Cebu archdiocese to implement new accounting system

something to think about for the diocese of legazpi...

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http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/7510/185787#comment-185787

CEBU CITY, February 21, 2009—Archbishop Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal said a new accounting system for parishes will be implemented soon.

In his message to the local clergy during the monthly recollection February 17, the prelate called on his priests to respond positively and generously to this new system as it will ensure transparency and better accounting of the income and expenditures of the parishes.

But more than a matter of fiscal responsibility, he reminded his priests to embrace this reform as something that will promote a healthy lifestyle of the clergy.

“A strong structure of accountability will result in a healthy lifestyle among my priests,” Cardinal Vidal stressed.

For the past few years, Cebu has instituted reforms in the remittance system of parishes to the archdiocese through the Office of the Economic Affairs, and the implementation of a new accounting system is its latest feature added.

Last January a series of seminars was conducted by the economic affairs office to parish priests, parish secretaries and bookkeepers to introduce the new system, wherein a detailed recording of income and expenses, among other things, was given stress.

This new accounting system complements the earlier reform instituted by the archdiocese wherein each parish is to remit 20% of its gross income to the archdiocese as a form of a solidarity fund, in lieu of the fixed quota per parish that was the norm for a long time.

The increased remittance called Priests’ Solidarity Fund (PSF), which was started in 2006, was intended not just to shore up the resources of the archdiocese, but to upgrade the social services to its clergy like the hospitalization program and subsidies to poor parishes.

The PSF also shoulders a big chunk of the budget for the ongoing formation of priests, like monthly recollections, annual retreats and ongoing formation of the young clergy.

All these fiscal reforms instituted by the archdiocese are concretization of the long-sought implementation of the norms of the Fourth Diocesan Synod of Cebu in 1986, and the resolutions of the Cebu Congress of the Clergy on this concern last 2001. (Fr. Marnell S. Mejia)

February 29 Inter-Faith Rally for Truth and Accountability in Legazpi City

While thousands gather in Makati City for the Inter-Faith Rally on 29 February, similar, albeit relatively smaller rallies, were also held in many cities around the country, Legazpi City included. The nation wants to know the whole truth about the NBN-ZTE scam and the extent of corruption in government.


Scenes from the Via Crucis for Truth and Justice in Legazpi City on 29 February 2008. The activity was organized by the Krusada para sa Katotoohan asin Katanosan, and participated by different Church groups, Catholic schools and parish organizations in the city . A separate rally organized by militant groups was held in Daraga, Albay. The two rallies traversed Rizal Street from opposite directions and converged at Peñaranda Park at Old Albay District.

Diocese of Legazpi holds mass for truth

Melo M. Acuña
CBCP News Online


LEGAZPI CITY, February 28, 2008—The Diocese of Legazpi under its Apostolic Administrator Bishop Lucilo B. Quiambao held its Mass for Truth yesterday at St. Stephen Parish in Ligao City, hometown of ZTE-NBN star witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., which drew hundreds of students, lay leaders and various sectoral representatives.

CMN-DWBS Reporter Susan Balane in her report to Radio Veritas early Thursday morning said 41 priests concelebrated with Bishop Quiambao.

In his homily, Legazpi vicar general Msgr. Ramon Tronqued, said their activities in the diocese form part of the communal action called for by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

Msgr. Tronqued said Albayanos have been reeling from natural disasters which sent people to evacuation centers known as staging areas and “could no longer take man-made calamities” brought about by graft and corrupt practices by people in government.

ZTE-NBN star witness Jun Lozada spoke to the crowd at St. Stephen parish through his cellphone.

Another activity is scheduled tomorrow, in time for the big interfaith prayer rally in Makati. It will feature the Stations of the Cross from St. Raphael Parish at the Legazpi Port District until Peñaranda Park in front of the Albay Provincial Capitol and Legazpi City Hall.

Misa para sa Katotoohan asin Paninimbagan

More pictures from the Misa para sa Katotoohan asin Paninimbagan (Mass for Truth and Accountability) at the St. Stephen Martyr Parish patio, 27 February 2008, 4 pm, Ligao City, Albay.


Bishop Quiambao presided, together with 40+ priest concelebrants. Monsignor Tronqued delivered the homily.


