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Maria Clara in the modern Philippines? This comic book makes that time travel happen

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Maria Clara in the modern Philippines? This comic book makes that time travel happen
Maria Clara in the modern Philippines? This comic book makes that time travel happen 1

Noli Me Tangere‘s Maria Clara is the idealized image of a Filipina. Full of finesse, grace, and dignified beauty, she is top-of-mind when it comes to how a young lady should act, carry herself in public, and interact with men. 

But her feminine demeanor has been used for so long, often to disgrace fellow Filipinas with that “magdamit Maria Clara upang hindi mabastos” line. This has led many to reconsider: Does Maria Clara still embody what it’s like to be a modern Filipina?

One thing is for sure, Maria Clara is an icon and a role model, as resilient she was in the pages of Jose Rizal’s classic work. But if you’re wondering how our favorite gal, complete with her Filipiniana and fan, will do in our time, then this comic book is for you.

Writer and illustrator Marian Hukom developed a story that continues Maria Clara’s life out of the books and into the busy and modern Philippines with Nagmamahal, Maria Clara comic series. In a conversation with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, the 23-year-old comic book artist shares how she sees Maria Clara then, and how we—men and women1-should learn from her and be better. 

How did you first get the idea for Nagmamahal, Maria Clara? What inspired you to do it? 

Nagmamahal, Maria Clara was actually my college thesis! My thesis partner, Riza Malolos, and I did research on the Maria Clara archetype, which is the model Filipinas follow. To be meek, obedient, and dress appropriately. Although we’re both from ‘conservative’ communities, we were the opposite of that (haha!) We hated how the model was pushed onto us and we wanted to abolish it through our thesis. So yeah, basically our inspiration was our shared grievances. But research made us realize Maria Clara is a product of her time. Rizal literally meant for her to represent the Philippines under Spanish colonization, which is yes, desirable, but weak. Generations overlooked her tragic fate and passed her on as tradition with lack of thought. So this created a chasm between conservatives and liberals. To the point they bash each other’s lifestyle.

Marian Hukom and Riza Malolos

Maria Clara did have shining qualities such as her dedication to her values. So instead of abolishing the model, we decided to make a new one. A model that could represent both the liberal and conservative Filipina, but focusing on dedication and heart. Women should follow any belief they want. As long as they do it from the heart without stepping on anybody. We’ve evolved from the old Maria Clara archetype and should leave it in the past, as a stepping stone to learn from. 

How long did you work on it?

For the thesis, we worked on it for about a year or so. Our outputs were mainly two short films and the comic was just an add-on with the same concept. But I decided to sell it in the comic circuit too and it surprisingly got good reception! So I continued it as a series and until now, I’m still working on it. It’s on its fourth issue with the fifth one on the way. I got to go to women-oriented fairs, connect with feminist organizations, and learn a lot through the comic. So I’m glad I continued it after college!

Nagmamahal, Maria Clara booth at Gandang Ganda Sa Sariling Gawa (GGSSG) by Gantala Press (Filipina Feminist Publisher)

What inspired you to pursue an artistic route in comics?

I originally did writing first and drawing was just a hobby. I liked writing stories and even aimed to be a journalist! But I got a scholarship at Benilde and MMA was the most appealing course available to me. So I took it and got to hone my illustration skills more. Then I combined it with my writing which resulted in my comics! Being able to do my two favorite things at the same time, writing and drawing, was so much fun so I kept doing it. I made my art pages, started posting, printed actual books, and now I’m here!

Your Instagram page is so fun with your modern illustrations playing with Philippine culture. Is that always part of your aesthetic?

I had to do a lot of research on Nagmamahal, Maria Clara which included looking at vintage Filipiniana attire, re-reading Noli Me Tangere, and searching for reference photos of old Filipino barrios. I even did field days where I traveled to Intramuros, the National Museums, and more. I eventually fell in love with history, especially the baro’t saya! I get so immersed in making the details to the point it’s excessive (haha!). So yeah, those weren’t really part of my aesthetic at first. But I do like incorporating my experiences in every piece I do, which is usually the typical Filipino culture so I get how that reflected in my art.

What do you wish to impart with your readers through the story of Nagmamahal, Maria Clara?

