“Heart of the mission of the church”

adminonDecember 9, 2021January 27, 2022Leave a Comment

Philippine Cardinal-designate Jose Advincula calls protection of human rights "heart of the Church’s mission". These are neither negotiable nor secondary, said the Archbishop of Capiz.

The words appeared Wednesday on the news portal of the Philippine Bishops’ Conference. Defending the dignity of every person is the key to solving the Philippines’ many social problems, he said.

Under the authoritarian rule of President Rodrigo Duterte, human rights are increasingly disregarded in the island nation. Human rights activists are harassed, persecuted and violently suppressed as "communists" and "terrorists," up to and including murder. Observers say Pope’s appointment of Advincula strengthens Philippine church’s commitment to social justice and human rights.

One of 13 new cardinals

Francis had nominated 13 new cardinals on Sunday, including 2 from Asia. Advincula’s appointment to the body that advises the pope and will elect his successor in the future had surprised him and many other Catholics in the majority Catholic Philippines. While the 68-year-old has made a name for himself in the national bishops’ conference through his long-standing commitment to indigenous rights, he has been largely unknown to a wider public.

The psychologist and canon lawyer has founded mission stations and schools in the remote settlement areas of the indigenous population. "I have always believed that the Church must be closer to the people, and especially to those on the margins," archbishop says.

Advincula served as chairman of the Bishops’ Commission for the Filipino Indigenous People from 2003 to 2005, as well as a member of several other commissions, such as those for Women, Family and Life, and for Spiritual Vocations. Along with Luis Antonio Tagle (63), Gaudencio Rosales (88) and Orlando Quevedo (81), Advincula will be the fourth Filipino to hold the rank of cardinal as of the end of November. Because they are over 80 years old, Rosales and Quevedo will no longer be eligible to vote in the next papal election.

The Federation of Catholic Youth doesn't want to downplay the looting and violence in the U.K., but calls for more focus on the causes of the riots. Responsible people and society had not noticed problems that had been piled up for years, says BDKJ national president priest Simon Rapp in our site-interview.

Interviewer: Is poverty, lack of perspective or unemployment a reason to vandalize whole streets?

Father Rapp: I wouldn't say that's a cause, but it seems to be one of the causes of what we're seeing in the U.K. right now, but what we've seen in other European countries in recent years as well. I only remember Paris. Young people whose situation is not perceived, who are faced with a lack of perspective. They don't know if they can get out of a cycle of poverty because they are not offered prospects by society either. You are at some point in a frustration stage that discharges in one place. In London, that seems to have been just as far now.

Interviewer: On the U.S. East Coast, similar phenomena have now been stopped by setting up curfews for under-18s. In your opinion, is that an appropriate measure?

Father Rapp: I'd say that's locking away and looking away from the real reasons of perspective-less youth today.

Interviewer: Isn't it necessary to set a sign that there can't be a good excuse for every kind of derailment, which is at the expense of society?

Rev. Rapp: I don't want to excuse what happened in London or in other cities. I also do not want to play down what has broken out there. But I would like to point out that you look at the deeper causes first. Of course, whoever commits violent acts should be condemned for it, this should not be the style. On the other hand, it must also be said that the problems that have accumulated there over years and decades have obviously not been noticed by those responsible and also by society, but that people have looked the other way. Now they are perceived in one fell swoop… Only in the moment when really incomes and buildings are set on fire, where it is visible, there is a social and societal problem…

Interviewer: What is happening with the riots in Great Britain is a mixture of fun with violence, greed by participating in looting and also lost morals. Where does this loss of morality come from?

Rev. Rapp: Last year, the BDKJ, together with some cooperation partners, had the topic of lost young people as part of our Joseftag campaign. We have to look at the fact that there are actually young people who are considered lost in our society, who are simply no longer perceived, whose situation, their lack of prospects, their lack of educational opportunities, their vicious circle of poverty and educational poverty are not perceived. We tried to draw attention to it last year and noticed that many of those we approached did not see it that way. Young people cannot be blamed for acting morally when their cries for help are not heard. That they are faced with a group of people of the same age who can afford everything, while they themselves can afford nothing, no health care, no sufficient nutrition. Then at some point it becomes clear. I would be cautious to talk about morals towards these young people before we have explored what was the actual trigger and what is the situation that drove the young people there. But I also perceived that just in the last nights in London this also became a sport, to go to lootings. That is another phenomenon, which one would have to examine thereupon again extra.

