Prayer Intentions of Pope Francis for October 2016: Journalists and World Mission Day

Universal Intention - Journalists: That journalists, in carrying out their work, may always be motivated by respect for truth and a strong sense of ethics.

Intramuros, Manila: Monument of the National Press Club for the (at least) 34 journalists massacred in Maguindanao, 23 November 2009

[Photo: Ramon F. Velasquz, Wikipedia]

Veronica Guerin

(5 July 1958 - 26 June 1996) [Wikipedia]

Veronica Guerin, a crime reporter at the time of her death, was murdered because of her reporting. She is the only journalist to be killed in the line of duty in what is now the Republic of Ireland. According to the website of CPJ Committee to Protect Journalists, 77 journalists were murdered/motive confirmed, ie because of their work, between 1 July 1992 and 6 April 2014.

Evangelization Intention - World Mission Day: That World Mission Day may renew within all Christian communities the joy of the Gospel and the responsibility to announce it. 

Columban Sisters and Columban Lay Missionaries in Myanmar

L to R: Sr Ashwena Apao (Philippines), Arlenne Villahermosa (Philippines), Sr Mary Dillon (Ireland), Chang Eun-Yeal, Columba (Korea)

Columban Fr Kurt Zion Pala on an outing with Malate Youth, Manila

Father Kurt, from Iligan City, Mindanao, was ordained in November 2015. He will soon be heading for his new overseas mission in Myanmar.

There are reflections on the two prayer intentions on the website of the Apostleship of Prayer here.

Standing with Fr Ray Blake

This is a follow up to my post on 9 September, Fr Ray Blake, English priest-blogger, misrepresented by local journalist and others. I came across the photo above on a number of other blogs since. I took it from The Epomynous Flower. I do not know who designed it.

There is much misrepresentation in the media of the Church and its mission and of some of its members who are faithfully carrying out that mission. This misrepresentation extends to matters on which the Church speaks. One example was the recent introduction of legislation allowing abortion in the Republic of Ireland for the first time.

Some misrepresentation is the result of ignorance and may contain no malice whatever. But when a person who is actively involved, along with his parishioners, in helping the destitute every day is described as 'complaining' about them when he is simply showing one unpleasant aspect of reality, one has to ask if only simple, genuine ignorance is involved.

Journalists often provide a great service to the community by calling others to task, including bishops and priests. Many journalists have lost their lives for speaking the truth. But sometimes it may be necessary to call a journalist to task.

St Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists. [Wikipedia]

Maybe we can direct some prayers through the intercession of St Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists, for those directly affected by this situation.

Day of Shame for the Philippines

Journalists march in protest in Manila

Let us pray for the more than 50 people brutally massacred in Maguindanao on Monday. Politics in the Philippines are often violent but the ambush the other day hit a new low. Eighteen of those killed were journalists, men and women, simply doing their job of reporting. The papers have wide coverage of what happened: Philippine Daily Inquirer - No evidence yet vs Arroyo ally linked to massacre - PNP; Manila Bulletin - Massacre is single biggest loss of life of journalists; Philippine Star - Massacre probe focuses on GMA ally. ('GMA' is President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo).

The Philippine Star quotes President Arroyo: 'This is a supreme act of inhumanity that is a blight on our nation. the perpetrators will not escape justice. The law will haunt them until they are caught'. As we say in Ilonggo, 'Kabay pa' and in Cebuano, 'Hinaut pa unta' - 'Let us hope so.'

President Arroyo yesterday

CBCPNews carries this story, among others: Religious leaders mourn Maguindanao massacre:

DAVAO CITY, November 24, 2009—The Bishops Ulama Conference (BUC) issued a statement condemning in the strongest possible terms the abduction and killing of 36 relatives and supporters of Buluan Vice Mayor Datu Ismail “Toto” Mangudadatu in Maguindanao (a province in Mindanao) yesterday morning.

The statement, which was issued on behalf of the BUC by Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, said that Islamic and Christian faiths condemn in any way killings and abductions.

