In this month of February our cover story considers the newly-signed agreement between the Vatican and China which recognizes the Pope’s legitimacy in the appointment of bishops. This is a breakthrough. However, on the ground the crackdown on religious groups, churches, symbols, priests and bishops is intensifying by the day. To many observers, this contradictory behavior of the Chinese authorities raises eyebrows and questions its commitment to the terms of the deal between the two parties. As it is at the moment, it appears Beijing took advantage of the concessions given by the Catholic side to continue its suppression policy of religion. Will the Catholic Church wait and see?

In this issue for March, in which we celebrate the Lenten season, World Mission focuses on the theme of spiritual discernment as a tool of growth in Christian life. The Lenten season we are living right now as Church community is an opportune time to reflect on our lives. The method of discernment is a traditional discipline to make us more aware of God’s presence in our lives. In an article for this issue, Jesuit Ramon Bautista explains how “The Examen” is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence, and discern His direction for us. 

In this month of January of the New Year 2023, World Mission offers two articles by Archbishop Menamparampil of India on how peacemakers must work hard at knowing the diverse causes of conflicts so as to eliminate them and thus eradicate violence. This is a lifetime struggle that demands self-abasement. The teachings of every religion on reciprocity and fraternity can have a decisive contribution to peace in an age of merciless completion and cultivation of self-interests. In an interview, Archbishop Menamparampil speaks of his lifelong commitment to peacebuilding in the troubled region of Northeast India. 

In this December issue we bring out two inspirational reflections about the “three comings of Christ.” Advent is the season when we prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas. Christ comes in three ways: He came in the past, He does come right now and He will come in the future. A third meditation draws spiritual insights from admiring the charming miniature Nativity scenes which trigger sentiments of solidarity and prayer for peace, reconciliation and justice in our broken world. As we celebrate Christmas this year, may the signs and symbols around us invite us to rejoice with grateful hearts. 

The November issue of World Mission brings to the fore the theme of online games amongst young people. Online gaming has shown to have a variety of advantageous consequences. It allows gathering in groups, either virtually or real-life. Nonetheless, virtual interaction with others oftentimes becomes more important than real-life relationships which can lead to gaming disorders. Parents should try to achieve a balance between tech time and games in their homes and find creative ways for their children to balance tech and outdoor activities.

In the October issue, World Mission magazine features a Filipino Comboni missionary in South Africa, who is developing his painting skills and engaging in social media platforms to announce God’s love for humanity. “I use the artworks to express my own faith and my life as a missionary, abstract as they may be,” he says. Art conveys the intangible stories of our faith; therefore, it is an effective means of teaching and enhancing devotions and prayers. 

The September issue of World Mission features the care of the environment and creation in harmony with the Season of Creation that runs from September 1 to October 4. This is an initiative spearheaded and promoted by Christian Churches worldwide, including the Orthodox as well as the Catholics. Under the theme “Listen to the voice of creation,” this year’s Season of Creation invites us to listen to the songs of praise to our Creator, and to the distressing voices lamenting the abuses committed against our common home.  

The August issue of World Mission features the prospects of a return to in-person classes after nearly a three-year closure of schools because of COVID-19 which had devastating repercussions on education. After facing countless challenges with a hybrid model of face-to-face and distant learning, the Philippines will resume in-person learning this school year. Students, teachers, and parents must be fully prepared for new adjustments. 

The July issue of World Mission focuses on the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the distribution of food supplies and the increase in the cost of basic commodities worldwide. By interrupting the supply chain of grain and fertilizers for agriculture, the war is creating a global food crisis for hundreds of millions of people. Prices of fuel, bread, and gas have gone up, affecting the budgets of families and individuals who are having a hard time making ends meet. The poorest countries that depend on wheat produced by Ukraine and Russia to feed their populations are more at risk. 

The June issue of Word Mission reflects on the economic as well as social inequalities that impair our world today.  This disparity causes harm to us all, especially to the poor. Christian Tradition has denounced unequivocally this unfair status quo. A Christian outlook on economics focuses on the dignity of the human person made in the image of God. It proposes solidarity, fair wages and a just redistribution of the material resources so that no one may lack the basic conditions to lead a dignified life. No one should live in poverty nor should there exist accumulation of unimaginable wealth in the hands of a few billionaires. 

The double issue April/May offers its readers the synthesis of an original research into the archives of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, in Portugal, of the thousands of letters addressed to the Virgin Mary. The messages reveal a profound and familiar relationship the believers have with Our Lady. From Portugal to Asia, from Ireland to the USA, from Latin America to Africa, people from all walks of life address the Heavenly Mother as “dearest mother,” “good mother,” and “dear mama.” In the letters, the devotees fervently beg for peace in the world, request health and wellbeing for their relatives and even confess crimes they have committed. 