Interviewer: They call for a whole range of social measures as prevention against youth poverty: Poverty-proof needs rates, free education and a right to training. Support is good, but in this welfare state, shouldn't we also demand more and make it clear to young people that they also help shape their own destiny??

Pastor Rapp: Often young people are concerned, who did not have so far necessarily the entrance to these promotion possibilities and therefore these also at all did not notice. Statistics also show that poverty in education and poverty in general is inherited in our country. Various educational studies have repeatedly pointed this out. It is actually a matter of young people taking a concrete look at this situation. There is a large majority of young people, young adults, who certainly have some future opportunities open to them, but there is also a not to be despised minority for whom these prospects for their lives are simply not given due to a lack of education, due to a lack of incentives for education, due to a lack of opportunities to then also get into training, into work. That's why we say, here we must not only demand young people, but we must first and foremost check our support measures to see if the ones we offer are really safe.

Ministrants” pilgrimage comes to an end in Rome. Alexander Bothe was there with the young people, speaks of exhaustion, but also of overwhelming joy. Amid all the hubbub, one quiet moment in particular has stuck with him.

Interviewer: The first young people are leaving. How exhausted are you after these days??

Alexander Bothe (pastoral counselor for altar boys): I’m already exhausted, of course, I have to say that honestly. Of course, colleagues who are responsible for the individual diocesan groups are also already feeling a sense of exhaustion. But everyone is incredibly happy. We are of course happy about this week’s experience. We were also moved by the motto "Seek peace and pursue it": it was always a matter of putting peace at the center – and then one’s own exhaustion is somehow also borne by peace.
Interviewer: At 60.000 altar boys sure have a lot going on. Were there any noteworthy mishaps?
Bothe: That is part and parcel of such a major event. There’s always a plan, that’s one thing. The reality is the other and, of course, we in charge look to keep the two as closely aligned as possible.

Of course, we had young people who were not in good health. The heat wave in Germany made for a bit of a workout, but it’s different again in Rome. Of course, it is also an effort when you go on pilgrimage through the city or simply want to visit something. We already have a few young people who actually had to be taken care of – especially on Tuesday during and after the papal audience.

But there are also one or two general health problems that arise with such a large number of participants – not really surprising. So far we are very blessed by the fact that it has not been bad things.

Interviewer: You have developed an app for the pilgrimage to Rome. It should accompany the international altar boys in a playful, informative and spiritual way, help with making contacts and give tips on the spot. How is the app "goRome!" arrived?
Bothe: The young people enjoy this very much, they are very happy about the updates and of course they also see that they gain experience with it. It really worked out very well, we are very happy and look forward to what is to come in the future. We have an update for the app today – then "goRome" becomes "go home". That means we give impulses for their own lives, for the journey back home and for everyday life.
Interviewer: So what were the highlights for you?

Bothe: There are of course many. There was a great event, namely the blind dates. That means that at more than 200 places in Rome, the German altar boys and girls met in three randomly selected groups of fifty. They prayed together, got to know each other, played together and then still made their way to the ice cream parlor. And if you’ve been there in between, that gets you hugely involved. This is an absolute highlight.

The other thing, I really have to say, is that many people were moved by the minute of peace. In the audience with the Pope, there was a moment when the Pope said, "Let’s all be quiet," to actually give space to God’s voice, to simply listen and thus set a sign for this peace in God and peace in the world. And then this whole St. Peter’s Square was suddenly quiet as a mouse. Many young people were very moved by the fact that they were so intensely connected with the Pope and that they could actually share this minute. That was really impressive.

Interviewer: How can the feeling of a community develop with so many children and young people?. Has that succeeded, even with such a crowd?

Bothe: Yes, and that is very noticeable. The great thing, of course, is that everyone is united in this service at Holy Mass. The altar boys and girls have now felt that their service does not end at the door of the church, but goes out into life, into the world – even beyond all countries and language barriers. This community factor, as we would perhaps soberly call it, means so many things: an experience of togetherness, an experience of "we belong together", we share a message and faith – but also that as young people they are on their way together into the future. This is a sign for the church and the society.

Interviewer: Do you ever get any feedback from Rome, from cardinals, the Pope or anyone from the Vatican??
Bothe: Of course. Everything is going on in close coordination with the Vatican. It is also a great gift that the Holy Father has granted us an audience and that we could gather in St. Peter’s Square. Pope Francis was unbelievably pleased, he has now also mentioned this again in the aftermath. The many young people have already moved the Holy Father very much.

The interview was conducted by Heike Sicconi.

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