Looking Forward: Four deacons being to be ordained at 9am on December 27 at the Holy Cross Seminary Inverolochy (L-R) Rev Gerard Fallarcuna, Albert Ghela, Raymond Taouk and Roy Dolotina are looking forward to the next stage in their calling and hoping that plenty of Goulbern people venture out to the Seminary for the historic event. Photo: Darryl Fernance

Four young men, will be ordained at the Holy Cross Seminary’s Inverolochy campus next Tuesday.

Present for the occasion will be Bishop Alfonso De Galarreta of the Society of Saint Pius X.

The seminary’s rector Father Peter R Scott said the event was “quite historical”, being the first priestly ordinations in the sixteen year history of Holy Cross Seminary. “Of the four deacons to be ordained one is Australian, whereas the other three are from the Philippines.

“These ordinations are a direct challenge of tradition to the post-Vatican II liberal church,” Father Scott said.

“They are a sign of the vitality of the traditional Latin Mass, in which the ceremony will be celebrated, and which these young priests will celebrate.

“They are a challenge to the apathy of the modern church that no longer has vocations, for it no longer has the sense of the sacred,” Father Scott said.

The outdoor ceremony will be held on the field in front of the seminary and hundreds are to be catered for to witness the event due to start at 9am.

The newly ordained priests will be giving their blessings after the Mass, as is custom, Father Scott said.
The Holy Cross Seminary is on the Braidwood Rd between Springfield and Lake Bathurst.

*Reverend Gerald Fallarcuan 34, who was born in Paranaque City, Philippines. The Reverend Fallarcuna followed his first five-day Ignation retreat at Our Lady of Victories in 1997. In October, 1997, he joined the pre-Seminary in Manila, transferring to St Bernard pre-Seminary in Iloilo in 1999. He entered Holy Cross Seminary in March 2000 and is now completing his six-year formation.

*Reverend Roy Dolotina 29, was born in Tagbilaran City, Bohol Province, Philippines. In May 1998, he entered the pre-Seminary in Manila and transferred to Holy Cross Seminary in September 1999. With the exception of 18 months spent at Saint Pius X Seminary in Econe, Switzerland (2002/03), he has been studying at Holy Cross Seminary ever since.

*Reverend Raymond Taouk 27, was born in Sydney of Lebanese parents. He was raised in the Maronite rite and studied Accounting at Granville TAFE, and worked as an accountant for two years. After an Ignatian retreat in June 1997, he entered Holy Cross Seminary in March 1998, transferring to St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Winona in August 2002. Having finished his studies in June 2005, he returned to Holy Cross Seminary for his final preparations for the priesthood.

*Reverend Albert Ghela 33, was born in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental Province in the Philippines. He studied Civil Engineering at Notre Dame of Marbel University in Koronadal City, graduating in 1996. He started pre-Seminary at the priory in Manila in 1999, then moving to St. Bernard Pre-Seminary in IloIlo, Santa Barbara. He entered into Holy Cross Seminary in March 2000, and is thus completing his sixth year of formation in the Major Seminary.

The following news from the Australian Seminary of the SSPX concern Asia in two ways: newly ordained Fr. Sayad Elias has been assigned to the Noviciate house, in Iloilo in the Philippines, and the three deacons to be ordained priests on Decmber 27 are Filipinos.

SOUTHERN SENTINEL

No. 30

Regnavit a ligno Deus
HOLY CROSS SEMINARY
FATHERS OF THE SOCIETY OF SAINT PIUS X

J.M.J.
August, 2005

Dear friends and benefactors of Holy Cross Seminary,

Allow me to take a few moments during this busy exam week to keep you up to date with events at Holy Cross Seminary. The first Semester of the year comes to an end this week, to be completed by the retreat that prepares for the taking of the cassock by the two first year seminarians on the feast of the Assumption. The good news is that we have lost neither Major nor Minor Seminarian nor Brother Postulant since the beginning of the year, but instead picked up one pre-Seminarian, giving a total of 38 young men in formation.

UPDATE

Your generosity has enabled us to bring the work on the St. Joseph’s House practically to completion, with interior painting, plumbing and electrical fixtures now complete. We also undertook, at the end of July, the underpinning of the building’s foundations, damaged by a large plane tree that we have since removed, to prevent any further movement from settling or cracks from forming. However, we will not make our August 15 deadline, since the installation of carpet inside, and obligatory fire escapes outside, will not be completed until the end of the month. Consequently, the official blessing and inauguration is set for the family weekend, Sunday September 18.

Father Sayed Elias, who spent three years as a seminarian at Holy Cross
celebrates a First Solemn High Mass on Sunday August 7.
The photo is taken at the Agnus Dei.

A view of Father Elias and the ministers who assisted him on the altar for his First High Mass at Holy Cross Seminary
– in the cloister surrounding the Sacred Heart statue.

Letter sent to all the Archbishops and Bishops of the Philippines by fax, individually.

THE SOCIETY OF ST PIUS X – DISTRICT OF ASIA

2 Cannon Rd, New Manila, QC
Tel. 02 – 725 5926 ; Fax 02 725 0725

His Grace
ARCHBISHOP...

March 11, 2005

Your Grace,

Yesterday’s newspapers have made reference to the Church continued involvement on the issue of Bill 3773, quoting Archbishop Cruz (Manila Bulletin, p.5) and Archbishop Iñiguez (Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A8).

Archbishop Cruz came out quite clearly on the fact that “when contraceptives fail, abortion is the recourse”. However, it is well know too that many contraceptives are abortifacient, a point which was unfortunately not reported. It was also a relief to see the affirmation that there is an objective truth (and consequently an objective moral law) independent of “intentions and motives”.

As regards Archbishop Iñiguez’ quote — “I don’t know if (supporting family planning programs) is a public sin” —, I cannot believe that these words reported were correct since the teaching of the Church on these matters has been expressly given by the Holy See.

