Archbishop Tagle Criticizes Couples with Wedding Gimmicks

From CBCP News

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle urged the faithful to avoid practices that depart from sacred rites. Tagle reiterated that many Filipino Catholics have been treating the sacraments as no longer celebrations of faith.  The deeper spiritual meaning of wedding rituals and events has been lost.

“Sometimes the faith is the last thing we focus on in the sacraments. The sacraments sometimes become mere social events or just cultural tradition with faith being the last thing we consider,” Archbishop Tagle said during the Manila Archdiocesan General Pastoral Assembly last March 3 at the Paco Catholic School Auditorium in Manila.

Tagle slammed couples who insisted on incorporating “gimmicks, paborloloy and ka-ek-ekan” in their church wedding to make the ceremony more dramatic. But Tagle managed to lighten his discerning sermon by injecting bits of stand-up comedy, drawing laughs from the crowd.

Archbishop Tagle recalled how he once received a letter from a couple asking permission if their dog can serve as the ring bearer for their wedding. He then questioned what the dog had to do with faith and what has become of marriage nowadays.

The Manila Archbishop also once reminded a bride about the dress code inside the Church, to which the bride retorted, “Why does the Church still interfere with that? You are not the one who’s going to pay for my gown”. He explained to the crowd that what you are wearing and the symbols you use should speak of your faith.

But the best punch line came when he shared how he once attended a wedding ceremony that was delayed for 45 minutes. When he questioned the groom why they were behind schedule, the wedding planner remarked that the butterflies that were supposed to be released while the bride walked down the aisle were not delivered on time.

Archbishop Tagle mentioned these to challenge the faithful in line with the upcoming observance of the Year of Faith in October.

“This is one great challenge for us during this Year of Faith. Our liturgy and sacraments, sadly, sometimes are no longer a celebration of faith. Sometimes faith is the last thing that is being given attention to when it comes to the sacraments,” he said.

Posted by: Diane Dominique Ting
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Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

Tubeza, Philip C. “Archbishop Tagle urges removal of frivolities from weddings, other rites”. Inquirer News. Posted on March 4, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2012 from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/155603/manila-archbishop-urges-removal-of-frivolities-from-weddings-other-rites

More Pinoys Having Civil Wedding Before “Grand” Philippine Church Wedding

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) revealed that more soon-to-wed couples are opting for a Philippine civil wedding first before having a “grand” Philippine church wedding.

In an interview with CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life Executive Secretary Fr. Melvin Castro over Radyo Veritas, soon-to-wed couples prefer to have simple or, in other cases, free civil weddings because they are less expensive. “It’s not because of the church fees but because as Filipinos, they want to prepare for a church wedding,” Fr. Castro said. However, he explained that it is not the Catholic Church that requires couples to have an extravagant wedding. He cited that Filipinos are very particular that their Philippine church wedding should be grand so they postpone it in order for them to save up.

On the other hand, Fr. Castro also explained that couples are now tying the knot at an older age. Therefore, the number of people having a church wedding is going down. Based on the Catholic Directory, the number of church marriages is set to drop from 177,940 in 2008-2009 to merely 166,0000 this year until 2011.

Fr. Castro mentioned about the “glaring phenomenon” of many Filipinos having interracial and inter-religion marriages. Based on a data he presented, marriages between Catholic Filipinos and non-Catholics increased, from 8,900 in 2008-2009 to 10,200 this year. Although the Church allows this, mixed marriages must have a just and reasonable cause.

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Kasal.com thanks the following sources for this article:
Macairan, Evelyn, The Philippine Star. Fewer Pinoys getting married in church (Posted August 22, 2010) Retrieved August 31, 2010 from
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=605027&publicationSubCategoryId=63

Sun.Star Network Online. Number of Church wedding drops (Posted August 22, 2010) Retrieved August 31, 2010 from
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/network/number-church-wedding-drops-818-am

Tubeza, Philip, Philippine Daily Inquirer. Bishops see record decline in Catholic Church weddings (Posted August 21, 2010) Retrieved August 31, 2010 from
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100821-288114/Bishops-see-record-decline-in-Catholic-Church-weddings

PNoy Shuns Divorce, Allows Remarriage for Legally Separated

President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III said that he does not favor the legalization of divorce here in the Philippines. This was in response to the refiling of a bill that seeks to legalize divorce in the country. Based on reports, President Aquino said that he could not support “something like they do in Las Vegas.”

“The stereotype is you get married in the morning [and] you get divorced in the afternoon," the president said. However, President Aquino recognized that there are relationships that despite interventions and counseling, cannot be 'saved'. Instead, he offered the more 'stringent' legal separation as a resolution but suggested that the law allowed legally separated couples to remarry.

