WHY BIG NO TO RH-BILL

Birth Control

In 1968, Pope Paul VI issued his landmark encyclical letter Humanae Vitae (Latin, "Human Life"), which reemphasized the Church’s constant teaching that it is always intrinsically wrong to use contraception to prevent new human beings from coming into existence.

Contraception is "any action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act [sexual intercourse], or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" (Humanae Vitae 14). This includes sterilization, condoms and other barrier methods, spermicides, coitus interruptus (withdrawal method), the Pill, and all other such methods.

The Historic Christian Teaching

Few realize that up until 1930, all Protestant denominations agreed with the Catholic Church’s teaching condemning contraception as sinful. At its 1930 Lambeth Conference, the Anglican church, swayed by growing social pressure, announced that contraception would be allowed in some circumstances. Soon the Anglican church completely caved in, allowing contraception across the board. Since then, all other Protestant denominations have followed suit. Today, the Catholic Church alone proclaims the historic Christian position on contraception.

Evidence that contraception is in conflict with God’s laws comes from a variety of sources that will be examined in this tract.

Nature

Contraception is wrong because it’s a deliberate violation of the design God built into the human race, often referred to as "natural law." The natural law purpose of sex is procreation. The pleasure that sexual intercourse provides is an additional blessing from God, intended to offer the possibility of new life while strengthening the bond of intimacy, respect, and love between husband and wife. The loving environment this bond creates is the perfect setting for nurturing children.

But sexual pleasure within marriage becomes unnatural, and even harmful to the spouses, when it is used in a way that deliberately excludes the basic purpose of sex, which is procreation. God’s gift of the sex act, along with its pleasure and intimacy, must not be abused by deliberately frustrating its natural end—procreation.

Scripture

Is contraception a modern invention? Hardly! Birth control has been around for millennia. Scrolls found in Egypt, dating to 1900 B.C., describe ancient methods of birth control that were later practiced in the Roman empire during the apostolic age. Wool that absorbed sperm, poisons that fumigated the uterus, potions, and other methods were used to prevent conception. In some centuries, even condoms were used (though made out of animal skin rather than latex).

The Bible mentions at least one form of contraception specifically and condemns it. Coitus interruptus, was used by Onan to avoid fulfilling his duty according to the ancient Jewish law of fathering children for one’s dead brother. "Judah said to Onan, ‘Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.’ But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother. And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also" (Gen. 38:8–10).

The biblical penalty for not giving your brother’s widow children was public humiliation, not death (Deut. 25:7–10). But Onan received death as punishment for his crime. This means his crime was more than simply not fulfilling the duty of a brother-in-law. He lost his life because he violated natural law, as Jewish and Christian commentators have always understood. For this reason, certain forms of contraception have historically been known as "Onanism," after the man who practiced it, just as homosexuality has historically been known as "Sodomy," after the men of Sodom, who practiced that vice (cf. Gen. 19).

Contraception was so far outside the biblical mindset and so obviously wrong that it did not need the frequent condemnations other sins did. Scripture condemns the practice when it mentions it. Once a moral principle has been established in the Bible, every possible application of it need not be mentioned. For example, the general principle that theft is wrong was clearly established in Scripture; but there’s no need to provide an exhaustive list of every kind of theft. Similarly, since the principle that contraception is wrong has been established by being condemned when it’s mentioned in the Bible, every particular form of contraception does not need to be dealt with in Scripture in order for us to see that it is condemned.

Apostolic Tradition

The biblical teaching that birth control is wrong is found even more explicitly among the Church Fathers, who recognized the biblical and natural law principles underlying the condemnation.

In A.D. 195, Clement of Alexandria wrote, "Because of its divine institution for the propagation of man, the seed is not to be vainly ejaculated, nor is it to be damaged, nor is it to be wasted" (The Instructor of Children 2:10:91:2).

Hippolytus of Rome wrote in 255 that "on account of their prominent ancestry and great property, the so-called faithful [certain Christian women who had affairs with male servants] want no children from slaves or lowborn commoners, [so] they use drugs of sterility or bind themselves tightly in order to expel a fetus which has already been engendered" (Refutation of All Heresies 9:12).

