Before, many people are anxious about the El Shaddai DWXI-PPFI. When the bishops invited Bro. Mike to the CBCP meeting in Tagaytay City last 1993, they asked him all the questions which were also my questions then and he gave us a clear explanation. I had the impression that Bro. Mike is very sincere and above all, he is humble, which can be a great assurance of a true Christian leader. With the guidance of Bishop Ted Bacani, the Foundation is in the right perspective. I see to it that I attend their prayer-meetings so that I can personally see what is happening. Any authentic Catholic movement is a gift to the Church. With my experiences in the Diocese of Iba, I'm really very happy with the openness of its chapters because they are willing to move together with the leaders of the Church. Surely, they play a role in the growth of our diocese and in the building up of a real and better Christian community.

During the CBCP conference, we asked Bro. Mike questions like: “How come that you are not catechizing about the sacraments like confession and about the Blessed Virgin Mary?” Brother Mike simply answered: “I cannot say anything on matters which I don't know. I simply base my talks on the Bible.”  But we would appreciate it very much if he reads some books regarding confession and the Blessed Virgin so he can expound on this. Being a convincing speaker, this will have a great impact to his listeners and audience all over the Philippines. Now, we have a church-filled  prayer-

meeting every Friday as a result of his coming to Ligao, Albay for a Mass and Healing Rally. I have to congratulate Bro. Mike because, unschooled as he is in the matters of ecclesiastical and Biblical sciences, he has the ability to speak to people the Word of God at their own level, in a way that everybody can understand. I am happy that there exists a community like this for the Catholic Church.

Most Rev. Lucilo B. Quiambao, DD, STL, Ph.D, BSE
Auxiliary Bishop, Diocese of Legazpi, Albay

The El Shaddai DWXI-PPFI is a strong movement among the Catholic laity which has certainly left a strong mark on our country. We should not do anything to suppress it, instead, we should encourage all those who are involved with it to make their faith as deep and as practical as they can do it. We have to promote the values of God in the society, and that is what Bro. Mike Velarde and the Foundation are trying to do in their own quiet way, without the conscious realization that they are an army on the march.

Rev. Fr. James B. Reuter, S.J.
Director, National Office of Mass Media for Bishops

Previous   Next
Pages 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12