Thank You 2008! Welcome 2009!
December 30, 2008
Less than two (2) days na lang ang natitirang araw sa taong 2008. It has been a great year as always! Let me share to you my friends the milestones of the year that was in my personal & professional life.
1. From Export & Industry Bank I moved to Philippine National Bank (PNB), a major turn in my professional career.
2. I was able to launched the blog sites of the Parish that served as the new and modern version of the defunct Ang Pasimhay Journal of San Antonio de Padua Parish last 1997.
(www.sananthoniansbinan.blogspot.com / www.sananthoniansbinan.i.ph)
3. On top of the two blog sites, I was also able to established two (2) personal blog sites that serve as repository of my personal reflections and thoughts on certain issues and concerns in life. (www.lawrencealoud.blogspot.com / www.lawrencebaban.i.ph)
4. God has finally answered our prayers for my sister Maricel when she gave birth to a baby girl last May 29, 2008. Before that, she has three boys already!
5. My group in the Parish, the Ushers & Collectors Ministry (UCM) aside from a remarkable increased in membership, it also emerged as one of the most active organization/ministry in the Parish. We went out of the box or what we dubbed as “Service Beyond Hospitality” to reached our less fortunate brothers and sisters with the various community outreach projects that we made like the following:
5.1 Tribute to our dear Mothers & Fathers during the Mothers Day and Fathers Day celebration last May and June 2008 respectively;
5.2 Hapagmamahal at Hapag-asa Feeding Program at Umboy Riverside;
5.3 Lumang Laruan Bagong Saya for the less fortunate children of the Parish
On top of the aforementioned undertakings, the group was also able to branch out in terms of apostolate with the creation of new unit like the Paduans@Work, UCMs apostolate for creative services and The Bread of S. Anthony, the social action arm of UCM.
All these achievements will not be possible without the divine providence of the Great Almighty! To God Be the Glory Always!
Kung Matuturuan Lang Ang Puso Ko. . .
November 22, 2008Salamat sa atensyon. . .
Hindi lang ilang beses ko na napansin na espesyal ang mga atensyon na ibinibigay mo sa akin. Pero syempre di ko lahat yun pinansin at sadyang pinalampas. Akala ko ako naman ako lang ang nakakakita pati pala ang ilan sa mga kaibigan natin at aking pamilya. Madaming mga pagkakataon din na ako ay nakakatanggap ng mga tukso at biro tungkol sa iyo. Hindi naman ako manhid alam ko lahat at nararamdaman ang mga tingin, pag-alala at minsan ay palihim na pangangamusta. . . .Lahat ng mga iyon naka register sa memories ko at minsan I’m trying to analyze some of them.
Bakit ako?. . .
Madami ka ng nakilala diba? Ang alam ko naman you had some relationships in the past. I heard ok naman sila lahat di ko nga alam kung ano ba ang hinahanap mo sa isang tao na mamahalin mo. Until now may isang tanong sa aking diwa na alam kong hindi magkakaroon ng kasagutan kung hindi ko mismo itatanong sa iyo. But ofcourse, I dont have the guts and the couraage to discuss it to you. Kung minsan nga tintaguan kita at iniiwasan sa mga text what more pa kung kausapin ka mismo ng personal. Pasensya na pero hanggang dito lang ang lakas ng loob ko. . .Baki nga ba ako?
Realities in life. . .
Nung minsan nakasakay kita sa jeep, akala ko nagsosolo ka lang yun pala may kasama ka, umiwas ako nun pero aaminin ko when I saw na may kasama ka inihatid ka pa sa bahay nyo, there’s a stranged feeling within me na ewan ko ba bakit ganun? Ang labo, iniiwasan kita na samahan o makita, pero ng makita kitang may makasamang iba. . .ewan ko pasensya na talaga. . .Ang labo ko no? I heard you went out of the country, di ka man lang nagpaalam sa akin o nag txt man lang na aalis ka? nagbago ka ba ng number? Tnxt kita ng mga ilang beses pero di ka man lang sumagot. . .
Kung kaya lang turuan ang puso. . .
Alam mo sa dami ng mga kantyaw at biro sa akin at mga pambubuyo ng mga kaibigan at pamilya ko, matagal na siguro na nagawa kong bigyan pansin ang presensya mo. . .Until now tinatanong ko ang sarili ko, bakit nga ba hindi ko magawang bigyan pansin ag isang tulad mo? Kung kaya lang turuan ang puso. . .Pero sana pagdating ng panahon na kaya na kitang pahalagahan at . . .mahalin. . .andyan ka pa din. . .
My Trip to Cagayan De Oro: The City of Golden Friendship and Iligan City
October 17, 2008THE VISIT: OCTOBER 16-17, 2008
Again as part of my job, I went to Cagayan De Oro and Iligan City to conduct a site and project inspection of the projects of my client in the same area, Firm Builders Realty & Development Corporation (FBRDC) and they have been my client since my Maybank days wayback 2005. I left Manila around 8:10 a.m. via Cebu Pacific Air then I arrived at CDO almost 10:00 a.m. then we immediately proceeded to DDD Habitat to check in since I’l be staying overnight in the City. After some short talks with the officers of the company, we headed to Iligan City for the project visit wherein I was accompanied by two great people of FBRDC, Art and Engr. (sorry i forgot your name)
ON THE WAY TO ILIGAN CITY:
I thought its just an hour drive from CDO to Iligan but it took us almost 2 hours to reach the city. We arrived there at FBRDC’s Iligan office around 1:30 in the afternoon where I met some of the officers of the company particularly their Project Manager Jong Gomez. Then they treat me to a sumptous lunch at Sunbursts Restaurant one of the famous restaurant in the area because of their ried chicken, durian cheeze cake, Kinilaw with tabon-tabon (antedote for the lansa factor of the fresh meat of tanigue-Tahnks Jong & Art for the trivia!),calamares and sinigang na tuna. In the same lunch i got to meet some of the PNB Officers of Iligan Branch who also gave their time to join us in the site visit at Brgy. Pacol. After the business and official concerns, my newly found friends from FBRDC took me at the famous store of peanuts in the City named as CHEDENGS. Thanks for the nuts and suka Pinakurat Engr.! Then we headed to go back to CDO where will I spend the night.
CDO AT NIGHT:
We reached the city around past 6 p.m. already after 2 hours of rest in my room, my new friends from FBRDC picked me up again for their Dinner Treat. They brought me at Limketkai complex at Cagayanon Restaurant, one of the popular and must visit place in CDO. When we arrived there, the Secretary of DepEd was also there for some official functions along with the School Administrators of the Region. Going back to our dinner, we enjoyed again the Kinilaw na Tanigue with tabon-tabon, pakbet, lapu lapu with tausi sauce, bola baise soup and fish adobo (i forgot the name of the fish-taste like utak ng baboy!), grilled tuna with lots of garlic on top plus fresh fruit salad as desert. To summed it up, it was realy a great dinner then. After that? we went home already after a long drive at Iligan.
