VATICAN CITY (UCAN) -- Ten archbishops from India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, the Philippines and Taiwan are among those this year receiving the pallium, a symbol of their authority.

Pope John Paul II on June 29 conferred the pallium on five of them and 39 archbishops from elsewhere around the world during a Mass at St. Peter's Square. Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, gave a homily at the invitation of the pope.

Patriarch Bartholomew agreed with Pope John Paul that historical obstacles have come between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, keeping them separate since the 11th century, and he called for continuing dialogue toward communion and unity between them. "It is not possible that the words of the Lord (about unity) fall into a void," the patriarch said.

His presence with the pope at the liturgy for the feast of Saints Peter and Paul marked a milestone in Catholic-Orthodox dialogue, but he left the altar when the Eucharistic prayer began.

That feast is the day the pallium traditionally is bestowed on archbishops appointed during the previous 12 months to head a metropolitan see. An archdiocese that heads an ecclesiastical province, which includes other dioceses called suffragans, is a metropolitan see.

Metropolitan archbishops have a limited mandate to ensure proper practice of the faith and ecclesiastical discipline in these suffragan dioceses. The pallium, a white, circular band of wool with hanging extensions in the front and back, symbolizes these archbishops' metropolitan office and participation in the pastoral authority of the pope. Its design includes six black crosses.

The Asian archbishops who received the pallium from the pope at the Vatican were Archbishops Archbishops Gaudencio Rosales of Manila and Ramon Arguelles of Lipa, both from the Philippines; Japanese Archbishop Joseph Mitsuaki Takami of Nagasaki; Indian Archbishop Joseph Augustine Charanakunnel of Raipur; and Archbishop Joseph Cheng Tsai-fa of Taipei.

This year's other Asian recipients, who could not attend the ceremony but will receive the pallium in their own metropolitan sees, are Archbishop Aloysius Sudarso of Palembang and Archbishop-designate Nicholas Adi Septura of Merauke, both from Indonesia; Archbishops Anthony Anandarayar of Pondicherry-Cuddalore and Maria Callist Soosa Pakiam of Trivandrum, both from India; and Archbishop Evarist Pinto of Karachi, Pakistan.

Archbishop Cheng told the Italian news agency Adnkronos the presence of archbishops from around the world enhanced his sense of being part of the universal Church, a community of all the faithful under the guidance of the Holy Father.

The archbishop, appointed to head Taipei archdiocese on Jan. 24, also mentioned that in his audience with Pope John Paul, the pope said he prays continually for China. Archbishop Cheng said the pope's prayer is needed more than ever today "because of the delicate situation of the Church in China."

Archbishop Rosales, 71, was archbishop of Lipa when he succeeded Cardinal Jaime L. Sin as archbishop of Manila on Sept. 15, 2003. Adnkronos reported him as saying that the ceremony June 29 reinforced his awareness of the pastoral responsibility placed upon him. "Being a shepherd," he said, "is a gift but also a responsibility."

An archbishop transferred to a new archdiocese must petition the pope again for the pallium. Made of wool from blessed lambs, it symbolically represents a lamb carried on the shoulders of the Good Shepherd. Archbishops wear it only in their archdioceses and on days and occasions designated by the book of ceremonies.

Archbishop Arguelles, 59, was head of the Military Ordinariate in the Philippines when he was named on May 14 to succeed Archbishop Rosales in Lipa.

Sulpician Archbishop Takami, 58, was appointed on Oct. 17, 2003, as archbishop of Nagasaki in southern Japan.

The other Asian prelate to receive the pallium at St. Peter's was Archbishop Charanakunnel, 66, who was appointed bishop of Raipur in 1991. He became an archbishop when his central Indian diocese was made an archdiocese on Feb. 27.

His two compatriots are the most recent appointees among this year's recipients. Archbishop Pakiam, 58, became an archbishop on June 17 when Trivandrum was elevated to an archdiocese. Archbishop Anandarayar, 59, was appointed on June 10 as archbishop of Pondicherry-Cuddalore archdiocese in southern India.

Two months earlier, on April 10, Archbishop-designate Septura, 44, of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC), was appointed to head Merauke archdiocese in Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province. His ordination is scheduled for July 25. At the other end of the country, Archbishop Sudarso, 58, a member of the Congregation of Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCI) was two days shy of his first anniversary as archbishop when this year's pallium ceremony took place. His Palembang diocese was elevated to an archdiocese on July 1, 2003.

Archbishop Pinto, 70, was appointed Jan. 3 as archbishop of Karachi in southern Pakistan.

END

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ASIA Seven Archbishops of Asia Receive Pallium From Pope At the Vatican (June 30, 2003)

ASIA UCAN Short - Four Asians Among 19 Archbishops Who Receive Pallium (July 3, 1998)

ASIA Three Asian Bishops Receive Pallium In Rome, Two More To Get It At Home (July 5, 1994)

BANGKOK (UCAN) -- The plenary assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) that will take place in August will be more "process" and less "program," according to an officer of the regional episcopal body.

