THE PHILIPPINE REPORTER: A Publication of Toronto

The Philippine Reporter -- a bi-weekly from Toronto

It's an English-language bi-weekly newspaper covering Canada, the Philippines, and the world with news, opinions, features, and articles on politics, economy, finance, Filipino-Canadians and Filipino-American community news and festivals, immigration, environment, health and fitness, food, religion, education, travel, sports, and more. 

Email contact: philreporter@gmail.com

It's also available online at: The Philippine Reporter

The Quotation of the Week (July 29 - August 4, 2018)

A quotation of William A. Milner on 'refusing holy communion to any person,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (A play of clouds over Scarborough, Toronto: Dec., 2017) © Jerome D'Costa

[To read the quotation in an enlarged version, please click on the above photo]

The Quotation of the Week (July 22 - 28, 2018)

A quotation of F. Ray Mouton on 'clergy sex abuses,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (Squirrel nests on bald treetops in winter in Toronto: April 2, 2018) © Jerome D'Costa

The Quotation of the Week (July 15 - 21, 2018)

A quotation of Martha Graham on 'adversity,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (A house on fire in Huntingwood area of Toronto at 11:21 p.m.: July 3, 2018) © Joachim Romeo D'Costa

Intellectual and Emotional Closeness of Pope John Paul II and Mrs. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka

Mrs. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka and Pope John Paul II as a cardinal in a skiing trip in Poland

Photo courtesy: bbc.com/

Mrs. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka and Pope John Paul II in the Vatican

Photo courtesy: www.bbc.com/

According to the BBC Panorama programme, titled The Secret Letters of Pope John Paul, aired in mid-February of 2016, revealed that letters between Pope John Paul II and Poland-born American philosopher Mrs. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka demonstrate an intellectual and emotional closeness between them. These letters were being held in the archives of the National Library of Poland since 2008 and were inaccessible to people for decades. Ultimately, after much efforts, a BBC journalist was able to see only the letters of Pope John Paul II, while the letters of Mrs. Tymieniecka are still kept in the dark. 

This contact, some call it 'intense friendship,' others 'unrequited love,' started in 1973 when Pope John Paul II, known as Karol Wojtyla, was the archbishop of Krakow in Poland and lasted until his death in 2005. 

The BBC mentioned that their correspondence that started in a formal tone graduated to more intimate tone as the years passed by. 

Marsha Malinowski, a rare manuscript dealer who facilitated the sale of the letters, said: " I do believe she completely fell in love with him during the first phase of their relationship."

But a spokesman of National Library of Poland's archives told BBC:"John Paul II was surrounded by a circle of friends -- including clergymen, nuns, and laypeople -- with whom he stayed in close contact. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka was within this circle of friends -- John Paul II's friendship with her was neither secret nor extraordinary."

The archives let the BBC journalist look at the letters of Pope John Paul II only, but for some unknown reasons, not those of Mrs. Tymieniecka, although she herself in interviews previously denied her love for the Pope. Then, what is there in the letters of Mrs. Tymieniecka that hinders them to make them public? If the letters are innocent, they should be made public. The Catholic Church asks the laity to be transparent in their words and deeds and why doesn't it apply to the members of the hierarchy? We hope that the National Library of Poland archives will do the right thing to release Mrs. Tymieniecka's letters for public view and help people better understand St. Pope John Paul II (Pope Francis declared him a saint on April 27, 2014) and Mrs. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka. According to the Bible, the truth shall make us all free. Otherwise, some people will always have a doubt about the pope's saintliness. 

To learn more on the topic, please read the following:

• The secret letters of Pope John Paul II (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Pope John Paul letters reveal ‘intense’ friendship with woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• BBC doc claims John Paul II had ‘intense friendship’ with married woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• What really happened between Pope John Paul II and his close friend, Anna-Teresa Tynieniecka? (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Did the Pope have a lover? Letters reveal ‘extraordinary’ relationship between John Paul II and a married woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• John Paul II letters reveal 32-year relationship with woman (Correspondence sheds light on relationship with Anna-Teresa Tynieniecka, a Polish philosopher beginning in 1973) (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Letters from John Paul II Show Deep Friendship With Woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Pope John Paul II had intense friendship with married woman Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka, BBC reports (Feb. 15, 2016)
• St. John Paul II’s letters to Polish-American woman reveal intimate friendship (Feb. 15, 2016)
• BBC: Pope John Paul II’s ‘intense’ letters to married woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• The Pope and the married woman who was the secret love of his life. Treasure trove of letters and photographs shed light on John Paul II’s extraordinarily close relationship with philosopher (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Pope John Paul letters reveal ‘intense’ friendship between Pope and married woman (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Letters reveal Pope John Paul II’s intensely emotional relationship with a married woman (Feb. 17, 2016)
• Letters from Pope John Paul II reveal friendship with married woman [Video with Transcript] (Feb. 21, 2016)
• Papal letters raise issues around clerical friendships with women (March 12, 2016)
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• In Defense of Pope John Paul II:

