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!  

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. . .  

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

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.

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!

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 Nazareth. Nawa’y sa darating na Pasko, at sa lahat ng Pasko, ay manatiling ligtas sa mapanirang impluwensya ang pamilyang Pilipino.

Pagpalain po tayong lahat ng Diyos!

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.

"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.

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!