For the meeting scheduled Aug. 17-22 in Daejeon, Korea, "we don't have a program as such," De La Salle Brother Edmund Chia, executive secretary of the FABC Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, told UCA News. "We want to be flexible and free to listen to God's Spirit speaking in and through the bishops when they are in Korea for the plenary assembly."

"Once the assembly begins, the program will be developed as each day progresses," he continued. "It will be responsive to the immediate concerns and needs the bishops discern as arising. Our emphasis is on the process."

According to Brother Chia, that process began when the Central Committee of the FABC discerned "family" as a theme relevant and urgent for bishops to address. A working paper was developed and a committee did many revisions in response to feedback from Asian bishops, theologians and laity, he said.

"The most recent draft of the working paper," he noted, "has been sent to all episcopal conferences, and the bishops disseminated it widely in their churches. Many forums have been organized to reflect on the document."

Brother Chia pointed out that "all of this constitutes an integral part of the plenary assembly in that local churches are involved in discussions about the theme of family." A final revision is to be done before the bishops meet.

The assembly's first formal session will review the feedback and look over the revised final document. Then the bishops will raise issues and questions for discussions, which will constitute the "program" for the next few days.

As each day ends, a steering committee of bishops will discern issues for the next day's discussions. "Nothing s prepared a priori," Brother Chia observed. "We have to let the Spirit speak, and our faith tells us that God's Spirit speaks in a very special way when bishops are in assembly."

"Thus, aside from a few brief messages from special dignitaries, there will be no lectures or formal talks as such, and no papers will be presented," he added. "This approach was adopted because we don't want an assembly where the bishops are 'talked to.' Rather, we want an assembly where the bishops get a chance to talk among themselves, together and with their lay consultants."

Joining the bishops throughout the assembly will be lay consultants and family members, all dedicated to sharing experiences and reflections with the bishops. "Together, guided by God's Spirit, they will then discern the pastoral directions for the Church in Asia," Brother Chia said.

"As you can see, the program for the forthcoming plenary assembly follows the Asian contextual approach," he pointed out. "It is a bottom-up approach, beginning from below and taking seriously the ground experience of people. It has already begun at local levels with groups all over Asia engaging themselves in discussions over the working document."

"The bishops will bring the fruit of this ground experience to the assembly and share it with one another," he said. "The topics and issues put up for discussion each day will be those emerging from the ground of the assembly."

"In other words, nothing is pre-planned," Chia asserted. "The agenda is not set. At most, a schedule has been roughly worked out, allocating enough time for plenary discussions, regional gatherings and small workshops. Otherwise, the program will be decided by the bishops -- not by the organizers -- as the bishops listen to God's Spirit speaking during the assembly in Korea."

Brother Chia also observed that since the plenary meets just once every four years, "many bishops at the eighth FABC assembly in August will do so for the first time. Some may be newly consecrated and many will probably not know each other. An important part of the plenary assembly, therefore, is the informal social and fraternal interactions as well as liturgical and worship sessions."

Those contacts, he added, "will draw on the rich diversity of bishops coming from various parts of Asia. Time will be set aside each evening where bishops can relax and socialize with one another and engage in informal discussions."

Moreover, he said, "there will also be rooms where they can relax and view movies specially selected for the theme of family. These seemingly informal sessions are really part and parcel of and integral to the plenary assembly."

"The assembly is not just a forum for cognitive and intellectual exchange," he concluded. "The personal, affective and social dimensions are given due emphasis. This is what being 'Church' and being 'family' mean to us in Asia."

END

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INDONESIA UCAN Interview - Family Apostolate Needs Pastoral Priorities (June 29, 2004)

ASIA UCAN Document - A Layman's New Vision and Mission of Family in Asia (June 15, 2004)

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ASIA UCAN Document - FABC Issues Pre-assembly 'Working Paper' On Asian Family (April 27, 2004)

ASIA UCAN Document - 'Guide Questions' Aim To Generate Input For FABC Plenary (April 27, 2004)

ASIA UCAN Commentary - The Asian Family Facing Globalization (February 27, 2004)

HONG KONG (UCAN) -- Hundreds of thousands of people urged greater democracy for Hong Kong on July 1, the seventh anniversary of its reversion to China. Christians held a prayer rally before the protest.

On the hottest day of the year, protesters also called for better livelihoods as they danced, sang, shouted slogans and took photographs.

The protests come after Beijing's veto of universal suffrage in the slated elections for Hong Kong's chief executive in 2007 and the Special Administrative Region's legislature the following year.

Organizers calculated 530,000 people took part. They said protesters filled almost three times the area of the soccer fields at Victoria Park, where the march to Government House began, and estimated that the fields held 170,000 people when full.

Police announced a figure of 200,000.

