Holy Innocents

The Modern Catholic Dictionary compiled by John A. Haradon S.J. has this entry on Holy Innocents: "Martyred boys under two years of age, whom King Herod ordered to be massacred. It was an attempt by Herod to kill the Babe in Bethlehem, who he feared would usurp his kingship (Matthew 2:16-18). Legends carry the members slain in the thousands, but it is now conceded to have been less than two hundred. The Western Church keeps their feast day on December 28. In Bethlehem, it is celebrated with quiet solemnity.

We were very disappointed that Fr. John A. Haradon did not mentioned the fact that, first, they were the very first martyrs; second, that they literally died in lieu of Christ. Before the war, we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Innocents the way we now celebrate April’s Fools Day. That is, you played a joke on a friend then tell, "Niños Inocentes." Today, sad to say, it is a day that is no longer celebrated. All celebrations depend on the way they are traditionally celebrated.

For this reason, we have for many years now been advocating that the Feast of the Holy Innocents be officially celebrated as the annual Feast of Street Children. The street children are the Holy Innocents of our times. And it is good to associate Biblical events with our contemporary problems. Many people today look at street children as problem children. They are not the problem. They are victims of the times. They have maximum exposure to things that are evil. But with our sympathy, help and support, they can be good, productive citizens. We must bring to the streets what we preach at home. Our streets should reflect the values we have at home. No child should grow up in the streets. They should be provided with parental care and a home.

We hope that the mayors of the different cities in Metro Manila would seriously consider this suggestion. It will be a nice way to end Christmas and start the New Year, that is by ending the year with a day for our deserted children. What a way to honor the birth of Baby Jesus who was born in a manger. He was a street child. The only difference is that he had great parents. Let us see Jesus in every street child.

Pope Benedict XVI yesterday appealed for the respect of the "dignity of children." In a timely gesture, our government is dedicating December 28, Holy Innocents Day to the street children, the differently-abled and victims of violence. Also, in accordance with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s poverty alleviation program, there will be an open house at the well-known Theater-in-the-Ruins Rajah Sulayman at Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila. Formerly the performance venue of the PETA, the Theater-in-the-Ruins will now serve as creative home for marginalized but talented children to regularly showcase the government’s Kalahi cultural caregiving programs with performance and media arts training and presentations. The theater, now officially named Philippine Center of Culture for Peace, will formally open today, December 28, 5 p.m. with DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral, representing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, along with Deputy Mayor of Manila Dondon Bagatsing and NCCA Executive Director Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, presiding over the simple inaugural rites.

Pope Benedict XVI said "the birth of the child Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem directs our gaze towards all children who suffer and are abused in the world, the born and unborn. In all these, it is the child of Bethlehem who is crying out to us. Let us pray that the brightness of God’s love will enfold all these children. Let us ask God to help us do our part so that the dignity of children may be respected." With President Macapagal-Arroyo’s noteworthy program, we hope that the number of children begging, who suffer deprivation and hunger, who are unloved, will be minimized, if not totally eradicated in our country.