THE
P RTAL
December 2016
Page 20
Aid to the Church in Need
Hope rebuilt
Murcadha O Flaherty has sent us this timely report following the
cyclone which devastated the Philippines
A
fter the severe devastation caused by one of the most intense tropical cyclones on record, which
the Philippines bore the brunt of, Christian families are now able to gather together in the rebuilt
churches to worship, thanks to the generosity of Aid to Church in Need’s benefactors.
Tidal waves from Super Typhoon Yolanda (also
known as Cyclone Haiyan) killed more than 10,000
people in the Philippines when the typhoon struck
their homes in November 2013. During the worst of the
storm, it caused considerable loss of lives and countrywide destruction of buildings and infrastructure. It is
calculated that more than 4.3 million people became
homeless as a result of strong gales along the coast, with
wind speeds of up to 236 mph having been measured.
The archdiocese of Palo – located on the island of
Leyte in the eastern Visayas region of the Philippines
– reported that 72 of 76 churches sustained damage
during the cyclone including the Cathedral of Palo, but
10 churches have since been rebuilt that were totally or
partially destroyed by the storm.
Never means never ... continued from page 4
Church develops her doctrine by answering questions
as they arise, and in doing so discovers more about
the truths she has always affirmed. The pattern is this:
heresy arises, and not infrequently receives enthusiastic
support. The Church listens, studies, and responds. In
affirming a male-only priesthood, the Church is doing
what she has always done and always will: she answers
the heresy and discovers that there are great riches to
understand in new ways.
Neville Kyrke-Smith, ACN UK National Director,
said: “The Philippines experienced an unprecedented
level of devastation affecting thousands of families.
Responding to the severity of the crisis, ACN Thanks to the ACN benefactors’ relief money sent to
provided more than one million pounds in emergency the Church in the Philippines, emergency aid reached
aid for families in urgent need.
those families.” He added; “ACN is now involved in the
building of a seminary in the Archdiocese of Palo of
Archbishop John Du of Palo expressed his sincere this devoutly Catholic country.”
thanks to ACN’s benefactors for their support; “You
have strengthened our faith knowing that God never
The international charity maintains a dual role
forgets us, for you are there to respond to the calling of working with Church partners in providing emergency
God to help us”. He added; “Thank you for being there aid and works in facilitating pastoral projects for the
during the time that we need you the most.”
Church.
question of women priests people often said “There
are no theological objections to the ordination of
women”, which is simply untrue: all the objections –
and there are many – are theological. No one doubts
that a woman can don ecclesiastical robes, and do all
sorts of things that look priestly, and no one doubts
that women can organise events and teach people and
do lots of churchy activities. But the issue at stake is the
nature of the priesthood, the nature of the Church, and
the nature of us as God created us, male and female.
The Swedish Lutherans and the Anglicans are
muddled on the question – but in a sense we can all
Does our human identity matter to God? Does he be grateful to them for raising it. Hundreds of years
love us just the way we are? Did he make a mistake from now, scholars will be noting that it was St John
in creating us as male and female? Why does male/ Paul who reaffirmed the truth of the priesthood in a
female imagery echo all the way through the clear way in response to a particular heresy, and that
Scriptures in describing the relationship between God it has been reaffirmed with increasing knowledge and
and his people? Why is Mary so important? These are confidence ever since. Pope Francis, as he patiently
theological issues. They matter.
answered the question from the journalist on All
Saints’ Day, was all part of that, and each Ordinariate
We should not be frightened of discussing this. The member is too.