Altar of Secrets: Sex, Politics and Money in the Philippine Catholic Church

On July 13, 2013 at 5:30 PM in Mt. Cloud Bookshop, investigative journalist Aries C. Rufo will speak about his new book, Altar of Secrets: Sex, Politics and Money in the Philippine Catholic Church.

The book "is the first of its kind in the country. Aries C. Rufo shows a Church that is cloaked in secrecy. It keeps the wrongdoings of its bishops and priests -- in sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement -- within its confines and lets them get away, unpunished... Rufo also delves into how the Church influences policy, as nowhere among Catholic countries in the world is the Church deeply involved in the shaping of policy than in the Philippines. Overall, reforms are taking place, but these are highly dependent on the Church leaders, the bishops who try to change mindsets and systems."

"Aries C. Rufo was a beat reporter for the Manila Times and the Manila Standard covering politics, judiciary, and religion before joining Newbreak in 2001. His pieces for the magazine reaped recognition from the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism. He won second prize in investigative reporting and was finalist in various years for his in-depth stories.

He has received regional awards for his reportage on social issues: the third prize in the Asia Development Bank Institute’s Developing Asia Journalism Awards and first prize for the Asia pacific region in the Lorenzo Natali Journalism Prize for Development." (From the blurb.)

Mt Cloud Bookshop is a local, independent bookstore that aims to bring the written word to life in Baguio City through various literary activities such as author's talks, poetry slams and readings, story-telling sessions for kids, and small workshops. The bookshop is found at Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, tel: 424-4437, and is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

As is always in Mt. Cloud Bookshop, everyone is welcome!

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Cordillera Folktales and Story-telling

It was cold and wet outside on the day of the launching of The Golden Arrow of Mt. Makilkilang and other Cordillera Folktales . But inside Mt. Cloud Bookshop we were warmed by stories read and performed by the Aanak di Kabiligan community theater group. Storytelling on a stormy afternoon. Paco Paco. A Benguet story from the book, published by the Cordillera Green Network. Aanak di Kabiligan means children of the mountains. The theater group was born out of the Cordillera Green Network's eleven years of conducting workshops in which children transform their grandparents' stories into theater productions. Here they perform the title story of the Golden Arrow of Mt. Makilkilang and Other Cordillera Folktales.

Lola of Maipon

It's all too easy to fall asleep under the blanket of everyday life and to smother dreams with the mundane things I surround myself with. But once in a while, along comes a sparkling vision that jolts me out of my daily sleep and reminds me of the existence of convictions and worlds so different from my own. "Our beloved LOLA of Guinubatan, Maipon, Albay is the last true messenger of God. So, let us follow her holy teachings so that we will gain TRUE SALVATION without sufferings and without death." In another story I, the intrepid heroine, the adventurer seduced by mysteries, the pilgrim in search of truth, would follow them back to Guinubatan from Session Road, thirsting to see and hear their Lola for myself. However, it's all too easy -- much safer! -- to fall back asleep under the blanket of everyday life, and to smother dreams with the mundane things I surround myself with. Then along comes 9 a.m., and really, it's time to down the dregs of coffee at the bott

Ritual for all Occasions

Attended a talk delivered by Dr. Albert Bacdayan, UP Baguio. Feb. 20, 2013. "Ritual for All Occasions: The significance and persistence of the 'Senga' in Northern Sagada." The senga is a ritual in which at least one chicken and one pig -- sometimes more -- are sacrificed. The senga is usually performed for milestones such as the completion of a house, the opening of a new business, a wedding, a funeral, when someone is ill, when someone is leaving on a journey. He spoke of how Cordillerans have a ritual for almost every occasion or ailment. Indeed, the word he used was not ritual but "remedy."Dr. Bacdayan described this as a "healthy agnosticism."He mused that the abundance or such remedies and rituals is the reason there are rarely feelings of helplessness among Cordillerans. He described ritual as a bundle of activities that assures people and anchors identity. When one calls the old men and is the principal of a senga, you are perceived t

Now/here no/where woman

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