Like my thesis concept, I just want women everywhere, even Maria Clara, to be free to [live] their beliefs, lifestyle, and choices. Instead of tearing each other down for our differences, we should celebrate it. As long as it doesn’t hurt anybody and we’re true to our heart. 

Marian speaking at Elbikon + Kwago

Do you have other stories our readers can check out?

Aside from Nagmamahal, Maria Clara, my first comic Palaso is also out for reading. You can actually read both at Penlab, a comics platform featuring local komiks and creators. There’s so much good work there so I recommend checking it out!

See more of Marian’s works @marianieart on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter


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Persons living with disabilities ‘have very special abilities’, UN deputy chief tells young Ghanaians  

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Persons living with disabilities ‘have very special abilities’, UN deputy chief tells young Ghanaians  

Chatting with them at the James Town Café, she was inspired by their thoughts and experiences, and delighted to see how they inspire hope in each other, despite the challenges they face: “When you are alone, look left and look right, and see that the community is there for you”, she said.  

She encouraged them to strive to reach their fullest potential, noting that “persons living with disabilities have very special abilities”. 

Recovering from COVID 

The deputy UN chief also met with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to discuss pandemic recovery, sustaining peace and investing in African youth.   

She commended Ghana for its consistent role in ensuring the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), despite COVID-19 disruptions, and presented a document outlining the UN’s formal commitment to stand with the Government and other partners in support of the West African nation’s pandemic recovery efforts. 

The document also pledges support to the country’s endeavors towards reaching the 17 SDGs by 2030, and in achieving its goal of becoming more resilient and self-reliant. 

As the pandemic has taken a toll on Ghana’s health, economy, education, and agricultural sector, the UN Framework for immediate socio-economic response calls for protecting jobs, businesses and livelihoods and sets in motion a safe path for a more sustainable, gender-equal and carbon-neutral future. 

Free and fair election  

On 7 December, Ghanaians will go to the polls in their eighth general election since 1993 – an achievement that has earned the country kudos for its democratic strength and institutions.  

Ms. Mohammed underscored the importance of free, fair and credible elections administered by strong, confident and reliable electoral institutions.    

During her visit, she met with the leadership of the Electoral Commission (EC) to discuss how the UN can continue supporting the electoral process for the sustenance of peace in the country and, by extension, in West Africa and the continent overall.  

She applauded the EC leadership for enabling an environment conducive to a free and fair election and also shared the concept of youth-manned situation rooms that would task young Ghanaians with disseminating accurate and reliable information over the election period, while also defusing concerns surrounding social media. 

During a meeting with the National Peace Council, she said that “the enthusiasm and expectations of stakeholders and the people of Ghana are very high and [their] voice in keeping the people calm is critical to ensuring peaceful elections”. 

At a press briefing at the end of her visit, the deputy UN chief acknowledged the country’s relative stability, which she said provided a good platform for attracting more investment to aid development and sustainable growth.

Protestant, Catholic churches in Germany launch campaign against antisemitism

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Protestant, Catholic churches in Germany launch campaign against antisemitism
(Photo: REUTERS / Fabrizio Bensch)German Cardinal Reinhard Marx of the Roman Catholic Church, Nikolaus Schneider, President of the council of the Evangelical Church in Germany, World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder , German President Joachim Gauck, Dieter Graumann, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Daniela Schadt partner of President Gauck and Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit (L-2nd R) pose on stage after an anti-Semitism demo at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate September 14, 2014. At right is TV presenter Cherno Jobatey.

Germany’s main Protestant and Catholic churches have announced plans for a campaign to be launched to encourage Christians to take a clear stand against increasing antisemitism, recognizing it also has Christian roots.


The motto of the campaign is “Jewish and Christian – closer than you think” and it will launch in January and it comes at a time of rising anti-semitism in Germany and other European nations.

“It must be made clear that antisemitism is a sin and contradicts everything Christianity stands for,” said Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, the chair of the council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), according to the World Council of Churches.

He spoke in a video message at a press conference in Berlin on Nov. 11 November presenting the campaign.

“It is so important, especially now, for us to take a stand against antisemitism which is on the rise again,” said Bedford-Strohm

One year after an attack on a synagogue in the eastern city of Halle, the head of Germany’s domestic security service, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Hd warned that Germany is experiencing a “steep rise” in anti-Semitism, DW reported.

