Singing the Faith
Music holds a sacred place in the life of the Church. It is not simply an addition to the liturgy, but a form of prayer that lifts the heart to God. As Saint Augustine reminds us, to sing is to pray twice. In song, the...
Category Archives: Opinion
“Lord, you will show us the path of life”
THAT’S the responsorial psalm of the Mass of the 3rd Sunday of Easter, Year A. It’s taken from Psalm 16,11. It’s again another reassurance from God that despite the complexities of our life today that offers us all sorts of pathways that can be both...
Our need for the real bread
EVEN if we are told that we do not live by bread alone, (cfr. Mt 4,4) Christ is also concerned about feeding us with bread. This was dramatized in that gospel episode about the multiplication of bread (cfr. Jn 6,1-15). When he saw the large...
Not angels, but angelic
WE, of course, are not angels who are pure spirits and who have already made their definitive choice to be with God completely for all eternity. We are, of course, with a body that has a soul that is not only a vegetative or animal...
A culture of dialogue and consensus-building
WITH all this very toxic air brought about by our differences and conflicts in matters of opinion and preferences, especially in the area of politics, we should be very concerned about how to cultivate a culture of dialogue and consensus-building. In this regard, we should be...
Devotional wonder vs. disbelief or unbelief
LIKE Nicodemus who could not fully figure out what to be “born again” means, (cfr. Jn 3,7-15) we can find ourselves incredulous in the face of certain truths of our faith that really are hard to understand, let alone, accept. In cases like this, we...
The need to be born again
CHRIST said it very clearly. When a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, came to him by night, telling him that he must be from God because of the signs he was showing, Christ answered: “Amen, amen I say to you, unless a...
Risen Christ: Light, Fire and Water of Life
(Excerpt from the homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., during the Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection last April 5, 2026 at San Pedro Cathedral.) Nindot kaayo complete darkness, usa ka kandila lang, ako ug ang ubang mga pari sa ubang mga Simbahan, moingon:...
Mercy in a Time of Judgment: Choosing Compassion in a Culture of Criticism
In an age where opinions are instantly shared and mistakes are quickly exposed, justice is often reduced to swift condemnation. Social media, public discourse, and even personal relationships can become arenas of harsh judgment. People are labeled quickly, and forgiveness is rarely given space to...
Divine Mercy Sunday
THE Second Sunday of Easter or the Octave of Easter is designated as Divine Mercy Sunday. The Ordo describes it as “a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that humankind will experience in the...