Published on 11 October 2012 Hits: 115 Written by TESSA MAURICIO-ARRIOLA LIFESTYLE, ENTERTAINMENT, AND STM EDITOR

The Sunday Times Magazines Spirituality Times is the newest addition to the papers weekend publication, dubbed The Magazine of Champions. It was conceptualized to fill a void in mainstream print media that essentially focuses on morality and Christian values.

As a growing number of Catholic Filipinos continue to join lay ecclesial and evangelical movementsfrom El Shaddai to Couples for Christit is evident that there is a resurgence of religious vitality in the country.

In the midst of temptations, tragedies, calamities, political instability, corruption, crimes and scandals, there is a placeand more importantly a needfor a source of guidance on how to live out ones faith in these modern day situations.

Thus, Spirituality Times was launched on July 1, 2012 as a weekly two-page center spread with feature stories that veer away from the preachy type of religious writing. The articles use the kind of language that is accessible to lay readers so that the section ultimately achieves its purpose.

New partnerships have been forged by The Manila Times to ensure that the content of Spirituality Times remains faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church. These are with The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Media Office, under its media office director Msgr. Pedro Quitorio 3rd (Media Office Director); and the Catholic Media Network (CMN) under its president Fr. Francis Lucas and his group from Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), a Catholic Television Network, led by Edwin Lopez (International Marketing Manager). The weekly homily is meanwhile written by Fr. James McTavish, a young Scottish-priest based in the Philippines.

The series, which have been well-received by The Sunday Times Magazine readers include Inspired by Faith, profiles of men and women of the cloth with unique life stories, such as Fr. Amado Pacardal, known as the Biking Priest and Sister Beth Ortillo, a former lady police; Future Filipino Saints; saints who have visited the Philippines; as well as the written versions of ETWNs programs Fathers for Good hosted by Fr. Francis Gustilo and Frank Padilla; and Catholic Lives Asia hosted by journalist Chi Chi Robles.

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Championing the Spirit