miniZibaldone

The happiness that everyone desires, for that matter, can be expressed in any number of ways and attained only if we are capable of loving.  This is the way.  It is always a matter of love; there is no other path. From the homily Human nature, wounded by sin, is marked by limitations.  We are familiar with the objections raised, especially nowadays, to a life characterized by serious physical limitations.  It is thought that sick or disabled persons cannot be happy, since they cannot live the lifestyle held up by the culture of pleasure and entertainment.  In an age when care for one’s body has become an obsession and a big business, anything imperfect has to be hidden away, since it threatens the happiness and serenity of the privileged few and endangers the dominant model.  Such persons should best be kept apart, in some “enclosure” – even a gilded one – or in “islands” of pietism or social welfare, so that they do not hold back the pace of a false...

Inquirer  "Supermajority " The speed with which the national political landscape has shifted, since the election of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as president, has been dizzying. The use of  the earthquake analogy is appropriate; in the House of Representatives and, to a lesser extent, in the Senate, the change has been seismic.  Or, to change metaphors: The rapid ripening of the balimbing or star fruit in the political orchard has been one for the farmer’s almanac. The President-elect joined  the PDP-Laban only recently; on May 9, only three of its candidates for Congress won. But a month after the elections, PDP-Laban is set to become the new majority,  not only in the House but also in the Senate. The shifting of alliances in the House will not look out of place in any episode of “Game of Thrones.” From a tiny base of three, Representative-elect Pantaleon  Alvarez was able to grow his support to about three-fourths of the entire chamber—in part...

Philippine Star  "Endangered remittances" Several banks have denied shutting down their operations in Italy following the multimillion-dollar electronic heist that saw money stolen from the Bank of  Bangladesh account in the US Federal Reserve being laundered through Philippine casinos and the banking system.  The scandal has not only become a national embarrassment for the Philippines, where a large portion of about $81 million still has to be traced, but has also  endangered the remittances of millions of overseas Filipino workers. This concern has been raised by the Department of Foreign Affairs, even as it denied yesterday  the reports about several Philippine banks shutting down their operations in Italy due to the money laundering scandal.  Credit rating agencies and various analysts have expressed confidence that the Philippine banking system will weather this storm. There are also no indications so  far that the scandal might put the country ...

Philippine Star  "Violent contests" Police have noted that election violence is highest in local races. Violence, however, is not the only problem that authorities must monitor and prevent as the local  races kick off. Candidates for local government positions also tend to be the most brazen in flouting election rules, from the posting of campaign materials to  spending limits.  The Commission on Elections and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority have been active in taking down campaign materials illegally posted around the metropolis.  But just outside Metro Manila, in nearby towns of Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon, trees and lampposts are slowly being covered again with campaign posters and  streamers. If the candidates are incumbent officials, the campaign materials are unlikely to be taken down.   [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  "Heart and discipline" The days seem longer and hotter. Few children mind that there seems to be more hours...

Life Promises Life by Vincent Nagle gratis Simonetta The Portal of the Mystery of Hope by Charles Peguy   gratis Andrew Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life by Joseph Ratzinger