Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter 1st Reading – ACTS 18:1-8 Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. He went to visit them and, because he practised the same trade, stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. Every Sabbath, he entered into discussions in the synagogue, attempting to convince both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. When they opposed him and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your heads! I am clear of responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” So he left there and went to a house belonging to a man named Titus Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next to a synagogue. Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized.   Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4 R.(see 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.or:R. Alleluia. Sing to the LORD a new song,for he has done wondrous deeds;His right hand has won victory for him,his holy arm. R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.or:R. Alleluia. The LORD has made his salvation known:in the sight of the nations, he has revealed his justice.He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulnesstoward the house of Israel. R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.or:R. Alleluia. All the ends of the earth have seenthe salvation by our God.Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;break into song; sing praise. R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.or:R. Alleluia.   Alleluia – SEE John 14:18 R. Alleluia, alleluia.I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord;I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice.R. Alleluia, alleluia.   Gospel – John 16:16-20 Jesus said to his disciples: “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks? We do not know what he means.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Amen,

By Kevin J. Jones Catholic News Agency May 17, 2023 Catholic clergy in France will soon carry a standardized identification card linked to a national database that shows whether they are currently in good standing and can celebrate Mass and hear confessions. “It aims to prevent impostors [false priests or deacons] from continuing to act to the detriment of the faithful and the sacraments,” the Conference of French Bishops’ website said May 5. It noted that current paper documents can be faked. Clergy have always carried a document showing they are approved to celebrate Mass, called a “celebret.” The document, issued by a bishop or a religious superior, is valid for one year. It shows a priest is authorized to celebrate Mass and to hear confessions. The French Catholic bishops’ website compared the card to a press credential for journalists or an identity card for legal professionals. France’s Catholic bishops first approved the updated clergy identification card at their November 2021 plenary assembly. The bishops made the change to help standardize documents between dioceses and religious communities and to provide real-time updates on authorizations and restrictions. The French Bishops’ Conference in a May 10 announcement described the change as part of a large set of measures “intended to continue and intensify the fight against sexual violence within the Church” following the October 2021 report of the Independent Commission on Sex Abuse in the Church. That report, however, did not make recommendations regarding identity cards. The French bishops’ press kit about the card also does not mention abuse prevention explicitly. All bishops and priests are affected by the new ID cards, as are permanent deacons. Both French-based clergy and those who are living in France as part of their religious mission must have an identification card. Clergy credentials are to be verified by those who supervise a religious event or gathering, including pilgrimages or Masses. “If the ordained minister refuses to present his card, he will not be able to celebrate,” the French bishops’ website said. The system is operational for French bishops, who received their cards at their March plenary assembly. Data collection is underway for 13,000 priests and 3,000 deacons. Identification cards will be issued when the process is complete. The new “celebret” document includes a QR code linked to a secure national directory. The national database may be accessed by using a phone to scan the QR Code on the identification card or by entering the clergyman’s name and personal ID number on the relevant website. Bishop Alexandre Joly of Troyes, vice president of the Bishops’ Conference of France, explained at a May 10 press conference that when the card’s QR code is scanned, the app will show a green, yellow, or orange color based on the priest’s authorizations. This is a nonspecific indication of whether or not the ordained minister has specific restrictions on his ministry. Out of concern for privacy, the user must enter the clergyman’s four-digit confidentiality code to display the specific details. Authorizations or

