SK vs. Parish Youth Min Part 2: How Catholics (and Atheists) react

Along with Part 1 of my blog was a discussion on 100% Katolikong Pinoy's Discussion Board on Facebook about the matter that is left dangling since my last post. The verbatim discussion could be viewed here.

The first who commented (we call him DK here) said that the situation depends on the circumstance it currently has; and it seems to be inevitable that such situation (i.e., "...may Hudas sa grupo [sic]...pera-pera lang yan....") exists.

The next comment (from Philip) replied that he sees an "inaction in both [the SK and the Parish Youth Ministry]"; furthermore, he pointed that the SK is merely "a breeding and training ground for future clowns" and the PYM is "more...with hormones than with the Faith of the Church." I asked the guy who said this on who is better aside from his point-of-view; his answer was that the Youth Min was better, though, according to him, it does not mean the latter was doing their mission--and there are still things that they should go through.

And a series of arguments--rational and irrational--follows:

DK: talo pa ni philip ang Judge ah...hehehe...nalibot mo na ba lahat ng simbahan boi?!? bka pag nkakita ka ng malupet na PYM maging katolikong sarado ka..hahahaha

none of the above kp dyan.. .wala kang hustisya! hahaha

DEPENDE PDIN ANG SAGOT DYAN!!hahah..hindi kasi ntin magegeneral yan e.

Philip: @DK, I know what I am talking about. How about you have you seen it all? It doesn't mean someone can't prove something the other side of the coin is correct... That's a fallacy in argument... Isn't it DK that your group FRC Youth is a part of that? And if indeed I see a PYM doing their objectives well that will not make me reconvert to being a Catholic...

What's the point of your argument is to debase me to bring yourself up. That didn't help DK because I see you way down below?

IJR (me): How do you see him way down below?

DK: to bring my self up?!?! Lolz.. im done with that thing mr.know it all.. stop judging people na halos case closed na.. at wala nang pag asa yung tao.. .tumingin ka nga sa salamin.. .

i didnt saw it all, but ive already seen a better PYM and a bulls*** one.. kaya DEPENDE ANG SAGOT KO.

Philip whote: And if indeed I see a PYM doing their objectives well that will not make me reconvert to being a Catholic...

dahdahDK replied: nakita mo ba ang salitang "baka"???

you see me down below?! yah, yan din ang binubulong sakin madalas ng dimonyo.. .pero salamat sa mga taong itinataas ako pinapadamang mali ang dimonyo. SALAMAT SA INYO.

Remar (a Catholic pinch-hitter): In my own observation, Parish Youth Ministry. . .in fairness sa kanila. . . hekhek. .:p

Philip: dk yes you are bringing yourself up... your arguments and words does but isn't it wonderful to think that you have not even changed a bit... but gone far worse...

so if even a really awesome PYM comes... to change you and your bad habits... nothing will happen...

IJR: (I was misunderstood on whom the post was addressed) How do you say so? Could you tell us how come you know these things?

Philip: Ian that last comment of mine is for dk alone...

for other people i see much hope... ok?

DK: Lolz.. .look at the mirror philip. hahaha

Philip: yes... and i see a happy person looking back...

one who can stand up for what he believes and will not tolerate liars and pretenders...

DK: liars and pretenders? look at the mirror philip... hahahaha...

Philip:rotfl... i am happy with who i am because i don't lie even to myself or to others just to look good...

or pretend that i am happy or make myself look sad or emo so that others will love me...

have you tried that dk... looking at yourself?

DK: sino nag sabi nyan? bitter lang yan.. Lolz.. nyahaha... .

r u happy?! oh common' tanda mo na.. .wag na tayo mag lokohan.. nyahaha

Philip: yup i am happy if you can't deal with it...

that's your problem...

c'est la vie....

Kuroro (another pinch-hitter): DK at saka si Hapon

parang sa friendster pa ito huh?!


sa thread:

YOUTH APOSTOLATE OF FATIMA

DK: hahaha .. as someone said to me .. ill rest my arguments with philip.. . ^_^

By this point, I called it quits. As of the moment I am currently writing this post, there are no updates yet.

To analyze, it is still the townspeople's discernment who is more felt in making the youth more useful in society, especially if their children are willing to give their time, talent, and effort to their community. But according to Fr. Abraham Arganiosa, a Somascan priest, apologist, blogger, and educator, the Church and the State must not compete in the betterment of the youth; instead, must work together for this purpose. Fr. Abe also suggests that the SK must be depoliticized so that it might function on their duty: to make the youth aware of the social concerns of their respective barangays, and to cooperate with the local Church in terms of moral and spiritual concerns.

