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Documentation Service is a monthly publication compiling selected articles and excerpts of Church documents on questions of faith and morals. Every issue is monographic, that is, dedicated to a concrete theme, oftentimes of current interest in the Church or society. The publication is an excellent resource for personal enrichment and to prepare conferences, talks and homilies.
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Documentation Service Titles
2023 Series
May 2023
The Star of the Orient: Mary in the Philippines
by Rev Fr Alfred Cruz Behold, your mother! (Jn 19:27). On the Cross, Jesus entrusted His mother to u…
Mary is the Woman I Dream of
by Fr. Edwin Quinan Many years ago, when I was chaplain of a center of Opus Dei in Iloilo City, ther…
Of Travelers and Pilgrims
by Robert Z. Cortes These days are probably as good a time as any to talk about travel. The reason i…
April 2023
Unflappable & unflagging
by Robert Z. Cortes What I’d call the unflappable and unflagging Christian faith of the Filipi…
Easter call to Christians to be missionary disciples
by Fr Alex Colmeiro “Go and tell my brethren” … These words of the Risen Jesus to Mary Magdalene are…
Easter Vigil in the Holy Night, The Mother of All Vigils
by Fr. Jun Bermejo Fr. Jun Bermejo holds a Licentiate degree in Systematic Theology from the Pontifi…
March 2023
The presence of Christ in the mysteries of Lent
by Fr. Anthony Reyes Lent is a special time of year when Christians around the world take part in a …
Time for intense penance
by Fr. Roy Cimagala PENANCE is actually what we have to do all the time. It’s quite clear that we ne…
Communicating penance to “nones” and “dones”
by Robert Z. Cortes The season of Lent is once again upon us and, invariably, the Church’s call to b…
January 2023
Unity of the Church: some philosophical and historical reflection
by Fr. Cecilio Magsino In the Last Supper, Jesus prayed for the unity of his disciples. In his praye…
Synodality and Communion: How the German SYNODALERWEG went astray
by Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D. Chronology of the Problem In March 2019, at the conclusion of the s…
Ubi Petrus, ibi Ecclesia (Where Peter is, there is the Church: St. Ambrose)
Msgr. Carlos Vicente G. Estrada, PhD Each year, beginning on January 18 and ending on January 25, th…
2022 Series
VOLUME XXIII, YEAR 2010
No. 1, January
Priestly Identity
From Crisis to Recovery
No. 2, February
Temperament
Ally or Enemy of Spiritual Life?
No. 3, March
A New Pentecost for the Filipino Clergy
Notes from the 2nd National Congress of the Clergy
No. 4, April
Condom Failure
A Reflection Based on International Medical Studies
No. 5, May
Benedict XVI and Clerical Sex Abuse
Setting the Record Straight
No. 6, June
God Tweets
Evangelization in a Digital Culture
No. 7, July
Putting Social Doctrine in the Limelight
A Summary of the Social Doctrine of the Church
No. 8, August
Same-Sex Attraction
Causes, Therapy and Prevention
No. 9, September
Stem Cell Debate
Debating the Embryo’s Fate
No. 10, October
Normae de Gravioribus Delictis
“Norms Concerning the Most Serious Crimes”
No. 11, November
Pope Does Not Justify Condom Use
In Response to Media’s False Reports
No. 12, December
Verbum Domini
A Reader’s Guide
VOLUME XXII, YEAR 2009
No. 1, January
Dignitatis Personae
Instruction on the Dignity of a Human Person on Certain Bioethical Questions
No. 2, February
The 6th World Meeting of Families
“The Family, Teacher of Human and Christian Values”
No. 3, March
The Global Financial Crisis
Lessons on the Moral Dimension of the Economy
No. 4, April
The Passion for Fashion
Modesty and Reverence for the Feminine Body
No. 5, May
The Church Revisits Darwin
The Evolution of the Hypothesis to a Theory
No. 6, June
St. John Mary Vianney
Celebrating the Year for Priests Imitating the Holy Cure of Ars
No. 7, July