A day before my Birthday at the City of Golden Friendship:
I woke up around 6am to catch up for the 7 pm mass at the Cathedral of St. Augustine where I also had the chance to take some pictures of the Cathedral’s unique beauty including that of the views of the Plaza and the City Hall. From my place at the hotel i just walked to experience walking around the place pasing thru the river. After the short walking within the immediate area, my new friends Art & Jong picked me up again in the hotel around 9:30 am since before my departure I had to visit our PNB branch to meet some of the officers of the Bank then afterwards they brought me at the store where the famous pastel is being sold and cook, the Vjandep (silent “j”) Pastel. After buying some stuff there we went to SM City CDO for our Lunch and this time at Bigby’s then after the lunch we headed to the Airport in time for my 2:15 flight going back to Manila. It’s really a great experience visiting the place of CDO for the second time around. My first visit was during my stint at Maybank Philippines but the same was not that good as it is very abrupt trip except with that of the fact that my trip then thru an airplane was the first one. I really felt the golden friendship at CDO with the great and warm reception extended to me by the people of FBRDC! Im really looking forward to my next visit at CDO hopefully before the year ends. I got back to Manila around 4:15 p.m. October 17, 2008
THE MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER IN VIEW OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS
October 14, 2008ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
AT THE OPENING OF THE 12th ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS
Synod Hall
Monday, 6 October 2008
Dear Brothers in the Episcopacy,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
At the beginning of our Synod the Liturgy of the Hours presents a passage from Psalm 118 on the Word of God: a praise of his Word, an expression of the joy of Israel in learning it and, in it, to recognize his will and his Face. I would like to meditate on some verses of this Psalm with you.
It begins like this: “In aeternum, Domine, verbum tuum constitutum est in caelo… firmasti terram, et permanet”. This refers to the solidity of the Word. It is solid, it is the true reality on which one must base one’s life. Let us remember the words of Jesus who continues the words of this Psalm: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away”. Humanly speaking, the word, my human word, is almost nothing in reality, a breath. As soon as it is pronounced it disappears. It seems to be nothing. But already the human word has incredible power. Words create history, words form thoughts, the thoughts that create the word. It is the word that forms history, reality.
Furthermore, the Word of God is the foundation of everything, it is the true reality. And to be realistic, we must rely upon this reality. We must change our idea that matter, solid things, things we can touch, are the more solid, the more certain reality. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount the Lord speaks to us about the two possible foundations for building the house of one’s life: sand and rock. The one who builds on sand builds only on visible and tangible things, on success, on career, on money. Apparently these are the true realities. But all this one day will pass away. We can see this now with the fall of large banks: this money disappears, it is nothing. And thus all things, which seem to be the true realities we can count on, are only realities of a secondary order. The one who builds his life on these realities, on matter, on success, on appearances, builds upon sand. Only the Word of God is the foundation of all reality, it is as stable as the heavens and more than the heavens, it is reality. Therefore, we must change our concept of realism. The realist is the one who recognizes the Word of God, in this apparently weak reality, as the foundation of all things. Realist is the one who builds his life on this foundation, which is permanent. Thus the first verses of the Psalm invite us to discover what reality is and how to find the foundation of our life, how to build life.
The following verse says: “Omnia serviunt tibi”. All things come from the Word, they are products of the Word. “In the beginning was the Word”. In the beginning the heavens spoke. And thus reality was born of the Word, it is “creatura Verbi”. All is created from the Word and all is called to serve the Word. This means that all of creation, in the end, is conceived of to create the place of encounter between God and his creature, a place where the history of love between God and his creature can develop. “Omnia serviunt tibi”. The history of salvation is not a small event, on a poor planet, in the immensity of the universe. It is not a minimal thing which happens by chance on a lost planet. It is the motive for everything, the motive for creation. Everything is created so that this story can exist, the encounter between God and his creature. In this sense, salvation history, the Covenant, precedes creation. During the Hellenistic period, Judaism developed the idea that the Torah would have preceded the creation of the material world. This material world seems to have been created solely to make room for the Torah, for this Word of God that creates the answer and becomes the history of love. The mystery of Christ already is mysteriously revealed here. This is what we are told in the Letter to the Ephesians and to the Colossians: Christ is the protòtypos, the first-born of creation, the idea for which the universe was conceived. He welcomes all. We enter in the movement of the universe by uniting with Christ. One can say that, while material creation is the condition for the history of salvation, the history of the Covenant is the true cause of the cosmos. We reach the roots of being by reaching the mystery of Christ, his living word that is the aim of all creation.
“Omnia serviunt tibi”. In serving the Lord we achieve the purpose of being, the purpose of our own existence. Let us take a leap forward: “Mandata tua exquisivi”. We are always searching for the Word of God. It is not merely present in us. Just reading it does not mean necessarily that we have truly understood the Word of God. The danger is that we only see the human words and do not find the true actor within, the Holy Spirit. We do not find the Word in the words.
In this context St Augustine recalls the scribes and pharisees who were consulted by Herod when the Magi arrived. Herod wants to know where the Saviour of the world would be born. They know it, they give the correct answer: in Bethlehem. They are great specialists who know everything. However they do not see reality, they do not know the Saviour. St Augustine says: they are signs on the road for others, but they themselves do not move. This is a great danger as well in our reading of Scripture: we stop at the human words, words form the past, history of the past, and we do not discover the present in the past, the Holy Spirit who speaks to us today in the words from the past. In this way we do not enter the interior movement of the Word, which in human words conceals and which opens the divine words. Therefore, there is always a need for “exquisivi”. We must always look for the Word within the words.
Therefore, exegesis, the true reading of Holy Scripture, is not only a literary phenomenon, not only reading a text. It is the movement of my existence. It is moving towards the Word of God in the human words. Only by conforming ourselves to the Mystery of God, to the Lord who is the Word, can we enter within the Word, can we truly find the Word of God in human words. Let us pray to the Lord that he may help us search the word, not only with our intellect but also with our entire existence.
At the end: “Omni consummationi vidi finem, latum praeceptum tuum nimis”. All human things, all the things we can invent, create, are finite. Even all human religious experiences are finite, showing an aspect of reality, because our being is finite and can only understand a part, some elements: “latum praeceptum tuum nimis”. Only God is infinite. And therefore His Word too is universal and knows no boundaries. Therefore by entering into the Word of God we really enter into the divine universe. We escape the limits of our experience and we enter into the reality that is truly universal. Entering into communion with the Word of God, we enter a communion of the Church that lives the Word of God. We do not enter into a small group, with the rules of a small group, but we go beyond our limitations. We go towards the depths, in the true grandeur of the only truth, the great truth of God. We are truly a part of what is universal. And thus we go out into the communion of all our brothers and sisters, of all humanity, because the desire for the Word of God, which is one, is hidden in our heart. Therefore even evangelization, the proclamation of the Gospel, the mission are not a type of ecclesial colonialism, where we wish to insert others into our group. It means going beyond the individual culture into the universality that connects all, unites all, makes us all brothers. Let us pray once again that the Lord may help us to truly enter the “breadth” of His Word and thus to open ourselves to the universal horizon that unites us with all our differences.
At the end, we return to a preceding verse: “Tuus sum ego: salvum me fac”. The text translates as: “I am yours”. The Word of God is like a stairway that we can climb and, with Christ, even descend into the depths of his love. It is a stairway to reach the Word in the words. “I am yours”. The word has a Face, it is a person, Christ. Before we can say “I am yours”, he has already told us “I am yours”. The Letter to the Hebrews, quoting Psalm 39, says: “You gave me a body…. Then I said, “Here I am, I am coming’”. The Lord prepared a body to come. With his Incarnation he said: I am yours. And in Baptism he said to me: I am yours. In the Holy Eucharist, he say ever anew: I am yours, so that we may respond: Lord, I am yours. In the way of the Word, entering the mystery of his Incarnation, of his being among us, we want to appropriate his being, we want expropriate our existence, giving ourselves to him who gave Himself to us.
“I am yours”. Let us pray the Lord that we may learn to say this word with our whole being. Thus we will be in the heart of the Word. Thus we will be saved.
Naga City Trip!
