Child sex, not a breach of virtue?

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I could not believe the news article. Child sex not a breach of virtue? “SOME priests didn’t see the molestation of boys as a breach of their celibacy vows, retired Catholic bishop Geoffrey Robinson says.” The way I look at it, the bishop is trying to downplay the child sex abuse. Bishop Robinson explains that “boys suffered more than girls at the hands of pedophile priests partly because they were more available to them, with nuns tending to play a greater role in the religious education of young girls.”

There is this other view that priest’s celibacy vows weren’t broken if a boy was involved.

“We’ve met it often enough to see it as a factor,” he tells the magazine, out today. “That’s what the vow of celibacy refers to, being married. If it’s not an adult woman, then somehow they’re not breaking their vow.”

It does not discount the fact that the “child sex” is immoral and against the law. Aside from Australia, there are child sex cases from Canada and in the USA. In the Philippines, there are also reported cases of Philippine Clergy sexual abuse of children and young People.

Child sex may not be “technically” a violation of virtue as based their definition of celibacy but it shows how distorted the mind work. The explanation is totally absurd.It is abnormal for an adult to have sexual relations with a child. The priest should just leave the priesthood if they can’t practice abstinence. I shudder to think what kind of advice these priests give to their faithful.

This kind of thinking should not be tolerated or condoned by the Catholic Church because it will encourage child sex.

Mother’s day greetings from a distance

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“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever. ”

My children are not with me right now. That’s okay because I have known all along they will live their own lives one day. Distance does not prevent them from greeting me on Mother’s day.

M sent me a lovely pink bouquet of roses through her dad just as I was taking my breakfast. She tried buying online , those flower delivery…but the rate they gave her was OFW prices which meant expensive. Why do businesses do that anyway? It is hard enough our children are far from us and they squeeze out their hard earned money.

Thanks to her dad, I got the flowers she wanted to give me. Thanks my dear daughter.

At about the same time I received the flowers, L sent me a text message. She is up north with her boyfriend and friends.

My husband did not want to miss out in all the fun so he thought of buying me a colorful bouquet too.

Later , he promised to treat me out to a spa and buy my favorite dish. No cooking today.

My mom is not around anymore. She died of breast cancer when I was nineteen years old. But remember – Your mom will always be alive in your heart . She lives forever in your memories.

For those whose moms are far away just like me, it is alright to send a bunch of flowers or even a text message . Reconnect through a phone call. This warms our hearts.

Woman in the home has not yet lost her dignity, in spite of Mother’s Day, with its offensive implication that our love needs an annual nudging, like our enthusiasm for the battle of Bunker Hill. ~John Erskine

 

 

Pampers Salutes Moms this Mother’s Day

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In the corner of my room, lies a chest full of photo albums. Feeling sentimental over the celebration of our 26th wedding anniversary on the first week of May, I decided to unearth the baby albums of my three children.

The years passed by so quickly but these photos brings back precious memories of those impish smiles, the snuggle hugs, the peek-a-boo moments and plane trips to Cebu to visit my dad. I cannot help but smile and tear at the same time as I catch a photo where I held their soft body close to my chest. The best part is when my babies want no one else to comfort them but their mommy. Oh yes, I had the best job of all because I am their mommy. And we all know how it feels to just want Mommy and no one else will do. Yes, that is me, their mommy.

A favorite place that offered a lot of fun and comfort was the park . They could frolic and run around without being afraid of getting hurt when they trip. Oh, how they twirled and romped around here, screaming at the top of their voices. The best part of being a mom is hearing ““I love you” which came along with a bunch of wild flowers from the park. These treasured memories are always in my heart..

The park is quite a distance from the house and I didn’t want these precious moments interrupted. I made sure I used the best protection from Pampers Active Baby. I only want to give my little ones the best comfort outside of their usual home routine so they can continue playing without interruption. I know they are happy because the greatest sounds on earth ring in the air. Those giggles captured by these photographs bring me down to memory lane. These memories also affirm my role as a mother . The best part of being a mom is that my children brought out the best in me just by learning about unconditional love from them. I learned love I never could have imagined, patience I didn’t know I had, and strength when I didn’t think I could take it any longer.

