To Search is to Find

For some time we have been asked to put in Misyon a section on Questions which our readers would like raised. We are not too sure how appropriate or suitable this is so please let us know if these questions have been of any help to you. We are calling this article To Search is to Find because we do not have the answers to every question – but the very asking of the question is the beginning of the answer.

Corruption: No Hope?

Recent events in the Philippines have revealed great corruption on all sides. Is there any hope for change? What can Christians do?

Answer: We must never lose hope. Other countries have been through similar crises of corruption and have now reduced it o manageable levels. As Christians we must:

a. Protest clearly, loudly and continually.

b. Vote for people with a clean record and not continue the old system of voting for our friends, relatives and kababayans.

c. We must join organizations set up to stop corruption like Namfrel or Graftwatch.

d. We must remove petty corruption in our own private lives and businesses.

Uncooperative Priest

I am in the Couples for Christ. Every now and again we prepare many unmarried couples for the Sacrament of Marriage. But our priest always makes it very difficult for us. We are only trying to help these couples to get back in touch with Christ. Why can’t the priest be more cooperative?

Answer: Some priests complain that a couple of days before the proposed date zealous members of the Couples for Christ bring in people to be married without any preparation. With the result, they have done no seminar; some of them are not even baptized and the papers are not properly prepared. Sometimes they even asked to have the marriage performed without the papers being properly completed which actually puts the priest in jeopardy of the law. The work of Couples for Christ is really praise worthy. They have done arduous work all over the Philippines in promoting the sacredness of marriage. But it is the priest’s obligation to make sure that we don’t cut any corners and that marriage is not devalued by rushing it up without the proper preparation.

Bishops Favoring Muslims

It seems to me that the Catholic Church is taking the side of the Muslims against its own members. Many statements of our local bishop’s in general seem to favor the Muslims and they seem to forget that we, the Christians, have gone through untold suffering and if any of our people are killed there is no way we can get justice locally, it seems unfair. Are the bishops playing politics?

Answer: At the turn of the century the Muslims and Lumads were 80% of the population of Mindanao. Now they are 20% and the Christians are 80%. The Muslims feel embattled and desperate and the bishops realize this. The Philippine Army in Mindanao are mainly Christians and they are known to abuse the people. They Holy Father has asked in the Philippines to be the voice of the voiceless and the bishops are fulfilling this. But they are also aware of the suffering of some Christians and they bring this up at the many dialogues they engage in with Muslim religious leaders.

Where is my Misyon?

I sent in a subscription to Misyon magazine and have not received any copy for the last six months.

Answer: Thank you for telling us. If you don’t tell us we won’t know. There are serious problems with the post here in the Philippines. We post Misyon magazine in Manila two months beforehand, but still it arrives late. That is the problem with magazine post or printed matter. Reluctantly we have found it much more advisable to distribute the magazine through a promoter. Do see a Columban superior in your area or the promoter and try and get it through them. And please send us a message telling us what issues you have not received and we will send them by special delivery. It greatly distresses us when we hear stories like this so please do inform us immediately.

Justified Anger

Baptized, confirmed and married without instruction

A friend of mine working in Japan brought home her prospective husband to the Philippines. The priest baptized and confirmed the man and then performed the marriage – without any instruction. When they got back to Japan the local priest was very angry – what have you got to say about this?

Answer: I think the priest in Japan was justified in being angry. He would have preferred proper instruction rather than a rush-up job. The Sacraments are more fruitful when given with proper preparation. It is quite possible that that man will go back to Japan and never practice as a Christian.

Whereas if he had taken his time about it and gradually learnt about the Catholic Church’s teachings, there is a good chance he would become a mature Christians for life. The longest way around is the shortest way home.

Influence of Foreign Movies

In Filipino movies, a happy movie frequently ends at the marriage in Church. In foreign movies, it ends either with a divorce or with them living happily together – frequently without the benefit of marriage. Is this the way the Philippines is going?

Answer: Who knows? Movies have a great influence on everything we do and since people read very few books, the movies have an even bigger influence on them. What is certain is that there is no escape from proper religious education for all our people and praise must be given to those organizations who do this. I am thinking of the Christian Family Movement, the Couples for Christ, the Legion of Mary and other groups. So basically the future is in our hands and our willingness to evangelize the 21st century.