An October 2016 file photo of former senator Leila de Lima. VATICAN MEDIA By CBCP News May 16, 2023 Manila, Philippines The head of the Catholic bishops’ leadership has welcomed the acquittal from drug charge of former senator Leila de Lima, who has been detained for the past six years. The court on May 12 dismissed one of two remaining criminal charges against de Lima, who was arrested months after launching an investigation into the then-Duterte administration’s brutal drug war. The former president humiliated de Lima in public speeches and accused her of receiving payoffs from convicted drug lords. The decision marks the second acquittal out of the three cases filed against de Lima, who has been detained since February 2017. “Praise the Lord for this news,” Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, president of the bishops’ conference, said in a short social media post. Caritas Philippines, meanwhile, urged the local court to issue a speedy resolution on the last drug charge against de Lima. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of the national Caritas, said the court ruling “brings us closer to the realization of justice and emphasizes the importance of upholding the rule of law”. “Her acquittal, in this case, reaffirms our belief in the merits of her defense, and serves as a testament to the flaws and inconsistencies in the charges fabricated against her,” Bagaforo said. “We call on the Muntinlupa City RTC Branch 256 to expedite its decision and grant Senator de Lima the opportunity to regain her freedom,” he said. The bishop added that de Lima’s release from detention “is not only a significant step towards justice, but also a symbol of our collective commitment to safeguarding human rights and ensuring the rule of law”. DONATE TO CBCP NEWS CBCPNews is a church-based news agency operated by the Media Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.  This apostolate aims at helping the work of the new evangelization through the news media.  This is non-commercial and non-profit.  That being the case, it totally depends on generosity of its readers and supporters. Should you wish to donate kindly press the donate button.  Thank you.  

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter 1st Reading – ACTS 17:15, 22-18:1 After Paul’s escorts had taken him to Athens, they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said: “You Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious. For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’ What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything. He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us. For ‘In him, we live and move and have our being,’ as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ Since therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination. God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he demands that all people everywhere repent because he has established a day on which he will ‘judge the world with justice’ through a man, he has appointed, and he has provided confirmation for all by raising him from the dead.” When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We should like to hear you on this some other time.” And so Paul left them. But some did join him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Court of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.   Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14 R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.or:R. Alleluia. Praise the LORD from the heavens;praise him in the heights.Praise him, all you his angels;praise him, all you his hosts. R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.or:R. Alleluia. Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,the princes and all the judges of the earth,Young men too, and maidens,old men and boys. R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.or:R. Alleluia. Praise the name of the LORD,for his name alone is exalted;His majesty is above earth and heaven. R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.or:R. Alleluia. He has lifted up the horn of his people;Be this his praise from all his faithful ones,from the children of Israel, the people close to him.Alleluia.

From left, Archbishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, the new president of Caritas Internationalis, his vice president Kirsty Robertson, and Mr. Alistair Dutton, the secretary general. By CBCP News May 16, 2023 Manila, Philippines Caritas Philippines has welcomed the election of Archbishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo as the new president of Caritas Internationalis, a Vatican-based confederation of more than 160 Catholic charities around the world. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of the national Caritas, said Kikuchi’s election “reaffirms our commitment to prioritizing the needs of the marginalized”. “We believe his leadership will further strengthen our collective efforts to uplift the lives of those in need,” said Bagaforo, who is currently in Rome for the confederation’s 22nd general assembly. “We look forward to working closely with him to advance social justice and integral human development,” he said. More than 400 delegates taking part in the assembly elected Kikuchi, who is also the current secretary general of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), on May 13 to serve a four-year term. Replacing Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the former archbishop of Manila who has been leading the Dicastery for Evangelization since 2019, Kikuchi is the second president of Caritas Internationalis from Asia. The archbishop has been associated with Caritas since 1995, starting as a volunteer in the Refugees’ Camp in Bukavu, Zaire. The assembly on May 15 also elected Kirsty Robertson as the new vice president of Caritas Internationalis and Mr. Alistair Dutton as the new secretary general for a mandate of four years. Robertson has been the CEO of Caritas Australia since 2019. She previously held various positions at Caritas Australia including Pacific Programs Coordinator and Communications Group Leader. She was also CEO at Mary MacKillop Today and held numerous leadership roles in other faith-based aid and development organisations. Currently Executive Director of SCIAF (Caritas Scotland), Mr. Dutton has more than 25 years of experience in the humanitarian field and has led projects in more than 70 countries. With more than 25 years of experience in the humanitarian field and has led projects in more than 70 countries, Mr. Dutton first worked with Caritas in 1996. He is currently the Executive Director of SCIAF (Caritas Scotland). From 2009 to 2014, he served as the Humanitarian Director of Caritas Internationalis. In 2014, Dutton was also the CEO of the Sphere Project, the international humanitarian standards body. From 2005 to 2009 he was head of the Humanitarian Programmes Unit for Africa of Christian Aid. DONATE TO CBCP NEWS CBCPNews is a church-based news agency operated by the Media Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.  This apostolate aims at helping the work of the new evangelization through the news media.  This is non-commercial and non-profit.  That being the case, it totally depends on generosity of its readers and supporters. Should you wish to donate kindly press the donate button.  Thank you.  