Around 307 Lactantius explained that some "complain of the scantiness of their means, and allege that they have not enough for bringing up more children, as though, in truth, their means were in [their] power . . . or God did not daily make the rich poor and the poor rich. Wherefore, if any one on any account of poverty shall be unable to bring up children, it is better to abstain from relations with his wife" (Divine Institutes 6:20). Natural Family Planning (NFP)

The First Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council and the one that defined Christ’s divinity, declared in 325, "If anyone in sound health has castrated himself, it behooves that such a one, if enrolled among the clergy, should cease [from his ministry], and that from henceforth no such person should be promoted. But, as it is evident that this is said of those who willfully do the thing and presume to castrate themselves, so if any have been made eunuchs by barbarians, or by their masters, and should otherwise be found worthy, such men this canon admits to the clergy" (Canon 1).

Augustine wrote in 419, "I am supposing, then, although you are not lying [with your wife] for the sake of procreating offspring, you are not for the sake of lust obstructing their procreation by an evil prayer or an evil deed. Those who do this, although they are called husband and wife, are not; nor do they retain any reality of marriage, but with a respectable name cover a shame. Sometimes this lustful cruelty, or cruel lust, comes to this, that they even procure poisons of sterility [oral contraceptives]" (Marriage and Concupiscence 1:15:17).

The apostolic tradition’s condemnation of contraception is so great that it was followed by Protestants until 1930 and was upheld by all key Protestant Reformers. Martin Luther said, "[T]he exceedingly foul deed of Onan, the basest of wretches . . . is a most disgraceful sin. It is far more atrocious than incest and adultery. We call it unchastity, yes, a sodomitic sin. For Onan goes in to her; that is, he lies with her and copulates, and when it comes to the point of insemination, spills the semen, lest the woman conceive. Surely at such a time the order of nature established by God in procreation should be followed. Accordingly, it was a most disgraceful crime. . . . Consequently, he deserved to be killed by God. He committed an evil deed. Therefore, God punished him."

John Calvin said, "The voluntary spilling of semen outside of intercourse between man and woman is a monstrous thing. Deliberately to withdraw from coitus in order that semen may fall on the ground is doubly monstrous. For this is to extinguish the hope of the race and to kill before he is born the hoped-for offspring."

John Wesley warned, "Those sins that dishonor the body are very displeasing to God, and the evidence of vile affections. Observe, the thing which he [Onan] did displeased the Lord—and it is to be feared; thousands, especially of single persons, by this very thing, still displease the Lord, and destroy their own souls." (These passages are quoted in Charles D. Provan, The Bible and Birth Control, which contains many quotes by historic Protestant figures who recognize contraception’s evils.)

The Magisterium

The Church also, fulfilling the role given it by Christ as the identifier and interpreter of apostolic Scripture and apostolic tradition, has constantly condemned contraception as gravely sinful.

In Humanae Vitae, Pope Paul VI stated, "[W]e must once again declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun, and, above all, directly willed and procured abortion, even if for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as licit means of regulating birth. Equally to be excluded, as the teaching authority of the Church has frequently declared, is direct sterilization, whether perpetual or temporary, whether of the man or of the woman. Similarly excluded is every action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" (HV 14).

This was reiterated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "[E]very action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible is intrinsically evil" (CCC 2370). "Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means . . . for example, direct sterilization or contraception" (CCC 2399).

The Church also has affirmed that the illicitness of contraception is an infallible doctrine: "The Church has always taught the intrinsic evil of contraception, that is, of every marital act intentionally rendered unfruitful. This teaching is to be held as definitive and irreformable. Contraception is gravely opposed to marital chastity, it is contrary to the good of the transmission of life (the procreative.aspect of matrimony), and to the reciprocal self-giving of the spouses (the unitive.aspect of matrimony); it harms true love and denies the sovereign role of God in the transmission of human life" (Vademecum for Confessors 2:4, Feb. 12, 1997).