Through their growing years, I watched my children bloom and at times stumble. I held their hands and let go when the time was right. I helped them find their passions in life. Truly, I am blessed to give and receive love…just because I am their mommy.
Today, Pampers salutes moms this Mother’s day with a video celebrating the uninterrupted moments of love. Hundreds of Moms shared photos and videos of their Best Fun and Play Moments, Best Giggles and Laughter Moments, Best Sleep and Dreams Moments, and Best Hugs and Kisses Moments. The chosen photos and videos have been picked and featured in the Mother’s Day Video which will be aired on TV and will also win prizes from Pampers.

Mothers around the world are celebrating in their own way. You can also celebrate Mother’s Day with Pampers by watching the special tribute video featuring Filipino Moms and Babies. Visit www.facebook.com/pampersph to watch the video today .

What a joy-filled place we have as mommies. Happy Mother’s day Everyone!

Every wedding is a royal wedding

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26 years married today! Last year, my husband and I celebrated our silver wedding anniversary at the height of the miting de avance of presidential candidates. Today, we will just have a lunch buffet and probably just walk down memory lane and whine why our kids are all grown up. We miss our babies.

silver wedding

It is no wonder I tuned in to the Royal Wedding last Friday. I feel sentimental whenever there is a wedding. I am such a sucker for couples in love and tying the knot in marriage. I dragged my husband to sit beside me so we could watch it together and be sappy. My husband and I were steadies for 7 long years so I know the feeling of Kate as she finally walked down the aisle.

What struck me was the homily delivered by Rt. Rev. Richard Chartres, Bishop of London.

Every wedding is a royal wedding with the bride and groom as king and queen of creation, making a new life together so that life can flow through them into the future.

Butch often calls me his Queen , of course but sadly, I never refer to him as King more like a dashing Prince. Being in the metaphorical place of “king and queen of creation” is quite an honor. We did make a new life together as a couple looking towards the future. The new life took some time to set in as we had to adjust to each other’s quirks and peculiarities.

wedding

I recall Pope John Paul II quote on ” ““The fear of making permanent commitments can change the mutual love of husband and wife into two loves of self-two loves existing side by side, until they end in separation.”

The commitment was there alright. On the first day we were together as “steadies”, he announced to the world that we were getting married. That made me laugh. He was only 18 years old. How could we make a commitment so early in our relationship? A simple declaration of love just made it a reality seven years after. We were committed even at a young age. We continued that commitment in our marriage but I give credit to my husband for being the more persistent one. I gave up at one point.

See, we were two people in love and we always felt love would conquer all. It actually did in the end. Yet there was a struggle in our early years because we were not ready to let go of bad habits. The change in our way of thinking and attitude brought a renewal of heart and mind – a transformation.

Here we are today, with our love stronger than it ever was. Till then, our love constitutes the principle of our entire life and with the help of divine grace, we look forward to more years of togetherness.

Here are some photos of our silver anniversary celebration last year in two slide shows. The music is “How deep is your love” by the Beegees because that was our music when we first met in 1978.

Enjoy!

Slideshow of New and old photos

Slideshow of photo shoot with Mimi and Karl

Journey of a blessed family

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No matter what you’ve done for yourself or for humanity, if you can’t look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?
– Lee Iacocca

I felt so blessed during the beatification of Pope John Paul II. Perhaps because he once blessed my daughter at the Raigiubeleo celebration of the Jubilee for Children at the Vatican on January 5, 2001. It is indeed a blessing that a family member was touched by the Blessed Pope. I was deeply comforted upon reflecting on his thoughts on marriage and family. His teachings made me appreciate the trials and tribulations of our marriage as I recalled our 26th wedding anniversary, two days from now.