“In the past two years, criminal offenses, including acts of violence, against Jews and Jewish institutions in Germany have increased significantly,” BfV chief Thomas Haldenwang said in an interview Friday with the Tagesspiegel newspaper.

On October 9, 2019, an armed 27-year-old man attempted to shoot his way into a packed synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism. A well-secured door prevented him from carrying out an attack inside. The man then killed two bystanders before fleeing and later being taken into custody.

Last week, a man dressed in military fatigues attacked a Jewish man outside a synagogue in the coastal city of Hamburg.

Haldenwang said that attacks at synagogues were especially disturbing because of Germany’s dark past with National Socialism or Nazism.

“Germany has a special responsibility for Jewish life,” he said, adding that Jews in Germany have reason to be worried about facing violence and hostility while in public.

JEWISH POPULATION BOOM

While the Jewish population in nearly all countries of the Diaspora declines, the Jewish population in Germany boasts an unprecedented boom, the site My Jewish Learning says.

In the past 15 years [since about 1988], the number of Jews in Germany roughly tripled, to reach an estimated 150,000. This would make Germany the home of the fourth-largest Jewish community in Europe.

“It is so important, especially now, for us to take a stand against antisemitism which is on the rise again,” said Bishop Bedford-Strohm.

The motto of the Protestant Catholic campaign is “Jewish and Christian – closer than you think.”

The central element of the campaign will be posters for each month, based on festivals and traditions, that will point to similarities and differences between the two religions, and which can be displayed in churches and church institutions, the EKD stated in a press release about the initiative.

“I think it’s a good idea for such a poster series that presents what’s Christian and what’s Jewish alongside each other,” said Rabbi Andreas Nachama, chair of the General Rabbinical Conference of Germany, who has been involved in developing the campaign.

‘Come Follow Up’ on BYUtv moderated by BYU religion professors

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‘Come Follow Up’ on BYUtv moderated by BYU religion professors
BYU religion professors Barbara Morgan Gardner and Daniel Becerra are moderators of the new BYUtv show Come Follow Up. (BYUtv)

Two BYU religion professors were chosen to be moderators on Come Follow Up, a new BYUtv show which acts as a supplement to gospel study program Come, Follow Me.

The moderators are Barbara Morgan Gardner and Daniel Becerra. Each episode focuses on a specific week of Come, Follow Me study with a new guest and a live audience. Those watching from home can also participate live through social media.

Both moderators are currently teaching at BYU. Gardner is a Church history religion professor and author, and Becerra teaches in the ancient scripture department.

The schedule has been hectic for both teachers. They said they are filming for the show on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while still teaching classes during Fall Semester, but the religion department has offered support.

“It’s definitely very time-consuming. It’s working our brains. It’s putting us in situations we’ve never been in, but it’s enhancing our experience here at BYU, and hopefully, we’re enhancing other people’s experiences as they’re studying the scriptures,” Gardner said.

Over the summer, BYUtv contacted the professors and asked about their interest in moderating the show. Interest came quickly for Gardner. She said she thought it sounded like a good way to reach a larger audience to fulfill the mission statement of BYU and “speak about the parts of the scriptures that are important to people but sometimes aren’t necessarily discussed as much.”

Becerra wasn’t initially interested in the opportunity. He turned down the offer a few times because he isn’t an actor and thought he probably wasn’t what they were looking for. His perspective then changed.

“What sold me on the idea is they wanted to create this show that offered a platform for diversity of voices to talk about the gospel,” Becerra said.

Come Follow Up invites a guest on each show. (BYUtv)

BYU media arts student Jen Baker is an assistant producer on the show. She has been behind the scenes of the production and has noticed her testimony grow. “It’s not about two moderators teaching the gospel, it’s about us all learning the gospel together, which really goes back to the purpose of Come, Follow Me,” Baker said.

Come Follow Up thrives off of having a live audience and hearing their comments. “I love working with the audience,” Gardner said, noting that it’s like teaching an in-person class again.

The show is following COVID-19 protocols by issuing each member of the audience a rapid test for COVID-19 upon entrance. Each grouping of individuals is compiled by household and placed six feet away from other families. Masks are also required when the cameras aren’t filming.