About sex education, this is what Pope Pius XI wrote in Divini Illius Magistri:

“Far too common is the error of those who with dangerous assurance and under an ugly term propagate a so-called sex education, falsely imagining they can forearm youth against the dangers of sensuality by means purely natural, such as a foolhardy initiation and precautionary instruction for all indiscriminately, even in public; and worse still, by exposing them at any early age to the occasion of sin, in order to accustom them, so it is argued, and as it were to harden them against such dangers.”

And as if this was not clear enough, two years later the Holy Office issued the following Decree answering the question “if the method called ‘sex education’ or even ‘sex initiation’ be approved”?

“No. In the education of youth the method to be followed is that hitherto observed by the Church and the Saints as recommended by His Holiness the Pope in the encyclical dealing with the Christian education of youth, promulgated in December 31, 1929. One must first and foremost be careful to give to the youth of both sexes a complete, strong, uninterrupted religious instruction; to lead them to a high esteem, to the desire and to the love of the angelic virtue of purity; to persuade them to have recourse toprayers and to be assiduous to the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist; that they must be devoted to a filial devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of holy purity, under whose protection, the youth must place themselves entirely; that they must avoid, with precaution, dangerous readings, obscene spectacles, dishonest conversations, all other occasions of sin. Hence, no approbation whatever can be given to the advocacy of the new method, even as taken up recently by some Catholic authors and set before the public in printed publications.” (Decree of the Supreme Congregation of the Holy Office on the “sexual education” on March 21, 1931)

As regards contraception, the same Pope foreseeing the coming moral disorders wrote the following:

Any use of marriage whatever, in the exercise of which the act is deprived through human industry of its natural power of procreating life, violates the law of God and of nature, and those who commit anything of this kind are marked with the stain of grave sin” (AAS, 22 (1930), 559-60)

Paul VI in Humanae Vitae (no. 14) repeated this previous teaching of Pius XI thus:

“Similarly excluded is every action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible.”

Such teaching obviously does not change with time as it is based on that objective truth mentioned earlier.

I also hope Your Grace will not be influenced by various statements attesting that since many other countries have approved such immoral methods they ought to be allowed here too. Those who say such things never mention the other side of the coin, which is the number of countries who are regretting the population control laws and are in the process of overturning them, such, for instance, is Singapore and even China.

As regards giving or refusing Holy Communion, here is what was taught here in the Philippines only a few decades ago immediately after Cardinal Santos’ Warning (June 14, 1965) against Family Planning Association :

“ With regards to Holy Communion, the persons who knowingly, in defiance of the Church’s teaching, work for the (Family Planning) association or patronize it, evidently are guilty of a grievous sin as well as causing serious scandal. Without first going to Confession these persons cannot approach Holy Communion. Yet the priest, already at the communion-rail , shall not deny Holy Communion to the participants of the association’s activities unless they are notoriously known as such, and therefore as publicly guilty of a tremendous scandal. Repentance and removal of scandal is here a necessary pre-disposition to approach this sacrament of God’s love.” (Bulletin Eclesiastico de Filipinas, vol. XXXIX, no. 444, Dec. 1965, pp.1023-1024)

Your Grace might be interested to know that two years ago, the government of Argentina banned contraception on the grounds that many of the contraceptives were actually causing early abortions, which, like here in the Philippines, is banned.

Divine Providence has appointed you to “feed the flock which is among you” (I Pet. 5, 2) in these days where the powers of darkness are adamant to destroy whatever is left of the True and Only Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The moment is solemn. The City of God in the Philippines is besieged from all sides and all eyes are turned to you, the Pastors and Shepherds of the flock.

The attacks — clearly religious before being political — aimed at the sanctity of family life, at the innocence of the youth have reached an unheard of degree of intensity. If Bill 3773 “Responsible Parenthood and Population Management” is passed what will happen to the Catholic life, which has made the Philippines “in South East Asia the sole great Catholic Nation, the Kingdom of Mary, the kingdom of the Rosary” (Pius XII, Radio Message to the II Marian Congress, 1954)? Will the Pearl of the Orient be “thrown to the swine least perhaps they trample (it) under their feet and turning upon you they tear you” (Mt 7, 6), thrown to those who openly and violently are eager to reject any vestiges of the sweet kingship of the Son of God made Man, to those who “do not want Him to reign over them” (cf. Lk. 19, 14)?

Some of your fellow bishops, thank God, have raised their voice against these anti-Christian laws. You did write a Pastoral Letter. But unfortunately the effect hoped for doesn’t seem to have been attained, considering the Rally which took place last Friday. Indeed, approximately 10,000 people is certainly a good number, but it is still far short of previous political rallies in which the bishops of the Philippines got involved in the recent history of this country.

Your Grace, we earnestly pray that you will have the strength to continue to act — as long as there is hope to stop this Bill — to defend the innocent, the innumerable families who are struggling to be faithful to the Commandments against so many anti-family laws. Your flock is — especially now — “seeking the law from your mouth” (Mal. 2,7); please do not leave it and flee lest the wolf catches and scatters the sheep (cf. Jn. 10, 12).

Your Grace, please, for the glory of God, for the honor of the Catholic Church, of which you have been made a Prince, for the salvation of the Philippines, do not blush of Our Lord in front of His enemies! We do not want to see Him blushing one day of his Filipino Bishops in front of His Father, on Judgment Day (cf. Lk. 9,26).

We are behind you, a little band of Gedeon, ready to give you all the support we can at this eleventh hour. Sacred Scripture constantly tells us that God does not save with the power of horses and chariots, He often uses “the week things of the world that he may confound the strong”. (I Cor 1, 27).

Many times in the course of the last century in particular, Our Blessed Lady of the Rosary, the new Judith, the new Esther, has intervened when all seemed lost, because princes of the Church did have recourse to Her, knowing that no one who does so can be abandoned.

I do hope Your Grace will be strong in “fighting the good fight”, for the glory of God and the salvation of the youth and the families of the Philippines.

Yours respectfully in the service of the Lord of Hosts and of Our Lady of La Naval,

Fr. Daniel Couture SSPX
District Superior for Asia

February 16, 2005

Dear Fathers, dear friends,

Unfortunately our legislators want to impose a Mandatory Sexual Education to our children (10-19) under the penalty of imprisonment or fine.