Caritas in Veritate: A Reader’s Guide
No. 8, August
The Dictatorship of Relativism
The Closing of the Rational Mind
No. 9, September
Discerning Priestly Vocation
No. 10, October
The New Evangelization
How to Spread the Gospel in a Secular World
No. 11, November
We Are All Priests
The Essence of the Common Priesthood of the Faithful
No. 12, December
Welcoming the Anglicans
Anglicans Entering Full Communion with the Catholic Church
VOLUME XXI, YEAR 2008
No. 1, January
Faith Seeking Understanding
The Continuous Formation in the Faith
No. 2, February
In Hope We Were Saved
How to Live Hope in This Modern World
No. 3, March
Organ Transplant
The Morality of Human Organ Donation
No. 4, April
Apostolic Tradition
Unity of Doctrine in the Past, Present and the Future
No. 5, May
“My Soul Magnifies the Lord”
The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
No. 6, June
Internet Safety
Protecting Yourself from Internet’s Moral Dangers
No. 7, July
The Challenges of the 23rd World Youth Day
We Are Called To Bear Witness
No. 8, August
Pauline Jubilee Year
“Paul Wants To Speak With Us Today”
No. 9, September
Oriental Catholic Churches
Who They Are and Why They Are Called Our “Separated Brethren”
No. 10, October
Exorcism
Overcoming Satan’s Power in Today’s World
No. 11, November
Lourdes
Celebrating 150 Years Following in the Footsteps of St Bernadette
No. 12, December
The Prelature of Opus Dei
In the Service of the Church as Personal Prelature
VOLUME XX, YEAR 2007
No. 1, January
The Visible Church
How the Church is Structured and Organized
No. 2, February
The Anointing of the Sick
The Sacrament that Brings Us Closer to the Lord When Sick
No. 3, March
Population Collapse = Economic Collapse
The Real Effects of Population Decline and Aging
No. 4, April
The Woman at the Foot of the Cross
The Sorrows and Compassion of Our Blessed Mother
No. 5, May
The Celebration of the Eucharist
How to Take an Active, Full and Fruitful Participation
No. 6, June
Communion in the Hand Revisited
On the Need to Express Faith and Love in this Most Sublime Sacrament
No. 7, July
Catholics in the World of Science
How Catholics Throughout History Have Contributed to Science
No. 8, August
Roman Missal of St. Pius V
An Extraordinary Expression of the Same “Lex Orandi”
No. 9, September
The Family and the Transmission of Faith
The Task of Creating a Pious Environment for Children
No. 10, October
Chastity: It is Really Becoming Fashionable!
No. 11, November
Modesty and Decency: Chastity’s Twin Little Sisters
No. 12, December
The Gender Perspective
The New Global Cultural Revolution Transforming
Society and Institutions
VOLUME XIX, YEAR 2006
No. 1, January
“I was in Prison and You Came to Me”
The Prison Apostolate is Christian Duty Moved by Charity
No. 2, February
The Encyclical “God is Love”
Love is the Distinctive Feature of a Christian
No. 3, March
“I was a Stranger and You Made Me Welcome”
Migrants and Itenerant Peoples, Sign of the Times and Concern for the Church
No. 4, April
“I was Hungry and You Gave me to Eat” (Mt 25:25)
The Church and the Reality of World Hunger
No. 5, May
“The Da Vinci Code” Phenomenon
Why this “Blockbuster” is a “Faith Buster”
No. 6, June
Iglesia ni Cristo
Is it the Church of Christ?
No. 7, July
General Councils in the Church
Their Role in the Task of Governing the Church
No. 8, August
The Inquisition
A Clarification of the so-called “Black Legend”
No. 9, September
Mary is Ever Virgin
The Value of Virginity for the Kingdom of God
No. 10, October
Who are the Religious?
Consecrated Persons in the Life of the Church
No. 11 & 12, November-December
Personal Religious Freedom and Social Responsibility
The Social Dimension of the Right of an Individual
VOLUME XVIII, YEAR 2005
No. 1, January
Population Decline and Aging
The New Demography, the Devastating Result of Population Control
No. 2, February
The Apocryphal Gospels
An Alternative View from the Canonical Gospels?
