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S.A.F.E. Seminar held in Diocese of Butuan

The Family and Life Apostolate of the Diocese of Butuan held an overnight weekend seminar on "Subtle Attacks vs. the Family Explained" (S.A.F.E) last April 6 to 7.  Delegates came from all sectors of society -- family and life workers, educators, clergy and religious, catechists, priests and religious, lay and youth leaders, health care practitioners, politicians and other professionals -- not only from Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur, the territory covered by the diocese, but also from as far as Kidapawan, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Marawi, Marbel, Davao, Mati, Tagum, Ozamiz, Cagayan de Oro, Malaybalay, Iligan and Dipolog.

In his homily, Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos reminded the 130 participants and staff that they are missionaries, tasked to bring the Christian values to the family and to society.  This invariably includes defending the family from attacks so subtle that we oftentimes see only the results and not the attacks themselves.  For example, we all notice an increase in the number of families in crisis, the youth with little sense of direction, teenage pregnancies even among high school students, rampant pornography and promiscuity, and so on.  But what brings about all these ills?

S.A.F.E. tries to make the splendor of truth shine by examining the facts such as under-population and aging, the economic backlash of limiting population growth (shrinking markets and labor force, burden on the social security system, proportional increase in the number of elderly, immigration), ill effects of contraceptives and abortion on women's health, the New Age movement, pornography and violence in the mass media, school sex education (oftentimes neither about sex nor education), and so on.  Many of these contribute in one way or another to the destruction of family values.

Participants in S.A.F.E. seminars are "infected" with desire not only to defend themselves and their families, but also to launch a counter attack by proclaiming the truth about the Gospel of Life and eliminating the anti-culture of death.  Regional S.A.F.E. seminars are being organized in Cebu and Davao, as offshoots of the monthly weekend sessions organized in Antipolo by the Association of Local Communities of Women Religious in the Archdiocese of Manila (ALCWRAM).  Held under the auspices of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, these seminars serve as a preparation for the World Meeting of Families in January 2003.

For schedules of future S.A.F.E. seminars and other information, please contact Sr. Caridad, OP at Villa San Miguel, tel. no. 531-7069 or 531-7034, Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or leave a message at cellphone number 0917-896-7201.

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