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Church Exhorts Faithful to Build "Civilization of Love"
11 May 2006 - The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has called on the faithful to build "civilization of love" during the celebration of the Year of Social Concerns at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros yesterday.
In a Pastoral Exhortation, Lagdameo expressed concern over what he called weariness, cynicism and hopelessness among many people.
"We urge the faithful and all our institutions: first, to evaluate what they are presently doing to build character, capacity and community; and secondly, to pray and discern over what more we can do to promote a "civilization of love," he said.
He said people can do this "prophetically critiquing and denouncing injustice and by prompting 'positive activity' that will 'promote a society befitting mankind because it befits Christ.'"
Lagdameo said the country's present situation "calls us to be more actively committed to living out the social teaching of the church.
"Political turmoil, moral corruption, and environmental degradation have worsened massive poverty and scandalous social inequality," he said.
Building a "civilization of love" can also be met, according to Lagdameo, by building associations for justice and peace, pro-environment movements, anti-corruption programs, livelihood programs, training programs for good governance and citizenship, election monitoring, voters' education and research based social and political advocacies.
The CBCP also reiterated their stand on various issues in their statements last January and April.
"We continue to view with alarm the signature campaign for the People's Initiative which many of our Social Action Centers have reported as being deceptive, lacking in adequate information and discussion, and not initiated by the people," Lagdameo said.
Lagdameo also reiterated the call for a "thorough reform of the Commission on Elections to restore trust in our electoral process, particularly on the investigation involving anomalous contracts worth P2.3 billion".
He lauded the Supreme Court (SC) for its ruling on Executive Order 464 and Proclamation 1017.
He likewise sought transparency on the probes following the Senate hearings on the P728-million fertilizer fund appropriations, as well as "full disclosure" of the Mayuga Report on the conduct of certain military officers in the last elections.
The CBCP also launched the "Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church," a book containing Catholic Church's mission and teachings and "meant to help Christians in their daily commitment to make the world more just."
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