To My Dear Brother Bishops

Address by Pope Benedict XVI to the Irish Bishops at Vatican City, OCT. 29, 2006-
Bishop Filomeno G. Bactol should read and pray on.....

In the exercise of your pastoral ministry, you have had to respond in recent years to many heart-rending cases of sexual abuse of minors. These are all the more tragic when the abuser is a cleric. The wounds caused by such acts run deep, and it is an urgent task to rebuild confidence and trust where these have been damaged. In your continuing efforts to deal effectively with this problem, it is important to establish the truth of what happened in the past, to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent it from occurring again, to ensure that the principles of justice are fully respected and, above all, to bring healing to the victims and to all those affected by these egregious crimes. In this way, the Church in Ireland will grow stronger and be ever more capable of giving witness to the redemptive power of the Cross of Christ. I pray that by the grace of the Holy Spirit, this time of purification will enable all God's people in Ireland to "maintain and perfect in their lives that holiness which they have received from God" (Lumen Gentium, 40).

HOPE IN THE MIDST OF CRISIS

HOPE IN THE MIDST OF CRISIS

(Must reading for Bishop Filomeno G. Bactol)

A Message from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines

Beloved People of God: As we your bishops gathered at Tagaytay for our annual Spiritual Retreat and our 85th Plenary Assembly, a destructive typhoon raged for several days. We were reminded of Peter and the other disciples on a boat being swamped by the waves. There were terrified and in panic. Aroused from sleep by the disciples, Jesus said to them: Why is your faith so little? Have courage! And he stilled the storm.

In a very true sense we are going through a terrible storm. In our country, a great number of our people continue to suffer dehumanizing poverty. Criminality, senseless violence, irresponsible politics and other serious ills are fast becoming the staple of our daily lives. Many have a sense of despair or hopelessness. To the various crises in society, we must now, with great sorrow and shame, add problems in the Church. We confess that cases of grave sexual misconduct by clerics and religious in the Philippines have rocked the bark of Peter.

Sexual misconduct on the part of shepherds of the flock betrays the holy Priesthood that Christ has shared. The people of God are faced with the mystery of the Church, at once holy and yet sinful in its members. Have courage, Jesus says to all of us. With courage as a gift from God, we your Pastors humbly ask for forgiveness for the grave sins committed by some leaders against members of the flock. The whole Gospel that we proclaim is an indictment of such unpriestly behavior. Yet saying thins, let us all realize that the great majority of the clergy and religious are faithful to their priestly and religious commitments and sincerely strive with the help of God's grace to be holy and zealous.

We realize that forgiveness and apologies must flow into a commitment to be purified and renewed. That is what we resolve to do. We your bishops are now in the process of drafting thorough wide consultation with experts from among the lay people, religious men and women, a protocol that addresses the various types of sexual abuse and misconduct. It will provide steps for profound renewal.

Even as Jesus convicts us for our lack of faith, we likewise make our way to him and plaintively ask, Lord, what shall we do? The words of Micah the Prophet ring loud and strong, "You know what the Lord God expects of you: to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).

With everyone who despairs of ever changing society, with victims and offenders of sexual abuse in the Church, we find hope in the midst of a storm through the words of Micah.

We see hope in acting justly. Justice required that all of us, clergy and religious, your spiritual leaders look after the good of the flock without any regard for profit, pleasure, or power, because that is the call of God to us. We see hope in loving tenderly. Love requires all spiritual leaders to offer the sacrifice of their talents, in fact their very lives, for the people given by God to their care. For this was the manner of Christ's own love. It demands a love that neither exploits others nor takes advantage of any member of the flock, but respects and uplifts all members as God's own beloved children.

We see hope in walking humbly. We walk humbly when we ask for forgiveness from God and from the victims of our sins. We walk humbly when, divesting ourselves of power and authority, go to those from whom we have separated ourselves through self-interest, arrogance, or abuse of power, and reconcile with them heart to heart. For why should not religious leaders be one with their flock, when they themselves are ambassadors of reconciliation?

The hope of a better Philippines, of a holy Church, that God gives as a gift comes through a life that is renewed, a life that acts justly, loves tenderly, and walks humbly with God. Such a life is itself the grace of God.