Sadly, Yesterday, the committee of our Congressmen approved this Bill (24 against 3).

Sadly, our Bishops keep silence about this faith and moral issue.

Please help us to promote the purity and virginal innocence of our future generations saying NO to this Mandatory Sexual Education in spite of our Bishops’ silence.

We need to make an “operation survival” for the future Philippines!

HOW? By Asking your congressmen to vote NO to this Bill, we have to protect the Innocence of our children.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us! Protect us! Have mercy on us!

Sincerely yours in Christ

Fr Thomas Onoda

* * *

We say NO to “National Suicide” Bill
Questions and Answers about the House Bill No.__
(Substitute Bill for House Bill Nos. 16, 2029, 2042 and 2550)

Q: What is the Substitute Bill for House Bill Nos. 16, 2029, 2042 and 2550?

A: This the is a Substitute Bill for House Bill Nos. 16, 2029, 2042 and 2550. It was filed, in February 2005, in the 13^th congress 1^st regular session by Representatives Hon. Edcel Lagman, Josefina Joson, Lorna Silverio, Ferjenel Biron and Eduardo Roquero. It is known as the “Reproductive Health Act of 2004” or “Responsible Parenthood and Population Management Act of 2005” (Sec. 1).

Q: But isn’t it that the problems of poverty, poor health and lack of education are due to overpopulation and the lack of an integrated national policy on reproductive health?

A: This is simply not true. The fact is that the most populous areas of the Philippines are also the wealthiest.

(Source: Philippine National Statistics Office, in http://www.census.gov.ph/data/pressrelease/2002/pr02178tx.html
and National Statistical Coordination Board, July 2004 data in http://www.nscb.gov.ph/grdp/2003/2003conlev.asp)

Q: What are the causes of the problems of poverty, poor health and lack of education, then?

A: It is clear from the statistics that our problems of poverty, poor health and lack of education are not rooted in overpopulation. The true reasons why the Philippines is poor should be attributed to other reasons such as corruption, immorality, lack of discipline¹.

Q: What are the main problems of this House Bill?

A: Among others the problems are:

1) It exalts human rights as if man is above his Creator ignoring sacredness of reproductive function given by God.

2) It seeks Mandatory Sexual Education to Grade Schools to 4^th year high school (Sec 10) under the penalty of imprisonment of up to six months or fined P 20,000.00 or both (Sec 17).

3) Prohibiting to refuse to perform voluntary sterilization and ligation etc on the ground to lack of third party consent, it refuse to acknowledge the right of husband or wife to refuse ligation, sterilization, contraception and other such reproductive health care (Sec.16, a2).

4) It foresees to perform voluntary sterilization, ligation, and other reproductive health care services for abused minors and pregnant minors without parental consent, and to penalize private and public health care service provider for refusing to perform it (Sec. 19, a 2).

5) It wants to indoctrinate our people a prejudice against large families (more than 2 children) presenting them a model family size of 2 children or less (Sec. 12).

6) It discriminate children from large families (more than 2 children) from availing of a tax-funded government program with its preferential grant of college scholarship for children from smaller family number (family with 2 children or less) (Sec. 12).

7) It wants to indoctrinate the mentality of refuse of children (which are gifts of God) by “heightened nationwide multi-media campaign” (Sec. 15).

Q: Why is the “sexual right” of children and adolescents wrong?

A: the “sexual right” of children and adolescents is wrong:

(1) because there is no “sexual right” for children and for unmarried adolescents, since the Natural Law tells us that the reproductive function is only for married couples².

(2) because attributing to children the right of the married couple, this notion violates our Filipino moral principles and cultural values of the Filipino Family.

Q: Why is the Mandatory Sexual Education wrong?

A: The proposed Mandatory Sexual Education to young students is to give the information on sexual rights (Sec. 10. a) modern family planning (Sec. 10. f), safe sex (Sec. 11. k), and use of modern contraceptive devices (Sec. 11. h) among other things. This is wrong because it seeks only to produce “sexually liberated” children who can demand “sexual rights” being “free from coercion” from their parents and Commandments of God.

Q: How about Sex education in school ?

A: Sex education in school usurps the parents’ right. Sex education in schools disrespectfully defies the duty of parents to raise their children as responsible, God-loving and patriotic citizens³.

Q: But they should know all these methods, shouldn’t they?

A: No. A teacher should teach children neither how to commit a sin nor how to cheat for one’s commodity. We have no right to teach how to make an immoral act to the innocents as legitimate.

Q: Can we help alleviating the impoverished through access to quality education?

A: Yes. We must give our future generations the true quality education: diligence, discipline, self-sacrifice for the common good, fidelity and chastity.

Q: Then, we need money because it is only good Catholic schools that can offer such an education. Reducing the number of the kids, the parents should send them to good Catholic school. But there are lots of poor families. What will happen to them?

A: We are concerned about the alleviation of poverty. Precisely for these poor families, the children are the only means to alleviate their difficult situation. This House Bill will deprive of them the possibility to exit from their difficulty. It is the help that large families need. But the Bill wants to deprive of them financial help as a punishment.

Q: How does the Bill want to deprive of them financial help as a punishment?

A: The Bill want to deprive of large families financial help as a punishment by prioritize the grant of college scholarship for children from 2 children family. This Bill unjustly discriminate Catholics, who are in conscience abound to resist contraception and who make up the majority of the taxpayers in the country, from availing of tax-fund government scholarship.

Q: But the government has no enough money.

A: The Bill wants to reduce the number of future tax-payers. By this Bill the income of the state shall decrease more and more in the long run⁴. In order to have more income, we have to make a productive investment. It will not help increase of income by neither to limit nor to reduce the population.

Q: Women will be nurtured physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually by the Bill.

A: No. Women will be the victims of selfishness of men. The Children will be taught how to commit a sin of lust. The sexually liberated children yesterday will be tomorrow delinquents violating moral laws of God on this matter. They will be future rapists or betrayers of marriage fidelity. Women will be used only for amusement, just for gratification of lustful men’s desire without any moral value. In order to preserve woman’s dignity, we must promote the sacredness of reproductive function. But the Bill wants to profane it.

