Woman describes CRS work to build peace in East Timor, Philippines

Published: 2005-12-06

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNS) -- Maria Ida "Deng" Giguiento grew up on the Philippine island of Mindanao hearing the chiming of Catholic church bells alongside the daily Muslim call to prayer. Giguiento, who still lives on Mindanao and works for the Catholic Church there, feels totally comfortable in both Muslim and Christian settings, she told parishioners during a visit to the Anchorage Archdiocese. The Anchorage Archdiocese and the Cotabato Archdiocese on Mindanao have a "global solidarity partnership," and her visit to Alaska in November further cultivated the year-old bond between the two archdioceses. Giguiento works for Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops' international relief and development agency. She is a key player in the church's efforts to build lasting peace in the Philippines and East Timor, both of which have been marred by civil strife and war in recent years. Based in the Mindanao city of Davao, Giguiento, 50, is project officer for CRS' peace and reconciliation program on the island. She also is a facilitator at the Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute, which trains youth groups, church organizations, village elders and entire nongovernmental organizations to become catalysts for peace.

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