No. 3, March
Christian Solidarity
A Commitment to the Good of One’s Neighbor
No. 4, April
The Feminine Genius
Its Irreplaceable Role in the Church, the Family and Social Life
No. 5, May
Election of the Roman Pontiff
History, the Procedures and the Secrecy of a Conclave
No. 6, June
Benedict XVI
The Simple and Humble Laborer in the Vineyard of the Lord
No. 7, July
Christ’s Presence in the Holy Eucharist
The Sacramental Presence of Christ in His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity
No. 8, August
Doctors of the Church
Authentic Teachers of Faith and the Christian Life
No. 9, September
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
A Thanksgiving to the Father and the Memorial of Christ
No. 10, October
The Latin Language
The Cultural, Literary and Religious Reasons for its Use in the Church
No. 11, November
Catholic Health-Care Workers
“Ministers of Life” Who Revealed the Suffering and Glorious Face of Christ
No. 12, December
The Infant Jesus
The Eternal Son in Whom we Have Become Adopted Sons
VOLUME XVII, YEAR 2004
No. 1, January
The Church and World Peace
How the Church Fosters Genuine Peace on Earth
No. 2, February
Legal Recognition of Homosexual Unions
Ethical Considerations Why Legislation Must Be Opposed
No. 3, March
Popular Piety and Lenten Liturgy
A Look at Popular Lenten Practices
No. 4, April
Moral Criteria for Catholic Politicians
No. 5, May
The Church in Asia
The Challenge for the Future
No. 6, June
The Ongoing Renewal of Priests
The Priest’s Own Faithfulness to his Ministry
No. 7, July
Liturgical Discipline on the Holy Eucharist
On the Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum
No. 8, August
The Woman of the Eucharist
In Preparation for the Marian Year and Eucharistic Years
No. 9, September
Liturgical Renewal in the Church
Building Up the Liturgy for the Future
No. 10, October
Spiritual Benefit from Reading
A Treasure of the Catholic Church
No. 11, November
Advent
The Season of Hope
No. 12, December
Eucharistic Devotion
The Eucharist in Our Everyday Lives
VOLUME XVI, YEAR 2003
No. 1, January
The Just War
Requirements for a Lasting World Peace
No. 2, February
Children
God’s Blessing and Source of Joy for Families
No. 3, March
The New Age Myth
Incompatibility Between Christianity and the New Age Movement
No. 4, April
Dignity of the Liturgical Celebration
No. 5, May
The Message and Devotion to Divine Mercy
No. 6, June
The Hope of the Renewal of Society
No. 7, July
Divine Traditions vs.Traditions of Men
No. 8, August
The Denial of God in the Name of Equality
The Hidden Agenda of Feminism
No. 9, September
The Pilgrimage in the Tradition of the Church
No. 10, October
Pope John Paul II
On the Occasion of his 25th Anniversary of Election as Roman Pontiff
No. 11, November
On Cremation
Christian Respect for Human Bodies
No. 12, December
On Jews and Catholics
What Has Been Done so Far in the Past Ten Years?
VOLUME XV, YEAR 2002
No. 1, January
Fatherhood, A Path to Holiness
No. 2, February
Joy and Cheerfulness
No. 3, March
The Meaning of Lent
A Time for Christian Renewal
No. 4, April
The Myth of the Pedophile Priest
Sins that Betray the Grace of Holy Orders
No. 5, May
The Church and the Internet
Evangelizing the World Wide Web
No. 6, June
General Absolution?
No. 7, July
Living-In
Another Look at Marriage, Family and De Facto Unions
No. 8, August
The Invalidity of Mormon Baptism
A Closer Look at the so-called “Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints”
No. 9, September
Suffering and Sanctification
No. 10, October
The Holy Rosary: A Treasure to be Rediscovered
Introducing the Mysteries of Light and the Year of the Holy Rosary
No. 11, November
Priests and Holiness
An Option or an Absolute Necessity?
No. 12, December
The Immaculate Heart of Mary
The First Saturday Devotion: A Call to Reparation for Sins
VOLUME XIV, YEAR 2001
No. 1, January
The Universal Call to Holiness
Apostolic Exhortation Novo Millennio Inuente
No. 2, February
Working with Christ
Lay Apostolate: A Sea without Shores
No. 3, March
Politics and Ethics
No. 4, April
Blessed Pius IX
The Pope of Vatican Council I
No. 5, May
The Menace of Pornography
The Limits of the Freedom of Expression
No. 6, June
One-World Government and One-World Religion
No. 7, July
Secularism
Satan’s Latest Strategy
No. 8, August
Christian Humanism
Illuminating Culture with the Light of the Gospel
No. 9, September
Dialogue with Islam – Part 1
A Requirement for World Peace
No. 10, October
Dialogue with Islam – Part 2
Beyond the World Trade Center Event
No. 11, November
Racism
The Church vs. Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
No. 12, December
Globalization
Two-Edged Sword for Human Development
VOLUME XIII, YEAR 2000
No. 1, January
Jubilee Year 2000
No. 2, February
Death Penalty
No. 3, March
Justification
No. 4, April
Memory and Reconciliation
The Church and the Faults of the Past
No. 5, May
Persecutions of Christians in the 20th Century
No. 6, June
The Third Secret of Fatima
No. 7, July
The Bishops’ Conference
No. 8, August
Another Look at the Society of St. Pius X
No. 9, September
The Uniqueness and Universality of the Catholic Church
Salvation by Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church He Founded
No. 10, October
Buddhism
No. 11, November
Vatican Council II
No. 12, December
On Prayers for Healing
VOLUME XII, YEAR 1999
No. 1, January
Religious Freedom and Peace
No. 2, February
The New Millenarians
Unmasking Jehovah’s Witnesses
No. 3, March
Inculturation or Syncretism?