Q: Can we help alleviating the impoverished through access to Sexual education?

A: No. Precisely early sexual education disturbs normal development of children, making them violent, cruel, selfish, undisciplined character. Instead of nurturing, the proposed sexual education will make the children slaves of their lust and will disturb them emotionally, mentally and most especially spiritually.

Q: Can we help alleviating the impoverished through access to health care services?

A: Yes. The government must prioritize to use the budget for ordinary medicines. But this Bill wants to use government money not for the ordinary medicines but birth control gadgets.

Q: What are the top ten leading sicknesses in the Philippines?

A: The top ten leading sicknesses are: (1) Diarrhea, (2) Pneumonia, (3) bronchitis, (4) Influenza, (5) Respiratory Tuberculosis, (6) Hypertension, (7) Malaria, (8) Chicken Pox, (9) Diseases of the Heart, and (10) Measles.

Q: This Bill introduces “Reproductive Health rights” (Sec. 2). What is it?

A: The terms “reproductive health,” “reproductive rights,” “reproductive health care” and “reproductive health services” mean, eventually, access to abortion. The usage of this term, as reinforced in international population conferences, is universally accepted to include abortion⁵.

Q: How about the Government-mandated reproductive health care programs interfere?

A: The Government-mandated reproductive health care programs interfere with the family’s rights and open up the possibility of abuse. This attitude of having to “manage” reproductive health perpetuates the anti-life, pro-abortion, pro-choice mentality that will bring about the destruction of marriage and the family.

Moreover, when government mandates reproductive health care programs, government tramples upon the basic human right of couples to control their own fertility and determine their own family size. Government involvement in reproduction is also dangerous because of the potential abuses it can bring.

Q: The Bill of Population control is the Will of God.

A: No. The Will of God is that we keep the sacredness of the marriage observing His Commandments and that let God decide the number of children He wants to give us.

Q: But large families are impossible to many persons because of the high cost of children today (expenses for clothing, food, medical care schooling, etc.), should we encourage small families then?

A: Raising a family is a very big responsibility but responsibility doesn’t mean families should have lesser children. The inability to support many children is often due to extravagance or insufficient wages, and the remedy lies in prudent economy or improvement of the economic condition of workers and not by revolutionalizing Filipino Morals concerning the abuse of marriage.

Q: What about the spread of diseases related to the reproductive health?

A: Diseases related to the reproductive health are precisely caused by immoral acts. The best solution for such problems is chastity, modesty and purity, in another word, traditional Filipino moral values. However, the House Bill want promote reproductive act without any moral value among any persons by its valueless Sexual Education.

Q: How about the growing population?

A: The statistics from the United Nations show that the Philippines’ fertility rate will drop to near-replacement levels within the next decade. Even without this Bill, The United Nations data (Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: the 2002 Revision and World Urbanization Prospects: the 2001 Revision, http://esa.un.org/uhpp) show that the Philippines’ Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is projected to drop to range of 2.05 (low variant) or 2.55 (medium variant) by 2010-2015 while today’s TFR is 2.93. To replace country’s population, the TFR should be at 2.1 per woman. The demographic decline reduces economic opportunities and makes shrink the workforce⁶While the Philippines had high TFR in 1960s, the country was one of the leading nations in Asia.

Q: But the cause of unemployment is overpopulation, why then should large family be encouraged?

A: The Philippines is full of resources and its earth is easily adequate to support many times the present population. The cause of unemployment is due to accidents or to human greed or imprudence. On the contrary, the large number of population is the economical opportunities to create more jobs and market.

Q: But the Philippines had been a rich nation but it is poor now. What should we do? Is it wrong to dream that one day the Philippines be a better place to live in?

A: The poverty of the Philippines is not due to the over-population. In the long term, the growing population is necessary for progress. In order to alleviate the poverty, we must produce diligently working skilled people, invest its capital for future production and create new jobs. The Bill wants, on the contrary, to make our Filipino people sensual sexual-minded without moral value and discipline. We must use money for the productive industry, for the training of skill or for investment to the infra-structure of the Philippines⁷.

Q: Is there any penalty attached?

A: Yes. The parents shall be imprisoned up to six months or fined P 20, 000.00 or both (Sec 20) if they refuse to grant this “sexual right” of children.

Forgetting that the reproductive function is sacred, this valueless Mandatory Sexual Education will implant our future generation a mind seeking only lustful pleasure without wanting children and will lead them to seek this pleasure at any cost even committing the crime of abortion.

These provisions seek to destroy the moral authority of the parents over their children in matters of sexual behavior because the parents will be penalized by imprisonment of up to six months or fined P 20,000.00 or both (Sec 20) when they exercise parental guidance to children and teenagers regarding sexuality.

Q: Does the Catholic Church help in regards to the poverty of the country today?

A: The Catholic Church helps the society in general through its teachings and moral admonitions not only to its faithful but for the good of the society itself. Today and even in the past, Catholic institutions have been and are helping the people in need. Unfortunately, the more the nation departs from the Church authority, the more it suffers its consequences.

Q: What should we say about this Bill?

A: Considering the above, we have to say that this House Bill No. 16 is immoral, Anti-Family, Anti-Catholic, Anti-Filipino. It unjustly infringes on the religious and civil rights of Catholics for it disqualifies them form public service and denies them the right to freely exercise their religion in the society because the Catholics cannot in conscience cooperate with the provision of the Bill (Sec. 20).

By this Bill, the Christian Philippines will decrease in population and in economy as well as in morality. It is a suicide. It is easy to foresee that in the next decades the Philippines will have, on one hand, only an aging declining Christian society with our two children policy, on the other hand, an increasing Islamic population by their four wives policy.

For further information, please contact:

Our Lady of Victories Church
#2 Cannon Road New Manila,
Quezon City, MM 1112, Philippines
Tel: (02) 725-5926. Fax: (02) 725-0725.