The March issue of World Mission gives its own humble input into the current synodal journey the whole Church is committed to. Our publication wishes to disseminate relevant information about it, thus widening the horizons of our readers about this topic. It is a universal two-year program set off by Pope Francis with the aim of renewing the Church as her way of functioning and doing mission. We hope the three major articles our magazine carries on the theme will go a long way in clarifying what the Synod is all about, its methods and final goals. 

In February, World Mission magazine brings to the fore the EDSA People Power Revolution. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the proclamation of the infamous Martial Law. An article by Dulce Festin-Baybay highlights the role religious people had in the peaceful transition after the demise of dictatorship. While the regime intimidated people through a show of force with tankers and military personnel, citizens showed up holding rosaries as their weapon.  In a year of elections in the Philippines, voters do well to take stock of the lessons of the past. History can assist Filipinos at this point in time in making sensible political choices. 

The January issue of 2022 reflects on humanity’s aspirations for peace, fraternity and reconciliation for the New Year. In a divided world where conflicts and divisions abound, compounded by the coronavirus pandemic, only a sense of togetherness can heal our brokenness. We either survive together or perish together, says Pope Francis. More than ever we need an inclusive outlook, a sharp awareness of being all brothers and sisters and children of the same Creator. To achieve true peace, wellbeing and friendship with everyone, we must realize that we need each other. We belong together, we are one world. 

Our December issue is about Christmas and its message of simplicity and joy. Indeed, that’s the essence of the feast of the birth of Our Lord Jesus who was born in a rather simple, and even, poor setting. Then, the good news of baby Jesus’ coming into the world was announced in the first place to shepherds, an ostracized and destitute group of people at the time. It was the poor who could better grasp the meaning of such an event-God made man-with purity and happiness in their hearts. The natural outcome of it all is peace and joy. 

In view of the impending elections in May 2022 in the Philippines, this November issue of World Mission is giving some “food for thought” to its readers on politics and faith.  All citizens are called upon to exercise their political duties, particularly their right to vote. As the Filipino Bishops have said, this right must be carried out “responsibly.” For a believer, a Christian, and a Catholic, faith and politics are not separated from each other. The faithful are invited to strive for an integration of the life of faith with that of political action. A Catholic person should vote according to his/her conscience and the criteria of the Social Doctrine of the Church.  

The October issue of World Mission reflects on the Church’s mission in the current Coronavirus pandemic. All parishes have been hit hard by the absence of their faithful due to stringent lockdowns and consequently by the lack of financial support. The one million dollar question is how Catholic leaders and laity will be able to turn this “blow into a blessing” and draw lessons and strategies for a post-Covid mission. No doubt, the pandemic has reshaped the pastoral care of parishes and Christian communities. Will the Church vigorously advance her presence in the digital and social media platforms as a means of evangelization? 

The September issue of World Mission magazine shows the impact of the lockdowns on children, the youth, and elderly Filipinos. While the first article of the special highlights how the psychological lives of children have been affected and what to do to take care of them, the second article reminds us that it is important to have a balanced and active lifestyle regardless of the restrictions, in order to maintain our physical and psychological health. The third article points out that although the benefit of quarantine is to keep people safe at home, it can negatively impact the mental health of the elderly.

The August issue of World Mission magazine is dedicated to faith’s healing power. In the Bible, faith is the foundation for healing. Jesus often repeated: “Your faith has healed you.” Both faith and healing offer us belonging to God and a community. This experience of belonging to God and a community gives us meaning and peace. Through faith, we experience being loved by a loving Creator who is closer to us than we are to ourselves. We may understand medicine like never before, but we still don’t understand Christ’s healing, which comes primarily from God through love. 

The July edition of World Mission renders homage to the health and care workers of the pandemic.  They are the heroes of the COVID-19 global crisis that has struck the world more than one year ago. Doctors, nurses, caregivers, and health staff have sacrificed themselves to care for the sick and save lives. Many paid with their lives. Across the world, the numbers of health frontliners who got sick and died in the line of duty are innumerable. To them, we pay our respects. Their bravery translates in concrete Christ’s commandment to “love one another” and “it is in giving life that you gain life.”

World Mission magazine is devoting its June issue front cover and “Special” to St. Joseph after Pope Francis declared 2021 as a special year dedicated to the figure of the foster father of the child Jesus and the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A “just man” as the Gospel calls him, he was a creative father who cared diligently for his family. Having lived a hidden life, Joseph is aptly the patron saint we need to sail through these hard times. He is a model of faith and a source of inspiration for those who advocate for just work and a dignified life. 