“This abominable sin was inflicted upon unarmed civilians whose only 'crime' was to proceed to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) office to file the Certificate of Candidacy on behalf of Mangudadatu, who is gearing for the gubernatorial seat in Maguindanao,” Capalla said.

“We grieve with the families of the victims, offer our prayers for the eternal repose of the innocent souls, and call upon the authorities to squarely address this atrocity,” he added. A number of journalists were likewise included in the massacre.

He also noted that the massacre which took place unprecedented in the province of Maguindanao mocks their humble but painstaking efforts to build harmony and understanding in Mindanao.

The BUC also called on the enemies of peace to stop the violence, end the midnless savagery and to respect human life. (Mark S. Ventura).

+++

Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu, was quoted by Sun*Star Cebu in its story Many outraged; horrifying: Vidal as saying '(The acts are) unheard of, and horrifying'.

Patron of Journalists and of the Deaf

Today is the feast of St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop and Doctor of the Church, patron of journalists and of the Deaf. So he is my patron on both counts, since I edit Misyon and have been working with the Deaf on a part-time basis since 1992 and frequently celebrate Mass in Sign Language. Above all, he was a man who lived the fulness of the priesthood as a bishop faithfully. Maybe he would be a blogger if he were around today.

The following information, which I found here , is the National Catholic Office for the Deaf, located in Washington, DC.

St Francis De Sales: Patron of the Deaf and Hearing-impaired

In 1605, an indigent young man named Martin, a deaf-mute from birth, came almost daily to a house in Roche, France, where Bishop de Sales was staying, to ask for alms. He was a strong young man fit for all kinds of work, and the Bishop's housekeeper often allowed him to help her in payment for the Bishop's generosity. One day a servant introduced Martin to the Bishop.

As a result of his handicap, Martin, who was about 25 years old, had never received any kind of education -- or instruction in the Catholic faith. (It was presumed by all of the educated people of that age, the 17th century, that a deaf-mute was a mentally handicapped person and that trying to educate or trying to communicate religios truths to such a person would be a waste of time.)
At the time of their meeting, St Francis de Sales was visibly disturbed and touched with pity for the unfortunate Martin. St Francis realized that the poor man would remain forever ignorant of God and the rich mysteries of the Faith and that his lack of instruction would forever keep him from receiving the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist.

After considering young Martin's deprived condition for a time, St. Francis determined that he would undertake the instruction of the young man.

By using signs that he formed with his hands and fingers, St Francis personally began to teach Martin about the Catholic Faith. Martin, as was soon clear, was highly intelligent and a very good pupil. After a period of time, through his gentle patience and persistence and with the signs and gestures he had invented for the purpose, St Francis succeeded in instructing Martin about God and His love for all men. All went so well that eventually Martin was able to receive the Holy Eucharist for the first time in 1606. Two years later, Martin was confirmed.

St Francis eventually hired Martin as his gardener and brought him along with him when he returned to his episcopal household in Annecy, France.

Martin's devotion to the Bishop of Geneva was second only to his devotion to God. Martin prayed fervently, examining his conscience every evening before retiring, regularly confessed his sins to the Bishop, and assisted devoutly at the Bishop's Mass whenever he could.

Sixteen years later, no one would be more affected by the death of St Francis de Sales than his faithful servant Martin, who would visit his master's last resting place almost every day until the day he himself died.

The above account uses a term that is not used anymore: 'deaf-mute'. As a literal matter of fact, people who are deaf aren't mute, since they have voices and many can learn to speak.

The word 'handicap' too isn't used much now but rather 'disability'. I don't like the term 'differently-abled'. It cannot hide the reality that a person who is deaf or blind, for example, does have a disability. Deaf people prefer the word 'Deaf', with a capital 'D' to describe themselves as a group. Being profoundly deaf from birth is different from becoming hearing-impaired from old age, for example.

Those of us who can see and hear tend to think that blindness is a greater disability than deafness. But deafness, whether from birth or coming with old age, is a disability that isolates in a way that blindness doesn't. Most deaf people here in the Philippines don't share a language even with their own family. And the only 'native signers' I know here are the hearing children of deaf parents.

St Francis saw how isolated Martin was and broke through that isolation.