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter 1st Reading – ACTS 16:22-34 The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas, and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and secured their feet to a stake. About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted out in a loud voice, “Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.” He asked for a light and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.” So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized at once. He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.   Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 138:1-2AB, 2CDE-3, 7C-8 R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.or:R. Alleluia. I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,for you have heard the words of my mouth;in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;I will worship at your holy temple,and give thanks to your name. R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.or:R. Alleluia. Because of your kindness and your truth,you have made great above all thingsyour name and your promise.When I called, you answered me;you built up strength within me. R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.or:R. Alleluia. Your right hand saves me.The LORD will complete what he has done for me;your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;forsake not the work of your hands. R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.or:R. Alleluia.   Alleluia – SEE John 16:7, 13 R. Alleluia, alleluia.I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord;he will guide you to all truth.R. Alleluia, alleluia.   Gospel – John 16:5-11 Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For

Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter 1st Reading – ACTS 16:11-15 We set sail from Troas, making a straight run for Samothrace, and on the next day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, a leading city in that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We spent some time in that city. On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river where we thought there would be a place of prayer. We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there. One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. After she and her household had been baptized, she offered us an invitation, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home,” and she prevailed on us.   Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 149:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6A AND 9B R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.or:R. Alleluia. Sing to the LORD a new songof praise in the assembly of the faithful.Let Israel be glad in their maker,let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. R. The Lord takes delight in his people.or:R. Alleluia. Let them praise his name in the festive dance,let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.For the LORD loves his people,and he adorns the lowly with victory. R. The Lord takes delight in his people.or:R. Alleluia. Let the faithful exult in glory;let them sing for joy upon their couches.Let the high praises of God be in their throats.This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia. R. The Lord takes delight in his people.or:R. Alleluia.   Alleluia – John 15:26B, 27A R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord,and you also will testify.R. Alleluia, alleluia.   Gospel – John 15:26-16:4A 26 Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. “I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.” Today's Readings Homilies Love Offering:

Archbishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, the president of Caritas Internationalis. By CBCP News May 14, 2023 Manila, Philippines Caritas Internationalis on Saturday elected Archbishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo as its new president. The election came on the third of the five-day general assembly of the confederation of more than 162 Catholic relief and development agencies across the world. He will hold office for a term four years and may be reelected for a second term. Addressing the assembly’s around 400 delegates, the archbishop stressed that Caritas “must be in the front line to receive, accompany, serve and defend the poor and vulnerable”. “This mission must be upheld and capture all attentions of the members of the confederation and I would like to be the one to lead entire organization to fulfill this important mission of the Church together with the Secretary General,” Kikuchi said. “All are invited to walk together.” The archbishop succeeded the post from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, making him the second Caritas Internationalis president from Asia. He is currently the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan (CBCJ) and Secretary General of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC). Kikuchi has worked with Caritas organisation in various positions and titles since 1995, starting from a volunteer in Refugees’ Camp in Bukavu, then Zaire. He served as the Executive Director of Caritas Japan from 1999 to 2004 and the president of Caritas Japan from 2007 to 2022. He was also the president of Caritas Asia from 2011 to 2019, a member of the Caritas Internationalis Executive Committee from 1999 to 2004, and a member of the Representative Council from 2011 to 2019. Born in Iwate on November 1, 1958, he was professed into the Divine Word Missionaries in March 1985 prior to his ordination to the priesthood on March 15 1986. As a young priest, he served as a missionary to Ghana, Africa, where he was a parish priest in a rural parish for eight years. He has been serving as archbishop of Tokyo since his appointment in 2017. Prior to becoming Tokyo archbishop, he had served as the bishop of Niigata since 2004 when he was first named as a bishop. DONATE TO CBCP NEWS CBCPNews is a church-based news agency operated by the Media Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.  This apostolate aims at helping the work of the new evangelization through the news media.  This is non-commercial and non-profit.  That being the case, it totally depends on generosity of its readers and supporters. Should you wish to donate kindly press the donate button.  Thank you.  

