God created the church and government of nations to help and guide the people of the world. We are children of the house of the Lord. We are citizens of the countries where we were born. These two bodies are our earthly foundations. The church...
Voluntas is a Latin word meaning “free will,” and it is from this root that we derive the term “volunteer”—one who freely chooses to serve others. Two thousand years ago, after Christ’s death, St. Peter, the apostles, and St. Peter’s successors embodied this spirit by continuing...
Some have said my article on public speaking was too soft. While humor can be engaging, sarcasm often does more harm than good, even with a captive audience. Consider these remarks: He was accepted into an exclusive club—but only because they needed someone to snub. He...
Our first Archbishop was Most Rev. Clovis Thibault, P.M.E., D.D., followed by Most Rev. Antonio Ll. Mabutas, D.D. and Most Rev. Fernando R. Capalla, D.D. Last January, was the first death anniversary of Archbishop Fernando Capalla. A Bishop has a choice: to be buried in...
We are the only nation in the world that begins the year with two grand fiestas celebrating deep devotion and faith: the Feast of the Black Nazarene and the Santo Niño. These back-to-back celebrations draw millions of devotees, showcasing our unparalleled zeal and unity as...
After the May elections and after the House of Representatives and the Senate are re-organized, we will know what laws we will have in 2025. I hope the focus will be on economics. My fear, however, is that Congress might pivot and revive the Reproductive...
FAITH. In 2024, the Vatican made three (3) announcements regarding the Philippine Church. 1. The creation of the 87th diocese of Prosperidad, Agusan Del Sur. 2. CBCP President Bishop David became a cardinal. 3. Pope Francis sent a papal congratulatory message to the Archdiocese of...
During the November 9 Ecoland Sto. Niño GKK mass, Fr. Zaldy Abonales talked about Literature Nobel Prize winner Tagore who wrote about kindness. A king went to a beggar who thought the king will give him money. Instead, the king said, “Friend, give me food...
In the 1990s, my sala was the first Davao City Regional Trial Court to examine DNA evidence to prove the relationship between two (2) persons. A Japanese husband filed a case to annul his marriage to a Filipina. The husband attached voluminous DNA documents from...
Christmas giving, as explained by Portia in Shakespeare's play "The Merchant of Venice," highlights the nature of mercy and kindness. "The quality of mercy is not strained, it droppeth like a gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath, it is twice blessed, it blessed...