October 13, 2008Last October 10, 2008, I went to Naga City for a Business Trip with my boss to conduct a site and project inspection of a subdivision there in Naga City. It was not my first time to visit the place and if I’m not mistaken it was the third time I went there. The initial visit then was during my College years and the City has a big difference now in terms of economic activities and presence of big commercial establishments and not to mention the incomng SM City Naga which is expected to open by early next year.
The visit also gave me a chance to see up close and personal the very famous these days, the CamSur Water Sports Complex or CWC. The place is now the haven of Wake Boarding enthusiasts, one of the most popular extreme sports for the young people and young at heart. I also got the chance to taste the unique “laing pizza” in the CWC Resto. The taste is really good and awesome!
On top of the great food like laing, pili nuts, bicol express and other native delicacies, I cant allow myself not to visit one of the most important destinations in Naga City, the Basilica of Our Lady of Penafrancia. My first visit then was actually a pilgrimage in the same church but I can’t remember that what I saw the other day is actually the same as that of the place we visited then. I was amazed with the magnificent glass mosaic that sorrounds every corner of the church. It is evident with the newly installed wall sculptured that the church is currently undergoing renovations. Unlike the festival days, there were no big crowds in the area and we were able to see the image of Our Lady that easy thru a stairs at the back of the main altar.
The visit is really a memorable one! And yes, I’ll make sure to come back and visit again the place especially CWC and next time I will make sure I will see Caramoan, which other people describe as incomparable to Boracay! Whew! Great to be Pinoy! There are lots of great destinations in the country even superb than the F1 race in Singapore! By the way thanks a lot to the great staff of our sister company, Air Philippines for bringing us safe home!
BABALA LABAN SA REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BILL 5043
Nais po naming paalalahanan ang lahat sa panganib na idudulot ng ipinapanukalang Reproductive Health Bill 5043. Layunin daw ng panukala na mas maging ligtas ang kalusugan ng mga manganganak. Masyado raw tayong marami kaya di sapat ang pagkain at trabaho. Kulang daw ang pera ng gobyerno upang matustusan ang pangangailangan ng mga tao. Pero ang totoo, ang nais ay sugpuin ang ating populasyon, sa pamamaraan na sisira sa moralidad, sa pamilya at karapatan.
Pag naisa batas ang RHB 5043, pwersadong tuturuan ang ating mga anak/ apo mula Grade 5 hanggang 4th year high school kung paano makakapagtalik ng ligtas sa sakit at hindi mabubuntis o makabubuntis. Gagamitin ang pera ng gobyerno sa pagpapalaganap ng libreng condom, pills, IUD, vasectomy atbp. Alam po natin na hindi 100% effective ang mga naturang contraceptives at ang susunod na ipapanukala ay abortion naman – ganito ang landas na tinahak ng lahat ng bansang nag-umpisa sa panukalang gaya ng RHB 5043.
Pag naipasa ang bill na ito ay lalong magkaka ideya ang mga bata tungkol sa pagtatalik, kaya batang bata pa ay mawawala na ang kamusmusan. Nagkakaproblema na tayo ngayon. Lalo na pong lalala. Ang mga pribadong kumpanya naman ay pwersadong magbigay ng birth control measures sa kanilang mga empleyado.
Ang mas nakakatakot pa bukod sa paglaganap ng immoralidad ay pag nagpahayag ka ng kontra sa batas ay kulong o multa ka.
Mag-ingat po tayo, magmatyag at kumilos. Taon-taon ay may nagtutulak ng panukalang ito. Medyo matindi po ngayon at mukhang hindi sila titigil. Pero kung magkakaisa ang mga Katoliko, hindi po ito makakalusot. Sa ating pagkilos at pagkakaisa nakasalalay ang kinabukasan ng pamilyang Pilipino, na gusto nating panatilihing banal.
Pag-aralan po natin ang isyu at makilahok sa mga gawaing tumututol sa RHB 5043. Kaugnay po nito, ang Couples For Christ Foundation for Family and Life ay namimigay po ng mga leaflets sa harap ng simbahan. Nag-aanyaya po sila sa inyong lahat na lumagda sa isang petisyon laban sa masamang idudulot ng RHB 5043.
Higit sa lahat, ating ipagdasal ang mga namumuno ng ating gobyerno.
Maraming salamat po at nawa’y mapasa atin ang pagpapala ng Banal na Pamilya sa
Pagpalain po tayong lahat ng Diyos!
Ang PASIMHAY: The Blog Version
October 6, 2008
Asian Youth Day 2009
September 30, 2008CBCP asks Pope to visit Manila in 2009
by ARIES RUFO, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak | 09/29/2008 6:05 PM
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has formally invited Pope Benedict XVI to attend next year’s celebration of Asian Youth Day to be held in Manila, abs-cbnNews.com/Newsbreak has learned.
It will be the second invitation extended by the Catholic Church to the Holy Father, who declined an offer this year to make a side trip to the Philippines from his visit to Australia for the World Youth Day last July.
Two bishops confirmed that an invitation has been forwarded to the Vatican, following consultations with other CBCP members.
The invitation was prompted by a separate request of the Catholic Church in Taiwan for the Pope to attend its 150th anniversary of its evangelization. Taipei’s local bishops have asked the CBCP to also invite the Pope, noting that Manila would host the Asian Youth Day next year.
The Asian Youth Day (AYD), a regional version of the World Youth Day, was last observed in Hongkong in 2006.
But one of the sources said the Pope is likely to refuse the offer, considering the diplomatic implication of the Pope’s visit to Taiwan, which is still considered a “renegade” province by China.
Asian Youth Day
According to a July 30, 2008 story on Asian Youth Day on the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCAN) website, organizers plan to hold the AYD in the Philippines last week of November or first week of December 2009.
The UCAN report said, “AYD organizers have not decided on the theme for the celebration, but activities will center on the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) thrust toward Eucharist in the context of the young.”
The report said “AYD celebrations, held in years when no international WYD celebration takes place, aim to inspire Asian Catholics to continue and live their faith “passionately, in a more dedicated way,” according to Jessica Joy Candelario, the head of the desk of the FABC’s Office of Laity and Family.
Asian bishops vowed in a previous World Youth Day celebration to “give more priority to the needs of young people.” They agreed to establish a “youth office that will give a more concrete voice for young Asians,” the UCAN report said.
“Three years later, the FABC established its laity office’s Youth Desk. The desk organized the first AYD celebration in Thailand in 1999,” the UCAN report said.
Feast Day of St. Lorenzo Ruiz
September 28, 2008
“I AM A CHRISTIAN, AND THIS I PROFESS UNTIL THE HOUR OF MY DEATH AND FOR GOD I SHALL GIVE MY LIFE. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT COME TO JAPAN TO BE A MARTYR, NEVERTHELESS AS A CHRISTIAN AND FOR GOD I SHALL GIVE MY LIFE.” St. Lorenzo Ruiz.
Happy Feast Day of St. Lorenzo Ruiz to all the Filipino people!
It has been three (3) years since the time I assumed the responsibility of taking care of the Novena and Mass in Honor of San Lorenzo Ruiz De Manila in the Parish, it is just my regret that this year I was not able to sponsor a procession in his honor due to concerns on possibility of heavy rains that does not happen anyway.
Im sharing to you juys the novena to San Lorenzo Ruiz and his short life story! Again Happy Feast Day!
OPENING PRAYER
Almighty God, you have given us St. Lorenzo Ruiz as a model of an unwavering fidelity and unflinching courage as he withstood the forces of death to defend his faith. Give us the same courage and fidelity to remain steadfast as we face the difficulties and temptations of our daily life.