Before the massive protest, Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong told a prayer rally held at the park by Catholic and Protestant groups that Christians want to tell the central Chinese government about the "sufferings" people have experienced in Hong Kong and their demand for "justice."

The possibility of universal suffrage was vetoed before local people had a chance to discuss it, Bishop Zen told about 15,000 Christians.

"Mischief-makers" misled the central government about the real meaning of the call for democracy, so local people were "blamed for not being patriotic and attempting to declare independence," the bishop said, holding an olive branch to symbolize hope and peace for Hong Kong.

Since the heat kept some people from joining the march, a Catholic and a Methodist church along the route to central Hong Kong were opened for Christians to pray instead. More than 500 protesters became weak under the broiling sun and sought medical help during the march.

Jackie Hung Ling-yu, spokesperson for Civil Human Rights Front, told UCA News a day beforehand that the aim of the protest was to call for "a return of power to the people," which Beijing and pro-Beijing politicians had interpreted as a call for Hong Kong's independence.

The slogan was meant to demand universal suffrage for Hong Kong, explained Hung, an organizer of the march, whose coalition of 40 groups includes Catholic organizations. She is on the staff of Hong Kong Catholic diocese's Justice and Peace Commission.

The commission's executive secretary, Lina Chan Lai-na, added, "As Christians, we will keep our ideals and principles to ensure a good political system."

Legislator Martin Lee Chu-ming, a Catholic, told UCA News at the rally that even though Beijing vetoed the possibility of universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008, it was worth protesting "with a hope to fight for it for the future."

Tsui Pak-to, also a Catholic, said he was there to continue fighting for direct elections in 2007 and 2008 and for more democracy. He hopes the government will consult the public more in making and implementing policies.

Josephine Suen Po-yu of St. Teresa's Parish told UCA News at the prayer meeting that she hoped the demand for universal suffrage would be realized as soon as possible, despite the central government veto in April.

China's National Peoples Congress unexpectedly announced April 26 from Beijing that universal suffrage will not apply in the election of Hong Kong's chief executive in 2007 and Legislative Council in 2008.

The decision came as the local government was soliciting opinions on political reforms, for which pro-democratic camps, academics and Church groups were calling for "one person, one vote" in the two polls.

Vicky Lee told UCA News the Church should be proud in its support for democracy, which lets people know Catholics are part of society.

Another Catholic, Raymond Choi, said he took part in the rally not only to respond to Bishop Zen's call, but also to voice his discontent over government policies.

Others pointed out to UCA News that since the 1997 reversion, the government has failed to improve quality of life, especially for the poor and needy.

Comparing the July 1 protest with that of last year, Catholic scholar Kuan Hsin-chi, head of the government and public administration department of Chinese University of Hong Kong, said this year's was "more complicated."

Last year's protest did not point at the central government, but this year issues focused on disagreement with the National People's Congress, whose interpretation of Hong Kong's Basic Law did not allow for election reforms and universal suffrage in Hong Kong, Kuan explained.

According to Ting Wai, a Catholic scholar at Baptist University, a common point between the two protests is citizens' discontent with the local government's handling of affairs.

"Unless the local government improves its policies, there will be more such protests in the future," Ting predicted. He added that local people are worried about the central government interfering too much in local issues.

Ting said there is a possibility of July 1 commemorations becoming a kind of "ritual" to mark people power in Hong Kong.

Michael Davis, a professor in law and politics at Chinese University, disagrees. He said this year's protest had a clear purpose as the local and central governments had not heard the call for democracy.

Facing a general concern that the government remains non-responsive to public matters and democratic aspirations, he said, the protest offered a chance for political parties to draw voters' support in the September election for the Legislative Council.

Meanwhile, the Liberation Army stationed in Hong Kong opened three barracks for public visits July 1.

China's Xinhua news agency reported the July 1 demonstration.

Civic groups and the local government organized cultural activities to celebrate the anniversary.

On the occasion, Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa gave awards to 376 persons who contributed to social services and sports, including some who helped battle the deadly SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak of 2003.

He thanked citizens for criticism of his administration and vowed to improve the policies of the government.

In recent years, local people from various sectors have expressed discontent over top officials' performance and policies.

END

Related UCAN Reports

HONG KONG Bishop Zen Meets Mainland Officials Before Major Protest On July 1 (June 28, 2004)

HONG KONG Catholics Join 500,000 Protesting National Security Legislation (July 2, 2003)

HONG KONG Catholics Express Concern About Proposed Anti-Subversion Law (November 8, 2002)

HONG KONG July 1 Mass Calls Catholics To Face Challenges Ahead And To Serve People (July 2, 1997)

By Jeemon Jacob

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India (UCAN) -- Sajrat Salim smiles warmly as she stands watching the evening crowd stroll by in front of her tin-roofed house.

Her sparkling eyes and easy gestures do not reveal her disability or the plight of her family in a slum in Punalur, a small township in Kerala state, southern India. The 13-year-old Muslim girl was born with a crippled leg and could not stand up or walk. But that incapacity ended when Punalur Diocesan Social Service Society came to her aid.