Audience members are pertinent to discussion on Come Follow Up. (BYUtv)

“All of our discussion is unscripted,” Becerra said. He said the show creates an authentic space where questions and concerns can be resolved.

“This show is helping model what we really hope gospel discussion can always be. We want to model an open space where people can ask questions and give comments and be able to learn more about the things that matter to them in a way that feels safe and open,” said Christina Torriente, a producer of Come Follow Up.

New episodes air every Sunday on BYUtv. Next year, Come, Follow Me and Come Follow Up will focus on the Doctrine and Covenants.

How can recycling help the European Union achieve its green targets?

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How can recycling help the European Union achieve its green targets?

In the European Union, 93% of citizens see climate change as a serious problem.

This is why this year the EU Green deal and the way it can help the region’s economy recover from the COVID19 crisis were among the main topics at the European Business summit in Brussels.

The big question: how could recycling and the circular economy help the EU achieve its green targets?

As of last year six in ten European consumers said they would be willing to pay more for products that have a more sustainable packaging.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world in March, even more are ready to put their money where their mouth is.

Vasileois Rizos, Research Fellow and Head of Sustainable Resources and Circular Economy, CEP believes that during the pandemic and lockdowns across Europe, consumers have been increasingly interested in green products.

He says spending more time at home made people “rethink the priorities and sometimes better collect or sort out waste.”

Francoise Bonnet, Secretary General at the Association of Cities and Regions for Sustainable Resource management, said consumers needed more information.

And that is what the new Consumer Agenda should help with.

For Joanna Drake, the deputy director-general of the EU Directorate-General for Environment, empowering consumers is a key point on the road to success.

“It is a cornerstone of the success to whether we can make these personal daily changes in our behaviour, ”she said.

“Because it is not only the behaviour of companies, but they do it with the hope also that the consumer will want to change.

“And I just want to say, you know there is a lot of talk about the pandemic, that maybe one doesn’t go with another. During the COVID crisis, and it is still on, the demand for sustainable products has actually grown.”

The agenda lays out a vision for consumer policy until 2025 and tackles five areas: including environmental aspects to help consumers play a more active role.

Gasoline is too cheap

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Gasoline is too cheap
Gasoline is too cheap.

Wait! Don’t leave the page! This is not another tree-hugger train-guy rant. Hear me out.

President-elect Biden has made the argument for weaning us off fossil-fuels, mostly for environmental reasons. Anybody who remotely believes in science or has witnessed the cataclysmic changes in our weather knows we must do something to stop global warming.

Jim Cameron

But I still drive a car (albeit a hybrid) and am not ready to give it up for a bicycle or skateboard like some crazed Gen-Z’er. We need cars to get around in Connecticut despite our meager attempts at mass transit… especially in the time of COVID.

My argument is that price of the fuel we use (gasoline) doesn’t cover the real cost to our environment (or each other) when we drive. Gasoline is too cheap.

Why does a gallon of gasoline, which moves us 20 – 50 miles (depending on your car’s efficiency), cost less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks? Enjoying your java doesn’t destroy the ozone layer.

Why does a gallon of gas in the U.S. cost roughly half of what it does in Canada? Or a third of the price in Europe?

The answer is taxes. Other nations put huge taxes on fuel and reinvest the proceeds into mass transit, subsidizing the fares.

OK, so you don’t want to take the train or a bus. That’s fine. Drive your car and enjoy the crowded highways… and our polluted air. Those are the cost of cheap fuel, too. Did you know that Connecticut’s air quality is, by many criteria, dirtier than Los Angeles’? Sure, a lot of that airborne crud is floating our way from New York City, but we’re not helping ourselves by adding to it. Nor are we aiding our residents who have conditions like asthma.

Caring parents obsess about protecting the health of their kids by buying organic food, but drive to the supermarket to acquire it in SUVs. There seems no incentive for buying a car, truck or SUV that uses less fuel with gas prices so low.

When I visit Europe again (soon, I hope) I won’t see SUVs, but smaller, cleaner, much more fuel efficient cars. With the higher price of gasoline reflecting the actual cost of driving, European motorists don’t waste fuel the way we do. The oil companies get it. That’s why BP (British Petroleum) is investing in solar and wind, expecting to produce 40% less fossil fuels in the next decade.