We present all our petitions to God through your help so that by our actions, we may know and love more Jesus, our Lord and Savior. We humbly implore your intercession in this novena, for the glory of God and in honor of your triumph as a martyr of Christ and defender of Christianity.
O courageous St. Lorenzo Ruiz, you were an exemplar father, a witness of Christ until the last hours of your earthly life. You did not hesitate to say that even if you have a thousand lives, you will give them all to Jesus. Intercede for us before the throne of the Most High and inspire us, especially the fathers among us, to lead our families in prayer and worship.
Amen.
FIRST DAY / Friday
(September 19, 2008)
Almighty God, you chose St. Lorenzo Ruiz, a humble sacristan of Binondo to carry the gospel to Japan. We are also called to be your missionaries, to announce the gospel and the joy of your Kingdom. Enlighten us that we may learn to carry this mission faithfully and effectively, first in our homes and then in our neighborhood. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, you diligently did your work as a sacristan, preparing the daily masses and other sacraments. Help us to be committed to our parish work and activities and see them as our way of evangelizing.
Amen.
RESPONSORY:
Leader: Jesus has many who love his Kingdom in heaven, but few who bear his Cross. He has many who desire comfort, but few who desire suffering. He finds many to share his feast, but few his fasting. All desire to rejoice with him, but few are willing to suffer for his sake.
Response: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal 6:14).
Leader: Why do you fear to take up the Cross, which is the road to the Kingdom? In the Cross is salvation and life, protection against our enemies, infusion of heavenly sweetness: in the Cross is strength of mind, joy of spirit, excellence of virtue, perfection of holiness. There is no salvation of soul nor hope of eternal life, save in the Cross.
Response: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal 6:14).
Leader: Take up the Cross, therefore, and follow Jesus, and go forward into eternal life. Christ has gone before you, bearing Cross; he died for you on the Cross that you also may bear your cross and desire to die on the Cross with him. And if you share his sufferings, you will also share his glory.
Response: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal 6:14).
Leader: See how the Cross, all things consist; and in dying on it, all things depend. There is no other way to life and to true inner peace than the Way of the Cross. Go where you will, seek what you will: you will find no higher way above nor safer way below than the road of the Holy Cross.
Response: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal 6:14).
Leader: The Cross always stands ready, and everywhere it awaits you. You cannot escape it, wherever you flee; for wherever you go, you bear yourself, and always find yourself. Look up or down, without you or within, and everywhere you must have patience, if you wish to attain inner peace, and win an eternal crown.
Response: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal 6:14).
ALL: Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us to follow you not only to the breaking of bread but also to the drinking of the cup of your passion. Help us to love you for your own sake and not for the sake of comfort for ourselves. Make us worthy for your name, Jesus, our crucified and risen Lord and savior, now and forever. Amen.
SECOND DAY / Saturday
(September 20, 2008)
Almighty God, you gave St. Lorenzo Ruiz priest companions who were after his welfare. They protected him when he was falsely accused of murder in Binondo and allowed him to go with them to Japan. We pray also for our priests and may they always be inspired to work for the welfare of their flock. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, bless and intercede for our shepherds that they may be able to guide us in our parish activities. Let them be models of faith and charity, light in our communities that we may become beacons of fraternal love in our world. Amen.
THIRD DAY / Sunday
(September 21, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with love for work as he did his duties as a sacristan with fervor and honesty. Through human work, may we develop our potentials and talents, inspire us always to meet the challenges of our profession and give work to the unemployed. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, you were also a notary; intercede before the throne of the Most High, that all of us may have decent jobs and thus be able to provide for our family. Amen.
FOURTH DAY / Monday
(September 22, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with a happy family that became his support even though he had to leave them and flee for Japan to escape an unjust arrest. You stirred the heart of his wife and children to put their trust in you in the absence of Lorenzo.
St. Lorenzo Ruiz, your life is embodied today by the millions of Filipino fathers who work abroad to support their families. The absence of these fathers has created a lot of problems. Intercede in the throne of the Most High to increase the faith of these mothers and children, so that their bonds with their husbands and fathers may be strengthened. Amen.
FIFTH DAY / Tuesday
(September 23, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with the love for Mary, our mother. He participated in a group that professed to pray the rosary and propagate its devotion to others. To love Mary is to love you even more. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, help us to love Mary so that through her, we could go near Jesus. Inspire us to love the rosary and to recite it daily so that we will always be covered by the powerful intercession of the mother of God. May your love for Mary increase our devotion for her. Amen.
SIXTH DAY / Wednesday
(September 24, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with companions whose missionary zeal enabled them to leave their country and spend their lives spreading the gospel in foreign and even hostile lands like Japan in those times. The spread of the gospel was the obsession of these Dominican priests who left their country without thinking of seeing it once again. We want to imitate their zeal and spirit of sacrifice to spread the gospel. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, you carried in your heart the flame of the gospel, influenced by the company of these missionaries who taught you that to offer one’s life for the spread of the good news is the best of all decisions. Inspire in us the love for mission and support Filipino missionaries working abroad. Amen.
SEVENTH DAY / Thursday
(September 25, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with the gift of martyrdom. This is a privilege you give to a chosen few. Through the call for us all is to live our faith with much constancy, we, too, are invited to be martyrs for your sake, in the name of charity, of love, of sacrifice for our neighbors and those who are in need. Bless us Father with much perseverance.
St. Lorenzo Ruiz, may your martyrdom inspire in us always the courage to serve our fellowmen and women without counting the cost, to forgive and understand them with patience and compassion, and to love them without limit, that we all may also be welcomed with the gift of eternal life in the Father’s heavenly abode, as he has received you in his heavenly embrace. Amen.
EIGHT DAY / Friday
(September 26, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with the gift of fidelity. His sufferings were terrible and the tortures that he bore were beyond human endurance. Yet as he dangled bloodied before a filthy pit, he reaffirmed with a firm voice that even if he had a thousand lives, he would willingly give them all back to you. Give us the same courage to withstand the temptations of our daily life. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, inspire us to remain steadfast in our combat against sin and evil. Give us the resistance to withstand the attacks of pleasure and easy life. Amen.
NINTH DAY / Saturday
(September 27, 2008)
Almighty God, you blest St. Lorenzo Ruiz with the company of ardent martyrs who encouraged, strengthened and prayed for each other until they were slaughtered. They died singing psalms in your honor, eager to meet you in the kingdom promised to all the faithful. Eternal life filled their hearts as they withstood terrible tortures and pains.
St. Lorenzo Ruiz, be with us in our journey in this valley of tears, inspire us that the thirst for eternal life may posses us and that with your company, this longing for eternal life may be intensified and thus, we may be unmindful of sacrificing and suffering for Jesus’ sake. Stir in us a deep love for heaven and a yearning to reach it soon. Amen.
Short Trip to the Sunshine City of the North-Laoag
September 23, 2008
Last weekend I went to Laoag City upon the invitation of a couple friend for the wedding of their eldest son. I went there to serve as a Commentator in the Wedding Mass held at St. Monicha Church in Sarrat Ilocos, Norte where the wedding of former first daughter Imee Marcos was also held.
It was a fun filled weekend and I would say that It is one of the best wedding I attended not because of the high profile entourage or the lavished backdrop it had (by the way the reception was held at Fort Ilocandia, one of the most popular landmark in the North) but the sincerity of the couple. The exhange of vows then were the most sincere and most passionate vows I ever witnessed.