Divorce, Pinoy-style
Last July 27, Gabriela Women's Party List Representatives Luzviminda Ilagan and Emerenciana De Jesus filed a bill that seeks to add divorce as another legal measure for couples in failed and irreparable marriages aside from legal separation, declaration of nullity of the marriage and annulment. Furthermore, the bill stated in the explanatory note that “divorce could actually provide protection to battered women and their children from further violence and abuse.”

The said bill provides five grounds for the filing of a petition for divorce. These include:

1. separation in fact: parties separated for five years wherein reconciliation is highly improbable
2. legal separation for at least two years wherein reconciliation is highly improbable
3. when the grounds for legal separation cause the irreparable breakdown of the marriage
4. psychological incapacity
5. when parties suffer from irreconcilable differences that cause the irreparable breakdown of the marriage
   

Congw. Ilagan said that they were disappointed over the response of President Aquino towards their bill, saying that House Bill No. 1799 (An Act Introducing Divorce in the Philippines) will not be a “Las Vegas-style” divorce. “HB 1799 was carefully crafted to take into consideration Philippine values and traditions that give utmost importance to the way Filipinos appreciate the family as an institution. HB 1799 is divorce, Pinoy-style,” Congw. Ilagan said.

On the other hand, Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines National Chairperson Beth Angsioco said that the statement of the president about legally separated couples to remarry is “tantamount to divorce.”

Sen. Pia Cayetano responded that the public “should not hastily jump to conclusions or second-guess President Aquino based on the brief statement.” Furthermore, she expressed support for President Aquino's idea, stressing that amendments could be made to the Family Code of the Philippines that would allow legally separated couples to remarry.

Based on the Family Code of the Philippines, legally separated couples are not allowed to remarry. Only annulled couples are allowed to do so.

Reactions
The refiling of the said bill was met with both opposition and support. Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara said that Philippines would become like other countries where couples get married and not take it seriously. Parañaque Rep Roilo Golez said that ratifying the law would give married couples a weapon of mass destruction that they could use against each other even for petty, solvable marital problems. Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone and Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga also agreed that divorce would weaken the foundation of the family. Meanwhile, Marikina Rep. Romero Federico Quimbo opined that the bill would not prosper since many members of the Congress are for the preservation of the sanctity of the family. According to Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, having a divorce bill may do more harm than good. The strongest opposition came from Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, saying that divorce is against the teaching of the Catholic Church.

On the other hand, Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. and Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello supported the bill filed by their colleague. Representative Bello said that existing laws are not enough to protect human rights. In addition, having a divorce law would pave the way for the attainment of the full human development and self-fulfillment of the estranged couple.

Divorce in the Philippines Legal Before?
Incidentally, divorce was allowed during the American occupation, pursuant to Divorce Law of 1917 (Act No. 2710) and during the Japanese occupation, pursuant to Executive Order No. 141, until 1950. The implementation of the Civil Code and Family Code of the Philippines in 1949 and 1987, respectively, disallowed divorce in the Philippines.

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Kasal.com thanks the following sources for this article:
Sy, Marvin, The Philippine Star. 'Divorce debate not over' (Posted ugust 22, 2010) Retrieved August 23, 2010 from
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=605003&publicationSubCategoryId=63

Ubac, Michael Lim, Philippine Daily Inquirer. Gabriela hits Aquino on divorce (Posted August 21, 2010) Retrieved August 23, 2010 from
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Montenegro, Candice, GMANews.TV. PNoy favors remarriage, 'in effect supports divorce' (Posted August 20, 2010) Retrieved August 23, 2010 from
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/199028/pnoy-favors-remarriage-in-effect-supports-divorce

Kabiling, Genalyn, Manila Bulletin. Aquino rejects divorce (Posted August 19, 2010) Retrieved August 23, 2010 from
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/273120/aquino-not-vegastype-divorce

Ubac, Michael Lim, Philippine Daily Inquirer. Gabriela refiles bill legalizing divorce (Posted August 12, 2010) Retrieved August 23, 2010 from
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Parco, Bernadette, Sun.Star Cebu. Cardinal on divorce, same-sex unions: Never (Posted August 16, 2010) Retrieved August 23, 2010 from
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/cardinal-divorce-same-sex-unions-never

Legaspi, Amita, GMANews.TV. Divorce bill filed at House; lawmakers divided (Posted August 11, 2010) Retrieved August 23, 2010 from
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/198313/divorce-bill-filed-at-house-lawmakers-divided

Jaromay Laurente Pamaos Law Office. Proposed Divorce Law in the Philippines (Posted August 5, 2008) Retrieved August 23, 2010 from
http://jlp-law.com/blog/proposed-divorce-law-in-the-philippines/

Rust and Corrosion Threatens San Sebastian Church

San Sebastian Church, one of the most popular Philippine church wedding venues, is slowly falling apart as rust and corrosion creep into the foundation of this all-steel church.