No. 4, April
God the Father
No. 5, May
The Divorce Debate
No. 6, June
Catholic Education
No. 7, July
Senior Citizens
No. 8, August
The Christian Temple
No. 9, September
The International Debt and the Jubilee
No. 10, October
Dialogue and Proclamation
No. 11, November
Parousia: The Second Coming of Christ
No. 12, December
The Anti-Christ
VOLUME XI, YEAR 1998
No. 1, January
Human Cloning and Genetic Engineering
No. 2, February
Come Holy Spirit
No. 3, March
Another Look at Lay Ministers
No. 4, April
Pope Pius XII and the Holocaust
No. 5, May
The Shroud of Turin
No. 6, June
Centering Prayer
No. 7, July
Dating and Going Steady
No. 8, August
Dies Domini
Recovering the True Sense of Sunday
No. 9, September
Overpopulation: The Unexamined Dogma
No. 10, October
Fides et Ratio
The Dialogue Between Faith and Reason
No. 11, November
Hell
No. 12, December
Sports and Recreation
VOLUME X, YEAR 1997
No. 1, January
The Natural Law
No. 2, February
Catholic Non-Marriages
No. 3, March
Faith and Theology
No. 4, April
The Lay Apostolate (Part I)
No. 5, May
The Lay Apostolate (Part II)
No. 6, June
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
No. 7, July
Homosexuality in the Light of Christian Anthropology
No. 8, August
A New Marian Dogma?
No. 9, September
Homosexuality II
Moral, Political, and Pastoral Perspective
No. 10, October
Human Rights
No. 11, November
Contemporary Satanism
No. 12, December
Towards a Personalist Economic System
VOLUME IX, YEAR 1996
No. 1, January
Indulgences
No. 2, February
Priestly Celibacy (Part I)
And the Lifestyle that goes with it
No. 3, March
Preparing for the Third Millenium
No. 4, April
Priestly Celibacy (Part II)
No. 5, May
Guidelines on Sex Education
No. 6, June
Successful Fatherhood
No. 7, July
That All May Be One
A Fresh Look at Ecumenism
No. 8, August
A Tribute to Motherhood
No. 9, September
The State and the Family
No. 10, October
The Istanbul Conference
No. 11, November
Marriage Nullities: Till Death Do Us Part?
No. 12, December
Reconciling Science and Religion
VOLUME VIII, YEAR 1995
No. 1, January
The Teachings of Pope John Paul II in the World Youth Day 1995
No. 2-3, February-March
The Fetus as Human
No. 4, April
Evangelium Vitae Part I
No. 5, May
The Beijing Conference
(The Fourth World Conference on Women)
No. 6, June
The Beijing Conference (Part II)
No. 7, July
Evangelium Vitae (Part II)
No. 8, August
The Society of St. Pius X
A Schismatic Church in our Midst
No. 9, September
Drawing the Curtains Down on The Beijing Conference (Part III)
No. 10, October
Eucharistic Adoration
No. 11, November
Displaced Peoples
No. 12, December
Holy Communion
VOLUME VI, YEAR 1994
No. 1, January
The Standard of Christian Education
No. 2, February
The Office of St. Peter
Truly Loving the Pope
No. 3, March
The Morality of Cooperation In Evil
No. 4, April
Why the Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas Should be Studied
No. 5, May
Christianizing Rest and Recreation
No. 6, June
Ethical and Pastoral Dimensions of Population Trend
No. 7, July
Protecting the Family
No. 8, August
Understanding the Church of the Poor
No. 9, September
Psychology as Ally and Traitor
Call for the Return to Traditional Spiritual Direction
No. 10, October
Natural Family Planning
The Church Recommends it But Wants it Properly Known
No. 11, November
Women Priests, No; Girl Altar Servers, Perhaps
No. 12, December
The Holy See and the Cairo Conference
VOLUME VI, YEAR 1993
No. 1, January
The Galileo Case
Exploring the Science-Religion Relation
No. 2, February
The New Catechism of the Catholic Church
Global Effort to Transmit the Faith Integrally
No. 3, March
Sex Ed and Pornography
No. 4, April
The Code of Canon Law
No. 5, May
Humanae Vitae: 25 Years Later
No. 6, June
Associations for Priests
No. 7, July
Beware of the New Age Movement
No. 8, August
Tackling the Problem of Ecclesiology
No. 9, September
The Dualism of Church and State
No. 10, October
Education in and for Chastity
No. 11, November
Mining and Appreciating Veritatis Splendor
No. 12, December
Defend the Family
1994 – International Year of the Family
VOLUME V, YEAR 1992
No. 1, January
Fathers of the Church: Witness to Our Living Tradition
No. 2, February
Morals, Truth and Mass Media
No. 3, March
The Making of a Saint
The Beatification of St. Josemaria Escriva
No. 4, April
What’s Wrong with Divorce?