Human Experience

Pope Paul VI predicted grave consequences that would arise from the widespread and unrestrained use of contraception. He warned, "Upright men can even better convince themselves of the solid grounds on which the teaching of the Church in this field is based if they care to reflect upon the consequences of methods of artificially limiting the increase of children. Let them consider, first of all, how wide and easy a road would thus be opened up towards conjugal infidelity and the general lowering of morality. Not much experience is needed in order to know human weakness, and to understand that men—especially the young, who are so vulnerable on this point—have need of encouragement to be faithful to the moral law, so that they must not be offered some easy means of eluding its observance. It is also to be feared that the man, growing used to the employment of anti-conceptive practices, may finally lose respect for the woman and, no longer caring for her physical and psychological equilibrium, may come to the point of considering her as a mere instrument of selfish enjoyment, and no longer as his respected and beloved companion" (HV 17).

No one can doubt the fulfillment of these prophetic words. They have all been more than fulfilled in this country as a result of the widespread availability of contraceptives, the "free love" movement that started in the 1960s, and the loose sexual morality that it spawned and that continues to pervade Western culture.

Indeed, recent studies reveal a far greater divorce rate in marriages in which contraception is regularly practiced than in those marriages where it is not. Experience, natural law, Scripture, Tradition, and the magisterium, all testify to the moral evil of contraception.

Wishful Thinking

Ignoring the mountain of evidence, some maintain that the Church considers the use of contraception a matter for each married couple to decide according to their "individual conscience." Yet, nothing could be further from the truth. The Church has always maintained the historic Christian teaching that deliberate acts of contraception are always gravely sinful, which means that it is mortally sinful if done with full knowledge and deliberate consent (CCC 1857). This teaching cannot be changed and has been taught by the Church infallibly.

There is no way to deny the fact that the Church has always and everywhere condemned artificial contraception. The matter has already been infallibly decided. The so-called "individual conscience" argument amounts to "individual disobedience."

NIHIL OBSTAT: I have concluded that the materials
presented in this work are free of doctrinal or moral errors.
Bernadeane Carr, STL, Censor Librorum, August 10, 2004

IMPRIMATUR: In accord with 1983 CIC 827
permission to publish this work is hereby granted.
+Robert H. Brom, Bishop of San Diego, August 10, 2004

source: Veritas 899

Basic Ecclesial Community- 2009-2010

I was onboard for the past 7 months and I never realized that BEC-DMMA, despite to the problems faced in their second semester were active in the 1st semester, they had a joint-CDS(Catholic Doctrine Seminar) in USEP on July 29, 2009. Here’s the latest in BEC last year:



















I hope that the problem of the organization will be settled this year.

May God bless you.

Flewen

Australian bishops lead crossing to Rome

source: The Australian (Click here pls)

FOUR bishops, 40 priests and thousands of parishioners from the Traditional Anglican Communion will petition the Vatican by Easter to be received into the Catholic Church.

Archbishop John Hepworth of Adelaide, primate of the TAC, said 26 parishes in Western Australia, Tasmania, NSW, Victoria, far north Queensland and South Australia hoped to be united with Rome by the end of the year.

The move comes as 100 Anglican parishes in the US and some in Canada have announced their decisions to convert to Catholicism en masse, voting to take up an offer made by Pope Benedict XVI in November in his apostolic constitution Anglicanorum coetibus (On Groups of Anglicans). The initiative allows Anglican bishops, priests and entire congregations, if they wish, to join Rome.

Archbishop Hepworth, 65, who is married with three children, said the Pope had allowed for a continuation of Anglican practices, including a married clergy.

"In an age when the traditional family is under attack, the presence of a priestly family at the centre of parishes is a real gift," he said.

He said the motivation for the move to Rome was a desire for Christian unity and dissatisfaction with the secularisation of the Anglican church. This, he said, included the ordination of women and practising homosexuals.

Traditional Anglicans had also become disillusioned by radical bishops such as John Shelby Spong in the US publicly disbelieving the Gospel accounts of basic tenets such as the bodily Resurrection of Christ, he said.

"Under the process, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith accepts petitions, they are then referred to the local Catholic bishops' conference which gives advice, then an Ordinariate will be established," he said.

"I would like to think the process would be close to being finalised by the end of the year because the Pope wants results."

Australia's Cardinal George Pell said members of the TAC would be "most welcome" when the process unfolded. To ease the way, the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference has appointed Bishop Peter Elliott of Melbourne, the director of the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and the Family, to liaise with traditional Anglicans considering joining the Catholic Church.

