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The Philippines is undergoing a political crisis due to corruption surrounding flood-control projects. It feels like a betrayal of the people. Accountability is essential if confidence in public service is to be restored.
Pope Leo XIV is showing us that nonviolence is the key to finding peace. He insists that nonviolence and peace are at the heart of the Gospel. His Holiness is saying that now is the moment to create a culture of nonviolence and peace in the Church and the world.
The Church is the global community of followers of Jesus, and since Jesus was perfectly nonviolent, taught, and commanded active nonviolence, the Church is therefore the community of active nonviolence.
Pope Francis called for a unique form of extremism: an “extremism of charity” that would silence the “sound of arms.” This suggests that even the fiercest fighter can become the most passionate advocate for peace.
As the gap between rich and poor continues to widen, the Church underscores the hardships suffered by countless brothers and sisters due to the many injustices inflicted by economic systems that favor the rich while throwing crumbs to the poor.
The Philippines has been battered by devastating storms throughout last year. We endure around 20 powerful typhoons a year, and occasionally experience earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It is urgent an “ecological conversion” and a radical change in lifestyles.
The Philippine-based Rafaelito and Fe Barino Foundation has been helping individuals with mild to moderate addiction recover and heal. Rooted in the belief that true transformation begins with surrendering to God, the recovery program offers support to persons who wish to start afresh.
In the relationship between inter-religious dialogue and proclamation of the Gospel, “dialogue is not a threat to proclamation” but intimately linked with it. In her work of evangelization, the Church remains committed to both dialogue and proclamation.
As flood-control mess and other corruption scandals engulf the nation, the Church’s response must rise from charity to prophecy and justice. The Church’s moral voice rings clear like a bell tolling against the flood.
As the Jubilee Year of Hope draws to a close, our hearts overflow with gratitude for this marvelous opportunity to reflect on the pivotal role of hope in human life.