Sajrat's mother, Abita Salim, told UCA News that she and her husband brought their crippled child to many hospitals and "miracle men," but nothing worked. As Sajrat grew, the situation worsened because the family needed financial support as much as Sajrat needed physical support. Abita said the family's only income came from her day-laborer husband, hardly enough just for food.

But fortune smiled on Sajrat because the local Church NGO supported the girl's medical expenses and gave her an artificial leg. The limb is attached to her "disabled" leg and she now can walk.

Sajrat is one of 533 disabled that the diocesan agency has helped in its community-based rehabilitation program that began in June 2002 and is to continue to June 2005. Funding comes from two overseas Catholic agencies -- Stichting Liliale Fonds of the Netherlands and Misereor Foundation of Germany.

According to Father Ronald M. Varghese, the NGO's director, Sajrat's condition is better than many other children that the program supports. To illustrate, he spoke of 12-year-old Rintu. The boy is hydrocephalic and spastic because his head is too big to balance himself when he tries to walk. Rintu has no bladder control and his family was too poor to properly feed him. The diocesan service team provided Rintu with a special, locally-designed chair and medical care. "Now he can sit," Father Varghese said.

The diocese plans in July to open a special school for disabled children, the priest added. "If a person is disabled, the entire family is disabled," he pointed out. He added that the diocese will give home-based supportive services to disabled people so that they can develop their skills.

Father Varghese laments that many families confine their disabled children out of shame. Sajrat is such a case. Abita, her 35-year-old mother, said that when the child was born, her relatives and in-laws blamed her -- "as if I had done something wrong" -- but none of them offered any help. That is why, Abita said, "I had to fight alone all these years for the dignity of my daughter."

When the diocesan team visited the family, Abita said, "we thought that they wouldn't help us since we are Muslims, but they treated us as human beings without considering religion."

Father Varghese recalled seeing the girl on his way to a nearby church. "She used to wave and greet me whenever I approached. After I came to know more about her sad fate, we intervened to support her," he said.

Sajrat can now go to school and do daily chores independently. "We are much relieved now," her mother said.

The artificial leg has totally changed Sajrat's life. She earlier wanted to walk, play and run like her friends, but felt hopeless because others accused her of being useless and a burden to her family. "Now things are changing," she told UCA News. Abita used to carry her to school, but when Sajrat first went on her own, Sajrat said her classmates looked at her like a stranger.

"Now, I have lots of friends," she said as she was walking home, all the while humming "God lead me in thy light," a new song she learned at school.

END

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RANCHI, India (UCAN) -- Cardinal Telesphore Toppo of Ranchi went straight from the airport, after being abroad more than a month, to console the bereaved family of a tribal shaman killed by gunmen.

Arriving June 27 back in Ranchi, 1,160 kilometers southeast of New Delhi, the head of the Catholic Church in Jharkhand state went immediately to the house of Lachchu Pahan.

Pahan, 35, who had worked for tribal unity in eastern India, was gunned down June 18 in Ranchi, the Jharkhand capital, by two unidentified men. He was a shaman of the "sarna" (tribal) religion.

Now he has "become a martyr for his people, (and his) blood will not go in vain (but) bear abundant of fruit," Cardinal Toppo said after his visit.

The shaman was walking outside his home when he was shot in the temple by the two men on a motorcycle. The duo then sped away.

Several socio-political leaders and tribal groups in Ranchi have condemned the murder and asked for the immediate arrest of the culprits. Some groups have threatened to launch a movement against gangster realtors, the prime suspects in the killing.

Pahan led a movement to recover tribal land taken by settlers from outside the region. He joined Church groups to fight socio-economic exploitation by outsiders and unite tribals and "moolvasi," others also considered original settlers in the state.

Cardinal Toppo visited Pahan's widow, children and mother, listening to them for 50 minutes. Before leaving he prayed for them and blessed them by putting hands on each family member.

The first tribal cardinal from Asia, who is also president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, later told UCA News that Pahan's death "is a great loss" for tribal society. Within a few years, the young man won a big place in the hearts of tribals and moolvasi, the prelate said.

Father Augustine Kerketta of Ranchi archdiocese told UCA News Pahan started his work for tribal advancement in 1999. He joined Adivasi Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch, a forum initiated by the Catholic Church to protect the rights of Jharkhand's original settlers. "We cannot forget his contribution in leading the movements for the tribal cause," the priest said.

Father John Kujur, vice president of Ranchi Catholic Sabha (forum), believes Pahan was killed "because he was working for justice." The priest told UCA News that police are indifferent in the case. He sees this as evidence of a nexus between police and gangsters. "But we are not going to give up. We have lost our forefront leader but got more strength to fight," he asserted.

