Jeremias A. Carrera
17 June 2006

Arroyo Orders Reds Crushed in Two years: It seems that nothing moves or is accomplished without an order. I thought the police and the military have specific constitutional and mandatory responsibilities which means the Commander-in-Chief do not need to issue this “BOLA-BOLA” orders or “PAMPAGANDA” ORDERS.

Ramon Dimagiba
Burr Ridge, IL
17 June 2006

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted for a translation on the new Order of the Mass to satisfy the Vatican’s call that’s closer to the Latin version.

The new translation alters the texts during worship, including the Nicene Creed, the Gloria, the Sanctus, the Penitential Rite and communion.

This new upheaval in the church worries the faithful on the coming changes on the fundamental rite of worship that is so much of the Catholic identity.

Why change now when attendance is on the decline, the acute shortage of priest left many parishes without resident cleric, the closures of churches and schools which makes parishioners and Bishops on a head-on-collision and the effects of the sex abuse scandals are still on the mend.

The following are the changes to the English language mass as approved by the U.S. Bishops:

1) The exchanges between priest and parishioners that now go “The Lord be with you”/ “And also be with you” would become “The Lord be with you” / “And with your spirit.”
2) The Act of Penitence, in which parishioners now confess aloud that they have sinned “through my own fault,” would include the lines “through my fault, through my fault, through my grievous fault.
3) In the Nicene Creed, the opening words “We believe” would become “I believe.”
4) Early in the Eucharistic Prayer, “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of Power and might” would become “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts.”
5) Before communion, the prayer “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you” would become “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter my roof.”

Jeremias A. Carrera
17 June 2006

Mr. Sosimo Ma. Pablico’s Column on Rice Husks:

The column should have been very informative if he had provided the missing information, and did more research on the matter. I thought there is an existing cogeneration plant using rice husks in the Philippines-the La Suerte Rice Mill Cogenration Plant. Further research such as the availability of the rice husks year round and the incentives from the Philippine Government are very important factors before any investor will decide on a rice husks steam power plant. I am just curious about what plant can convert 845 kilograms of rice husks per hour to 480 kilowatt-hour of electrical energy.