I’ve been following the papal visit in Croatia for two days now and the more I learn about Croatia the more I see some striking similarities to the Philippines. Croatia’s demographic is the same as the Philippines, having said, both two nations are predominantly Catholic, having both 87% (to be exact) of the population pie belonging to Roman Catholics. Croatia is very distinct from its European neighbors because of its catholic identity which they hold very dear to their hearts. The Philippines was also in the same boat as Croatia years before especially when Pope John Paul II visited the Philippines in 1995. I think that was the proudest moment of the Country. Croatia and the Philippines also share the same number of Papal visit from John Paul II; twice both countries were visited by the late pontiff when he was still Pope. Croatia like the Philippines also had conflicts with their Moslem brothers. Same ethnic background, same race, different only in religion, yet such pure hate and bloodshed that drag the country into what we call as the Ethnic War in Bosnia during the 90′s. The Philippines also have the same conflict with its Moslem insurgents on the south, which unfortunately still persist until toady. Geographically, both Croatia and the Philippines is at the middle of the continent and surrounded by neighboring countries.

Significant differences

But despite these similarities, there are also some significant differences between the two countries. While Croatia is protecting its remaining rain-forest and turning them into national parks, the Philippines however with its remaining 3% of Philippine forest have failed to protect it even with abundance of environmental laws at its hem, and continues to feed the forest to illegal loggers by the very same people mandated by law and the people to protect them.

Crony-ism and Corruption is no stranger to Croatia. Like the Philippines, Croatia struggled to keep the economy afloat despite widespread corruption within government ranks. Yet, fortunately for them, they surpassed the ordeal when they abolished Government systems that leads to corruption and in the span of only 10 years as a sovereign state, Croatia was able to turn the economy around and is now one of the new rising economy in the region and has been given by the world bank great recommendation and confidence. This is why Croatia is now applying for EU membership. While the Philippines on the other hand, despite its 115th year of independence (this June 12 to be exact) from three of its colonizers, failed to even make a dent on the economic achievement of its neighboring Asian countries precisely because up to now, Corruption is still rooted in its government systems.

And one striking significant difference between the two countries which I really would like to highlight:

Because of the pending membership of Croatia to the European Union, most of the catholics in the country are adamant, even worried that they might lose their Catholic Identity once they enter the circus of the member countries which are suffering from secularism, humanism and materialism. Croatia is so worried about losing their Catholic Identity that it took a Pope to ease their fears and told them that even though their fears are valid, they can also serve as a Catholic voice in a secular-dominated union.

While Croatia, whose economy is rising and is recovering from its past mistakes, is tightening its hold to its Catholic heritage and Identity and its catholic family values, the Philippines on the other hand, called proudly before as Asia’s only bastion of Catholicism, is rather trying to free itself from any Catholic entanglements any way it can and which family values is now being threatened by a slap of left and right anti-family, anti-life bills..

The irony of all ironies.

The Catholic Church in the Philippines is now under-sieged: On the left corner is the Reproductive Health bill which will legalize the use of contraception if passed in congress and which, such provisions about abortions are not yet clear. While on the right corner is an untimely proposal by a feminist group in congress of a bill on divorce.

The Philippines, the Bastion of Catholicism in Asia, is now being sandwiched by anti-life and anti family laws.

What the people is now hearing from the Catholic Church in the Philippines are always contradictions, arguments and sometimes sarcasm on the issue, instead of giving education on the pros and cons of these bills.

87% of the Population are catholics but only a handful of these demographics knows the real score about the issue. Majority of the Catholics are still clueless about the real reason why the RH Bill is not good.

And the supporters of the RH Bill is doing a good job in beating the drum to the tune of “poverty alleviation”. We all know that contraceptives doesn’t have a direct effect on poverty yet the people are eating the poison because there are no alternatives. If they are apple, the catholic Church in the Philippines must produce oranges.

The catholic Church in the Philippines needs to lessen the offense and improve more on the defense. Running on the streets with News Cameras on standby will do no good. Interview with TV and bash advocates will do no good either. Sarcasm and feisty comments against the president is also a PR nightmare.

The battle is in the information. When the manner of communication is wrong, the message is not really getting through.

Tell the faithful “directly” WHY the bill is not good, what makes it against the catholic teaching. what specific provisions in the bill that makes it anti-life so that the faithful can understand.

The anti-life and anti-family supporters are using TV to spread their propaganda, step up. Use also the TV as a medium to correct the misinformation. Use the social networks to get the attention of the youth. Run ads about the truth of RH Bill. Tell teachers in Catholic schools not just to blurt out to students that RH Bill is bad, let them explain in great detail why it is so. Tell the woman churchgoers not to burn their knees too much on pews while they gossip endlessly about the lives of their neighbors in the middle of a “hail mary”. Send them to the neighborhood, house to house, tell the household the exact stance of the catholic church and why the RH Bill is not compatible with the Catholic teaching.

The enemy of the Catholic church in the Philippines are not these supporters, they are merely blind followers of a bandwagon gone viral. Wherever you go in the world, there will always be anti catholic sentiments. Misinformation is the real enemy.

Pope Benedict’s Message to Croatia

While the faithful in the Philippines is stuck between two bills threatening the life and the family as the center of their catholic identity, the Pope in Croatia on the other hand gave its message to the people who is doing everything to hold into its Catholic identity through the family. The message is very clear, and I think its imperative that the People in the Philippines should listen:

“Dear families, be courageous, Do not give in to that secularized mentality which proposes living together as a preparation, or even a substitute for marriage! Show by the witness of your lives that it is possible, like Christ, to love without reserve, and do not be afraid to make a commitment to another person, rejoice in fatherhood and motherhood. Openness to life is a sign of openness to the future, confidence in the future, just as respect for the natural moral law frees people, rather than demeaning them!

The good of the family is also the good of the Church, and that the Christian family has always been the first way of transmitting the faith and still today retains great possibilities for evangelization in many areas. Everyone knows that the Christian family is a special sign of the presence and love of Christ and that it is called to give a specific and irreplaceable contribution to evangelization. The family has to face difficulties and threats, and thus has special need of evangelization and support. The family as it is a decisive resource for education in the faith, for the up-building of the Church as a communion and for her missionary presence in the most diverse situations in life.

Your daily labor for the faith formation of future generations, as well as for marriage preparation and for the accompaniment of families, is the fundamental path for regenerating the Church anew and for giving life to the social fabric of the nation. May you remain dedicated to this important pastoral commitment!”

I have come here today to confirm you in your faith, This is the gift I bring you: the faith of Peter, the faith of the Church! But at the same time you give me this same faith, enriched with your experience, your joys and sufferings. In a special way you give me your faith lived in the family, so that I may keep it in the patrimony of the whole Church.

I know that you find great strength in Mary, the Mother of Christ and our Mother. So we now turn to her, and we entrust to her all families: parents, children, grandparents; the journey of husband and wife, the task of education, professional activities and home-making. We invoke her intercession that public institutions may always sustain the family, the basic cell of the social fabric.

Dear families, do not be afraid, the Lord loves the family and he is close to you!” (Zenit)

Philippines, did you hear that? Are you listening???

We continue to pray for the Catholic Church in the Philippines, for fortitude and faith in these trying times when human life and family is under attack.

Read the full text of Pope Benedict’s homily to Croatian Families