"The papal offer gives traditional Anglicans the opportunity to be united in communion but not absorbed by the Catholic Church," Bishop Elliott said.

"The Catholic Church will be enriched by the very prayerful and dignified approach to worship and the sense of good taste and culture of traditional Anglicans."

Once the Ordinariate is established, ordinary Catholics will be free to attend its Masses.

Archbishop Hepworth acknowledged that some traditional Anglicans would opt not to join the Ordinariate "and they will need to be catered for".

The Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia, Dr Phillip Aspinall, was in flood-affected areas of western Queensland yesterday and uncontactable.

But in a recent statement he said that the TAC "is a group of people who are not part of the Anglican Church of Australia nor in communion with the global Anglican Communion".

But at least two of the bishops involved in the petition, David Robarts of Launceston and Harry Entwistle of Perth, hold general licences within the mainstream Anglican church's Diocese of the Murray and are therefore in communion with Canterbury.

Dr Aspinall warned lay Anglicans if they wished to become Catholic "they will have to accept all the teaching of that Church including its moral teaching, for example, on contraception".

In Britain, Anglican and Catholic authorities are considering the financial implications of any mass conversions, including the possibility of church sharing or the Catholic Church taking out 100-year leases on former Anglican churches.

Being a Religious Leader

Why is it so hard for a leader to lead a religious organization?

-Aran Cabreros
OIC, BEC-2007-2008



Lots of colleges and universities in Davao were able to manage religious organizations in order to promote spirituality among students and instructors as well. They may be Catholic, Moslem or Protestant organizations in which part of student’s population were able to engage in joining those.

Despite of that opportunity, more students are still cantankerous when they hear about religious organizations. Others may simply ignore it, and others often conclude that they are not interested to join. It becomes so hard for the leaders to invite and encourage them since they become more secular and modernist these days.

I, who became a leader of BEC in DMMA College of Southern Philippines, suffered those tests in which it almost boosted down my momentum in doing that service. Many were unable to join properly and thus only passed the application form but never attended to any of the meetings and weekly rosaries that I, together with my quite small group of members in the campus had done. The attendance during the activities we organized became so scarce and did not get the spot of being in quorum.

We supposed to plan it well on how to encourage them by manifesting a list of probable students that we could invite and be with our activities. At first, it became successful, but lately, it rushed down and we went back to zero status. I submitted this problem to the head office of Basic Ecclesial Community in Davao (Catholic Campus Ministry of Davao); and they were flabbergasted to that report and approved some of my plans in order to ease the load we carried. But still, it became so hard for us to penetrate to the students the importance on how a religious organization helps us mold to become successful professionals someday.

It is so sad to say that many students weren’t able to understand and know its value since they are putting the organization as either a requirement, or a rubbish organization. That’s why I reflect and prayed to God on how to put this situation gone. All of a sudden, God has given me answers and apologetics is the answer that I waited for.

Days had passed, I heard on the radio when they had a debate and announced the cell phone number of one of the members where I directly contacted him and agreed to meet him during their meeting (which is every Thursday). I and the president deliberated by welcoming apologetics in the campus through the Catholic Faith Defenders of Davao and alas! We organized Catholic Faith Enhancement Seminars (CFES) in which we invited non-members (Catholic and non-Catholic students) to know about the Catholic Faith. It just so happened that a government university through the initiative of an independent Basic Ecclesial Community has a campus-based CFD in which the Davao President of CFD redirected me there in order to know students who were able to practice apologetics and conduct Catholic Doctrine Seminars (CDS) in which I am glad to see them active and more students get interested in joining with them because of their impetus and full-force of their members in making the organization to always be on command and of service to students seeking for spiritual enhancement.


The CCMD also made activities (more likely to be Youth Camps/ Youth Encounter Seminars/ Team building) in order to accommodate the needs of each Basic Ecclesial Communities in every campus to become united and add camaraderie to every members in the institutions who participated. It was somewhat more on Bible sharing, bonding, talks, heart-to-heart conversation with God and etc. It had availed my members to boost its willingness to partake (though sometimes, the schedule of their class becomes a burden) to it.