No. 5, May
Jose Rizal
Understanding our National Hero
No. 6, June
Sacred Music
No. 7, July
Evolution and Faith
No. 8, August
Who is the Priest?
The Perennial Aspect and the Modern Challenges of Priesthood
No. 9, September
Forging the Christian Sense of Ecology
No. 10, October
The Quiet Light for the Dark World of Drugs
No. 11, November
Holy Rosary
Our Prayer with Our Mother for Our Times
No. 12, December
AIDS
Beware of Opportunistic Moral Infections
VOLUME IV, YEAR 1991
No. 1, January
Homosexuality
A Pastoral Concern
No. 2, February
Vocations, God’s Call
No. 3, March
The Church Speaks on War and Peace
No. 4, April
Faith and Life
The Need for Doctrinal Formation
No. 5, May
I Believe in the Holy Spirit
No. 6, June
Evangelization and Fidelity to Doctrine
The Meaning of “Inculturation”
No. 7, July
Slaughter of the Innocents
(The Evil of Abortion)
No. 8 August
Modernism, Then and Now
No. 9, September
Capitalist Against Poverty
No. 10, October
On Marian Apparitions
No. 11, November
Catholics and Politics
No. 12, December
Anatomy of a Schism
VOLUME III, YEAR 1990
No. 1, January
The Devil and Satanism
No. 2, February
St. Joseph
Foster Father of Our Lord
No. 3, March
The Triumph of the Holy Cross
No. 4, April
Christian Yoga
No. 5, May
Gambling as Vice
No. 6, June
The Socialist Temptation
No. 7, July
Our Mother in Heaven
No. 8, August
The Joy of Catechizing
No. 9, September
Our Friends the Angels
No. 10, October
Care for the Dying vs. Euthanasia
No. 11, November
Magisterium and Dissent in the Church
No. 12, December
What’s Behind the Population Program?
VOLUME II, YEAR 1989
No. 1, January
Who Can Be Saved?
Salvation and the Catholic Church
No. 2, February
Work in the Christian Life
No. 3, March
The Paschal Mystery
On the Passion, Death and Resurrection
No. 4, April
The Moral Conscience
No. 5, May
Bible Only?
No. 6, June
Secularity
What Makes the Laity Lay
No. 7, July
Population Control: A Trap to Fallacies
No. 8, August
Appreciating the Liturgy
No. 9, September
Purity Today
No. 10, October
Purgatory and Praying for the Dead
No. 11, November
Mary’s Immaculate Conception
No. 12, December
Christmas in Our Life
VOLUME I, YEAR 1988
No. 1, January
Catholic Doctrine and Fundamentalist Questions (Part 1)
No. 2, February
To Love the Holy Eucharist
No. 3, March
Catholic Doctrine and Fundamentalist Questions (Part 2)
No. 4, April
Focus on the Laity
No. 5, May
Human Development in Catholic Social Doctrine
No. 6, June
Sexuality in Marriage
(What You Should Know About Contraception)
No. 7, July
Devotion to Our Lady
No. 8, August
Christian Liberation
No. 9, September
Freemasonry
(Why Catholics Cannot be Masons)
No. 10, October
Family Planning and the Church
No. 11, November
Why Confession?
No. 12, December
Woman: Her Dignity and Vocation
Documentation Service