• Vatican dismisses BBC documentary on Pope John Paul II relationship (Feb. 13, 2016)
• Vatican dismisses BBC doco on St. John Paul II relationship (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Those letters between John Paul II and a woman? Not so secret, actually (Feb. 15, 2016)
• Pope John Paul II's letters to female philosopher show 'courageous' friendship (Feb. 16, 2016)
• The Secret Letters of Pope John Paul II: a silly programme that revealed no secrets (Feb. 16, 2016)
• Breda O’Brien: Pope John Paul II had many friends, including women, which proves nothing (Feb. 20, 2016)
• Vatican Dismisses BBC Documentary Implying Pope John Paul II Broke Celibacy Vow (Feb. 24, 2016)
• In Defense of Human Life John Paul II and Feminine Genius (May 1, 2011)
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• Life-Sketches of Pope John Paul II and Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka:
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• Pope John Paul II
• Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka

(Updated on July 12, 2018)

The Quotation of the Week (July 8 - 14, 2018)

A quotation of Banksy on 'graffitti,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (A graffitti on a park wall in Toronto: July, 2018) © Joachim Romeo D'Costa

Philippine President Duterte Calls God 'Stupid' For Allowing Adam and Eve To Commit Original Sin

President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines
Photo courtesy: www.washingtontimes.com

President Duterte (front) praying at a wedding Mass in a Manila church on Sept. 16, 2017
Photo courtesy: www.philstar.com

Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, a Roman Catholic, in a recent televised speech in Davao, condemned the Original Sin story of Adam and Eve and termed God 'stupid' for doing that. 

 "Who is this stupid God? You [God] created something perfect and then you think of an event that would tempt and destroy the quality of your work," he said.

Criticizing the concept of the Original Sin, that automatically taints all human beings because of their descent from Adam and Eve, he told his audience:"You weren't born yet, but now you have original sin." He then added: "What kind of religion is that? I can't accept it."

His comments on God generated widespread adverse reactions, but President Duterte said what he spoke about God was his personal belief and that "not in a million years" would he apologize for blaspheming God this way.

This President, in the past, criticized Pope Francis in a crude language. He also cussed against and cursed Catholic priests in the Philippines. He claimed that he and another boy were abused by a foreign Jesuit priest when they were studying in a Catholic school.

For more on this issue, please read the following: 

• Philippine president blasts creation story, calls God 'stupid' (June 25, 2018)
• Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Blames 'Stupid' God for Adam and Eve's Original Sin (June 25, 2018)
• Philippine President Duterte calls God 'stupid,' (June 26, 2018)
• Philippine president slammed for calling God 'stupid' (June 25, 2018)
• Bishops hit Duterte for calling God stupid [video] (June 26, 2018)
• Philippines' Duterte under fire for calling God 'stupid' (June 26, 2018)
• Cardinal Tagle breaks silence on Duterte remarks: Don't be distracted (June 27, 2018)
• Duterte seeks collaboration with Philippine bishops after calling God 'stupid' (June 27, 2018)
• 'Not in a million years!': Duterte defiant amid calls to apologize over 'stupid' God remarks (July 2, 2018)
• Palace: Evangelicals offer to wash Duterte's feet 'out of humility' (July 3, 2018)
• Duterte: I believe in God, but prove his existence -- via a selfie (July 7, 2018)
• Rodrigo Duterte says he'll resign as Philippine president if someone can prove God exists (July 7, 2018)
• Duterte: Show me proof that God exists and I'll resign (July 7, 2018)
• Duterte vows to resign if anybody can prove God exists (July 7, 2018)

(Updated on July 7, 2018)

The Quotation of the Week (July 1 - 7, 2018)

A quotation of Dean Koontz on 'benefits of caring for a dog,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (A lady with a pair of warmly-attired dogs on the Woodbine Beach of Toronto, Canada: April, 2018) © Jerome D'Costa