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In recent history, a few committed citizens contributed a great deal to the cause of peace. They are inspiring examples to the world. The memories of their prophetic personalities should remain alive as a reminder for all of the need to work for peace.
To be an authentic peacemaker, inspired by the Gospel and a nonviolent approach, requires special skills. Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil shares a few lessons that he has learned working for peace in Northeast India, in the context of ethnic conflicts.
No strangers to natural calamities, Mexicans once again had to pull up their human resources to face head-on the latest devastating earthquake that brought the country to its knees. In times of crises, the words of the Virgin of Guadalupe echo in the hearts of people as an assurance and consolation.
Guadalupe is the pulse and heart of the Mexican people, a profound reality that has accompanied its Christian and social history from its beginnings to today. It is the DNA of the social, cultural and religious identity of the nation.
It was through a Christian indigenous, Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (which means “the talking eagle”), that a new chapter of encounters between the Indo-Americans and the European missionaries began. The call by God of this indigenous signaled the start of evangelization in Latin America.
When David wanted to build a temple, God was reluctant to accept: heaven is his dwelling and the earth his footstool. But Yahweh overlooked his transcendence and entered history – first the ark and the tabernacle, next the temple, were then symbols of His presence among His people. In the fullness of time, Jesus’ flesh is the real throne of God’s Presence.
The Law is the content of the covenant between God and the chosen people. The Law is their great wealth, the reason for their glory in front of all the other nations. The heart of the Law is love: the Torah is their object of meditation, prayer, love and contemplation. In the New Testament, Jesus is the New Law.
Christian tradition has always found its roots in the Old Testament. The strong sense of God’s existence and holiness as well as His involvement with humanity have always been recognized as “wisdom” in the Hebrew Scriptures and have become a source of inspiration for Christians.
The creation and consolidation of BECs throughout the southern island of Mindanao by missionaries were major pastoral thrusts later adopted by the Local Church. These ecclesial communities have been instrumental in the evangelization of indigenous peoples and in recognizing their rights to ancestral lands.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines declared 2017 as the Year of the Parish as communion of communities. Clergy and lay faithful have been committed to making the parish truly a communion of communities, forming and revitalizing BECs so that they become agents of communion, participation and mission.
