2+ day, 5+ hour ago (590+ words) ISTANBUL " Pope Leo XIV joins the leader of the world's Orthodox Christians Friday to celebrate 1,700 years since one of the early Church's most important gatherings, on the second day of his visit to Turkey. The American pope began his four-day visit on Thursday, flying into Ankara where he held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, urging him to embrace Turkey's role as mediator in a world gripped by conflict. "Mr President, may Turkey be a source of stability and rapprochement between peoples, in service of a just and lasting peace," the pontiff told the Turkish leader as he kicked off the first overseas trip of his papacy. Pope Leo is the fifth pontiff to visit Turkey, after Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1979, Benedict XVI in 2006 and Francis in 2014. Despite doctrinal differences that led to the Great Schism of…...

3+ day, 4+ hour ago (272+ words) The president of the Catholic Bishops" Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has called on Asian Catholic communities to promote "kinship" to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in the region"s many cultures and religions. Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, who also serves as vice president of the Federation of Asian Bishops" Conferences, said the Church in Asia must focus more on listening, dialogue, and working together "Asia is a vast mosaic of cultures, languages and religions. Yet in all this diversity, God is gently weaving us together into one family," David said ahead of the Asian Mission Congress to be held Nov. 2730 in Penang, Malaysia. More than 900 delegates from Catholic communities across the region, including 10 cardinals, over 100 bishops, 150 priests, 75 religious sisters, and hundreds of lay representatives, are expected to attend the gathering. David, the outgoing president of the CBCP, said…...

3+ day, 5+ hour ago (668+ words) ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE " Pope Leo XIV set off for Turkey Thursday for the first overseas trip of his papacy, which includes a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and comes amid acute tensions in the region. The trip, which includes a second leg to Lebanon, begins in the Turkish capital Ankara, where the first American pope is expected to arrive shortly after midday. There, he will address authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps before heading to Istanbul in the early evening. Leo's first steps abroad will be scrutinized by the world's media, with more than 80 journalists accompanying him on his papal plane. Since his election in May as the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, the pope has shown himself to be adept at handling the media, talking to reporters weekly. In a sign of his desire to…...

3+ day, 21+ hour ago (794+ words) Kasalan sa SM makes a long-awaited dream wedding come true "For richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health." These vows were already a lived reality for SM employee Ruby and her husband Joel Villablanca long before they formally received the Sacrament of Marriage at the 10th Kasalan sa SM of the Felicidad T. Sy Foundation. She was then working at an old supermarket that is, coincidentally, now SM East Ortigas. That was where she met Joel; she was around 20 years old. A year later, they were blessed with a son. "At that time, we didn't think about getting married because we were a bit unready, financially. At the same time, our families were also facing financial challenges, so we had to stand on our own, she shared. "Ako rin po ay breadwinner kaya halo-halo po ang worries and doubts ko…...

5+ day, 3+ hour ago (704+ words) SAINT Paul once offered a thought that is both unsettling and comforting: "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more" (Romans 5:20). It's a strange pairing. Sin and grace. Darkness and light. Wounds and healing. One drags us down, the other insists on lifting us up. These past months, with accusations being fired from all sides, I find myself asking how deep our political troubles really are. And the more I reflect on it, the more I see that our problems run deeper than politics. They touch the moral core of our national life. A friend and lay preacher once reminded me, "Eight out of ten Filipinos are Christian." A simple line, but it forces us to look in the mirror. If most of us hear the same Gospel every Sunday, how do we still end up tangled in dishonesty, shortcuts,…...

6+ day, 8+ hour ago (269+ words) Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper's reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas. Public Invited to Tour New Alabang Temple MUNTINLUPA " The public is invited to tour the new Alabang Philippines Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This sacred house of worship will be the fourth Latter-day Saint temple in the country and the second in the Manila metropolitan area. The temple is located in Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, and features design elements that reflect the beauty and cultural heritage of the Philippines. Its exterior and interior details include a representation of the white jasmine flower, or sampaguita, the national flower of the Philippines. There are more than 900,000 Latter-day Saints…...

6+ day, 16+ hour ago (166+ words) Thirty-eight couples began married life together under one roof of faith as the Felicidad T. Sy Foundation held the 10th Kasalan sa SM at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Jesus " the Way, the Truth, and the Life in Pasay City. Following the rite, couples continued the celebration with a reception at the SMX Convention Center in the Mall of Asia complex. Faith and family lie at the heart of the Felicidad T. Sy Foundation's work, a vision inspired by SM Group matriarch Felicidad "Nanang" Sy. Known for her deep Catholic faith, she founded the foundation to support spiritual development, build and maintain churches and chapels, and offer pastoral services for SM communities." These projects reflect Mrs. Sy's belief that family is the strongest foundation of community life. The Kasalan sa SM mass wedding is a recurring initiative under the foundation. Over the years, they…...

1+ week, 1+ day ago (207+ words) PILA, Laguna " The 1st Laguna Pilgrimage Tourism was officially launched at the National Shrine and Parish of Saint Anthony de Padua in Pila, marking a major step in strengthening and promoting religious tourism across the province. Governor Sol Aragones said Laguna is "complete, abundant, and overflowing" with centuries-old churches and deep stories of faith, stressing that residents need not travel abroad when the province has its own historical and sacred sites. She also highlighted food tourism as a key element of the initiative. Cynthia Mamon, COO of Enchanted Kingdom and president of the Laguna Tourism Council, said pilgrimage tourism deepens the faith of Filipino travelers and enriches their journeys. Pila Mayor Queen Alarva expressed pride in hosting the inaugural event. Vice Governor JM Carait said the provincial board fully supports the governor's vision, noting that work is underway to craft a…...

1+ week, 1+ day ago (268+ words) Pope Leo XIV has appointed Fr. Samuel Agcaracar of the Societas Verbi Divini (SVD) as the new bishop of the Diocese of San Jose in Nueva Ecija, ending nearly eight months of sede vacante for the northern Nueva Ecija diocese. Agcaracar, 55, succeeds Bishop Roberto Mallari, who was installed earlier this year as the bishop of the Diocese of Tarlac. The bishop-elect currently serves as rector of the Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay City and as provincial admonitor of the SVD Philippine Central Province. Born in Claveria, Cagayan, to a family of farmers, Agcaracar began his vocation in education, working as a teacher while volunteering as a catechist at St. Joseph Parish. He later entered the Society of the Divine Word seminary, pursuing philosophical studies at Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City and theology at the Divine Word School of…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (267+ words) ANTIPOLO City Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos, D.D. on Wednesday called for "deeper moral reflection" following Senator Imee Marcos" public tirade against her brother President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. He described Imee"s diatribe as "troubling" not only for its contents but also for its delivery. First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos meanwhile, pushed back against allegations about her and the President, indirectly calling out the spread of "fake news" in a social media post. Santos emphasized that according to the Gospel, correction should first be done in private conversation before being made public. According to him, the senator"s statements caused danger instead of helping in healing and understanding. Despite the incident, the bishop is hopeful that it will serve as an opportunity for all involved to "reflect and listen to their conscience, forgive and heal, and change if…...