By Felipe F. Salvosa II December 20, 2023 Manila, Philippines The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has released an advisory endorsing the Vatican document allowing pastoral blessings for couples in same-sex relationships and other “irregular situations.” In an advisory on Wednesday, Dec. 20, Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, CBCP president, said the declaration of the Vatican’s doctrinal office “speaks for itself, and therefore does not require much explanation.” “For those interested to know and understand what the document itself is saying,” reads David’s advisory linked to Fiducia Supplicans, issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on Dec. 18 and signed by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, the prefect for the doctrinal section of the Vatican office. David pointed to paragraph 41, which stated that the dicastery would not issue more specific regulations on such blessings as the declaration in itself would be “sufficient to guide the prudent and fatherly discernment of ordained ministers in this regard.” The declaration made a distinction between liturgical rites or ritual blessings on one hand, and pastoral, non-ritual, and spontaneous blessings on the other. The latter type of blessings may be bestowed upon anyone asking for it, such as during pilgrimages or even on the street when laypersons happen to meet a priest, according to the new Vatican declaration. David also pointed out that the declaration reaffirmed the Church’s teaching on marriage as a sacrament and indissoluble union entered into by one woman and one man. He quoted Fernandez’s introduction, which states that “this declaration remains firm on the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage, not allowing any type of liturgical rite or blessing similar to a liturgical rite that can create confusion.” “What Cardinal Fernandez considers as unique value of this document is that ‘…it offers a specific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings, permitting a broadening and enrichment of the classical understanding of blessings…,’” the CBCP chief said. David also quoted five paragraphs from the declaration pertaining to: • pastoral charity, avoiding being judges and excluding people, and broadening the understanding of blessings (paragraph 13); • doing away with the need for an “exhaustive moral analysis” of people asking for blessings (paragraph 25); • bestowing blessings on those who, “recognizing themselves to be destitute and in need of [God’s] help, do not claim a legitimation of their own status, but who beg that all that is true, good, and humanly valid in their lives and their relationships be enriched, healed, and elevated by the presence of the Holy Spirit” (paragraph 31); • the need for the Church to express closeness “to people in every situation in which they might seek God’s help through a simple blessing,” without the need for a ritual (paragraph 38); and • a qualification that such blessings “should never be imparted in concurrence with the ceremonies of a civil union, and not even in connection with them. Nor can it be performed with any clothing, gestures, or words that are proper

Thursday of the Third Week of Advent 1st Reading – Songs of Songs 2:8-14 The voice of my beloved! Behold, he arrives leaping along the mountains, jumping across the hills. My beloved is like a doe and like a young stag. Lo, my beloved speaks to me: Rise up, quickly, my love, my dove, my shapely one, and advance. For winter has now past; the rain has decreased and gone away. The flowers have appeared in our land; the time for pruning has arrived. The voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land. The fig tree has brought forth its green figs; the flowering vines bestow their odor. Rise up, my love, my brilliant one, and advance. My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall, show me your face, let your voice sound in my ears: for your voice is sweet, and your face comely.   Or Zephaniah 3:14-18A Give praise, daughter of Zion. Shout joyfully, Israel. Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord has taken away your judgment; he has turned aside your foes. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall no longer fear evil. In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Do not be afraid,” and to Zion, “Do not let your hands be weakened.” The Lord your God is the strength in your midst; he will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. In his love, he will be silent. He will exult over you with praise.  as one sings at festivals.   Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21 R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song. Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.Sing to him a new song;pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness. R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song. But the plan of the LORD stands forever;the design of his heart, through all generations.Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song. Our soul waits for the LORD,who is our help and our shield,For in him our hearts rejoice;in his holy name we trust. R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.   Alleluia R. Alleluia, alleluia.Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:come to save us, Lord our God!R. Alleluia, alleluia.   Gospel – Luke 1:39-45 And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Judah. And she entered into the house of Zechariah and saluted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how