This is the message we wish to proclaim to you as we journey through a series of storms whose waves threaten to swamp both Church and society. Have faith! Have courage, says Jesus. In him we have hope that does not disappoint.

For the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines:

+ORLANDO B. QUEVEDO, OMI, DD
Archbishop of CotabatoPresident,
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines
7 July 2002

Letter sent to Bishop Bactol from St. Alfonso Monastery

Most Rev. Filomeno G. Bactol, DD
Diocese of Naval
6543 Naval, Biliran, Philippines



Dear Most Rev. Filomeno G. Bactol,

Consider this:

Can. 401 ß2 a diocesan Bishop who, because of illness or some other grave reason, has become unsuited for the fulfillment of his office, is earnestly requested to offer his resignation from office.

Because of your immoral behavior you are unsuited for the office of diocesan Bishop.

It is good for the Diocese of Naval and the full Catholic Church that you submit your resignation to the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI.


Sincerely, in Christ and
Our Mother of Perpetual Help,


Stephen M. Greinke, MBPH



Cc Apostolic Nuncio

Archbishop Dean coments on Bactol's Problems

Msgr. Pedro Dean, expressed his thanks to Bishop Bactol publicly for his cooperation during his stint as Archbishop of Palo.
He gave this piece of advice to the honoree as he said "you welcome worries, disappointments, burdens because these humps in life are not to give you problems but to ask you to go slow so that you can reach the peak of fulfillment of your life as bishop and as servant of God.
"I hope you can reach the golden years of your episcopacy", he said.

Imelda Marcos - at Bishop Bactol's 25th

Former FL hails God’s miracles on bishops’s silver anniversary
By Lanie Pitao-Tupaz
Naval, Biliran (18 October) -- Former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, special principal sponsor of Bishop Filomeno Bactol in his episcopal ordination 25 years ago, came to Naval, Biliran, to attend his silver anniversary celebration of episcopal ordination.
In her speech before the bishops, clergies, nuns, and parishioners, Mrs. Marcos emphasized the miraculous powers of God for those who religiously ask for His help and blessings.
Mrs. Marcos recalled the day they were ousted from the palace for their years of exile in Hawaii. Their destination that day was unknown to her and their family. All she thought was that they were to leave the palace for Ilocos, the late President Marcos’ hometown.
In packing their belongings, the first thing she took with her was the image of the Sto. Niño, the patron saint of her birthplace, Tacloban City. The image of the Sto. Niño stayed with them in Hawaii and it was the Sto. Niño whom she asked for all the strength and courage to face the gargantuan trials she and her family are facing.
Since their ouster in power in 1986, Mrs. Marcos said, they face hundreds of cases not from individuals but from governments and super powers. However, she and her family remain strong as they were. This she attributed to her strong religious faith.
Mrs. Marcos even pitied his friends involved in those cases along with them who passed away along the process.
Somehow, she is still very thankful for the intercession of God for giving her the strength to face all those trials and got acquitted in most of them.
Moreover, she has high hopes for a peaceful community within the entire diocese of Naval with Bishop Filomeno Bactol. (PIA

Bishop Filomeno G. Bactol - Bishop of Naval

I, Stephen M. Greinke, being of legal age, a member of the Roman Catholic Church, swear and declare before Almighty God the following facts and statements, under penalty of Law, Civil Law, and Canon Law (Canons 1390 - 1391) of the Roman Catholic Church.

I have served as President / Superior of a Private Association of the Christian Faithful called the Society of the Missionary Brothers of Perpetual Help from 1990 to the present. Founded in the State of Washington 1989 and accepted into the Diocese of Naval, in September 8, 1990 when invited by Most Rev. Filomeno G. Bactol, D.D. Bishop of Naval to come to his newly created Diocese as an Apostolic Union.

The Missionary Brothers received little or no spiritual and financial help from Bishop Bactol and the Diocese of Naval during our 13 years of belonging to the Diocese of Naval.

I was told by the Vicar General of the Diocese of Naval, that the only reason I was asked to come to the Diocese of Naval was to be a sexual play thing for the Bishop of Naval. I was also told by several priests of the Diocese, that the priest advisors where not consulted on my being invited to be a vital part of the Diocese as decided by the Bishop.