At that time, I was able to put at least one candle of hope for the organization to become alive and active, not just in the eyes of the people, but also in the eyes of God through His Church. Because of the development we gained, students became curious about our activities and some became interested to join. The faculty and staff were glad since the lonely monthly masses before become alive due to the dynamic participation of the students and the members of BEC. The administration also approved our plans by organizing (reorganizing) 3 o’clock prayer, weekly rosary, seminars, etc. and mostly we have engaged our traditional BEC-bonding to be on its existence. I also encouraged some members to attend weekly talks about the Catholic faith organized by the Catholic Faith Defenders in San Pedro Cathedral so that when time comes that I will finish my Academic requirement of my course, they will still manage to pursue the legacy we’ve started.

As time went by, I graduated and left the organization full of hope. The remaining members voted for the new set of officers and organized their one-year plan, but eventually, it was not the one whom we wanted to occur. Many of them became inactive and busy in their studies. Many of them enjoyed more on secular extra-curricular activities than religious activities.

I struggled and had the tendency of being too much aggressive in urging them to do the plan as fast as they could, but still, only some worked at it. The fact is that I became so harsh when I was in manila (since some will still consider me as their adviser) by sending messages to ponder through texts, and I admit some members were insulted or embarrassed in urging them to have force in pursuing the 1-year-plan--- and I’m sorry for that. But the reason why I let my own to be like an authoritarian is that I wanted BEC to become more reasonable and more inviting for Catholic students to engage in religious activities. The same as what other leaders wanted for their flock.

I hope this would take as a reminder among members of BEC, especially in DMMA, that what we are doing (though technically not connected to our course) is agreeable in the battle of life. God wanted us to follow His will. He wanted us to be real Christians. And as Christians, it is our responsibility to learn what really is the meaning of life---what’s the meaning of salvation---and what is the real meaning of being professionals.

I am also encouraging citywide leaders of BEC to put more attention in managing to balance Ecumenism and Defence to our faith. Since those two faces meet the Church’s call in evangelizing people struggling in knowing who really Christ is in their lives. Yet, many youth went away to the church and became sceptic to our faith--- and we need a clear action to it. Some had become modernist and atheist since they were not able to reach the expectations they wanted to a religious organization…Especially to students who were easily been harmonized by anti-Christ tracts and antagonisms of other faiths to the Catholic Church.

It has been agreed by us that we need to evangelize students in order to let them be closer to God. As far as I remember, one of the objectives of BEC during my time was to help students to know Christ in the right way, and in the right faith (literally it was not written). But how will we make that come if we always separate ecumenism from sharing the right faith? It’s so obvious that many members, only became members-alone, but was never been oriented to the teachings of the Catholic Church—that’s why I always remind them their responsibilities as Christians.

Anyway, there’s always another way in order to reach the suggestions and moves that I made---we made. But I hope, religious leaders must not forget the value of knowledge, and service to God. I hope you get it straight.


Teach the students know what really a Catholic is, and collide to the banquet of God’s Good News.

Opinions

A Crisis of Faith in Catholic Universities

What kind of Catholics can we raise with misguided teachers?

-Ed de Vera
Know your faith, Kerygma
(September 2006 issue)

There is today a creeping apostasy in our academic institutions. Nowhere is the malady more glaring than in Catholic Universities that churn out predominantly lukewarm Christians who won’t stand up for their faith.

A case indicative of this cancer occurred at a well-known Catholic campus in the United States where a student desecrated the Crucifix to demonstrate freedom of expression, while a crowd simply looked on, mute and uncaring. When someone finally got mad and demanded an apology for the sacrilege, he turned out to be a Muslim. He was offended when Christ, a great prophet of Islam, was profaned.

Catholic Universities in the country are headed in that direction. Some theology and philosophy professors hold atheistic and lax moral views, contravening Church teachings and eroding the faith with relativist notions. Yet they are tolerated under the guise of pursuing academic excellence because of their erudition despite a syncretistic Christianity that they inculcate into the curriculum. A dean at a well-known school close to my heart lamented the Catholic Character of the university as impediment to being world-class.

We have noted numerous complaints from alarmed parents about their son or daughter who left the church due to their professors.