1 . The Asian Development Bank in its annual report on the Investment Outlook in Asia said, of both the Philippines and Indonesia, “It is estimated that economic growth in these two countries would need to accelerate by 1.5–2 percentage points above the average performance in 2002–2003 to ensure a decrease in unemployment and a significant reduction in poverty.” (Asian Development Bank, Economics and Research Department, Asian Development Outlook 2004, in http://www.adb.org/Documents/Books/ADO/2004/highlights/ADO2004_highlights.pdf)

The corruption in the Philippines is a serious hindrance to economic growth and a favorable investment climate. The headline of the Phil. Daily Inquirer of January 20, 2004 was “RP No. 2 on Corruption List.” The newspaper cited an Asian Development Bank’s report, “Improving the Investment Climate in the Philippines” showing that the Philippines ranked second to Bangladesh among 102 countries in terms of the magnitude of irregular payments, including bribery, in public contracts. Corruption, which is conducted through irregularities in public or government contracts, tax payments, business transactions, and so on, affects 34 percent of domestic enterprises, resulting in the retardation of revenues and labor productivity. (Philippine Daily Inquirer, Headline News, January 20, 2005, “RP No. 2 on Corruption List.”)

Transparency International, in its “Global Corruption Report 2004” said that the Philippines scored 2.5 (10 is the best score), ranking 92nd out of 133 countries in its Corruption Perceptions Index 2003. ( Transparency International, Global Corruption Report 2004, London, Pluto Press, and in

http://www.globalcorruptionreport.org/download/gcr2004/11_Country_reports_L_Z.pdf ) This score has been worsening from 2.9 points in 2001 and 2.6 in 2002. ( Amando Doronila, “Perceptions of corruption” in Philippine Daily Inquirer, October 15, 2003.)

As the World Bank said, “Without success in reducing corruption, there will be a needless waste of resources; public confidence in government will be diminished, weakening efforts toward reform and revenue mobilization; and the effects of corruption frequently hit the poor hardest…” (World Bank, Combating Corruption, Discussion Briefs for the Philippines, September 8, 2004, in

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPHILIPPINES/Resources/DB07-CombatingCorruption-June23.pdf)

The corruption in the Philippines is so blatant that Philippine journalists from the Philippine Center for Investigate Journalism (PCIJ) have run an entire training course for our Southeast Asian neighbors, called ““Investigative Journalism Course for Southeast Asian Journalists.” (Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, Training Desk, in http://pcij.org/training/ijcourse.html) PCIJ has also published a book, “Investigating Corruption, A Do-It-Yourself Guide” because of the on-the-job training acquired in the Philippines.

2 . “(T)he concept of ‘sexual rights’, a term that has no agreed definition in the international community.” U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kelly Ryan

3 . Parents object to the exposure of their children, particularly young children, to information they are not ready or willing to receive. Such education damages the children’s natural stages of development and will not make them wholesome persons but hedonistic, promiscuous, and selfish youth who will become irresponsible adults. We want to protect our children from sexually transmitted diseases and from sinful acts of impurity. We want to increase all children’s chances to keep their innocence and virginal purity until marriage as God wants and as it has been our Tradition. It is dangerous to make our children “sex-experts” by giving them sex education in school.

4 . The international news magazine Newsweek featured the article entitled “Birth Dearth” as its cover story on Sept. 27, 2004. In the article, author Michael Meyer reported on the new demography, the phenomenon consisting of dropping fertility rates and shrinking populations worldwide, as noted by sociologist Ben Wattenberg. The article says governments of many developed nations facing bankruptcy and social problems within the next few decades due to declining populations. Indeed the Bill is ignoring the alarm bells raised over the impending world population implosion. The same article warns of what mainstream economists know: that a country cannot have a vibrant economy without a growing population.

5 . The Global Roundtable Declaration said, in part, “We want a world…Where women and girls do not die in childbirth and pregnancy; where they have access to safe and legal abortion; and where women and men can decide freely and responsibly whether and when to have children.” (Declaration of the Global Roundtable, Page 7, Countdown 2015: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for All, 2 September 1994, in http://content.ippf.org/output/ICPD/files/4918.pdf)

In the ICPD Programme of Action, the intention to remove legal barriers to abortion was made, as follows: “As part of the effort to meet unmet needs, all countries are asked to identify and remove all major remaining barriers to the use of family planning services.” (ICPD ’94 Summary of the Programme of Action, Chapter VII, Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health, September 1994, in http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/populatin/icpd.htm#chapter7)

6 . The United Nations projections indicate that over the next 50 years, virtually all European nations and Japan will face aging and declining populations. The older generation is growing faster than the total population in practically all regions of the world and the difference in growth rates is increasing. (United Nations Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, The World

Population Ageing: 1950-2050, in http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/worldageing19502050)

7 . Population growth does not necessarily lead to income and resource decline as proven in studies of the United Nations. The UN Population Division’s report entitled “World Population Monitoring 2001” stated that while world population grew from 1.6 billion to 6.1 billion persons from 1900 to 2000, world real gross domestic product (GDP, or actual output of goods and services) increased 20 to 40 times, “allowing the world not only to sustain a fourfold population increase but also to do so at vastly higher standards of living” (United Nations Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Concise Report on World Population Monitoring 2001: Population, Environment and Development). It also stated that world agricultural production has risen faster than population, real prices of food have declined, and new reserves of non-renewal mineral and fuel resources have been discovered.

If fourfold world population growth in ten years has not led to massive and global food epidemics and a decline in standards of living, then it does not follow that population growth in the Philippines will cause the dire consequences imagined by our legislators. Instead, government should be considering effective means to deal with the real reasons for our country’s poverty, which are poor economic administration, widespread corruption, poor investment appetite, and external factors.

September 14, Santa Barbara. The classes resumed for the formation of the future brothers.

September 5, Santa Barbara. Fr. Couture, Mr. Le Roy and all the knights left the pre-seminary to go back to their occupation more convinced than ever of the necessity to restore all things in Christ the King.