Marriage was not an easy journey, but my husband and I held on to our love and vows before God. Our union brought us three beautiful children, two with us to love and hold, the other to dream, cherish and love forever. Our bad times made our love even stronger. We made it this far for better or for worse and that calls for a celebration and a time for affirmation in prayers.

Continue reading at Philstar Unblogged.

The world’s reaction on the death of Osama Bin Laden

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“A Christian never rejoices in the death of a man”. Vatican

I read the news in Twitter at 10:46 AM. In fact, Twitter is the first to break the news. Osama Bin Laden Dead. Wow, my first reaction. How did he die?

I couldn’t believe it at first but I saw reputable news organizations tweeting about his death. Apparently Obama “Osama bin Laden was killed in a CIA operation in Pakistan. President Obama announced the news, ending years-long manhunt for the leader of al-Qaeda and architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York City and Washington, according to multiple sources.” Former President Bush in his statement ” congratulated him (President Obama) and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission.”

As always, I curated twitter reactions to see the pulse. In most deaths I encounter, there is outpouring of sadness and sympathy . Osama Bin Laden’s death is quite different. At least in my timeline, I did not see signs of mourning.

Initial reactions are of disbelief then tweets of joy and relief. There are no “rest in peace” tweets so far.

“While the Holy See pointed out the role Bin Laden had played in the “[promotion of] division and hatred between people,” they also pointed out that “a Christian never rejoices” in the death of a man.

I don’t feel any sense of joy but relief that he is finally caught. Even Martin Luther King Jr. does not agree with rejoicing a death. (Update- this quote is fake)

I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

The Vatican further clarifies that:

“Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices but reflects on the serious responsibility of each and every one of us before God and before man, and hopes and commits himself so that no event be an opportunity for further growth of hatred, but for peace,”

Most reactions in Twitter prove otherwise.

My friend Sophie says “fairytale royal wedding,beatification of a wonderful Pope,and the world’s #1 terrorist gone.Is this a sign that there are better days ahead?”

I dont care how “evil” osama bin laden was; i dont see how anyone can ever celebrate the death of another human being :/

OSAMA BIN LADEN IS DEAD! YEAAAAHH YEAAAH YEAH YEAH! ITS A PARTY IN THE USA!

Oh well I hope osama rests in pieces.

Finally after all these years! Osama Bin laden is dead! Good job troops! But sorry this world still isn’t safe!

Blessed Pope John Paul II , Osama Bin Laden is dead.

To give you an idea of how the story unfolded, here is a story from ABC news.

What I found interesting is reading the tweets of @ReallyVirtual not knowing it was the raid on Osama Bin Laden. I curated his timeline to see how the story unfolded and to see it happen as he hears it .

Blessed Pope John Paul II thoughts on Marriage and Family

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Pope John Paul II has just been beatified. I feel so blessed. I prayed for my special intentions already. I reminded my daughter to pray too. She is blessed to have been blessed by the Pope in January 5, 2001.

Only one miracle is needed to start the canonization process of Blessed John Paul II and declare him Saint.. I hope someone gets this miracle not because I want the pope to be a saint but to offer new life to that person. I have been reading up on the Pope the past few days and read some of his thoughts on family life, marriage and his thoughts on contraceptive. While I don’t agree with his stand on contraceptives (I have never used though), I do believe in doing the best to nurture the family. Here are some quotes about family I gathered that may serve inspiration .

“Marriage is an act of will that signifies and involves a mutual gift, which unites the spouses and binds them to their eventual souls, with whom they make up a sole family – a domestic church.”

“As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.”

““The fear of making permanent commitments can change the mutual love of husband and wife into two loves of self-two loves existing side by side, until they end in separation.”

““To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others.”

“The great danger for family life, in the midst of any society whose idols are pleasure, comfort and independence, lies in the fact that people close their hearts and become selfish.”

‘A family policy must be the basis and driving force of all social policies’.

“A nation that kills its own children is a nation without future.”