Wall Street also understands it, witness the more than quadrupling in the share price of Tesla (maker of electric cars) in the last year.

So why don’t we get it? Why is gasoline so cheap? Depending on whom you talk to, we have about 47 years worth of oil left before we run out. That assumes current consumption levels. If we use less, it will last longer. That’s why the price of gasoline should go up so we are incentivized to drive less in smaller cars and make our oil last longer while we transition to renewables, right?

Of course, what do we care? We won’t be around when the oil runs out. That, along with the rising sea level and coastal flooding, will be the next generation’s problem. I’m sure they’ll figure it out. Good luck, kids.

Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media. Jim Cameron is founder of The Commuter Action Group, and a member of the Darien Representative Town Meeting.


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New partnership to boost maternal and newborn health in East and Southern Africa

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New partnership to boost maternal and newborn health in East and Southern Africa

The five-year programme, announced on Tuesday, aims to improve maternal and newborn health in some of the communities with the highest mortality rates in Eastern and Southern Africa. 

It will start in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Kenya, and later expand to other countries in the region. 

“Investing in the health of women and children is a smart investment”, said Mohamed M. Malick Fall, the Regional Director for UNICEF. 

“Indeed, investing in the health of the poorest children and communities saves nearly twice as many lives as equivalent investments.” 

‘Alarming’ mortality rates 

Although the world has witnessed very promising progress in maternal and neonatal health over the past decades, maternal and newborn mortality rates in the Eastern and Southern Africa region remain alarming, according to UNICEF. 

In 2017, roughly 70,000 women there died due to complications during pregnancy and birth, while in 2019, more than 440,000 newborns died in the first 28 days after birth.  

“Our new partnership with Laerdal Global Health will bring investment, research and innovation to help improve the delivery of quality health services”, said Mr. Fall.  

“Additionally, the partnership will seek new solutions to avert preventative maternal and newborn deaths.” 

Scaling-up to save lives 

Together with governments, UNICEF and Laerdal Global Health will provide training for 10,000 health workers, focusing on safe pregnancy and births, by 2025.  

The partners will implement the ‘Helping Mothers Survive and Helping Babies Survive’ training programmes, which are designed to reduce maternal and newborn mortality in low-resource settings. 

The trainings are based on simulation methodology and will equip health professionals with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to succeed, said UNICEF.  They also have a “refresher component”, thus ensuring long-term and sustainable capacity building. 

UNICEF will contribute lifesaving equipment for newborns and training of health workers, while Laerdal Global Health will provide educational materials and simulators through the company’s ‘Buy One, Gift One’ scheme for customers in high-income countries. 

In 2012, Laerdal Medical established a ‘Buy One, Gift One’ initiative, “where birth simulators sold in high-income countries support training programmes in low-resource settings”, said Tore Laerdal, Chairman for Laerdal. 

“We look forward to our cooperation with UNICEF where we will use a combination of on-site and remote learning solutions to contribute to scaling-up more efficient training modules that can save lives.”

New funding from the European Union helps WFP tackle severe hunger in Haiti

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New funding from the European Union helps WFP tackle severe hunger in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Haiti welcomes a contribution of €2 million from the European Union (EU) that will provide emergency cash assistance to 27,000 severely food insecure people over four months and support the coordination of humanitarian actors on food security and cash-based interventions.

This new funding will enable WFP to expand cash assistance in the Nord-Ouest department, where food insecurity has reached one of the highest levels in the country. Currently, at least 4 million Haitians face hunger, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) study – and almost one in four among them is in dire need of food assistance.

“The European Union’s commitment to food security in Haiti is firm and we are grateful for this strong partnership,” said Pierre Honnorat, WFP Country Director in Haiti. “Partnerships like the one between WFP and the EU are critical to save lives in acute crises such as this pandemic,” he added.

WFP and the EU partnered earlier this year to bring emergency cash assistance to 90,000 people in the Nord-Ouest, Nord, Artibonite and Ouest departments. Thanks to this support, families were able to buy their preferred food on local markets, supporting merchants and farmers in their community.