Two lay Catholics now lead Adivasi Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch. One of them, Ratan Tirkey, told UCA News June 20 that tribal society has lost "a most active leader" who was committed to serve tribals and moolvasi. Pahan had inspired their organization to lead a campaign against occupants of tribal land, said Tirkey, who is also general secretary of newly formed Jharkhand Janadhikar Party.

Pahan was vice president of this political party and general secretary of Kendriya Sarna Samity (central committee of indigenous people). These movements fought "outsiders" and stressed the need for tribal unity, regardless of different religions.

Tribal leaders say "dikhu," or outsiders, control more than 600 tribal plots in Ranchi, despite a court order to return them to their former tribal owners. Six of those plots belonged to Pahan.

END

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MALANG, Indonesia (UCAN) -- Religious leaders in this East Java city have joined together at a rally to promote harmony and unity among the supporters of Indonesia's different presidential candidates.

The leaders offered their pledge in a joint declaration, "Malang Unites to Make the Presidential Election a Success." Signing the document were Buddhist Monk Venerable Panravattho, Catholic Bishop Herman Yosep Pandoyoputro of Malang, Confucian leader Xs Tjie Tjay Ing, Hindu leader Suwarna, Muslim leader Kiai Haji Imam Sumantri, Reverend Petrus Oktavianus of the local Protestant Church, and Javanese mystic leader Sutrisno Rohani.

Imam Sumantri began the public reading of the text at the rally on June 28. It declares: "We, leaders of the various religions, pledge to maintain harmonious relations among people of different faiths, and to be faithful to and uphold the state ideology of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution."

Carmelite Bishop Pandoyoputro continued the reading in which the leaders pledged to support the government program and fight violence and oppression.

All seven religious leaders then read aloud the remaining portion of the declaration in which they said they will help maintain security, and support the democratically elected president and vice president. The leaders also voiced their opposition to illegal drugs. About 2,000 people from different faiths attended the "Malang Prays II" event at Gajayana Sports Stadium in Malang, 660 kilometers east of Jakarta.

During the rally, Ustad Haji Nur Salim Muaga, chairman of the organizing committee, told UCA News that the interreligious action was organized to pray for "a secure and peaceful presidential election," scheduled for July 5, and for "interreligious harmony."

"With this gathering," he said, "we also want to thank God for His blessings on us. In this city, we who are of different faiths and ethnic groups have enjoyed peace and good relations. We pray this favorable situation remains."

When Malang's Mayor Peni Suparto spoke, he applauded the religious leaders' initiative. "Such an activity is rarely done elsewhere in the country," he remarked. He urged the leaders to continue promoting harmonious relations.

According to Muaga, the rally was the second such event jointly organized by the local religious leaders, all of them members of the Malang Interreligious Communication Forum.

"Malang Prays I" took place on March 6, five days before the start of the legislative election campaign. The forum also organized that event in cooperation with the city government.

END

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SEOUL (UCAN) -- Catholic Koreans at a Mass for a compatriot slain by militants in Iraq blamed the U.S. president and Korean government for the tragedy and urged their government not to send more troops to Iraq.

Forty members of the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice (CPAJ) held the Mass June 28 at the Open Citizens' Park in downtown Seoul. They and about 100 Religious and laypeople prayed for the late Kim Sun-il's soul as about 5,000 other people maintained a candlelight vigil not far away.

Kim's beheaded body was found on the road between Baghdad and Fallujah on June 23. The 35-year-old translator, who worked for a South Korean trading company supplying goods to the U.S. military in Iraq, was killed the night before, according to officials in Seoul. His captors, members of a militant group opposed to foreign forces in Iraq, had threatened to behead him if their call for ending the Korean military presence in the country was not met.

CPAJ president Father Paul Moon Kyu-hyon said at the Mass, "An innocent young man was brutally killed in the dirty war. Despite his shout, 'I want to live,' the South Korean government wrongfully confirmed the troop dispatch and finally let him be killed."

UCA News spoke with several Mass participants.

Catherine Lee Myung-jin, 33, a high school teacher, asserted that U.S. President George W. Bush killed Kim. "Bush started the dirty war for oil and is killing enormous numbers of innocent people brutally for his interest. Bush has to leave the earth for real peace in the world," she said.

Lee also expressed anger at the Korean government, "which did nothing" to save Kim. She blamed the government "for the nonsense of confirming the troops while the captors were asking to cancel the dispatch."

Catherine Hwang Jung-hee, 64, prayed for Kim's soul with a heavy heart. "Thinking 'what would I do if I were his mother,' I feel sorry for him and hope this Mass helps him rest in peace," she said.

Like Lee and many others, Father Matthew Cho placed responsibility for Kim's death with the U.S. and South Korean governments. "However," he added, "we too should be blamed for it, since we couldn't stop the troop dispatch."

In a letter released at the end of the Mass, the priests said, "While reflecting religious followers' consciousness and the value of love for humanity, we, CPAJ, cannot help but express grave concern about the government's decision over the additional troop dispatch to Iraq."

