by Simon Caldwell

The Pope has begun a crackdown on the world’s largest illicit Catholic shrine – by suspending the priest at the centre of claims that the Virgin Mary has appeared more than 40,000 times. Benedict XVI has authorised ’severe cautionary and disciplinary measures’ against Father Tomislav Vlasic, the former ’spiritual director’ to six children who said Our Lady was appearing to them at Medjugorje in Bosnia.

The Franciscan priest has been suspended after he refused to cooperate into claims of scandalous sexual immorality ‘aggravated by mystical motivations’. He has also been accused of ‘the diffusion of dubious doctrine, manipulation of consciences, suspected mysticism and disobedience towards legitimately issued orders’, and is suspected of heresy and schism.

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Victor Borres came to Australia as a World Youth Day delegate after his retirement as Warden in Zamboanga Provincial Jail. He suffered a stroke and has been confined at the Intensive Care Unit of Westmead Hospital since September 1, 2008.

According to his brother Juanito Borres who lives in Dean Park, his medical bills exceed $2,000 per day. The family is very much in need of help. Those willing to donate may contact Philippine Tribune for details.

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Amid negative publicity that reached Honolulu during a Global Filipino Conference, our very own Jess Diaz made it during the recently-concluded NSW local council elections. He is now a bona fide councillor in the Labor Party dominated City of Blacktown.

Running under the banner of the Liberal Party, Diaz earlier lost to Roger Price in his bid for a seat in Federal Parliament.

Sometime earlier this month, we received an email, obviously from a Filipino who used a fictitious name. He used the name Fidel Ramon, which we all know, are both first names. I still have to hear of a Filipino whose surname is Ramon. Even the email address that he used contained the letters “ph” to deceive the reader that it originated from the Philippines. In the subject line, he wrote “Congratulations on your success Philippine Tribune.” There was nothing really wrong with that.

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The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney reports that a number of Filipino-Australians sought elective positions in the recent Council Elections held last September 13, 2008 in cities and towns throughout New South Wales. This is significant because this is the first time that Filipino-Australians in New South Wales have exhibited interest and active involvement in Australian mainstream politics. Their respective affiliations represent all shades of the Australian political spectrum namely: Labor, Liberal, Green, special interest parties, and independent.

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