Sixth Sunday of Easter 1st Reading – ACTS 8:5-8, 14-17 And Philip going down to the city of Samaria, preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord were attentive to those things which were said by Philip, hearing, and seeing the miracles which he did. For many of them who had unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, went out. And many, taken with the palsy, and that were lame, were healed. There was therefore great joy in that city. Now when the apostles, who were in Jerusalem, had heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John. Who, when they came, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. For he was not as yet come upon any of them; but they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost.   Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20 R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.or:R. Alleluia. Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,sing praise to the glory of his name;proclaim his glorious praise.Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!” R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.or:R. Alleluia. “Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,sing praise to your name!”Come and see the works of God,his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam. R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.or:R. Alleluia. He has changed the sea into dry land;through the river they passed on foot;therefore let us rejoice in him.He rules by his might forever. R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.or:R. Alleluia. Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declarewhat he has done for me.Blessed be God who refused me notmy prayer or his kindness! R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.or:R. Alleluia.   2nd Reading – 1 Peter 3:15-18 Beloved: But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy everyone that asks you a reason of that hope which is in you. But with modesty and fear, having a good conscience: that whereas they speak evil of you, they may be ashamed who falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better doing well (if such be the will of God) to suffer, than doing ill. Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit.   Alleluia – John 14:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord,and my Father will love him and we will come to him.R. Alleluia, alleluia.   Gospel – John 14:15-21 Jesus said to his disciples: If you love me, keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Paraclete,

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter 1st Reading – ACTS 16:1-10 Paul came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, there was a certain disciple there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman that believed; but his father was a Gentile. To this man the brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium, gave a good testimony. Him Paul would have to go along with him: and taking him he circumcised him, because of the Jews who were in those places. For they all knew that his father was a Gentile. And as they passed through the cities, they delivered unto them the decrees for to keep, that were decreed by the apostles and ancients who were at Jerusalem. And the churches were confirmed in faith, and increased in number daily. And when they had passed through Phrygia, and the country of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia. And when they were come into Mysia, they attempted to go into Bythynia, and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not. And when they had passed through Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision was shown to Paul in the night, which was a man of Macedonia standing and beseeching him, and saying: Pass over into Macedonia and help us. And as soon as he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, being assured that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.   Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 100:1B-2, 3, 5 R. (2a) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.or:R. Alleluia. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;serve the LORD with gladness;come before him with joyful song. R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.or:R. Alleluia. Know that the LORD is God;he made us, his we are;his people, the flock he tends. R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.or:R. Alleluia. The LORD is good:his kindness endures forever,and his faithfulness, to all generations. R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.or:R. Alleluia.   Alleluia – Colossians 3:1 R. Alleluia, alleluia.If then you were raised with Christ,seek what is above,where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.R. Alleluia, alleluia.   Gospel – John 15:18-21 Jesus said to his disciples: If the world hates you, know ye, that it has hated me before you. If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember my word that I said to you: The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for my name’s sake: because they know not him who sent me. Today's Readings Homilies Love Offering: