Standing for the truth and writing about it 
(republishing, copying, no restrictions)
By: Father Shay Cullen
There is a saying, “If you don’t stand for your rights someone will walk on them” and there is another “If you don’t live what you believe, you will loose belief in living”. Defending Human rights and trying our best to live out in action the belief in truth and goodness is what my book Passion and Power is all about.
Passion and Power An Irish missionary’s fight against child sex slavery is launched this week in Ireland and will be available in bookshops in Ireland and will be available next year in the UK and other countries. It is one small way to create more awareness and continue my mission, as taught by Jesus Christ, to stand for the rights of children. As He said “watch out all who abuse these little children, better a millstone be tied around their neck and they be thrown into the than to harm one of these little ones.” Strong words indeed but considering that the abuse of children is nothing new it is profoundly shocking that civilization has not acted long ago and with greater determination to protect children and bring to swift justice all who against children and abuse them to justice.
It tells my story from the day of my ordination in St. Columban’s Navan and arriving in the Philippines in 1969 to the president day. That story tells of the discovery of the extend of the trafficking of women and children into the sex trade and how so many young people were victimized by drug traders and imprisoned in horrific condition for petty misdemeanors or none at all. It’s the story of Alex and Merle Ramirez Hermoso too and how we set up the Preda Foundation for children to save and protect them from the abusers and exploiters.
It is a long story of challenge, opposition, death threats, legal battles for human rights and opposing the death squads and many more adventures I have had camping for the conversion of US Military bases and many other campaigns. It has an introduction by the most prominent defender of human rights, former Irish President and UN High Commissioner for human rights, Mary Robinson. There is few who can surpass her achievements. I am proud that she has written the introduction to the book.
My book tells too about my supporter and friend, famous Hollywood actor Martin Sheen, a staunch Catholic and human rights campaigner and peace advocate himself.
Last October 24, Martin who is taking a semester studying at the National University of Ireland in Galway came to introduce me at the Galway Community College where I was to give a presentation on my work and book.
This was superbly organized by a dedicated college team led by college professor and human rights coordinator Philip Cribbin, Brother of Columban Father David Cribbin.
Then on Saturday 28th of October, Martin came to Dublin to join a television show and talk to the media about the book and our friendship that began in the Philippines many years ago when he was there to make a film and where he came again in 1995 to promote the rights of displaced people in Metro Manila.
Martin is a man of committed to working for justice and is filled with compassion for the poor. When he came to the Philippines he said “here I am, use me for the cause”. Last week he the traveled by train to Dublin and gave himself to promoting the book on radio, newspapers and Television.
Yet the book would have taken another year to complete and publish were not for a magnificent young new publisher Jason O’Tool and his wife Agnieszka who designed the beautiful cover. His new publishing company Killynon House Books is growing at an amazing pace and he superbly organized every detail of the media promotion and succeeded in bringing this book-Passion and Power, to the public. He donated all the publishers’ earnings to the children at Preda. My heartfelt thanks to all. End. (Fr. Shay’s book, Passion and Power, an Irish Missionary’s fight against child sex slavery will be published in Ireland 1 November. To reserve a copy write to Fr. Shay Cullen, Preda–Ireland, 84 Adelaide Road, Glenageary, Co. Dublin.)