Statements were read from the Aquinas University of Legazpi (Jun Lozada's high school alma mater) and Divine Word College of Legazpi, as well as the CBCP Statement "Seeking the Truth, Restoring Identity", and the Pastoral Letter of the diocese "Communal Action for Truth and Accountability". Jun Lozada also gave a phone-patch message.


The participants, with lighted candles, sang Heal our Land and Bayan Ko.

Pastoral Bulletin No. 2, s. 2008: COMMUNAL ACTION FOR TRUTH AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Msgr. Ramon C. Tronqued, Vicar General of Legazpi, reading the Pastoral Letter on Communal Action for Truth and Accountability at the Misa para sa Katotoohan asin Paninimbagan, 27 February 2008, Ligao City, Albay

DIOCESE OF LEGAZPI
CHANCERY
P.O. Box 38, Legazpi City 4500, Philippines

PASTORAL BULLETIN NO. 2, Series of 2008

To: People of God in Legazpi, All Men and Women of Good Will and Faith
Re: COMMUNAL ACTION FOR TRUTH AND ACCOUNTABILITY

“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good.” (Rom 12,9)

The recent allegation of new cases of corruption committed by high government officials and influential personalities, notably in the ZTE-NBN deal, has once again put our country at a moral and political crossroad.

One of the more crucial testimonies comes from whistleblower, Mr. Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada, a technical consultant in several government projects who hails from Ligao City in our diocese.

The great majority of our people clamors for a peaceful and meaningful resolution to this latest scandal. For that to happen, truth has to be revealed and justice, particularly accountability, has to hold sway.

Unfortunately, there is so much distrust in the present leadership of our country. Democratic institutions that are duty-bound to promote truth and accountability are seen by many to function mainly as instruments to maintain the hold of those in power.

In the face of this recent turn of events, what should we, as People of God, do?

The bishops of the Philippines, after our recent Plenary Assembly this January, released the Pastoral Statement: “Reform yourselves and believe in the Gospel (Mk 1,15)”. In it we expressed our conviction that the patent subordination of the common good to the good of the few – the dark stain of our social and political life – may yet be conquered by a burning desire for genuine conversion first as individuals, then as communities of faith.

We need first to recognize and beg forgiveness for our sinfulness and our complicity, in one way or another, to the tangled web of corruption that afflicts our nation. And then rise to commit ourselves to make our “love genuine; hate what is evil; and hold fast to what is good” (Rom 12,9).

We support Mr. Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada for his decision to find redemption by embracing the truth. We encourage others who are also privy to such acts of corruption to also come out and speak up in order to set things right for themselves and for our country.

We appeal especially to our public officials, from lowly government functionaries to the President and her Cabinet, to heed the call of genuine social transformation by truth-telling and accepting accountability, even if it may come to making the painful sacrifice of stepping down from power if the interest of the common good demands it.

We exhort our parishes, schools, religious organizations, basic ecclesial communities (BECs), various groups and, especially, families to form ourselves into circles of prayer, discernment and action. We echo the words we used in 1986 after the Snap Election: we need to “pray together, reason together, decide together, act together”.

By our communal prayer, discernment and action let us find effective ways to let the truth be revealed, let those in power be held accountable, let social responsibility be the mark of our citizenry and let immoderate greed and corruption be a thing of the past.

This may not be the shortcut to another attempt at regime change that some sectors would like to happen, but this painstaking process is precisely what we need. Trust God to let our steadfast commitment to communal prayer and action, done in “Spirit and truth” (Jn 4,24), bear the fruit of meaningful change that we all long for.

To help our discernment, we propose that we read, reflect on and discuss the CBCP Pastoral Statement “Reform yourselves and believe in the Gospel (Mk 1,15)” and the short monograph “Corruption and Communion: Struggling for Integrity in Philippine Church and Society” by Rev. Fr. Albert Alejo, S.J., convenor of the Ehem! Anti-Corruption Movement.

We are also distributing to our parishes and religious communities, a special Prayers of the Faithful, in English and Bikol, composed specifically to respond to our present situation. The theme of our traditional Siete Palabras reflections this Good Friday will be our “Reverence to Human Life and Nature”.

May this season of Lent and these turbulent times be a graced moment of genuine conversion and pave the way for a new Easter for each of us and for our country.

Sincerely in His service,

+LUCILO B. QUIAMBAO
Bishop Administrator of Legazpi

27 February 2008