The priests suggested to send a reconstruction corps composed of civilians rather than troops. "That's the way in which Korea can raise its national power, Iraq can grow the seeds of democracy and the U.S. can find its right way to contribute to the world," they wrote.

South Korea has 660 military medics and engineers in Iraq and reportedly plans to send a further 3,000 troops to back up U.S.-led forces that ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in 2003. The interim U.S. administrator handed over power to an Iraqi administration on June 28, but foreign troops will remain in the country.

After the memorial Mass, the priests and other participants attempted to march to the venue where the candlelight vigil was being held. However, riot police blocked the marchers and accosted the priests rudely. A clash ensued during which Father Moon's glasses were broken and Father Vincenzo Kim Il-hoi's hand was injured.

The priests stopped the march in front of the U.S. Embassy and demanded an apology from police for the violent suppression of the march and the verbal insults. While waiting for the apology, priests and others shouted and held picket signs condemning Bush and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyon, and demanded a cancellation of the troop dispatch.

They staged a sit-in for two-and-a-half hours, until a formal apology was made by a police chief. The marchers then continued on to join the candlelight vigil.

Meanwhile, Kim's body arrived in Busan, his hometown, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul. His funeral was held June 30. A Protestant, he was a theology major before transferring to a college in Seoul to study Arabic with the goal of being a missioner in West Asia.

END

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By Michelle Therese H. Orosa

MANILA (UCAN) -- Educators and a Church youth apostolate worker are concerned about values and genuine interpersonal relationships as Internet "friendship" sites attract more and more young Filipinos.

Jessica Joy Candelario, secretary of the Youth Desk of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences, estimates that six of every 10 Filipino youths in the middle and upper classes are "hooked" on websites through which users contact one another.

The most popular one in the Philippines, according to communication arts teacher Jozon Lorenzana, is "Friendster," based in California, the United States.

In a recent study, the communication teacher at Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila University found that Youngsters aged 12-17 have accounts with the site, even though its rules say users must be 18 or older.

The free site connects people through a network linking members' accounts.

After stating they are at least 18, applicants create a profile by providing biographical data, interests and a reason for joining the site. They are asked whether they are single, married or in a "domestic relationship." If they select "married," they are asked if their marriage is an "open marriage."

Registrants also are asked whether they are joining the site to make new friends, to help others meet new people or to meet people to date.

Lorenzana and Candelario observed that most young people who have joined friendship sites have Internet access at home.

Isabel Laluna, a 20-year-old freshman law student at the Ateneo, filled her first account with the maximum 500 friends allowed per account. She told UCA News her second account is beginning to fill up as well. Persistent friends urged her to join Friendster last September.

"When I started Friendster, I logged in two or three times every single day during my class breaks," she recalled. She said she used to go to the Internet rooms at her school during her free time to manage her account, spending an average of 1-3 hours a day on the site.

After filling up one account, though, Laluna says she "mellowed down," logging in once a day or every other day instead, spending an average of 15 minutes or less to check or update her accounts.

Marcelle Fabie, a teaching assistant and radio disk jockey, joined Friendster last January. His girlfriend had offered to manage his account, but soon he began to spend an average of 20-30 minutes of the time he usually spends online to check his account, which now has 130 friends.

When he began work in the radio station, he set up another account that allows his audience to join.

As more people joined Friendster, members began "meeting" old friends online, some of whom they had not had contact with since grade-school days. Fabie got in touch with one of his closest friends in high school, who had migrated to Canada.

Among the most memorable online friends Fabie and Laluna have made are those who have sent them "testimonials." These are brief statements that others write about the account owner in a special part of the account.

A few months ago, Fabie started an account on an exclusive, by-invitation-only site that allows one to "rank and rate" his or her friends in various categories, the disk jockey said. Members are also able to create groups for forums on different interests. Other new friendship sites include "Pinoyster," a site created especially for Pinoy, or Filipinos.

According to Candelario, the growing popularity and use of friendship sites "only confirms the basic need of young people to connect with others and to belong." The interactive nature of the sites also provides youths the opportunity to assert themselves and to obtain exposure to a variety of cultures and lifestyles, she told UCA News.

In her view, the popularity of friendship sites poses a challenge to the Church to look for creative ways to make Church more relevant to the lives of the young. "We need to be able to enter into their world, to walk with them and to understand their needs and desires," Candelario said. "We ought to look for other effective ways towards building community."

She sees a danger in "virtual relationships," observing that relationships created online "tend to be shallow, more on the data level and, if feelings are at all expressed, they can be easily faked."

The youth minister added that "since choices are wide, values are sacrificed, especially the value for commitment."

Sining Tanedo, a former guidance counselor at the Ateneo, attributes the popularity of friendship sites to people's constant need "to reach out to others" and the potential for "new friends, old friends and even romances."