September 2, Santa Barbara. A busy day in two parts: –1) In the morning: at 6.10 am, the 25 Knights of Our Lady, from Manila and Bohol together with Fr. Couture , Fr. Wailliez and also the Master of the Knight of Our Lady J. P. le Roy and the pre-seminarians left for the chapel in Iloilo. 7:00 AM sung mass celebrated by Fr. Couture followed by a light meal. 9: 25 AM start of the Jubilee Pilgrimage which consisted of a 6 km procession from the town of Pavia to the centenial church of the town of Sta Barbara. With Our Lady’s grace we were permitted to enter the Jublee church with the permission of the parish priest (an important act as this priest is the editor of a local publication which, last year, had a series of articles against the Society of St Pius X). Fr. Couture and Fr. Wailliez lead the faithful in the singing of the Credo and other prayer to gain the indulgences of the Jubilee. Aproximately 150 faithful joined this pilgrimage which ended up at the pre-seminary with lunch.. 2) In the afternoon, the first Provincial Chapter of the Knights of Our Lady began with two priests, the Master from France and 25 delegates from the various chapters of the Philippines. The Provincial Chapter lasted three days.

September 1, Santa Barbara. Fr. Wailliez, Fr. Couture arrived in Iloilo for the Congress. They also met there Mr. Le Roy who had just arrived the day before. Almost all the Filipino members of the Knights of Our Lady arrived for their Provincial Chapter.

August 31, Manila. Fr. Couture stopped for a brief 24 hours on his way to the Provincial Chapter of the Knights of our Lady in Santa Barbara.

August 29, Santa Barbara. The first knights of Our Lady arrived from Manila for the Provincial Congress.

August 20, Santa Barbara. Fr. Davodeau inspected the premises of the pre-seminary.

Manila. The Rome Pilgrims returned one day after the Singaporeans from this historical pilgrimage.

August 11, Santa Barbara. A professor of the Western Visayas School of Science and Technology, formerly in the Trade School, in the district of Lapaz, made a visit to the pre-seminary.

July 17, Santa Barbara. Fr. Wailliez left for a 6-week journey across Asia and Europe.

July 10, Manila. A professor in one of our French schools came for a few weeks to discover the Philippines. However, as the weather was very bad, Fr. Onoda laid hand on him to give an intensive French course to our Bethanians!

June 17, MANILA: Father Santiago Hughes, who was brought back to Tradition in 1996 after 22 years of diocesan work in the Philippines, celebrated at Our Lady of Victories Church, with great solemnity, the silver anniversary of his ordination, by the very first Solemn High Mass of his priestly life.

June 14, SANTA BARBARA: The two Fijians vocations scheduled to arrive unfortunately did not show up at the airport. It was found out later that they had not been able to leave because of a coup-d’état in Fiji.

June 9, SANTA BARBARA: Early morning, Fr. Wailliez left for the airport, going to Mindanao for the monthly mission and a visit of the different praesidia of the Legion of Mary.

June 7, SANTA BARBARA: Arrival of Brother Daniel (Jerry Cabiltes, from Leyte) who has been assigned at the pre-seminary.

June 5, SANTA BARBARA: Fr. Soliman arrived from more than a week of absence; he had given a session to the Apostles of Mary, in Mindanao.
MANILA: Raquel Jimenez, another Bethanian, left for Germany, to help out in a school run by the Oblate Sisters of the SSPX.

June 4, SANTA BARBARA: In the afternoon, the pre-seminarians went to Jaro, to show the cathedral to newly arrived John Maria, from Kenya. They found the church full of people attending Rosary and Benediction for peace in Mindanao. Afterwards, in front of the cathedral, they had the chance to meet the Archbishop and to speak shortly with him.

June 2, MANILA: Susan Comota, a Bethanian, left to join the Traditional Redemptoristines in England.

May 28, MANILA: Start of the summer boys’ camp in Lobo, Batangas, with Fr Salvador and the Cristeros. KOREA. Full of zeal, Fr Onoda organized a beautiful procession in honor of Our Blessed Lady in the streets of Seoul. May Her reign come quickly in this country which is very dedicated to Her.

May 25, SANTA BARBARA: Fr. Wailliez met Archbp. Lagdameo at the palacio and was able to talk with him during 40 minutes. He seemed not to be disturbed by our presence in his diocese. Completion of the ground leveling at the back part of the seminary.

May 24, MANILA: Sister Maria Victoria returned to her assignment in Switzerland.

May 21, SANTA BARBARA: After the Sung Mass and Catechism, Fr. Wailliez went to San Miguel to attend the consecration of the barangay’s youth to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Legion’s meeting of the junior praesidium.
MANILA:. The start of a 5 day girls’ camp in Lobo, Batangas with Fr Salvador, the Bethanians and the Dominican sisters.

May 17, SANTA BARBARA: Fr. Wailliez met providentially Archbishop Lagdameo at the Far East Bank and had a nice conversation with him.

May 15, MANILA: Beginning of a 5 day men’s retreat in Baguio preached by Frs. Griego and Egli, for 16 men.

May 13, SANTA BARBARA: The whole community joined the Jaro faithful for an outdoor procession in honour of Our Lady of Fatima.

May 9, SANTA BARBARA: Fr. Wailliez went to Jaro Cathedral with some faithful for the installment of the new archbishop, Bishop Angelo Lagdameo. He was able to introduce himself to him, and luckily, got a free ticket for the banquet that followed the ceremony along with some 30 bishops and even more priests from all over the country.

May 8, SANTA BARBARA: Normal schedule resumed after more than a month’s vacation.
MANILA. Beginning of a 5 day women’s retreat in Baguio preached by Frs. Griego and Onoda. 17 retreatants.

May 2, SANTA BARBARA: Three day summer camp for 39 children of the Iloilo area.
MANILA. Fr. Wailliez arrived from Baguio.

May 1, MANILA: First day of the Flores de Mayo: every evening, all the members of the community, as well as some faithful, come to church before the Rosary and walk in procession, while singing hymns in a variety of languages (Tagalog, Latin, English, Visayan, French, Korean – next year there might be some in Thai and Vietnamese hymns too…) in the main aisle bringing flowers to a lovely May Altar set up in the front.