In an interview, Ms. Tina Paterno, project director of the San Sebastian Conservation Development Foundation (SSCDF), said that the Basilica Minore de San Sebastián at Plaza del Carmen in Quiapo, Manila, is in dire need of restoration as rust has gotten into this popular Philippine church wedding venue She said that at least 36 kilos of steel have fallen from the ceiling and other parts of the basilica.

To save the structure, the Foundation intends to look at the church, determine and remove the unstable parts to make the church safe for the those hearing Mass and holding their Philippine weddings here.

Fr. Rene Paglinawan, Board member of SSCDF, has appealed to the community to help them preserve the neo-gothic and only all-steel church in Asia.

Completed in 1891, the San Sebastian Church was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by former President Ferdinand Marcos through Presidential Decree No. 260, signed in August 1, 1873. On May 16, 2006, San Sebastián Church was included in the Tentative List for possible designation as a World Heritage Site, on account of its architectural and historical heritage.

According to local historian Ambeth Ocampo, Gustave Eiffel, the French engineer behind the Eiffel Tower and the steel structure within the Statue of Liberty, was involved in the design and construction of the church. With its outstanding architecture and accessible location, Basilica Minore de San Sebastián has become one of the most sought-after Philippine church wedding venues.

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Kasal.com thanks the following sources for this article:
abs-cbnNEWS.com. Rust threatens historic steel church in Manila (Posted July 21, 2010)
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/07/12/10/rust-threatens-historic-steel-church-manila

Laya, Dr. Jaime, Manila Bulletin. San Sebastian Church: An Endangered Treasure (Posted August 1, 2010) Retrieved August 3, 2010 from
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/270103/san-sebastian-church-an-endangered-treasure

Wikipedia.org. Basilica of San Sebastian, Manila. (Posted July 24, 2010) Retrieved August 3, 2010 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_San_Sebastian,_Manila

CBCP Airs Concerns Regarding Wedding Expenses, Marriage Stats

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) aired numerous concerns about the process of planning a wedding and other issues concerning married life this June, known to most as the wedding month.

In separate interviews, CBCP Marriage Tribunal chairman emeritus and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz expressed his concern regarding certain issues faced by soon-to-wed couples and married couples. The archbishop admitted that church weddings have become too expensive for Filipinos. To aid couples in their wedding expenses, he urged church official to encourage soon-to-wed couple to opt for simpler wedding ceremonies or offer the ceremony for free.

Even the long process of acquiring a marriage license and other documents has discouraged couples to tie the knot. Archbishop Cruz said that it has become too difficult to secure a marriage license that some couples have resorted to bribery in order to get one. Church weddings have even more document requirements such as baptismal certificate, confirmation certificate, among others.

Couples should not use money as a reason for not getting married since the church does offer mass wedding rites which has lesser expenses. He stressed that the Catholic Church has a rule that they cannot deny a person from receiving the sacrament of Holy Matrimony because of financial concerns. However, only a few couples have availed of this since most still prefer to have their own wedding.

Based on the latest data from the National Statistics Office, there were 490,054 marriages that were registered in 2007. The number represented a decrease of 2,612 marriages or 0.5 percent from the 2006 figure of 492,666.

Six regions, namely: National Capital Region (NCR), Region X, Region XII, Region VII, Region III and Region IV-A reported declines in the number of marriages. The biggest downward slope was recorded in NCR at 9.4 percent.

Another issue faced by couples is the increasing rate of number of failed marriages. Archbishop Cruz attributes this to the excessive exposure to comics, telenovelas, and movies have eroded the values of couples and the sacredness of matrimony. He explains that these do not promote the sanctity of marriage because they depict stories of couples who love each other but their relationship end in separation, divorce or annulment.

In his interview over Radyo Veritas, the CBCP marriage tribunal office has received 130 annulment cases every year but only 10 cases pass the first phase of their evaluation and the number would be further trimmed down as the cases progress.

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Kasal.com thanks the following sources for this article:
Aquino, Leslie Ann, Manila Bulletin. Bishop blames telenovelas for dwindling marriages (Posted June 3, 2010) Retrieved June 7, 2010
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/260439/bishop-blames-telenovelas-dwindling-marriages

Macairan, Evelyn, The Philippine Star. Church weddings becoming too costly. (Posted June 4, 2010) Retrieved June 7, 2010
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=581149

Radyo Veritas. Simbahang Katolika, naalarma sa tumaas na bilang ng mga mag-asawang naghihiwalay (Posted June 4, 2010) Retrieved June 7, 2010
http://www.veritas846.ph/church_news.html

National Statistics Office Special Release No. 511 - Marriages: Philippines, 2007. (Posted May 21, 2010) Retrieved June 7, 2010 from
http://www.census.gov.ph/data/sectordata/sr10511tx.html