The rising incidence of HIV/Aids in the Philippines has prompted the Archbishop of Manila to call for greater awareness among Catholic clergy, religious and lay people. While new cases of HIV/Aids are decreasing globally, Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle said they are increasing in the Philippines, with an average of nine reported each day. “What is Read more
Nuns and priests in Manila have led a rally of around 10,000 Catholics in protest against a proposed birth control bill that would provide free contraceptives and introduce reproductive health and sexuality classes in schools. The protesters, many dressed in red, gathered at a Catholic shrine to voice opposition to the bill, which would also Read more
A Catholic college in the southern Philippines is refusing to allow its female Muslim students to wear a hijab veil. The school, run by the Congregation of the Religious of the Virgin Mary, said: “Our origin is Roman Catholic and we cannot deviate from that origin. It is true we cater to students of different Read more
Environmental activism is a dangerous vocation in the Philippines, but a Catholic nun in Mindanao is defying those who want her to return to her convent and stop raising her voice in defence of creation, Catholic News Service reports. Benedictine Sister Stella Matutina works in Mindanao, the most conflictive island in the southern Philippines. Now Read more
The Philippines has failed to fully comply with the minimum standards to eliminate human trafficking and continues to be a venue for child sex tourism. In not complying, the Philippines remains in Tier 2 of the United States’ Global Trafficking in Persons’ report, a situation that Philippines Justice Secretary Leila de Lima described as “a Read more
A New York-based Filipino priest named in a $25-million lawsuit filed by an alleged female lover in 2008 took his own life in April during a visit to the Philippines, reports ucanews. Fr Elvis Elano (pictures with Judith Rodrigues-Lytwyn) reportedly found it too much to bear after his family and community “shunned” and “despised” him over an Read more
He blessed SM Baguio when it opened in 2003, but the bishop of Baguio will no longer conduct blessings, let alone hold Masses in the mall in protest of its expansion project. “I have decided – and the priests agree with me – to suspend permission, to hold Masses in SM (Baguio) and even blessings Read more
Catholic girls who were originally barred from their school graduation for placing images of themselves in bikinis at a beach party on their facebook pages will be able to join the ceremony. A regional court in Cebu has cleared the way for the students saying the officials at St Teresa’s College had no right to Read more
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) warned penitents today against crucifying themselves this Holy Week.
Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu, CBCP president, said the Church would rather have people renewing their faith than inflicting pain on themselves.
“While we are trying to discourage these practices we cannot also judge their intention, especially those who have made it as their vow,” the prelate said.
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