“You will reciprocally promise love, loyalty and matrimonial honesty. We only want for you this day that these words constitute the principle of your entire life and that with the help of divine grace you will observe these solemn vows that today, before God, you formulate”

““When freedom does not have a purpose, when it does not wish to know anything about the rule of law engraved in the hearts of men and women, when it does not listen to the voice of conscience, it turns against humanity and society.”

I may not be religious person or even a devout Catholic but I have taken heart the teachings of the Catholic Church. If you have been reading my past entries, I related the struggles I went through to keep my marriage and family together. I attribute our courage to change by having faith in God.

I have since stopped attending Catholic mass in the Philippines because of the heated Reproductive Health Bill which in my conscience is beneficial to many people. It does not mean I have stopped loving God and believing in him.

I am blessed that a family member is blessed by the Pope.

I am blessed that my son is an angel, who can relay my prayers to God. Oh yes,there have been many instances that my angel has helped me.

This is a blessed day. The Blessed Pope John Paul II is with us all.

The global perception of the Filipina

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Now I know what it feels to be an actress. Yesterday, a UK Travel documentary group came over to my house to film a 3 minute segment for the 45 minutes Philippines series in “It’s a Woman’s World” with a potential 60 million viewers . I think we finished close to 3 hours. The interview revolved around cooking Adobo and the FilipinaImages.com advocacy. I let Dine prepare the Green Mango Salad as Camilla asked questions. There were probably 5 questions that focused on the Filipina, They concentrated on me cooking adobo and Dine with the salad while asking questions about The Filipina, What is a Filipina, the international perception and our online work . The action type of interview went quite well.

You know I am used to only one filming angle done during an interview but the videographer took 3 angles. Now this is one film I should see.

They concentrated on me cooking adobo and Dine with the green mango salad while asking Camilla asked questions about The Filipina. It was an action and interview story. Some of the questions asked :

  • What is a Filipina
  • How would you describe the typical Filipina?
  • Why did you start your website/blog?
  • Why do you think Filipina’s have the international perception they do, especially online?
  • Do you want to change this perception and if so how are you doing this?

You will just have to hear our answers when the documentary comes out on October. But let me just tell you, after almost four years, The Filipina Images project has been successful in at least creating balance in the search engine results. When we first started, almost 9/10 search engine results in the first page was dating sites. Not that these girls are Filipinas but there are more Filipinas that need to be showcased. The word “Filipina” is used by these sites.

Since then, search engine results on the first page for keyword “Filipina” has other sites that are not connected to dating services.

What image pops up in your head when you say or hear the word ““Filipina?” is a question my sister Lorna asked four years ago.

A smile.
A mother breastfeeding her child.
An excellent homemaker.
A powerful leader and mentor in her chosen business, profession or vocation.
Another smile, inviting you to meet her family and firends.
A friend who’s there for you, no matter what.
Ah, I’ve never met a Filipina — but I’d like to.
An influential, affluent decision maker.
A woman, confident and willing to go an extra mile to get things done.
A woman I can trust to take care of my kids.
A sexy woman.
A mystery?
A girl, shy and innocent.
A fun-loving woman.
A beautiful person, inside and out.
Endless, timeless images of a Filipina.

I am glad that the Travel documentary series of “It’s a Woman’s World” communicated with us to be part of this filming project. There is no one exclusive category of Filipino women who has the better right to claim that it is more representative of the Filipina than the others The Filipina campaign should not only be limited online.

Television viewers need to see that we , the Filipina of the Future deserves a more empowered, diverse image online and offline.

Multiple, complex, and whole.


Left to right: Camilla Andersen, me , Julia Cornes and Dine Racoma

The documentary series will be viewed on October 2011. It’s a Woman’s World will introduce and immerse viewers into the lives of interesting and inspiring local women they meet. So many travel experiences these days are mocked up for tourism, It’s a Woman’s World wants to avoid these and get the inside perspective on each culture they are discovering.