to the bishops, priests and religious asking them to hold high the moral compass and provide pastoral and prophetic accompaniment for the laity during these crucial times. The letter lists urgent tasks that need to be addressed. Please go to the link...

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The subject is women's urinals

Philippine Daily Inquirer/Opinion/by Ma. Ceres P. DoyoALBERT EINSTEN and Simone de Beauvoir were among those quoted in a treatise on women’s urinals delivered at the British Toilet Association by one Mr. Orde Levinson. I found the piece in the Internet while trying to learn something about women’s urinals. Despite the piece’s seriousness, it could make you laugh if you use your imagination.It begins with a quote from Einstein: “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” And from the irrepressible Beauvoir: “If women start acting like people,...

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Free trade bad for Asean, warns solon

Philippine Daily Inquirer/News/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo“ALL OUR FEARS have come true,” said Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello, reacting to the launch of the world’s biggest free trade area comprising China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on Jan. 1The China-Asean Free Trade Agreement (Cafta), lauded by governments as a spur to intraregional trade and investments, cuts import tariffs on about 90 percent of products and offers members access to a combined market of 1.7 billion consumers. Cafta is bigger than the European Union...

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