April 29, MANILA: Sister Maria Victoria (the sister of Fr Soliman), an Oblate sister of the SSPX, came back to the Philippines from Switzerland for a 3 week vacation.

April 28, SANTA BARBARA: Fr Wailliez left for a one week trip to Manila and Baguio.

April 26, SANTA BARBARA: On their way back from Marbuena, the priests and pre-seminarians joined the Jaro faithful in some special prayers of reparation against the weeklong high-ranking freemasons’ meeting taking place in Iloilo.

April 25, MANILA: Brother Patrick (Gerard Golveo, from Iloilo) started his new assignment at Our Lady of Victories church.

April 24, SANTA BARBARA: The community took a well deserved break for three days on the little island of Marbuena.

April 23 Easter Sunday, MANILA: Eight children from the catechism class made their First Holy Communion.

April 20-22 Holy Triduum, MANILA: Thanks to the large community, the Tenebrae were completely sung every day.

April 17, SANTA BARBARA. Three day recollection for the whole house on the Passion and the ceremonies of Holy Week.
MANILA. Bishop Fellay flew back to Switzerland, and Fr Morgan to the USA.

April 16 Palm Sunday, MANILA: For the first time ever, thanks to the presence of Bishop Fellay, it was possible to hold a Pontifical High Mass for this great day.

April 15, SANTA BARBARA: The pre-seminarians went to visit a Trappist monastery on the island of Guimaras, near Iloilo.
MANILA. Many of the priests who came for the funeral had to leave to be back to their posts for the Holy Week ceremonies.

April 14, MANILA:. A solemn Pontifical High Mass with its five absolutions was offered for the repose of Bishop Lazo’s soul. 10 priests were present ‘officially’ since a few priests from Bishop Lazo’s diocese also came but kept a low profile in the congregation. No one officially represented the Archdiocese of Manila, although two days earlier, they had sent a bishop to inquire about the schedule of events. Bishop Lazo’s remains were laid in our church of Our Lady of Victories, between the first and the second Station (which is very symbolic – he too, imitating His Master, was indeed unjustly condemned by the CBCP, but he accepted and carried his cross with joy).

April 13, SANTA BARBARA: The Men’s retreat was shortened to enable the two priests to go to Manila for Bishop Lazo’s funeral.
MANILA. Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the SSPX, arrived to officiate at Bishop’s Lazo’s funeral. Father Paul Morgan, the first superior of the Philippines arrived from Post Falls, USA, as well as Father Thomas Blute, formerly assigned in the Philippines, now prior in India and Fathers Wailliez and Soliman, from Santa Barbara.

April 12, MANILA: The preparations for Bishop Lazo’s funeral are well on the way. Fr Couture arrived from Singapore.

April 4, Santa Barbara: Session of the Apostles of Mary for 15 young people, mainly from Iloilo area.

April 2, Manila: Bishop Lazo’s health having slightly improved, he was dismissed from the hospital to come to the Priory in the good care of the priests.

March 27: Bishop Tissier and Father Couture flew back together to Manila for a few hours stopover on their way to Kuala Lumpur. Fr. Onoda, having just arrived from Korea, waited at the airport to meet Fr. Couture (who had returned there before the bishop as his flight was earlier than the bishop’s). In the afternoon, Fr. Onoda, then was able to visit Bishop Lazo in hospital with Bishop Tissier.
Santa Barbara: Meanwhile, at the pre-seminary, a 5 day women’s retreat began at noon for 39 ladies, including 20 active and 6 auxiliary members of the Legion from the whole Philippines.

March 26, Iloilo: Bishop Tissier gave 30 confirmations in Iloilo. In the afternoon, Fr. Couture gave two slide presentation to the faithful: one on the Holy Shroud of Turin, one the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. A large crowd of over 100 attended both.

March 25, Santa Barbara: Feast of the Annunciation: Acies and First National Congress of the Legion of Mary in the Philippines. At around 8:00 am, the Legionaries from the different praesidia in the Philippines arrived at the pre-seminary. At 9:00 am Solemn High Mass was officiated by H.E. Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, attended by almost 200 people, among whom 59 auxiliary members and 100 active. After the Mass, opening of the Acies: Rosary followed by Fr. Couture’s allocutio, then procession to the statue of Our Lady and individual consecrations, lastly, the collective act of consecration read by Fr. Wailliez, general chaplain of the Legion of Mary for the district. Lunch was served at 12:30 pm and at 2:00 pm the Congress was opened, attended by 75 active members from our 11 Filipino praesidia. Conference of the Bishop followed by many talks on the Legion system and the work being done by the Legion of Mary all over the Phiilippines: visit of hospitals, of prisons, of houses, of home of abused children, work done in the universities, with the youth. A truly wonderful litany of corporal and spiritual works of mercy accomplished by Our Blessed Lady through her legionaires. Deo Gratias! Magnificat! At 5:30 pm, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was officiated by Fr. Couture and the ending prayers by Bishop Tissier who gave the final blessing.

March 24, Santa Barbara: Bishop Tissier continued his tour of the Philippines visiting our pre-seminary and as the guest of honor for the first National Congress of the Legion of Mary. At 1:00 pm: arrival of His Excellency Bishop Tissier with Fr. Soliman from Cebu. The Society Bishop was warmly welcomed at the airport by Fr. Wailliez and around 20 faithful (mainly Legionaries) holding two large banners. At 5:30 pm the Bishop gave a thirty minutes conference to the pre-seminarians about “How the Society of Saint Pius X started”. Bishop Tissier is one of the two ‘surviving’ members of the very first year of the SSPX, 1969-1970. The other is Fr. Paul Aulagnier, Second Assistant to Bishop Fellay. At about 5:45 pm: Fr. Couture arrived at the seminary also. At 6:00 pm: first Vespers in honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

March 23: Bishop Tissier visited next Cebu for a similar program, administering confirmation to 23 candidates.

March 22: Bishop Tissier then proceeded to Bohol, with Frs Salvador and Soliman, for 36 confirmations and a conference. The District Superior stopped in Manila for a few days on his way to the Legion of Mary Congress in Santa Barbara. In Manila, he was able to visit the weakened Bishop Lazo in hospital.