The April-May issue of World Mission which usually coincides with the celebration of Easter, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, reflects on happiness. From a Christian point of view, happiness is the result of Jesus’ victory over death. It is related with joy, satisfaction and a sense of fulfilment deriving from a radical commitment to life and service to others. Surveys point out the fact that the happiest people in the world are found in low-income nations, whereas happiness is lowest in countries where all comforts are found in abundance. These finds are an invitation to look deeper into the true nature of happiness.

The March issue of World Mission focuses on reconciliation as a process that includes various aspects: religious, cultural, social and economic. Elias Opongo, SJ. writes that reconciliation is about building up relationships, sometimes from strained or even broken ones with harmful consequences for the society. South Sudan, the youngest country in the world, is struggling to live in peace following its independence from Sudan. After twelve peace agreements failed to bring about lasting peace, the future of stability in the country will very much depend on the political will of its political leaders.  In any process of reconciliation there is need to accept the past as it is, reconcile with it, and let go of resentment. 

The February issue of World Mission magazine features three articles on the latest encyclical of Pope Francis Fratelli Tutti (released on October 4, 2020) in its Special Section. The document can be seen as a compendium that offers developments of the Catholic social teaching to which Pope Francis lent some updates, namely, on the doctrine of “just war” and death penalty.  Fratelli Tutti encompasses a vision of fraternity and social friendship addressed to all human beings regardless of their social condition, religion or economic status. We are all brothers and sisters due to our common origin and destiny.

The January issue of 2021 World Mission magazine devotes its Special Section to one of the most celebrated devotions in the Philippines-the Black Nazarene. Even though the grand procession with the centuries-old image of Jesus Christ has been canceled this year due to coronavirus, the faith in the black Christ has not waned. For some analysts, the display of such spectacular devotion during the traslacion touches on the edges of fanaticism or idolatry. However, seen from the standpoint of the humble people, the veneration of the image of the suffering Lord is an expression of gratitude and an intercession for deliverance. 

The December issue of World Mission wishes to share a message of hope with its readers and subscribers in this holy season of Christmas. By its nature, Christmas is imbued with faith, hope and love. But this year with the coronavirus pandemic there is a great deal of apprehension and anxiety ahead of Christmas time. Certainly, it will be celebrated like no other before. The strict measures forbidding social gatherings to prevent contagion will curtail the traditional family and religious celebrations. And yet, in the midst of such adverse environment Christians are urged to stand erect and be bearers of hope.

Our November issue of World Mission highlights the theme of human suffering vis-à-vis a good God who seemingly allows pain and distress to strike His children. This is an obstacle to many men and women’s belief in God because they say “if God exists and if He is good, He should not permit suffering.” The three articles on this issue show that God, in Jesus His Son, takes on the suffering of humanity upon Himself, reasserting the belief that where there is suffering there is God. Then, from a positive perspective, suffering is an “unlimited source of energy” with a powerful strength to heal not only physically but also spiritually. 

Our October issue is dedicated to the role of the laity in society and in the Church. Lay people play a vital role in planting Christian values in all sectors. In this issue, special attention will be given to women’s contribution in the Filipino Church as well as the laity’s commitment to missionary work in overseas lands. The decree on the apostolate of the laity Apostolicam Actuositatem of the Second Vatican Council reasserted the importance of the activity of lay people in spreading the kingdom of Christ throughout the earth for the glory of God the Father and by doing so enables all people to share in God’s saving redemption. 

Our September issue of World Mission magazine features the five years anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ dedicated to the care of the environment. Our writers attempt at answering the question: what has changed in our relation to the environment since the publication of the encyclical in May 2015? Have we listened to the Pope’s invitation to care for our planet? Meanwhile the Covid-19 pandemic came in, and obliged us not only to go into lockdowns but to become more aware of the radical transformation needed in our relation to our common home, the earth.  

The August issue is dedicated to ecumenism and interreligious dialogue in tune with this year’s pastoral priority of the Filipino Church as preparation for the celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines in 2021. Thanks to the Second Vatican Council the Church began a wonderful journey towards unity among Christians and dialogue with other religions. In this issue, our readers will find two experiences retelling concrete ways of doing dialogue with other religions, one in the Philippines and another in Bangladesh. Though there is still long way to go in the process of unity and interreligious dialogue, significant progress has been made by the Church. 

This July issue of World Mission magazine looks at the challenges posed to the value and integrity of life like abortion, euthanasia, contraception, death penalty and extrajudicial killings. A case in point is the Philippines, argues Carlos Padal, whose traditionally pro-life culture is facing challenges from what St. John Paul II called the “culture of death.” Another menace to life, especially in its inception, is abortion. In her contribution to this topic, Anna Cosio-Vitasa, shows how abortion activists are exploiting the coronavirus pandemic. She makes the point that in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, pro-abortion activists in various countries of North America and Europe are trying to use the coronavirus sickness to demand easier access to abortions.  

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December 2021

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October 2021

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World Mission Philippines - February 2019

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