The people there in Laoag are great, warm and very accommodating. I also had the chance to visit some of the popular landmarks in Laoag like the Malacanan Palace of the North in Paoay, the Sinking Bell Tower of St. Williams Cathedral in the heart of the city and the only first class hotel in Laoag, the famous Fort Ilocandia. To complement this places, I also had the chance to taste and even brought home some of the famous delicacies of Laoag like “bagnit” with KBL (kamatis, bagoong and sibuyas tagalog), empanada and chichacorn.
The family of the couple also organized a short trip in Pagudpud for the guests but unfortunately I did not join them because I had to meet a client of our Laoag Branch. But to summed it up, I made the resolution to come back and spend a much longer stay then.
Salamat Laoag! Till my next visit!
PYC: After 14 years (1994-2008)
September 18, 2008
Ngayon ang ika 14 na taong anibersaryo ng aking paglilingkod sa Inang Simbahan sa pamamagitan ng aming parokya. Every year mag isa ko itong inaalala sa pamamagitan ng pagdalo sa Misa at pag-alala sa ilang mga dating kasamahan sa Parish Youth Council (PYC) Batch No. 2 sina Robert Dacer at Jobert but this year nadagdagan na sila, kasama na din sa aking mga panalangin ang mga kaluluwa nina Kuya Jay-R at Jon Jon Badillo. Looking back for the last 14 years, wala akong maipagmamalaki na great achievement except to that of the fact that I’m still in the Parish until this very time very active di na nga lang sa PYC I have now my own group, the UCM.
Just to share to you the text that I sent to some of my batch mates then in the PYC yesterday just to greet them a simple happy anniversary:
“I tried to look for a nice meesage in my phone archive to use it as my special greetings for this very special day. . . But I cant find one that suit for us. . .Until I remembered that when the first time we met last September 17, 1994 all of us just made a tree of promise out of a manila paper (i dont where it is now) that we will stay together and move as one. 14 years had past, we may have different lives now, but the great memories we had then that still brought us smile and joy from time to time, are suffieciently enough for me to take the effort of greeting you on this special day. . .Happy Anniversary!
Were trying to organize a reunion this September 27, 2008 and hopefully matuloy but I promise na ayusin ko pagbalik ko from Laoag City.
I will also try to publish some additional reflections on this occasion in the coming days before the end of September, Birthday ko na next month! Sana i could make a post starting October 1, 2008!
More to come! Thanks & Sa mga nakasama ko sa PYC Batch no. 2 I miss you! and again Happy Anniversary!
Write a blog, win a Palanca
DAVID DIZON / abs-cbnNEWS.com | 09/18/2008 5:14 PM
Blogging is often used by authors as a pulpit to express their views and hopefully make a profit through Internet ads. Award-winning fictionist and playwright Dean Francis Alfar did it better by writing a blog for a month and then using the finished work to win a Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award, the country’s own version of the Pulitzers.
In a presentation at the recently concluded Manila International Book Fair, Alfar said he started blogging after a personal tragedy struck in 2001.
The author said he was working in the advertising industry in Hong Kong when he received a telephone call from the Philippines and found out that his cousin had died.
“I was devastated to hear the news because we were very close. It was so painful. I turned on my computer and started writing as a way to release my pain. I then started surfing and found an article about blogging. That’s when I started blogging,” he said.
Alfar freely admits that he had been writing and winning awards even before he joined advertising in 1994. He said, however, that he felt intimidated by the local literary scene, which placed more emphasis on social realism that genre fiction.
“Growing up in the shadow of literary giants, I always get the sense that ‘marami pa akong kakainin na palay’. I always thought that I had nothing new to say, that other people had already said it and better,” he said.
Blogging gave Alfar the freedom to write anything he wanted, and write he did. Finding the time to write, however, became a problem since he had to juggle his roles as a businessman, entrepreneur, husband and father.
Guerilla writing
A firm believer that a writer should always be producing new work, Alfar said he practiced “guerilla writing” to make the best use of time otherwise spent going from one task to the next.
“In the jungle, guerrillas just pop up from nowhere and start shooting. It’s the same with writing. If I have 15 minutes with nothing to do, I open up my laptop and start writing. Sometimes it’s opinion and sometimes it’s epiphanies. Sometimes if I have enough time, I write vignettes - these small passages of whatever strikes my fancy. Later, when I have time to write, I go back to my blog, mine the vignettes and write it up as a full story,” he said.
Blogging also led Alfar to write his first novel, Salamanca, which he started after discovering National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) creative project in the United States. Under NaNoWriMo rules, authors must write a complete novel of fifty thousand words or simply write the first fifty thousand words of a novel in 30 days beginning November 1. No prizes are given out except for a small Web icon on the author’s blog, declaring him a winner.
Since he always believed that writing should not take a year to do, especially for short works, Alfar found the novelty of writing his own novel in one month incredibly appealing. He opened up a blog and committed to write every night until he completed the required 50,000 word count.
“There were times that my wife (Nikki Alfar) would get mad because we weren’t talking since I had to write my 2,000 words for the night. It was important for me that I wouldn’t be paralyzed by fear, that I could not do it. I didn’t even worry about being plagiarized because all I wanted was to finish the work,” he said.
Winning a Palanca
Alfar finished the novel in 28 days and got the Web icon. He also submitted the finished novel “Salamanca” to the 2005 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature and won the Palanca Grand Prize for Novel. The novel was published by Ateneo Press in 2006.
Alfar encourages budding authors to write blogs in order to practice their craft on a regular basis. He says the feedback mechanism also allows authors to know what other people think about their work.
“I want people to write. I want them to express themselves. On the Internet, people are being influenced by other cultures but we need to be writing about ourselves. We should write from a ‘glocal’ perspective and let other people know more about us,” he says.
as of 09/18/2008 5:38 PM
The Gates to Heroism: Defining a Filipino Hero
September 3, 2008
Diana A. Galang, National Historical Insitute | 08/25/2008 12:21 AM
(First published online at www.nhi.gov.ph, 2007)
It is common for Filipinos to look for someone to idolize –saints, politicians, artists, models, etc., somebody they will glorify and imitate. Since the time of the declaration of Philippine independence, 109 years ago, many were acknowledged as Filipino heroes, more so today, that every individual who become so popular or the main character in any particular event is given the title “hero”. The essence of the word “hero” is past declining, today one need not to die or do such gallant act to be given the noble title or that some just won a boxing match. Time has really evolved and so does our standard in defining a Filipino hero. Will our forefathers who gave their lives for freedom feel insulted for this? Are these the Filipinos we’ll look up to for guidance through the times, aren’t our children losing the true meaning of heroism by our doings? All these things we should ask ourselves before giving the title “hero” to anyone.
But what does being a hero mean? Dr. Esteban de Ocampo, a known historian, stated in his book about Rizal that a hero means a prominent or central personage taking an admirable part in any remarkable action or event; a person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude in suffering; and a man honored after death by public worship because of exceptional service to mankind. The true heroes of Philippine history deserve to be called so for they didn’t have any idea that one day they will be measured up, they just acted upon their principles. The concept of honoring heroes came only to the Philippines in 1900, when the Philippine Commission (Pardo de Tavera, Legarda, Luzurriaga (Filipino members) and headed by William Howard Taft) approved Act No. 137 combining the districts of Morong and Manila to be named as “Province of Rizal,” in honor of the most illustrious Filipino. Actually, this Act was disputed by many but the basis of the Commission was so strong that it has surpassed the public’s questions.
Since then, heroes were celebrated here and there, citing their names in every politician’s speeches, declaring holidays, naming streets, constructing monuments, etc. in their honor. Until one day, realizing that so many names were acknowledged as heroes, need to evaluate the situation was proposed. During Marcos’ presidency, he tasked the National Heroes Commission to come up with the criteria for national hero. On March 28, 1993, thru the President’s Executive Order No. 75, the National Heroes Committee was created, commissioned to study, evaluate and recommend historical figures to be declared as national heroes. The Committee composed of worthy members, with a series of discussions came up with the new criteria.
The criteria is composed of 10 standards: First is the extent of a person’s sacrifices for the welfare of the country. Second, the motive and methods employed in the attainment of the ideal (was his ideal purely for the welfare of the country and without any taint of self-interested motives, most of all the method of attainment should be morally valid). The third is the moral character of the person concerned (the person should not have any immorality issue that affected his ideal). The fourth is the influence of the person concerned on his age and or the succeeding age. Fifth is that heroes are those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for the nation’s freedom (they must have desired the country’s freedom in any situation especially when there’s a threat of invasion in any form). Sixth is that heroes are those who define and contribute to a system of life of freedom and order for a nation (one who helps in the orderliness and betterment of the country). Seventh is, heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a nation. Eight, a hero is part of the people’s expression (the citizen must have recognized and acknowledged the person as a hero). Ninth, a hero thinks of the future, especially the future generations, his concern for the future generations must be seen in his decisions and ideals). Lastly, the choice of a hero involves not only the recounting of an episode or events in history, but of the entire process that made this particular person a hero.
Filipino’s expectations of public figures are different now than it was more than a hundred years ago, maybe because of the realization that no one is perfect. This is the reason why today so many were acknowledged as heroes and many were voted in important governing positions with flaws and questionable characters. Lucky are those who aspire one day to be called a hero that the criteria was already set to pattern their decisions with. I hope that the criteria for national heroes will not only be checked against the historical figures but also with the politicians to whom we will entrust the power to govern our country.
PRAYER OF COMMITMENT For HUMANAE VITAE
September 1, 2008 God our Father, In you we find the fullness of life and love,
And the truth that they belong together.
In you we find the meaning of marriage,
Of the human body,
And of our responsibility to be open to life.
As we celebrate the anniversary of Humanae Vitae,
Pope Paul VI’s documents on human life,
Bless your entire Church with a new generosity.
We rejoice that you are the Lord of our lives
and our freedom,
Of birth and death and everything in between.
Keep us strong in saying “Yes” to life
And “yes” to you.
We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
ANG PAGSASALIN NG BUHAY AY SAGRADO
Message delivered by His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila during Mass in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Encyclical Humanae Vitae at UST Grandstand, España, Manila,
on July 25, 2008.
Matapos ang 40 taon na binitiwan ng Santo Papa Paulo VI ang kanyang sulat na Encyclical Humanae Vitae nananatili pa rin po yung puso ng kanyang liham, at ito’y: “Na kung kikitilin yung isang buhay sa sinapupunan ng isang ina, kung saan man ito mangyari, sa klinika, sa health centers, sa mga pagamutan o kaya ay sa mga bahay; ang pagkitil ng buhay sa sinapupunan ng isang ina ay ito raw sa ating salawikain ay inuulit natin ang massacre ni Herodes dun sa mga inosenteng bata, at lilitaw na pag may gumawa ng ganyan ang Herodes na mamamatay sanggol ay maaaring kapitbahay ninyo.
Yan po ang sinabi ni Papa Paulo VI. Hindi lingid sa ating kaalaman na ang buhay ng isang tao kung ito ay ikukumpra sa kung sino man, ang buhay ng isang tao ay hindi lang mahalaga kundi sa mga unang sandali ng kanyang pamumuo sa sinapupunan ng kanyang ina ay ito na raw po ang pinakamahina, pinkamarupok na buhay na maaaring matuklasan sa ibabaw ng lupang ito.
It’s unusual that this vulnerability of humans not only from the womb of the woman or the mother continues until childbirth. Ito raw ang pinakaiingatan at lahat ng buhay matapos dyan pagkat sinasabi dito, this vulnerability continues even after birth towards infancy. Napakarupok daw ng bata kaya ang pag-aalaga dito sa buhay na ito na nagmumula sa ilang sandali sa sinapupunan ng isang ina ay isang banal na tungkulin. It’s a sacred duty.
Responsible parenthood is what Pope Paul VI called human parenting. Responsableng pagiging magulang, yan ang tawag niya. This is the reason why, and we quote from him, “in the task of transmitting life humans are not free to perceive completely as they will as if they could determine in a holy and autonomous way the honest path to follow. But they must confirm their activity to creative intention of God expressed in the very nature of marriage and of its acts.”
Hindi daw po ito maaari na yung pagsasalin ng buhay hindi maaaring basta ipagkatiwala sa sinuman. Ang pagsasalin ng buhay ay hindi lang siklab ng ilang sandali. Napakabanal pala nitong pagsasalin ng buhay na ginagamit ang isang lalake at babae sa pagiging ina at ama. Sagrado ito. Hindi maaari basta ipagkatiwala sa simbuyo ng ilang sandali. Kaya kung sakali man na ang kabiglaanan ng iba ay tutuklas ng paraan para kitilin ang buhay, yan ay malaking pagkakasala. Sa ano mang paraan tawagin o ano mang titulo iyan sinasabi ni Paulo VI na hindi maaari.
Napakabanal ng pagsalin ng buhay. Ito ay hindi laruan at kung minsan ang kabiglaang kabataan ay kung ano ang tutuklasin yan na nga wawasakin, dudurugin ang isang banal na buhay. Responsible parenthood using the natural method of planning of birth demands of the husband and the wife the possession of true values of life. Yung pagiging responsableng ama at ina ang hinihingi sa lalaki at babae, ano yun? Una dapat daw ay mayroong pagpapahalaga sa buhay. Nagpatuloy pa ang Papa Paulo VI, ang sasang ayon sa Diyos sa pagsasalin ng buhay sa kapwa hindi lamang pagpapahalaga sa buhay kung hindi merong sintido ng pamilya. Pagkaunawa ng kung ano ang pamilya at hindi basta ang pagsasama ng ama at ina kundi kasama ang mga anak na kasambahay. Meron din sapat na pag disiplina sa sarili. Dapat pala ang sasang ayon sa pagsasalin ng buhay hindi lang may pagpapahalaga sa buhay o sa pamilya kung hindi mayroong disiplina sa buhay, mayroong self control. Yun pala ang kinakailangan ng sasang ayon sa Diyos na isasalin ang buhay sa kapwa at ang disiplinang ito sabi nga ng Santo Papa magdadala sa angkan ng bunga ng kapayapaan, katahimikan, at itataboy ang kasakiman, pagsasarili na siyang kaaway ng pag-ibig.
Ang Diyos ay marunong. Ano at ang tao ay tutuklas pa ng masamang paraan na kikitil ng buhay? Ano at ang tao nung matuklusan ang hirap dumadami ang tao, gumaganit ang pagkain, nagmamahal ang gasolina ay iisip pa ng masama imbes na padamihin ang pagkain, pag saluhan ang yaman ay iisip pa ng masama. Tayo lang ba ang nakatuklas ng paghihirap ng buhay? Alam ng Diyos yan bago pa niya nilalang ang daigdig. Anong klaseng Diyos yan kung hindi niya alam na hihirap ang buhay? I know that the God I believe in knows better than I am. That life will be difficult to accompany children? To lead children, to correct children, alam ng Diyos iyan. Bakit ang solusyon natin ay iba? Kung kaya’t kanya nga ipinunla sa tao ang lunas sa pamamagitan ng pag didisiplina sa sarili ay matuklasan niya yung pagbibigay ng agwat sa mga anak. Yan ang tinuklas ng Diyos bago pa niya tayo lalangin. Alam niyang magkakaproblema. Ang solusyon ba ay nasa laboratoryo? Sa mga gamot? Sa mga lason? Wala. Ang solusyon ay ipinunla ng marunong at banal na Diyos, ipinunla sa lalake at babae. Alam ng Diyos na yung binhi ng buhay sa lalake at babae ay hindi tatagal ng ilang oras. Alam ng Diyos yan at yan ang dapat tuklasin ng siyensya para ituro sa mga tao na sa loob ng ilang sandaling yan disiplina ang kailangan.