Haiti’s protracted economic crisis has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing many families deeper into poverty and hunger. High food prices, an economic slowdown and a decrease in remittances from abroad have made it difficult for many Haitians to put food on the table.

This year WFP has reached 365,000 Haitians with emergency food rations and cash assistance.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media @wfp_haiti

Cardinal Tagle: “Fratelli tutti” inspires Christians to universal love and openness to others – Vatican News

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Cardinal Tagle: “Fratelli tutti” inspires Christians to universal love and openness to others - Vatican News

By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

On Tuesday, Christians were presented an opportunity to delve deeper into the spirit of Pope Francis’ latest Encyclical letter Fratelli tutti, through a webinar hosted by the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO).

The online formation session, guided by the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, was streamed live via the Facebook account of the women’s organization. Participation was open not only WUCWO member organizations around the world, but also to the general public.

At its peak, the participants numbered around 55, with people from different continents actively following the session.

Inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi

One distinctive trait of Fratelli Tutti, Cardinal Tagle explained, is that it forms a triad with two other encyclicals – all three unified by the memory of Saint Francis of Assisi. The first, Evangelii Gaudium, is inspired by the request Saint Francis received from God to rebuild the Church. Pope Francis, echoed this by creating the idea of a vision in which the Church in the 21st century is “re-built” through the joy of the Gospel. The second, Laudato sí, outlines our shared r,esponsibility for our common home. The third, Fratelli tutti, invites us to social friendship and to be brothers and sisters to one another.

A methodology that is a spiritual vision

Cardinal Tagle highlighted that the Pope adopts a methodology in Fratelli tutti that involves: first, reading and analysing the situation, the signs and trends of the present world; next, the interpretation of the present times in the light of faith, with discernment and judgment; and third, responding – going beyond seeing and analysing to construct a world that is a better place to live in. The last step leads to ecclesiology – a vision of the Church at the service of our brothers and sister.

“Some would say that this is not just a method but a spiritual vision” Cardinal Tagle added.

Looking at the world today

Cardinal Tagle highlighted that the Encyclical calls us to take notice of the current signs in the world today, especially a lack of brotherhood and sisterhood. It also calls us to be honest in declaring that these signs are “often hidden” and “clothed beautifully in order to hide the destruction that is happening in the human family.”

“We should be attentive to how the poor, the forgotten, the neglected are all the more suffering in this throwaway culture,” which happens within a mentality and context of “being closed” to others.

These signs are visible, he said, “from the perspective of the poor” including the migrants, women, the girl child, victims of human trafficking, among others.

Universal love

The Cardinal noted that a fundamental part of the Pope’s vision of a world open to brotherhood and sisterhood is universal love,and said that only through it can we make social friendship possible.

“Universal love is openness to the other as opposed to being closed in on oneself – on my group, on my family, on my culture on my community… Love is a form of seeking union with others. Love sees the value of the others; love celebrates the worth of the others… Love sees what is best for others.”

It is different from mere romanticism or idealism, Cardinal Tagle affirmed: “This is how God loves! This is how God has manifested Himself! This is how Jesus loves and even died for all! This is how the Spirit blows! God who is love is total, full openness.

This, he added, is also illustrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan which the Pope refers to in Fratelli tutti. The openness of the Samaritan led him to come close to the stranger left on the roadside and treat him like a brother. The Samaritan also invited others – the innkeeper – to become an instrument of universal love by taking care of the injured stranger.

The importance of responding

Cardinal Tagle warned that universal love without genuine response risks remaining a mere concept or a slogan.

Response, he continued, keeps the tension between the specific concrete person and the common dignity of all human beings. Because “you cannot enter the dignity of all human beings without entering into concrete, specific human beings.”

He noted that the Pope speaks of social friendship – applying it to local cultures which should be developed and appreciated but must be open to universal solidarity which does not eliminate the uniqueness of every culture.

Cardinal Tagle went on to note that social friendship can be made concrete in dealing with private property for example, pointing out that property should never be absolutized at the expense of the common good. He also noted that social friendship can inspire national politics and political charity in international relations, guiding countries against the trap of populism and the misuse of the people to promote narrow ideologies and agendas that create division.