December 20, 2023 Manila, Philippines Last Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith released a Declaration entitled “Fiducia Supplicans”, with the approval of the Holy Father, Pope Francis. It is clear in its content and intent. Basically, it elaborates “On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings”. The document speaks for itself, and therefore does not require much explanation. In fact, in paragraph 41, it says, “What has been said in this Declaration regarding the blessings of same-sex couples is sufficient to guide the prudent and fatherly discernment of ordained ministers in this regard. Thus, beyond the guidance provided above, no further responses should be expected about possible ways to regulate details or practicalities regarding blessings of this type.” Allow us therefore, in the name of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to simply attach here a link to the document itself, for those interested to know and understand what the document itself is saying. (See Declaration Fiducia Supplicans on the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings) The document has an introduction where the Prefect of the said dicastery, Victor Manuel Cardinal Fernandez points out that “this declaration remains firm on the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage, not allowing any type of liturgical rite or blessing similar to a liturgical rite that can create confusion.” What Cardinal Fernandez considers as unique value of this document is that “…it offers a specific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings, permitting a broadening and enrichment of the classical understanding of blessings…” Five paragraphs—namely 13, 25, 31, 38, and 39–are worth highlighting in the document: “…Pope Francis urged us not to close pastoral charity, which should permeate all our decisions and attitudes and to avoid being judges who only deny, reject, and exclude. Let us then respond to the Holy Father proposal by developing a broader understanding of blessings.” (FS13) “…when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it. For, those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection.” (FS25) “Within the horizon outlined here appears the possibility of blessings for couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex, the form of which should not be fixed ritually by ecclesial authorities to avoid producing confusion with the blessing proper to the Sacrament of Marriage. In such cases, a blessing may be imparted… upon those who, recognizing themselves to be destitute and in need of his help, do not claim a legitimation of their own status, but who beg that all that is true, good, and humanly valid in their lives and their relationships be enriched, healed, and elevated by the presence of the Holy Spirit.”(FS31) “For this reason, one should neither provide for nor promote a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation. At the same time, one should not prevent or prohibit the Church’s closeness to people in every situation in which they

December 19, 2023 Dagupan City, Philippines On December 18, 2023, the Vatican released a document titled, Fiducia supplicans, approved by Pope Francis, that allowed Catholic priests to bless Catholic couples in irregular situations including cohabitating relationships, non- sacramental civil marriages, divorced and remarried unions, polygamous bonds, and same-sex unions. The declaration is clear that it opens up the possibility “of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples without officially validating their status or changing in any way the Church’s perennial teaching on marriage.” With an emphasis on the pastoral meaning of blessings, Fiducia supplicans distinguishes two kinds of blessings, liturgical or ritual blessings, which are the official blessings of the Catholic Church, and spontaneous blessings, which are the informal words of blessing chosen by a priest at the request of the faithful. It then affirms that the former can never be used to bless couples in irregular situations, while the latter may be used if the couple humbly approaches the priest seeking God’s mercy. But what exactly does it mean to say that a Catholic priest blesses a couple in a cohabitating relationship or a polygamous bond or a same-sex union? And for the priest, what words should he use if he is asked to bless a couple in these irregular situations, especially since Fiducia supplicans leaves the words of the blessing itself to the discretion of the priest? To answer these questions, we have to begin with a robust understanding of blessings. A blessing is an invocation to God a request to God — to exercise His power on a person or a thing. Human beings cannot bless. Only God can. Typically, after praising God for His majesty and glory, Catholic blessings ask God to do one or two things. First, we ask God to dispel the evil that may be in a person or a thing. This is what happens when a priest blesses a car, or a deacon blesses a newly- purchased rice field. This is a blessing of exorcism. Second, we ask God to make a person or a thing holy. This is a blessing of sanctification. This happens when a bishop blesses the altar of a new church, or a priest blesses a newly-married couple during their wedding rite. For centuries, Catholic blessings often combined the two. An object was first exorcised before it was sanctified. Persons too are exorcised before being sanctified by the sacrament during the rite of baptism. Thus, Fiducia supplicans, citing the Book of Blessings, will explain: “So that this intent might become more apparent, by an ancient tradition, the formulas of blessing are primarily aimed at giving glory to God for his gifts, asking for his favors, and restraining the power of evil in the world” (no. 10). To this list of blessings, Fiducia supplicans now adds a third category of blessing, a blessing of mercy. Following after St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas defines mercy as “heartfelt sympathy for another’s distress, impelling us to assist him if we can”

