Spare a Life

Cardinal Tagle has just issued a message on drug related killings. He begins by stating “...that the menace of illegal drugs is real and destructive.” Then he states: “ Let us save the lives of people most people vulnerable to drug dependency: the youth, the poor and unemployed. Words of solidarity without tears and acts of compassion are cheap.”

 But my own personal interpretation is that Cardinal Tagle’s main message is a request for unity and a national dialogue. He writes: “ Let us invite families, national government agencies, local government units, people’s organizations, schools, faith based communities, the medical profession, the police and military, recovering addicts, etc. to come together.” He then makes this offer: “ The Archdiocese of Manila would be willing to host such a multi-sectoral dialogues.

Some observers have said that the message lacks moral clarity. It is this offer to become the chief facilitator of some kind of national dialogues that  is, perhaps, the reason Cardinal Tagle’s message was so carefully worded to avoid antagonizing any sector that he is inviting to this dialogue. 

Many other sectors have now expressed their own feelings regarding the death of Kian de los Santos – including the Philippine Senate and the Department of Education. The Community of La Salle Brothers has expressed its stand through an official statement from the highest ranking La Salle Brother in the Philippines. Here is the statement.

KEEPING VIGIL OVER OUR NATION’S FUTURE: A Call to Radical Mourning For the Loss of Our Vision

 Dear Lasallians,  I am inviting you to raise our voices in silent protest over the deaths that have gone unmourned since our government undertook its efforts to eradicate the menace of illegal drugs from our communities.

We mourn for those who have lost their lives on mere suspicion of being drug addicts and drug pushers.  We mourn for those who, because they are too poor and too afraid, cannot fight for their right to life and due process. We mourn for those whose lives have been reduced to statistics and who are now mere proofs to demonstrate the power of those in authority to procure for us, through whatever means, their twisted vision of an orderly society.  

We mourn for the loss of our rights when we allow the police to enter our homes without warrants of arrest.  We are slowly witnessing an order where we are being seduced to secede to those in authority our basic rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. The promise of peace and order and well-being is a sham for what this usurpation of our rights has obtained for us is nothing but fear.   

We mourn for ourselves, when we allow our vision for our nation to grow dim.  When, because of our exasperation with the long march to authentic freedom, have allowed ourselves to be seduced by quick results.  Authentic transformation cannot be the result of handing over to one entity, our responsibility to create the kinds of communities we long to see.  If we truly desire peace and well-being in our communities, we must see ourselves as its principal authors.   Let us, in our mourning, re-affirm our right and our responsibility to be the agents of the change we want to see.   

I enjoin you all to keep vigil then over our nation’s future. Let us offer a minute of silence every 8:24 pm (or 8:24 am during school days) in our communities as we mourn the many deaths that have befallen our nation.  In our communities, let us create a wave of awareness over the need to guard our basic rights and freedoms. 

 Let us courageously re-affirm our conviction in our identity as a people of power – as a people who can create and will what is good for our country. Let us stand side-by-side again so that we will not have to live in fear.  Let us refuse to bequeath to our children a nation deprived of a vision of its better self. 

Fraternally, Br. Jose Mari Jimenez FSC, Auxiliary Visitor, Lasallian East Asia District 

Prayer For Life

Brother Armin Luistro, FSC, President of De La Salle Philippines and former Secretary, Department of Education has also composed a prayer that he is asking the public to join. Here is the prayer:

(At 8:24 pm nightly, wherever you are, please join us in prayer either individually or in groups .Let us offer a minute of silence to remember Kian Loyd De los Santos and all innocent victims of merciless deaths in our land. Please recite this prayer at 8:25 pm after the minute of silence:)

Spare a Minute, Spare a Life

 Father of Life, we pause in silence and mourning as we bear the pain in our hearts of the increasing number of innocent and mysterious deaths in our land in the name of a safer environment for all. 

We beg you to grant us a grateful heart so we may preserve and nurture your gift of life in us and in all human beings. 

We beg you to grant us a hopeful heart so we may work tirelessly to denounce the culture of violence and death in our society and sow life-giving values in our families. 

We beg you to grant us a compassionate heart so we may not grow callous and indifferent at these countless deaths. 

We beg you to grant us a courageous heart so we may not keep silent when lives are threatened and freedoms are crushed. 

Father of Life, bring back our nation to the path of truth and justice, love and compassion. Amen.

Creative writing classes for kids/teens and adults

Young Writers’ Hangout for Kids & Teens on September 9, September 23, October 7 and October 21 (1:30-3pm/independent sessions). Speculative Fiction Writing for Adults with Dean Francis Alfar on September 16, 2017 (1:30 pm-4:30 pm). All sessions are at Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street. For registration and fee details text 0917-6240196 or email [email protected].

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