In addition, the Holy Father also speaks of forgiveness, referring to the experience of mothers who always forgive erring children. Cardinal Tagle pointed out that forgiveness – though a grace – should not deny justice or forget the horrors inflicted on others, but rather refuse to remain closed in hatred and vindictiveness even towards the greatest criminal.

The call to all, Cardinal Tagle said, is to find our place as Christians in fraternity and sorority through our friendly relationships with peoples of other religions or other faiths. This is done through dialogue and a “culture of encounter” in openness and loving.

Concrete suggestions

Cardinal Tagle proposed some steps to inspire concrete responses to the appeals in Fratelli tutti.

He highlighted the importance of the formation of the character of the human, Christian heart at both the individual and collective level. He noted that the Encyclical inspires us to confront the biases that hinder us from being open.

Secondly, the Cardinal said that since cultures are inspired by human beings, we, as human beings, should invest in the transformation of policies, institutions and cultures that have been accepted as normal.

Thirdly, addressing the WUCWO directly, he suggested collecting the stories of women – of women who have suffered but refused to close their hearts and doors – stories of universal sisterhood that affirm the validity of the Encyclical with narratives that go beyond theories.

Concluding, the Cardinal invited all to look to Jesus and his ministry and earthly life, inspiring ourselves from how he related with “outsiders” whom he “treated like brothers and sisters” – Zaccheus, Matthew, the Syrophoenician woman, the woman from Samaria at the well and the promise of paradise to the thief hanging by Jesus’ side on the cross.

European parliament ‘should stop Strasbourg sittings to hit carbon-neutral goal’

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European parliament 'should stop Strasbourg sittings to hit carbon-neutral goal'

The EU must consider establishing Brussels as the sole base of the European parliament, breaking its historic links to Strasbourg, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, an internal report has advised.

The decision would involve a treaty change and a major row with the French government but the study’s authors say it is clear the EU needs to “rationalise” despite the symbolic importance of the Alsatian city as a symbol of Franco-German reconciliation.

The parliament sits in Strasbourg for three and a half days 12 times a year, involving a monthly grand déménagement of 2,400 MEPs, assistants, drivers and parliament staff, along with journalists and lobbyists. MEPs and their staff otherwise work in Brussels and their constituencies.

The report, commissioned by the parliament’s environment committee, argues that the Covid-19 pandemic has provided an “image on how working and operational conditions of the European parliament could look like in 2030”.

To the frustration of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the parliament has not sat in Strasbourg since February because of the health crisis. He has recently claimed that if the parliament does not return to Strasbourg, the EU will be “screwed”.

According to the authors of the report, a decision on the future of Strasbourg, which only has a small number of permanent staff working even during normal times, should be taken within six to nine years.

“Instead of its current three sites [Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg], in a carbon neutrality pathway, it is evident that the European parliament needs to consider operation in one site,” the authors from the EU’s directorate general for internal policies write.

“Although the emission difference for the MEPs’ travel from their home to Brussels or Strasbourg is not big, additional emissions are associated for example with the travelling of staff, stakeholders, journalists, lobbyists, etc.”

The reassessment is said to be one of a number of measures necessary to achieve domestic carbon emission neutrality by 2030, a target passed in a resolution of the chamber, the report says.

The parliament claims to be emission-neutral on the basis that it offsets its carbon footprint through financial payments to energy conservation projects in Ghana, Uganda and Malawi.

The report notes that the European parliament has made repeated recommendations in favour of ending the Strasbourg sittings.

Previous economic studies have found that terminating the link with the French city could generate annual savings of €114m plus a one-off saving of €616m if the buildings were sold off.

The seats of the parliament are determined under article 341 of the 1992 treaty on the functioning of the European Union. The formal seat of the European parliament is in Strasbourg, and Brussels and Luxembourg are “working places”. Luxembourg hosts the parliament’s secretariat.

Any modification would require a treaty change, with the consent of all the member states.

In September, Macron told students in Lithuania that he was “fighting tooth and nail for the idea that the European parliament should meet in Strasbourg”.

“If we accept that the European parliament only meets in Brussels, we are screwed – because in 10 years everything will be in Brussels and people will only speak among themselves in Brussels,” he told students at the University of Vilnius. “But Europe does not represent this idea, the idea is for everyone to respect each other, for one to go toward the other”.

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