Tingnan ninyo kaya buong buo ang pangangaral ng Diyos na ito ay pag merong disipilina sa bahay lalo na sa kama ng mag asawa, may disiplina din sa lansangan, may disipilina sa paaralan, may disiplina maging sa pamahalaan. Walang gumagamit ng dispilina na siyang inilagay ng Diyos na paraan at tayo ay reklamo ng reklamo.
Look at the traffic that you see, how undisplined. Look at the way they move. Why? That is a reflection that there is no discipline in the house. Kaya heto balikan natin ang pagtuturo. Pero huwag din natin kalilimutan na meron ding mga mahihina. Ang mahihinang kasama ay hindi lang ang sanggol. Oo nga’t ang sanggol sa sinapupunan ay ang pinkamahina na wala talaga. Napakabigat na kasalanan yan sapagkat kung meron kang kaaway pwede mong suntukin, lalayo siya, tatakas siya, pwede siyang manuntok sa iyo, he will fight you back. This is the reason why the church considers abortion a terrible crime because the child has no choice. The unborn child has no choice. He cannot fight back the mother or the father or the doctor or the nurse. He couldn’t even escape. That is why the church considers this a terrible crime. So don’t ask anymore why the church is this strict!
Alam ninyo na walang ligtas ang bata, hindi siya makakatakas. It’s the worst kind of sin. Wag ninyo tatanungin kung bakit ganyan ang simbahan sa abortion. Pero meron din tayo mga kapatid na nahihirapan. Merong mga bata na naglalakad yan yung mga dukha na namamahay sa mga liblib na lugar sa mga tabing lansangan, ngbabahay sa mga ilog, sa kanal, ilalim ng tulay. Hindi natin dapat limutin ito. Oo nga wala ito sa Humanae Vitae, idinadagdag ko dito. Huwag natin lilimutin lapitan ang mga dukha. Sila ang ating kaligtasan. Maniwala kayo hindi tayo papasok ng langit kung hindi natin mamahalin ang mga dukha. At sabi ni Hesus siya ang nasa puntahan ng langit at hindi si San Pedro.. Yan ay maliwanag kay Mateo 25, at sasabihin niya “ako ay nagutom ako ay pinakain, ako ay nauhaw ako ay pinainom, ako’y hubad ako’y dinamitan, ako’y may sakit ako’y dinalaw ako’y nabilanggo ako’y pinuntahan, halina pumasok kayo ang langit ay para sa nagmamahal sa dukha.
Special care and protection must be given to the family. Sinasalakay ang karangalan at kabanalan ng pamilya. Kanya pangalagaan natin ito. Himukin natin ang mga matatanda na maaaring gustong mamuno sa atin. Kung mambabatas man yan marurunong daw, himukin natin na ipagtanggol at palakasin, suportahan ang pamilya. Ang pamilya po ang pugad ng pag ibig, dito po nagmumula, dito magigising ang lahat sa pag-ibig na nagmumula sa pamilya bago tayo maglakbay patungo sa Maykapal.
Sa katapusan po sinabi din dun sa Humanae Vitae, ang gandang mangaral ni Paulo VI. Akala ninyo galit hindi, napakabait ng papang iyan. At sa bandang huli sinabi niya , dalawa ang kinakausap niya, ang kinakausap nya ay pari at obispo at ito ang sabi niya matapos nyang pangangaralan ang mga tao. In ending he said you must teach without diminishing the teachings of Jesus Christ. Patience and charity should accompany the teachings of priests and bishops who like Christ came to save not to condemn. Jesus was uncompromising with evil but he was merciful to all. Ayaw nga ni Hesus ng kasalanan, kasamaan at kasalanan ngunit kung may nagkakasala sabi ng Santo Papa magdalang habag kayo katulad ng Panginoon.
Salamat po at pagpalain kayo ng Maykpal.
Where am I last Summer?
May 18, 2008
I took a leave of absence for three consecutive days from my work at Export Bank just to attend the three (3) day Conference on Catechetics & Youth Ministry at Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati dubbed as the 4th JPII Catechetics-Youth Ministry Conference organized by the Salesians of Don Bosco. I went there with five of our Parish Catechists who were sent by our Parish thru the Invitation I received from the Salesian Youth Ministry. The said conference reminded me of my Youth Ministry days in our Parish & Diocese way back 1995-2003. . . .I went there still as a Youth Minister although I’m not connected anymore with Parish Youth Ministry (PYM) simply because of substantial presence of young people in my group at the Parish particularly the Ushers & Collectors Ministry (UCM). I also attended the conference in view of my current apostolate for some of the less fourtunate children at Brgy, Platero still here in Binan, Laguna. . .
Back to the conference, I enrolled in three (3) different sessions namely:
Media Effects (under the New Media Ministry) on young people which was ably discussed and presented by Sr. Debbie Ponsaran, FMA. The session led us to an awareness of the effects of media particularly on values and behavior with special focus on the more popular media forms such as television, internet, mobile phones, video games and music video.
Youth Culture which was presented by Rev. Fr. Marty Macasaet, SDB, the Director of the Salesians on Youth Ministry. The session provided us with an awareness of the world of the young, along with the two related issues of Generation Theory and Postmodernism. His discussions were filled with many examples taken from the culture of present – day Filipino youth, and also from experiences in youth ministry. An actual immersion and exposure (particularly through hands – on exercises) was also part of this workshop. Part of this session was the film showing wherein Fr. Marty showed to us the film entitled "THE DEBUT" produced by Fil-Ams and featured also some of our great actors like Eddie Garcia, TirsoCruz III and Gina Alajar including some of the Fil-Am actors like Dante Basco and Bernadette Balagtas. I will also a lot another article here in my blog for the said movie. The movie really moved me and helped me to reflect on some issues and concerns in my life now.
Let’s Talk Holy (How to talk about sex on Youth) which was presented by Tito Ed Sorreta of Pro-Life Philippines. In this session, Tito shared his experiences in helping the youth deal with a very sensitive and relevant issue for youth: sexuality.