The disheartening fact in most cases is that the academe did nothing. Few students dare to stand up to these teachers: most—detached or discouraged—simply quiet and cruise along fearful of antagonizing them.

But I’m proud of my son who stormed out of his theology class when the teacher insulted the church. With other parents and fellow alumni, we expressed our concerns to the university president. Our effort wall all for naught as the problems were not addressed and the school seems more concerned with sports championships and actively indulging rallies than rallying champions for Christ.

An archival university fares no better. A pious and well-respected priest from the order running that school confided. “We are in trouble.” He said this after his meeting with the faculty of Theology where all professors unanimously espoused very disturbing views on sexual morality. “It was embarrassing for the priest who invited me,” he said, adding, “It was 12 against one,” he being the sole defender for the teachings of the church.

Parents have no idea of the magnitude of the problem that has gone for many years. Catholic schools today produced poorly catechized graduates. Worse, these schools purvey modernist outlook on morality that is at variance with Catholic teaching. A favourite present-day catchword is the “Fundamental-Option theory”. The idea that once you have cast your lot for Christ, nothing can ever go wrong and there is no such thing as intentional sin. Misfit instructors are often disgruntled ex-seminarians or ex-religious who harbour prejudices that carry into the classrooms.

In 1990, Pope John Paul the great wrote Ex Corde Ecclessia—the Apostolic Constitution on Catholic universities, which proposed principles and guidelines for securing and promoting the Catholic identity and mission in the institutions of learning. The school board would be well-advised to read this document then mull the words of Jesus: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:16).

Our tasks as Christians

Evangelization is the task of every Christian, not just the priests’ or preachers’. If the task seems daunting for you, here are some tips to begin the “good work”:

1.Volunteer to manage your parish’s literature rack. Ensure that there’s a variety of Catholic reading materials—inspirational books, Bibles, reflection guides, magazines, novena booklets and even rosaries—displayed on the racks by the entrance of the Blessed Sacrament Adoration Chapel to encourage adorers and visitors to read or use them.

2.Take time to share your faith with door-to-door missionaries. Welcome “Bible Christians” who walk from house to house to share the Gospel. Later on, invite these missionaries to listen to your testimony on being a Catholic and share with them copies of Catholics literature you may have on hand. Who knows? One day you may find them seated beside you at the Sunday Mass.

3.Place booklets or handouts in the pews at your parish. With the permission of your parish priest, place evangelistic booklets or handouts on the pews before the mass.

4.Evangelize online. Make the most of the internet by launching an evangelistic email blast and send Gospel reflections, encyclicals and other informative news about the Catholic Church.

(Source: www.catholic.com )

Christian-Muslim unity urged amid bombings in Mindanao

MANILA, July 17, 2009—A group of Muslims is calling for a halt to speculations about the spate of bombings in Mindanao that could affect the Christian-Muslim relations.


The Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) said unverified reports must be stopped especially if it could exploit religious differences for political and violent agendas.


“In the face of these bleak incidents,” the group said, more vigilance and strengthened cooperation among various faiths is more needed.

“This is not a Muslim-Christian conflict. Let us clear our minds and fortify our greatest resolve not to allow these dastardly acts to successfully sow suspicion and animosity that could lead to conflict,” it said.

The CBCS said people must not allow the bombings in Mindanao to put any scope for differences and soon create a separation between the two sides.

The group also called on those behind the series of bomb attacks to spare the innocent civilians and the places of worship.

In the latest incidents last July 7, two blasts—once outside a Catholic Church in Jolo, Sulu, another near to a military vehicle in Iligan City, and two others at a transmission tower in Lanao Del Norte.

The incident in Jolo was the deadliest of the four wherein two people were killed and around 46 others wounded in an explosion near the Mount Carmel Church.

Last July 5, there were also attacks outside a cathedral in Cotabato City and in Barangay Buayan in Datu Piang town in Maguindanao province last July 4, also resulting deaths and injuries.

“We denounce the bombings in the same manner that we condemn acts by men in uniform who occupied mosques, urinated in them and/or desecrated them,” the group said.

The Muslim civil society group also called on the authorities to create “credible independent body” that would investigate the incidents and “bring the culprits to justice.” (Roy Lagarde)