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, presides over the traditional Simbang Gabi Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica with the Filipino community in Rome on Dec. 17, 2023. FR. EDMEL RAAGAS By Roy Lagarde December 18, 2023 Manila, Philippines Celebrating the traditional “Simbang Gabi” Mass for the Filipino community in Rome, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle challenged the faithful to never be ashamed of witnessing to Jesus Christ. In his homily in St. Peter’s Basilica on Gaudete Sunday, a special Sunday of Advent which calls on Catholics to rejoice in the Lord, he urged the churchgoers to bear witness before the world to the Gospel both in word and in deed. “Ang pagsaksi natin minsan ikinakahiya natin,” Tagle said. “Para maging ganap ang kaligayahan natin, sumaksi at magpakatotoo na si Hesus ang manunubos. Paano? Sabihin mo ‘naranasan ko.’” A witness, the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization emphasized, is someone who does not shine a light on himself but turns the spotlight on Jesus. “Hindi siya nakikipag agawan ng liwanag kay Hesus. Siya ay nagpapatotoo sa tunay ng liwanag,” he said. And for people to be joyful witnesses of Christ, the cardinal encouraged them to pursue a closer connection to Jesus through prayer. “Huwag putulin iyong ugnayan sa Panginoon. Kapag wala tayo ugnayan sa Panginoon hindi tayo pwedeng magpatotoo,” Tagle said. “Napakalaking kaligayahan kapag tayo ay nakakapag-patotoo kay Hesus…. siya ang makilala, ako ay pupunta na lang sa background. Ganun ang saksi. Para mangyari iyon, manalangin lagi,” he added. The basilica was filled with Filipinos residing in various parts of Italy’s capital. The Mass was organized by the Sentro Pilipino Chaplaincy in Rome and was led by its new chaplain, Scalabrini Fr. Ronan Ayag. Among those who concelebrated the Mass was Cardinal Silvano Tomasi, who is also a Scalabrinian missionary and served in the ministry for migrants for many years. Tagle also encouraged the Filipinos to live out of being true witnesses of Jesus wherever they are. “Ipakita niyo ang katotohanan ng pagiging Pilipino at sumaksi tayo sa liwanag ni Hesus,” he said. 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.  

Monday of the Third Week of Advent 1st Reading – Jeremiah 23:5-8 Behold, the days are approaching, says the Lord, when I will raise up to David a righteous branch. And a king will reign, and he will be wise. And he will exercise judgment and justice upon the earth. In those days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in confidence. And this is the name that they will call him: ‘The Lord, our Just One.’ Because of this, behold, the days are approaching, says the Lord, when they will no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives, who led the sons of Israel away from the land of Egypt,’ but instead, ‘As the Lord lives, who led away and brought back the offspring of the house of Israel from the land of the north and from the entire earth,’ from the places to which I had cast them out. And they will live in their own land.”   Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19 R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. O God, with your judgment endow the king,and with your justice, the king’s son;He shall govern your people with justiceand your afflicted ones with judgment. R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;the lives of the poor he shall save. R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,who alone does wondrous deeds.And blessed forever be his glorious name;may the whole earth be filled with his glory. R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.   Alleluia R. Alleluia, alleluia.O Leader of the House of Israel,giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:come to rescue us with your mighty power!R. Alleluia, alleluia.   Gospel – Matthew 1:18-25 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.” When

By Daniel Payne Catholic News Agency December 17, 2023 Two Christian women were killed on Saturday by an Israeli sniper at the Catholic Holy Family Parish in Gaza, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said on Saturday morning. The patriarchate said in a statement that “around noon” on Dec. 16, a sniper of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “murdered two Christian women inside the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, where the majority of Christian families has taken refuge since the start of the war.” “Nahida and her daughter Samar were shot and killed as they walked to the sisters’ convent,” the statement said. “One was killed as she tried to carry the other to safety.” The post said another seven people were “shot and wounded” while trying to “protect others inside the church compound.” “No warning was given, no notification was provided,” the patriarchate said. “They were shot in cold blood inside the premises of the parish, where there are no belligerents.” Vatican News on Saturday reported that the attack was allegedly “justified by Israelis” who “claimed the presence of a rocket launcher in the parish.” Holy Family Parish is the only Roman Catholic church in Gaza. Since the Israel-Hamas war began, hundreds of Christians and other Gazan civilians have taken refuge in the parish, which is on the northern end of the Gaza Strip. Prior to the shooting, the patriarchate said, “a rocket fired from an IDF tank targeted the Convent of the Sisters of Mother Teresa (Missionaries of Charity).” “The convent is home to over 54 disabled persons and is part of the church compound, which was signaled as a place of worship since the beginning of the war,” the statement said. The building’s generator and its fuel resources were destroyed, the statement said, while the 54 disabled persons at the facility “are currently displaced and without access to the respirators that some of them need to survive.” The patriarchate said in its statement that it was “at a loss to comprehend how such an attack could be carried out, even more so as the whole Church prepares for Christmas.” “Together in prayer with the whole Christian community, we express our closeness and condolences to the families affected by this senseless tragedy,” the statement said. The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the allegations on Saturday. 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.  

