EILLER means Ecumenical Center for Labor Education and Research. This is a center I set up during martial law. We organized the first strike at La Tondeña Company in Tondo, Manila. We also organized a demonstration with Bishop Gaudencio Rosales in Taft Avenue against the regime of Marcos.
Another movement was set up and it was called the Jaja movement or Justice for Aquino and Justice for All. Then there was the Edsa revolution that ousted Marcos to Hawaii. Cory Aquino took over as President.
When I arrived in the Philippines as a Carmelite missionary, my first assignment was in Escalante, Negros Occidental. There I noticed the problems of the seasonal workers, the "sacadas," who came home after the season and had earned very little money. The fishermen in Escalante had the practice of dynamite fishing which was detrimental to their fellow fishermen. I set up the BCC-CO or the Basic Christian Community-Community Organizing. It's organizing component is the workers should organize themselves against the exploitation of the employers and also against the exploitation of their fellow fishermen.
I remember, before I had a favorite song in the liturgy of the Church:
Jaweh, I know you are here
You are always at my side
You guard me from the foe
And You lead me to life everlasting…
The song was banned from the liturgy of the Church, for one reason or another. Pope Francis at one time encouraged the ecumenical movement, friendship and understanding with people of other religions.
Talking about the ecumenical movement, I met once two beautiful people who had another religion, a Baptist Minister and a Jehovah Witness. They showed me a pamphlet which contained many Bible texts. They said they had translated the Bible in numerous other languages. Amazing!
We live in a secularized world, a world that does not believe in religion. I believe that we Christians have to come together again with all the religion that believe in God’ existence, even with the agnostics who say that they don’t know whether God exists. How often do we ourselves have doubt about God’s existence, especially in times that we have problems in our life or with other people? Remember the parable of the one hundred sheep. God is a God of mercy and love. The parable goes beyond personal problems. We would need, above everything else, the forgiveness of God, and those who want a more just society will not achieve it through accusations and hatred. “Revenge is mine” says the Lord, "I will give each one according to his own conduct." (pg. B 48 Christian Community Bible)
Talking about ecumenism, I remember many years later Pope John Paul first and then Pope Francis promoted the ecumenical movement in the Church. The Catholic Church must have friendship and understanding with people of other religions. We live in a secularized world, a world that does not believe in religions. I believe that we Christians have to come together again with all the religions who believe in God’s existence. Even with agnostics who say that they don’t know whether God exists. How often do we ourselves have doubts about God’s existence, especially in times that we have problems in our life or with other people?
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