Where am I last Summer?

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. 

The said sessions were actually the deepenings of the three Conferences on the said event that were presented by some of the "Salesians Par Excellance" that I’ve met like Fr. Marty Macasaet (he inspired me to consider enrolling at Don Bosco Paranaque for a Masteral on Youth Ministry) and Fr. Armand Robleza (whom i previously met thru my boss AAG) and Bishop Pablo David, D.D. of Pampanga. Their respective presentations are all equally informative and entertaining. . .Details are as follows: 

“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")

In 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:

1. 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. . .
2. 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.
3. 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

By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 09:22:00 05/08/2008
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view/20080508-135336/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

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.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=117478

Salamat mga Kaibigan!

Allow me to thank in advance some friends who made my project for this year’s Mother’s Day extra special. 

1. Dr. Quinciano M. Reyes of Binan Eye Clinic for providing free Eye consultation for selected Mothers.

2. Dra. Catherine Pampolina-Barreto for providing free Dental Services for selected Mothers.

3. Jojie Cerdena for providing free Haircut for selected Mothers.

4. Jommel Taytay of Pizza Hut Pavilion Mall, Binan, Laguna for the Free GC worth P300.00

5. JAM Liner, Inc., for the Free complimentary pass

6. Export & Industry Bank for the Golf Umbrella 

My group, Ushers and Collectors Ministry (UCM) of San Antonio De Padua Parish in cooperation with Parish Youth Ministry (PYM) will be spearheading the tribute for the Mothers of our Parish this Mother’s Day.

Again, from the bottom of my heart and in behalf of my members at UCM, Many thanks and God Bless!

Huwag sana kayo magsasawa na suportahan ang lahat ng aking mga proyekto! 

PRAYER FOR THE INTERCESSION OF POPE JOHN PAUL II

O Holy Trinity, we thank you for having given to the Church Pope John Paul II, and for having made him shine with your fatherly tenderness, the glory of the Cross of Christ and the splendour of the Spirit of Love. He, trusting completely in your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession of Mary, has shown himself in the likeness of Jesus the Good Shepherd and has pointed out to us holiness as the path to reach eternal communion with You. Grant us, through his intercession, according to your will, the grace the we implore, in hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints. Amen

PRAYER FOR MOTHER’S DAY

 God of all fruitfulness,
God of all Holy Women,
of Sara, Ruth and Rebecca;
God of Elizabeth – mother of John,
of Holy Mary – mother of Jesus,
listen to our prayer
and bless the mothers and grandmothers gathered here today.

And finally, we ask you, God of all tenderness,
to descend upon us all,
in the name of the Father
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In honor of my beloved Mother–Julie De Mesa Baban

MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER: BENEDICT XVI 42nd WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DA

MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER
BENEDICT XVI
42nd WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY

The Media: At the Crossroads between Self-Promotion and Service.
Searching for the Truth in order to Share it with Others.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

1. The theme of this year’s World Communications Day – “The Media: At the Crossroads between Self-Promotion and Service. Searching for the Truth in order to Share it with Others” – sheds light on the important role of the media in the life of individuals and society. Truly, there is no area of human experience, especially given the vast phenomenon of globalization, in which the media have not become an integral part of interpersonal relations and of social, economic, political and religious development. As I said in my Message for this year’s World Day of Peace (1 January 2008): “The social communications media, in particular, because of their educational potential, have a special responsibility for promoting respect for the family, making clear its expectations and rights, and presenting all its beauty” (No. 5).

2. In view of their meteoric technological evolution, the media have acquired extraordinary potential, while raising new and hitherto unimaginable questions and problems. There is no denying the contribution they can make to the diffusion of news, to knowledge of facts and to the dissemination of information: they have played a decisive part, for example, in the spread of literacy and in socialization, as well as the development of democracy and dialogue among peoples. Without their contribution it would truly be difficult to foster and strengthen understanding between nations, to breathe life into peace dialogues around the globe, to guarantee the primary good of access to information, while at the same time ensuring the free circulation of ideas, especially those promoting the ideals of solidarity and social justice. Indeed, the media, taken overall, are not only vehicles for spreading ideas: they can and should also be instruments at the service of a world of greater justice and solidarity. Unfortunately, though, they risk being transformed into systems aimed at subjecting humanity to agendas dictated by the dominant interests of the day. This is what happens when communication is used for ideological purposes or for the aggressive advertising of consumer products. While claiming to represent reality, it can tend to legitimize or impose distorted models of personal, family or social life. Moreover, in order to attract listeners and increase the size of audiences, it does not hesitate at times to have recourse to vulgarity and violence, and to overstep the mark. The media can also present and support models of development which serve to increase rather than reduce the technological divide between rich and poor countries.