March 21: Bishop Tissier flew to Mindanao, to General Santos City, with Fr. Salvador, for 28 confirmations and a conference.

March 20, Manila: Bishop Tissier blessed the new grotto at the Dominican Sisters convent.
Santa Barbara: During this whole week which started with the feast of St Joseph, a lot of work and purchases went on, such as the making of 3 big tables in view of the retreats, the buying of 25 folding beds, many pillows, etc…, the instalation of a new sink in the refectory, the setting of holy pictures in corridors…

March 19, Manila: Bishop Tissier gave confirmations to 18 candidates at the church of Our Lady of Victories. During the Mass, Brother Ignatius renewed his vows for one year. After the Mass, His Excellency gave a conference to the faithful on the recent events in the Church.

March 18, Manila: His Excellency Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, one of the SSPX bishops, arrived at Our Lady of Victories for a 9-day visit of the Philippines.
Santa Barbara: Fr. Wailliez, the pre-seminarians and nine children from the seminary catechism group went on pilgrimage to visit the relic of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus in the chapel of the Third Order Carmelite, in Jaro.

March 16, Santa Barbara: Two pre-seminarians lost their “pre-” and became full seminarians as they left for Holy Cross seminary, in Australia. Gerard Fallarcuna, from Manila, and Albert Ghela from Marbel, Mindanao, went to join the other three Asian seminarians at the seminary to study for the Sacred Priesthood.

March 5, Manila: A successful medical mission was carried out by Our Lady of Victories’ Bio-Medical Ethics Doctors. It was the biggest (in terms of the number of patients – more than 900, doctors and helpers) medical mission the parish has held so far.

March 4, Santa Barbara: Fr. Egli arrived in Iloilo for his first visit of the mass center as well as of St Bernard pre-seminary.

March 2, Santa Barbara: First Thursday of the month: The very first day of recollection at the pre-seminary and also the beginning of the monthly recollections as a regular schedule.

February 24, Santa Barbara: The first fresh vegetables of the pre-seminary garden were harvested.

February 25, Santa Barbara: In honour of St Mathias, blessing of the vegetable garden and some of the plants in the pre-seminary vicinity. The litany of the saints were sung during the procession.

February 22, Santa Barbara: The grills closing the chapel from the outside having been finished, at long last, it was now possible to leave the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel, permanently. “Stay with us, O Lord, for it is late…”

February 21, Santa Barbara: Fr. Wailliez returned from his Hong Kong and Vietnam missions.

February 13, Iloilo: The Sunday Mass was definitely canceled in Santa Barbara and a second Mass was added in Iloilo in consideration of the growing number of faithful in that city (which, as a reminder, was officially consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by its Mayor, on January 4, 1999).

January 28, Manila: Fr. Egli and the Swiss young man spending a year at the priory went on a mission in Baguio, North of Manila.

January 27, Manila: Fr Salvador enthroned the Sacred Heart in the house of a high-ranking military officer. Bishop Lazo was released from the hospital.

January 23, Manila: A video on the crisis in the Church was shown in the church basement following each Mass. The film showed clearly, point by point, the differences between the Old and the New Mass. A good number of faithful saw the film.

January 18, Manila: One Bethanian, Segundina Narisma, left to prepare her vocation with the teaching Dominican Sisters of Brignoles in France. Meanwhile another girl is admitted in Bethany, to prepare herself with the other 12 thinking of a religious vocation.

January 18, Santa Barbara: Gerald Fallarcuna finally got his Australian visa to enter Holy Cross Seminary after one year expectation.

January 16 ,Manila: Feast of the Santo Niño. Outdoor procession with the 'miraculous' statue of the Infant Jesus.

January 8, Santa Barbara: Fr Soliman introduced the Apostles of Mary to 15 prospective members.

January 7 ,Manila: On the First Friday of the millennium, the new Sacred Heart Altar and retablo was blessed and the Sacred Heart was enthroned at Our Lady of Victories.

January 3-11, Santa Barbara: 8 days Spiritual Exercises according to St. Ignatius to 24 Sisters, Bethanians and aspirants to the religious life.

December 28-January 3, Bohol: Women's retreat for 13 by Fathers Soliman and Salvador.

December 12, Manila: The Cristeros of Manila had a prayer function in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, their patroness.
Santa Barbara: Men's retreat for 22 by Fathers Couture and Wailliez.

December 10-13/Manila: Fr. Griego left for a mission in Baguio, North of Manila. Three members of the schola followed to sing the Mass and assist Fr. Griego.

December 8, Manila: As it was raining heavily, the procession was canceled and the Holy Rosary was said instead by the whole congregation. After the Mass, the Knights of Our Lady received new postulants.

December 5, Santa Barbara: Legion of Mary function. More than 150 people attended including 64 active members and 32 auxiliaries (those who pray for the Legion), representing the 6 various praesidia of Iloilo.

November 8-13, Santa Barbara: The-priestly retreat was given to the following retreatants: H.E. Bishop Lazo, Frs.Griego, Onoda, Soliman, and a diocesan priest. This was the first of many retreats that will be given in our new pre-seminary/noviciate/retreat house. The site is ideal for the Spiritual Exercises.

November 7, Manila: At the 9:00 am Solemn High Mass, Fr. Michael Mary, as a true son of St. Alphonsus, gave one of these sermons that sticks with you for life, on the devotion to the 3 Hail Marys. When will we see a traditional Redemptorist foundation in this part of the world? While visiting the shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baclaran, Manila (a shrine which still gathers on every Wednesday over 10,000 devotees of Our Blessed Lady), they heard that many of the priests they had known had left to get married….

November 6, Manila: Two Redemptorist Fathers from England, Rev. Fr. Michael Mary, Superior General and Fr. Clement, arrived in the Philippines to preach a priestly retreat.

November 2, Manila: The Priests, Dominicans, Bethanians and some young people visited the crypt of Christ the King seminary.
Santa Barbara: The priest, the pre-seminarians and the faithful visited 13 cemeteries and a great number of graves were blessed.