Lorenzana pointed to the chance offered by the "changing media environment" for young people "to play with identities." Not only can feelings be faked, but so can ages and almost anything else. Friendster members can register fictitious names and profiles.

Because of this, the communication teacher stressed the need to educate young people to become more critical of information they get online. When "naive" users and the young draw support from strangers through the Internet, it could become a problem, he said.

Tanedo likewise warned that users have to be careful about the people they meet, who "may be harmful or psychologically disturbed." The psychologist recalled hearing about cases of people being "stalked online."

"It is still best to form friendships IRL, or in real life," Tanedo advised.

END

Related UCAN Reports

PHILIPPINES UCAN Feature - Church Turns to Music to Involve Young People (July 7, 2003)

INDONESIA Church Called To Use Internet To Proclaim Gospel (May 17, 2002)

CEBU CITY, Philippines (UCAN) -- The inauguration of the Philippines' top leaders on June 30 offers the nation another chance at progress only if people cooperate in pursuing national interest, says Cardinal Ricardo Vidal of Cebu.

At a thanksgiving Mass marking the victories of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Vice President Noli de Castro, Cardinal Vidal asked the packed metropolitan cathedral in Cebu, "Are we going to take this chance and learn our lessons, or are we just about to begin business as usual?"

He hammered his message with a warning that "our nation will never rise to the challenge of another chance if we continue to work for narrow self-interest" that divides and derails "much needed" reforms.

Cebu archdiocese, one of the country's oldest ecclesial jurisdictions, is based in Cebu City, 565 kilometers southeast of Manila. Arroyo picked the city as the venue for her inauguration as a gesture of appreciation for Cebu people's "unswerving support for me through the years."

Cebu province brought her the widest margin of victory in the election on May 10, as well as what Arroyo said in a speech to Cebu businessmen was "a big vote" in 1992, 1995 and 1998 when she ran twice for senator and later for vice president. It was the first time in Philippine history that the nation's two top leaders took their oaths of office outside Luzon Island, northern Philippines, where the national government is based.

Cebu archdiocese, covering 47 municipalities and six cities of the civil province of Cebu, has 3,320,497 people, 87 percent of them Catholics.

At noon, well before the Mass, the country's chief justice swore in Arroyo and De Castro amid the cheers of more than 5,000 people outside the Provincial Capitol building. The 20-minute program that took more than a week to prepare kicked off celebrations featuring fireworks, barbecue stalls and concerts. On the route to the Capitol building, however, riot police clashed with hundreds of people who were protesting alleged fraud in the recent election.

The 5:00 p.m. Mass at the cathedral clearly moved Arroyo and De Castro. The vice president wiped tears from his eyes several times during the Mass. Once was when the cardinal said in his homily, "The nation and Cebu in particular stand proudly with (both officials) as they take the reigns of government."

Cardinal Vidal added a prayer for the country's thousands of elected government officials, and for losing candidates and all voters who, he said, must learn to emulate the "glorious deeds" of early national heroes and sacrifice together for the country's sake. He echoed the Gospel passage read during the Mass with a call "to take the extra mile, give more than what is required of us, love even our enemies and pray for those who persecute us."

At the end of Mass, Arroyo thanked the people. "Even if I am the president of the country, Cebu is still very close to my heart," she said in Cebuano.

People in the church tried to shove through security personnel in an attempt to touch and kiss Arroyo and De Castro. Order in the cathedral was restored only after Cardinal Vidal raised his arms and his crozier, episcopal staff.

Before entering her limousine, the petite Arroyo, garbed in a crisp red suit, stepped up on the car floor and waved to her enthusiastic supporters.

Earlier that morning, the president delivered her pre-inaugural address to a more subdued crowd at Rizal Park in downtown Manila. In it, she detailed her vision for the nation, including creating up to 10 million jobs, building new schools, balancing the national budget, decentralizing progress across the country, and providing power and water to all barangays, the smallest level of government in the Philippines.

Among other features of her vision are decongestion of Metro Manila, development of former U.S. military bases, automation of elections, the conclusion of peace agreements with Communist and Islamic rebels, and "closure of wounds" caused by political upheavals in 1986 and 2001.

Arroyo, 57, is the country's 14th president. Before her election, she served as president by succession after a people's uprising ousted ex-president Joseph Estrada in 2001, allegedly for taking gambling bribes and embezzling funds for tobacco farmers. While vice president she served as social welfare secretary, and earlier, before her election to the Senate, as assistant secretary of trade and industry. Before beginning public service, the Catholic laywoman taught economics in various Catholic universities and colleges.

De Castro was a senator when he agreed to be Arroyo's vice presidential running mate in the last election. He topped the senatorial race in 2001. Before entering politics, he had been a broadcaster for 25 years. He holds a bachelor's degree in commerce, with a major in banking and finance.