3. Humanity today is at a crossroads. One could properly apply to the media what I wrote in the Encyclical Spe Salvi concerning the ambiguity of progress, which offers new possibilities for good, but at the same time opens up appalling possibilities for evil that formerly did not exist (cf. No. 22). We must ask, therefore, whether it is wise to allow the instruments of social communication to be exploited for indiscriminate “self-promotion” or to end up in the hands of those who use them to manipulate consciences. Should it not be a priority to ensure that they remain at the service of the person and of the common good, and that they foster “man’s ethical formation … man’s inner growth” (ibid.)? Their extraordinary impact on the lives of individuals and on society is widely acknowledged, yet today it is necessary to stress the radical shift, one might even say the complete change of role, that they are currently undergoing. Today, communication seems increasingly to claim not simply to represent reality, but to determine it, owing to the power and the force of suggestion that it possesses. It is clear, for example, that in certain situations the media are used not for the proper purpose of disseminating information, but to “create” events. This dangerous change in function has been noted with concern by many Church leaders. Precisely because we are dealing with realities that have a profound effect on all those dimensions of human life (moral, intellectual, religious, relational, affective, cultural) in which the good of the person is at stake, we must stress that not everything that is technically possible is also ethically permissible. Hence, the impact of the communications media on modern life raises unavoidable questions, which require choices and solutions that can no longer be deferred.

4. The role that the means of social communication have acquired in society must now be considered an integral part of the “anthropological” question that is emerging as the key challenge of the third millennium. Just as we see happening in areas such as human life, marriage and the family, and in the great contemporary issues of peace, justice and protection of creation, so too in the sector of social communications there are essential dimensions of the human person and the truth concerning the human person coming into play. When communication loses its ethical underpinning and eludes society’s control, it ends up no longer taking into account the centrality and inviolable dignity of the human person. As a result it risks exercising a negative influence on people’s consciences and choices and definitively conditioning their freedom and their very lives. For this reason it is essential that social communications should assiduously defend the person and fully respect human dignity. Many people now think there is a need, in this sphere, for “info-ethics”, just as we have bioethics in the field of medicine and in scientific research linked to life.

5. The media must avoid becoming spokesmen for economic materialism and ethical relativism, true scourges of our time. Instead, they can and must contribute to making known the truth about humanity, and defending it against those who tend to deny or destroy it. One might even say that seeking and presenting the truth about humanity constitutes the highest vocation of social communication. Utilizing for this purpose the many refined and engaging techniques that the media have at their disposal is an exciting task, entrusted in the first place to managers and operators in the sector. Yet it is a task which to some degree concerns us all, because we are all consumers and operators of social communications in this era of globalization. The new media – telecommunications and internet in particular – are changing the very face of communication; perhaps this is a valuable opportunity to reshape it, to make more visible, as my venerable predecessor Pope John Paul II said, the essential and indispensable elements of the truth about the human person (cf. Apostolic Letter The Rapid Development, 10).

6. Man thirsts for truth, he seeks truth; this fact is illustrated by the attention and the success achieved by so many publications, programmes or quality fiction in which the truth, beauty and greatness of the person, including the religious dimension of the person, are acknowledged and favourably presented. Jesus said: “You will know the truth and the truth will make you free” (Jn 8:32). The truth which makes us free is Christ, because only he can respond fully to the thirst for life and love that is present in the human heart. Those who have encountered him and have enthusiastically welcomed his message experience the irrepressible desire to share and communicate this truth. As Saint John writes, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life … we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing this that our joy may be complete” (1 Jn 1:1-3).
Let us ask the Holy Spirit to raise up courageous communicators and authentic witnesses to the truth, faithful to Christ’s mandate and enthusiastic for the message of the faith, communicators who will “interpret modern cultural needs, committing themselves to approaching the communications age not as a time of alienation and confusion, but as a valuable time for the quest for the truth and for developing communion between persons and peoples” (John Paul II, Address to the Conference for those working in Communications and Culture, 9 November 2002).

With these wishes, I cordially impart my Blessing to all.
From the Vatican, 24 January 2008, Feast of Saint Francis de Sales.

BENEDICTUS XVI