AS we come to the end of the year 2007 we are challenged to assess ourselves, to evaluate ourselves as individuals and as community. Everyone must examine his conscience. A litany of questions along the line of the corporal works of mercy may be asked: such as what have we done regarding feeding the hungry and malnourished, helping build shelters for the homeless, supporting the education of poor students, creating employment and health security for the sick, releasing those unjustly imprisoned, liberating the oppressed and exploited, and doing away with all abductions and extra judicial killings.
Despite the good-willed efforts of government and church, the sinful root causes of our social problems continue to challenge both individuals and society to conversion and social transformation.
The birth anniversary of the God-Man, Jesus Christ, reminds us not only to celebrate but also to respond to its call for a change of heart and conversion to justice and charity. Among the many corporal works of mercy, “Pondo ng Pinoy” and “Gawad Kalinga” are non-government initiatives that have grown almost nationally. These and other social initiatives including the silent and unseen ones are also transmitters of the “new presence” of God and give our society “reason to hope” in the coming New Year 2008.
By our response we become reflections of God “who is the foundation of hope: not any god, but the God who has a human face and who has loved us to the end” (Pope Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter, “Spe Salvi”, no.31)
+ANGEL N. LAGDAMEO, DD
Archbishop of Jaro
CBCP President
December 31, 2007
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6 comments:
Archbishop Lagdameo:Happy New Year.God bless!~
You are one of my everyday heroes!
mabuhay ka, monsignor! -rj,ofm
Your Excellency,
With all due respect, why did you not mention the struggle against anti-life legislation? Isn't the fight against abortion, contraception and divorce much more important than the fight against "political opression"?
A perusal of pro-life church documents in the cbcp alone will answer your question bioactiv_man.
Happy New Year Archbishop Angel Lagdameo...
I pray that your pen will not lose its sting in denouncing the evils of a morally bankrupt administration. May your prophetic voice will not be muted systematically by the powerful number of the conservative voices in the CBCP. God bless you Archbishop Lagdameo et al.
This is rather a long pause Archbishop Lagdameo. I pray that you still find time to write your thoughts in what is happening in our country and post them here.
CBCP media... please convey my sentiment. Thanks.
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