END

Related UCAN Reports

PHILIPPINES President Arroyo's Inaugural Mass To Be held In Cebu (June 25, 2004)

PHILIPPINES Bickering Congress Will Collapse, Faithful People Will Build, Manila Archbishop Says (June 11, 2004)

PHILIPPINES Police Chief Apologizes To Priest He Labeled Communist (June 8, 2004)

PHILIPPINES Church Leaders, Estrada-Resign Advocates Air Concerns As Arroyo Begins (January 22, 2001)

COLOMBO (UCAN) -- Catholic and Protestant Church leaders in Sri Lanka say a proposed anti-conversion bill, if enacted, will seriously erode the freedom of thought, conscience and religion guaranteed in the country's constitution.

In a joint statement, all the active Catholic bishops in the country and the official representatives of other Churches to the National Christian Council denounce "unethical conversions," a main reason for the bill, and warn that enacting such legislation will pave the way for oppression against minority religions in the country.

They point out that the four religions in Sri Lanka -- Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam -- "have cherished and exercised that right to propagate their religion throughout the world."

The statement was released June 29 in Colombo by the secretariat of the Catholic Bishops' Conference in Sri Lanka.

The Freedom Alliance government has prepared an anti-conversion bill for introduction during the next session of Parliament, set to open July 20.

Such a bill has been in the offing since last year. A government initiative to draft a law on "unethical conversions" faltered when President Chandrika Kumaratunga dissolved Parliament in February. A general election was held April 2 and the new parliament opened April 22 with nine members from Jathika Hela Urumaya, a party comprising Buddhist monks. Several of these monk parliamentarians produced in May their own anti-conversion bill.

Besides the archbishop and 11 bishops serving the 11 Catholic Church territories in Sri Lanka, the June 29 statement was signed by heads of the Anglican, Baptist, Dutch Reformed, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches, the Church of South India and the Salvation Army.

The full text of the statement follows:

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS AND THE NATIONAL CHRISTIAN COUNCIL ON THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO BAN CONVERSIONS

The attention of the Catholic Bishops' Conference and the National Christian Council in Sri Lanka has been drawn to the bill titled, "Prohibition of forcible conversion of Religion" published in the Gazette on 28th May 2004 and to the fact that the Cabinet has approved another suggested draft to ban conversions.

We do recognize that for some time now there has been growing anxiety and agitation over "unethical conversions". This could well be part of the rationale behind these bills. We do not condone any unethical practices or any form of compulsions and do categorically denounce them. We reiterate our call to work together as leaders of all religions in our country to address this situation. We are always ready and willing to participate in any process that would ease religious tensions, identify practices that injure the religious susceptibility of any community and work towards greater religious harmony in our country. However, whilst acknowledging the problem and offering to participate in meaningful ways to redress these issues, we strongly believe that enacting legislation will not solve the problem. On the contrary, it will create problems of its own. Apart from the serious violation of personal freedoms, it will pave the way for the oppression of minority religions in the country. In these circumstances, we have little option but to collaborate in finding other democratic ways to deal with our inter-religious tensions.

Having carefully studied these drafts we wish to state that if they are enacted into legislation the freedom of thought, conscience and religion of all Sri Lankans will be seriously eroded. We are also of the opinion that these drafts contravene the fundamental human rights of our people enshrined in our Constitution as well as accepted prevailing international conventions and norms. Consequently, we have grave concerns that such possible legislation, given today's political climate, will destroy the freedom of choice and the character of pluralism, both essential pillars of a modern democratic society. The repercussions of this on our international image will be disastrous.

We are therefore compelled to caution our political leaders and inform all Sri Lankans that this trend could well be the beginning of an invasion of the right to personal choice. Our already oppressed people simply cannot be burdened with more restrictions of this nature.

We also take this opportunity to clarify our position on religious and personal freedom. All the four religions in our country have cherished and exercised that right to propagate their religion throughout the world. The fact that missionaries are being sent out from Sri Lanka to propagate religion in other countries demonstrates our appreciation and our exercise of that fundamental right in other countries. Therefore, we see no reason why a fundamental right enjoyed by us in other countries should be denied in our own. We affirm our commitment to protecting the individual's freedom to have or adopt any religion or belief of his or her free choice. No fetters should be placed in the path of the exercise of that freedom by legislative or other means. All religions teach their adherents to perform works of charity and all such works of charity cannot be permitted to be criminalized on the assertion that they serve as allurements. It is both a basic feature and duty of all religions to teach and propagate their faith, for in doing so they spread the highest human values.

For these reasons we disapprove the moves to enact legislation to prohibit or restrict conversions and call upon all people of goodwill to stand up for the free exercise of religious freedom and freedom of conscience for all.

END

Related UCAN Reports

SRI LANKA Anti-Conversion Bill Ready For Introduction To Parliament In July (June 16, 2004)

SRI LANKA Archbishop Clarifies Church View On Claims Of 'Forced Conversion' (May 4, 2004)

SRI LANKA UCAN Document - Bishops Refute Any Link To 'Conversions' By Fundamentalist Groups (December 22, 2003)