In conclusion, every minor in a certain community should not just be aware of their personal--sometimes hedonistic and utilitarian--concerns. Instead, they should also be knowledgeable of their environment and how could they help; for the adults and elders, then, they should guide--NOT restrict--the young on how they progress in their service in the community, even if it means to widen their idea of service from a personal aspect to a mutual one.

SK vs. Parish Youth Min Part 1: The Synopsis

In a certain barangay, there are officials who, in their own limited power, keep the peace and maintain privacy in their neighborhood. These men and women--the Kapitans and Kagawads--are essential for this task. They also have a youth arm: the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). Their role is uncertain and unknown based on social knowledge. But basically, they should be the voices of the youth in their barangay and the role models of their generation.

But is it still working?

What happens now is that people engaging in politics at their young age end up politicians or wasted people; based on the circumstances. What happens is that the members of the SK in almost all barangays in the country are mere figureheads and unsung, trying-hard personality wannabes whose functions are either disregarded, used for formality, or not essential in the community.

On the other side of the coin, the Church, particularly in most parishes in the Philippines, is booming with young blood who are already serving Christ with their gifts and skills: particularly as choir members and Altar Knights. Some take it further: the two factions of the group Couples for Christ (the Gawad Kalinga arm and the Foundation for Family and Life) established their own youth groups, who are interested to imitate the Lord in terms of chastity among others; without compromising their trends and culture. And aside from the YFC and YFL, respectively, other parishes create a Youth Ministry that coordinates with all the youth within the vicinity of the parochial territory so that they may be evangelized early on.

Does the Church fill in the gap that the SK--and the Barangay council--oftentimes fail to do so?

Probably.

As we see it, SK chairs and councilors have become dysfunctional, nowadays. The people in the community rather entrust their children in the life of prayer than in the life of governance and politics. Anyway, they might comment, the SK people do not act on their own; or if they do, will it benefit their well being? Some SK members do not even know what are their roles and responsibilities; why did they nominated themselves; and why are they elected in the first place. It only seems that it is better to tap the youth into holiness and not into unnecessary responsibility.

(Check out for Part 2; to be posted soon.)

Carlos Celdran: Dauntless or Dimwitted?

My Christian Ethics professor at UST told our class that there are times that freedom, though a right, is misused and abused. Carlos Celdran's case is a blatant and current example.

The drama unfold at the second anniversary of the "May They Be One" Campaign of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Bible Apostolate and some Protestant denominations in the country. Celdran, a tour guide who, under the mocking guise of the execution dress of Jose Rizal, protested inside the See of Manila in what he called "interference of the Church in politics" which goes against the separation of the Church and the State, disturbed the solemnity of the Eucharistic celebration by showing a placard with the name "Damaso"--remembering the character of Rizal's novel "Noli me Tangere"--which is pointed to the bishops and priests: among them, Cardinal Rosales, Metropolitan of Manila and Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, Apostilic Nuncio to the Philippines.

Two points clearly manifest in this conflict:

1. The barbaric approach of persons who blatantly oppose a controversial issue; and

2. The wrong portrayal that leads to misinterpretation.

Celdran, probably an Atheist or Agnostic, had no idea (or did not care if he had an idea?) that a place of worship is not an agora--in this case, the Cathedral is being kept from secular conflicts. As a civilized person, I would not let myself be THAT desperate just to be seen on TV and on the Internet. I should say that what Celdran manifested was barbaric behavior; one of my closest professors told me through chat that good manners is universal, even if you object religion and spiritual thought. This is what Celdran lacked.

For Filipinos, Rizal is a man of calmness and does not get arrogant easily. The perversion Celdran showed only certifies his ethical lunacy; not only because of the above-mentioned point, but also in what he wore. Rizal NEVER made an in-the-face protest against some of the friars, though he sarcastically spoke and made literature condemning their secularism; and Rizal died a Catholic--repenting and retracting EVERYTHING he said and wrote against the Church or its clergy. With what Celdran wanted to tell everyone present with his three-pieced dress, there is somehow a contradiction.

Well, if you ask me, what Celdran did was insane; not because I am Catholic, but because what he did was unethical: an abuse of the freedom to express. In short, he did not placed his protests at the right place and at the right time; if he had done it, he wouldn't have been jailed.