Third Sunday of Advent 1st Reading – Isaiah 61:1-2A, 10-11 The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to preach to the meek, to heal the contrite of heart, to preach leniency to captives and release to the confined, and so to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vindication of our God. I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, and my soul will exult in my God. For he has clothed me with the vestments of salvation, and he has wrapped me in the clothing of justice, like a groom arrayed with a crown, and like a bride adorned with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its seedlings and the garden produces its seeds, so will the Lord God bring forth justice and praise in the sight of all the nations.   Responsorial Psalm – Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54 R. My soul rejoices in my God. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,for he has looked upon his lowly servant.From this day all generations will call me blessed: R. My soul rejoices in my God. the Almighty has done great things for me,and holy is his Name.He has mercy on those who fear himin every generation. R. My soul rejoices in my God. He has filled the hungry with good things,and the rich he has sent away empty.He has come to the help of his servant Israelfor he has remembered his promise of mercy, R. My soul rejoices in my God.   2nd Reading – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Brothers and sisters: Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in everything. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for all of you. Do not choose to extinguish the Spirit. Do not spurn prophecies. But test all things. Hold on to whatever is good. Abstain from every kind of evil. And may the God of peace himself sanctify you through all things, so that your whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved without blame unto the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who has called you is faithful. He shall act even now.   Alleluia – Isaiah 61:1 (CITED IN Luke 4:18) R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed meto bring glad tidings to the poor.R. Alleluia, alleluia.   Gospel – John 1:6-8, 19-28 A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Messiah.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you

Saturday of the Second Week of Advent 1st Reading – Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 And the prophet Elijah arose like a fire, and his word burned like a torch. He brought a famine upon them, and those who provoked him in their envy became few. For they could not bear the precepts of the Lord. By the word of the Lord, he closed the heavens, and he brought down fire from heaven three times. In this way, Elijah was magnified in his wondrous works. So who can say that he is similar to you in glory? He was received into a whirlwind of fire, into a swift chariot with fiery horses. He is written in the judgments of the times, so as to lessen the wrath of the Lord, to reconcile the heart of the father to the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob. Blessed are those who saw you, and who were adorned with your friendship.   Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 80:2AC AND 3B, 15-16, 18-19 R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. O shepherd of Israel, hearken,From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.Rouse your power. R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. Once again, O LORD of hosts,look down from heaven, and see;Take care of this vine,and protect what your right hand has plantedthe son of man whom you yourself made strong. R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. May your help be with the man of your right hand,with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.Then we will no more withdraw from you;give us new life, and we will call upon your name. R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.   Alleluia – Luke 3:4, 6 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:All flesh shall see the salvation of God.R. Alleluia, alleluia.   Gospel – Matthew 17:9A, 10-13 And as they came down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus: Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. Today's Readings Homilies

December 15, 2023 Guidelines for work in view of the 2024 Assembly released At the end of their meeting on 5 December, the members of the Ordinary Council of the Synod of Bishops adopted a Document for the work to be engaged by the Catholic Church until the celebration of the Second Session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (October 2024). These are guidelines with a concrete roadmap in which the deepening of synodality in a missionary perspective and the broadening of experiences of synodality at the local level are the cornerstones on which the local communities are called to reflect, beginning with the Synthesis Report adopted at the end of the First Session of the XVI Assembly on 28 October. As the Holy Father recalled when approving these work guidelines, “the Synod is about synodality and not about this or that theme… The important thing is how the reflection is done, that is, in a synodal way”. “Building on the experience of last October’s assembly, and especially on the Synthesis Report that the members approved, the Ordinary Council decided on a unified yet differentiated path depending on the competencies and possibilities within local ecclesial realities,” says Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod, adding, “This is already a synodal way of working in the Church where each person cooperates for the good of all according to his or her vocation”. In fact, keeping the two main themes or guidelines in mind, the dioceses are asked: 1) with regard to deepening: to promote a reflection that focuses on the theme of differentiated co-responsibility in the mission of all members of the People of God (cf. Synthesis Report, chapters 8-12, 16 and 18). The local Churches are asked to carry out a further consultation, involving people and groups (parish priests, participation bodies, synodal teams, etc.) who express a variety of experiences, skills, charisms, ministries within the People of God and whose point of view is of particular help in focusing on “how” to grow as a synodal Church. In this sense, the involvement of experts and academic institutions present in the area seems indispensable, so that the contribution of theological and canonical expertise, as well as the relevant human and social sciences, can be present; 2) regarding the broadening of experiences of synodality: to continue or promote new initiatives to grow as a synodal church on mission, with training and listening experiences that also involve those who have not been touched by the process so far, groups living in conditions of poverty and social marginality as well as Christians of different denominations and people of other religions; to collect and transmit testimonies and best practices to be sent to the Synod Secretariat through the Bishops’ Conferences or the Eastern Hierarchical Structures. In order to facilitate the work of the local communities, the General Secretariat has prepared a possible work sheet to help the work of receiving the fruits of October’s synod assembly and of continuing the synodal journey of conversion in the local Churches. The sheet is available on synod.va. The Bishops’ Conferences and the Oriental Hierarchical Structures are asked to accompany the work of the local Churches by offering them the indications regarding