From the very beginning I witnessed Bishop Bactol sleeping with young under age boys under the age of 16, in his bedroom at night. I knew it a bad idea for the Bishop to leave himself open to scandalous gossip among the townspeople. I had frequently told him this when I served as his secretary for 6 months. His response was always “ I need the boys around me at night”.

Priests in the Diocese would make jokes about the Bishop’s homosexual conduct and said these where their aces, if they would get in trouble with the Bishop.

I openly heard a parent talking about having his two young boys having had sex with Bishop Bactol and was happy that the Bishop was paying for their education as there reward for having sex with him.

After 6 months of living at the Bishop’s Palace I wanted to move out and begin the Brother Community that the Bishop had offered and approved..

In the beginning, of the MBPH Monastery I reported to the Bishop that I witnessed some of the Brother Candidates masturbating each other. I reported this directly to the Bishop and he said that was part of the Filipino culture and that “you Americans don’t understand our Filipino culture“.

Another time I was informed that the some of our candidates were receiving money from a priest of the Diocese of Naval. They said they where being paid by the priest to have sex with him. This same priest served as our first confessor to our community. (Violation of Canon 1387) I went to Bishop Bactol and informed him that it was not right for the priest to hear the confessions of his victims of sexual abuse. The Bishop did not do anything about it. I finally objected to this priest hearing confessions at the Monastery. With the Bishop knowledge and approval, this same priest continued to hear confessions at our Monastery.

It was common knowledge that the senior priest of the Diocese was fathered children by women in the area. When I brought it to the Bishop’s attention, the Bishop stated he had heard there were three children now, I informed him there was four. And the Bishop laughed. This same priest continued public ministry until the day he died.

Immorality was very evident among the priests of the Diocese. Many times our Brother Candidates were witnesses to women sleeping in the same convents (rectories) that our Brother Candidates were staying. Even to the point of a Brgy. Government spying on and bringing to the Bishop’s attention these sexual relations. One of our Brothers had to take over the Church (by request of the Bishop) until a priest could be found to replace the priest who was caught in adultery. Later on this same Brother (in formation) was having sexual relations with a married woman and her child - This Brother had learned this was the way of life in the Diocese of Naval. The people in Naval said if priests can have babies, why can’t Brothers?

Our Chaplain was upset with this Brother about what this Brother was saying about him in public. This priest, in the presence of a Brother Associate, wanted me to pay P5,000 pesos to have this Brother murdered. He was not joking. He told me that he had someone in mind who would do the job. I met to discuss this before our Monastery Community Council. They recommended that I go to the Bishop and report it. I did this and the Bishop was not alarmed, the took no action. I asked if we could have another Chaplain, due to the serious nature of this. The Bishop said “no“.

In May of 1997 our MBPH Community place $2.000 in the Diocese of Naval Social Action account with the chancery. This was the Misso Money for building our church (grant money). Our Chaplin told us that we would get it back in September of that year. When that time had passed the money was gone. I went to the Bishop, the Bishop told me that that money was gambled away. The Bishop told me to raise Mass Stipends from the USA to pay off the debt that was owed by the Diocese. The priests would say the masses, and we keep the money. I could not accept using mass money in this improper way.

Sometimes the priests would use 10 mass stipends at one mass and then keep the money.
Getting Mass stipends was a big business with the priests of the Diocese. Sometimes it was told to the people that without an stipend - no mass!

I bring these and other charges against Most Rev. Filomeno G. Bactol, for the purpose that this Bishop has shown little spiritual leadership to the people of the Diocese, that he is a poor role model for priests and religious of the Diocese of Naval. That this Bishop with his immoral lifestyle is a public scandal to the Church. That said, the Bishop needs to be replaced for the good of the Church.

I again call for removal of Most Rev. Filomeno G. Bactol, DD, and that the Holy See appoint a worthy Bishop for the people of the Diocese of Naval and a worthy role model for the priests of the Diocese. I believe that Bishop Bactol has abused his authority as Bishop through negligence. Allowing violations of the moral law of the Catholic Church (Canon 1389). This includes violations of celibacy (Canons 1394, 1395).




I swear and declare the these above facts are true, before Almighty God, under penalty of law.


on this date: June 13, 2006



Stephen M. Greinke, MBPH

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