Conference on “The E-generation” Fr. Marty Macasaet, SDB
Conference on “The Word of God in the E-Generation” Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David, DD Auxiliary Bishop of
Conference on “How to Communicate the Word of God to the E-Generation Fr. Armand D. Robleza, SDB Delegate, Salesian Commission on Social Communication / President, Salesiana Publishers-Don Bosco Press
“The Blessed Trinity dwells in your soul in grace”
The Most Holy Trinity has crowned Our Mother. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, will ask us to render an account of every idle word. That is another reason for asking Holy Mary to teach us always to speak in the presence of the Lord. (Furrow, 926)
The Most Holy Trinity grants you grace and expects you to make use of it responsibly. Given such an endowment, there is no place for your adopting easy, slow, lazy attitudes, because, apart from everything else, souls await you. (Furrow, 957)
God is with you. The Blessed Trinity dwells in your soul in grace. That is why, in spite of your wretchedness, you can and should keep up a continuous conversation with the Lord. (The Forge, 261)
Learn to praise the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Learn to have a special devotion to the Blessed Trinity: I believe in God the Father, I believe in God the Son, I believe in God the Holy Spirit; I hope in God the Father, I hope in God the Son, I hope in God the Holy Spirit; I love God the Father, I love God the Son, I love God the Holy Spirit. I believe, I hope and I love the most Holy Trinity. This devotion is much needed as a supernatural exercise for the soul, expressed by the movement of the heart, although not always in words. (The Forge, 296)
My Story for Today!-May 08, 2008 (" Ang Ale sa Bus")
May 8, 2008In the past few days, there are lots of concerns and issues that bothers me. I just hope that I’ll deal with them rightfully with sound judgement and clear mind. To share it with you some of these concerns are the following:
- Before my high school graduation, muntik na akong pumasok ng Seminaryo. I remember that I even went to the Obates of St. Joseph (OSJ) Seminary here in Binan. Last Saturday during the Eucharistic Vigil I attended here in Binan also, pumasok sa isip ko ulit ang intensyon ko noon na mag pari at pumasok ng Seminaryo. I don’t know why it came up to my mind again. If you’ll ask me at this point in time If I still have the intentions of entering the Seminary again, I would say that I’m praying for it. If that’s part of His plan, i’ll abide with it! Yes I’ll abide with it. . . .Almost every day, pag nag aattend ako ng Mass nararamdaman ko yung urge to do a more serious things in life, something that could somehow affect the lives of other people, ofcourse the positive side of them. . .For all these thoughts, I decided to pray for it more. . .so that I will be able to understand what the Lord really want me to do. . .
- Syempre, di naman ako perfect malimit pa din na madapa, but I would say that I have much more confidence and strength now para tumayo agad at bumalik sa Kanya. . .not unlike before na medyo nag aalinlangan pa o patumpik tumpik pa muna bago humingi na tawad. . .Mas higit pala ang kabutihan, kagandahang loob at pagmamahal ng Diyos kaysa sa hiya at takot natin sa kanya during the times that we go astray. . .Sa panahon na nakadapa tayo, I realized and personally experienced na naiisip ko pa lang na tumayo sa pagkakadapa inaabot na agad ng Diyos ang kamay nya para tulungan tayo tumayo at bumalik sa Kanya.
- Everyday ako sumasakay ng Bus papasok ng opisina sa Makati, kaninang umaga, isang matandang Babae ang tumabi sa akin at pinaupo ko sa may bintana. Halata na hindi madalas mag byahe ang matanda dahil sa mga kinikilos nya during the trip, isa ata sa mga natutunan ko in the past few years na pag byahe araw-araw ang mapag-aralan ang mga manerisms ng mga byahero na naging dahilan para masabi kong baguhan o sanay na magbyahe ang isang tao. Going back to my story, nang umandar na ang Bus, hinawi ng Ale ang kurtina para sguro makita nya ang mga tanawin paluwas, consequently, sumambulat sa mukha ko ang sinag ng buntalang araw! Oo, ramdam na ramdam ko ang init ng araw sa mukha ko at ang init na dulot nito. . .Initial reaction? Gusto ko tirisin yung Ale na katabi ko dahil for sure pagdating ko ng Makati, rosy cheeks na ako o baka sunog pa! Maya maya, I heard a voice telling me na imbes na mainis at magalit sa Ale, magdasal na lang ako para sa Ale, Huh? Yes to pray for that Old woman! I knew it was really God’s grace then that calls me to pray instead of complaining and entertain that ill feelings against that old woman. . .What is that prayer? Here it goes: " Lord, ibigay mo po nawa sa akin ang grasya at biyaya na kumilimlim ang langit at magtago ang araw sa mga ulap para maging komportable ang Aleng katabi ko sa aming pag-byahe, di pa ako natatapos magdasal nagtago na nga ang buntalang araw! Hanggang makababa ako ng Dela Rosa sa Makati kulimlim pa din ang kapaligiran!" For all of you who might encounter the same situation as mine, few tips, aside sa mga barya at eksaktong pambayad sa bus o jeep, make sure you also bring patience, humlity and most of all that genuine love for others. . .Isa din sa mga natutunan ko in the past, hindi mo magagawang mag pasensya at magpakumbaba kung hindi mo lalagyan ng pagmamahal sa kapwa bilang pinaka dahilan kung bakit mo pinili na magpakita ng kapakumbabaan at pagpapasensya. . .
RP has highest percentage of social network users — study
MANILA, Philippines — A recent global study ranks the Philippines among countries with the highest percentage of Internet users using social networks.
Released by New York-based media agency Universal McCann, the study surveyed 17, 000 Internet users in 29 countries.
In the Philippines, the study noted 15 percent Internet penetration and estimates 37 million "active" Internet users(aged between 16 to 54), or those who go online daily or every other day.
The study estimates 83 percent of Internet users in the Philippines have created social network profiles, having the highest percentage ahead of Hungary (80 percent), Poland (77 percent) and Mexico (76 percent).
It is estimated that nearly 90 percent of users in the Philippines have Friendster accounts, although the rest of the world is either logging on to MySpace or Facebook.
Among the social networks mentioned, 32 percent of total Internet users log on to MySpace every week and 22 percent check their Facebook accounts. However, the study noted the popularity of social networks specific to geographical areas, like Cyworld and Mixi in Asia or Orkut in Brazil.
This shows that it is nearly impossible to create a single social network for the entire population of an estimated 232 million Internet users worldwide, the study said.
Meanwhile, the Philippines also ranks high in terms of specific usage of these social networks. The study estimates 90 percent of Filipino users read blogs, second only to South Korea (92 percent).
Moreover, the Philippines also has the highest percentage of users (86 percent) that have uploaded photos in these social networks, ahead of China (73 percent), Mexico (72 percent) and Brazil (70 percent).
The study also estimates 98 percent of Filipino Internet users have watched video on YouTube, again ranked highest ahead of Mexico and Brazil.
On the other hand, the Philippines was ranked a few notches lower when it comes to downloading podcasts or using RSS (real simple syndication) feeds.
On its third year, the Universal McCann aims to track the use of social media among Internet users worldwide. In general, this year’s report showed increasing usage of social networks compared to the past two years.
Also, the results showed that higher usage in emerging countries than the US wherein only an estimated 43 percent of total Internet users use social networks.
Pope goes digital to better connect with youth
May 7, 2008
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict will text message thousands of young Catholics on their mobile phones during World Youth Day in Sydney in July, hoping going digital will help him connect better with a younger audience.
The Pope will text daily messages of inspiration and hope during the six-day Sydney event while digital prayer walls will be erected at event sites and the church will set up a Catholic social networking Web site akin to a Catholic Facebook.
The Catholic Church said it decided to use technology to connect to the estimated 225,000 young Catholics expected to attend the World Youth Day (WYD) celebrations that start on July 15.
"We wanted to make WYD08 a unique experience by using new ways to connect with today’s tech-savvy youth," Bishop Anthony Fisher said in a statement on Wednesday.
Australian telecoms firm Telstra will provide voice, data, mobile, broadband and broadcast services for the event, as well as erect digital prayer walls at event sites.
Telstra said it plans to connect 8,000 volunteers, 2,000 clergy, 3,000 media and an anticipated 225,000 pilgrims to more than 700 locations around Sydney.
Australia’s Catholic nuns are already praying for good weather for the Pope’s visit.
The Catholic church is the biggest in Australia with about 5 million members, compared to about 4 million Anglicans among the nation’s 21 million people.
