Month: January 2015

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Fr. Reu Galoy Reflections

Called to Become a Child-Friendly Community, A SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION for Feast of Señior Sto. Niño By Fr. Reu Jose C. Galoy

The pastoral visit of Pope Francis to our country is indeed a blessing – a once in a blue moon opportunity especially for those who cannot afford to go and visit the Vatican City in Rome. I wonder who are those who will have the chance to get closer to the Pope and those who will be relegated to the sidelines. My only prayer is that after his visit there will be no story of people being given the special privilege due to Connection, Hype, Influence, Lobbying and Donation because to some extent this is blatant disregard to what Pope Francis wants as well as a betrayal to the theme of his visit, compassion and mercy.

The gesture of Pope Francis to be closer to people especially the poor is driven by his ability to see Christ among the least, last and lost. It is not an opportunity for Pope Francis to mingle with the ordinary people. It is rather a privilege for Pope Francis to celebrate with his flock as a shepherd, Christian faith-life together with the faithful amidst the struggles to living life lovingly and finding faith fraternally. Such an encounter is ministry in reserve – the condition of the faithful becomes the source of inspiration to the pope in exercising his office as servant-shepherd-steward.

Pope Francis is humbly and seriously taking his office as both an encounter and communion with God. Most often than not, positions of authority and function alienates the person holding it in name of protection and security and sometimes ending up as prisoner of it. That is why Jesus wanted people including children to have access to him and would like to teach his disciples to learn a lesson and all of us – our role is to help the people become closer to Christ than to us, including the Pope himself.

The powerful words of Jesus, “Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it” (Mk. 10:15). Again, Jesus is making use of contrasting images to lead people to understand his point. The image of the kingdom connotes power and prestige. The child on the other hand, represents the inferior and insignificant. Jesus did so to convey his message that the basis to enter God’s kingdom is to be childlike which to me is a call and a challenge to be Compassionate, Humble, Inclusive, Loving and Dependent on God’s grace.

The child Jesus brought light into the world through his birth. May we also try to give birth to a CHILD-friendly environment in our parish and nurture it through sharing the light that Jesus brings in our homes and workplaces.

About Fr. Reu and his other reflections.

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Special Events

SSAP DELEGATION PLANS FOR PAPAL VISIT

SSAP PAPAL MASS DELEGATION UPDATE

For those who have registered to join us for the Papal Mass in Luneta, we plan to meet at SSAP at 3AM on Sunday, January 18 and go to Luneta at 4AM sharp and wait it out until the 4pm mass. Pls. click and read this Primer-for-the-Papal-Mass carefully for specific instructions.

The Route plan tomorrow for Papal Mass delegates: Be driven to Philippine Sports Comm. From there, walk down Adriatico until Faura (past PGH), right on Faura and then left on Maria Orosa Ave.
Plan B: if we cannot enter Luneta, we will turn left and start heading towards Roxas Blvd, where pope francis will be passing.

 

PAPAL FOR WEB lower

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CANCELLATION OF AFTERNOON/EVENING MASSES ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 18

In solidarity with all Philippine Churches and to show our fraternal support to the pastoral visit of His Holiness Pope Francis, afternoon/evening masses 4:30PM and 6:00PM in the main church and 7PM in Urdaneta Village have been cancelled on Sunday, January 18.

Please come to the anticipated masses scheduled on Saturday, January 17 or the morning masses on Sunday, January 18 to fulfill your Sunday mass obligation. Thank you for your kind understanding!

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LIVE BROADCAST FEED AT
ST. BONAVENTURE, CONVENTO HALLWAY

A live broadcast feed of the Papal mass celebrated by The Holy Father Pope Francis on Sunday, January 18 from 3PM will be held at the St. Bonaventure in the Convento Hallway. Pls. note that this DOES NOT fulfill the Sunday mass obligation and NO communion will be distributed.

Categories
Calendar of Saints

Saints of the Week

January 15
St. Arnold Janssen
Arnold Janssen, a German diocesan priest, founded the Society of the Divine Word in 1875, the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters in 1889, and the Holy Spirit Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in 1896. The mission of the priests and Brothers of the Society of the Divine Word and the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters is to proclaim the Gospel where it has not yet been heard or has not been proclaimed adequately. The mission of the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration is prayerful support for the missionaries.

January 16
Franciscan Martyrs of Morocco
During the General Chapter of 1219 Francis sent a group of six friars to the missions of North Africa. Their names were Vitale, Berardo, Pietro, Accursio, Adiuto and Ottone. Vitale, the superior, fell sick in Spain, and had to abandon his resolve to go to Morocco to evangelize the moors. The others proceeded under the leadership of Berardo. They first went to Seville, in southern Spain, which was occupied by the moors, and preached Christ publicly. They were taken in front of the emir, who gave them freedom to proceed to North Africa. They crossed over to Morocco, and preached in front of the king Miramolin. The king expelled them from his country, but they returned in their resolve to preach the Christian faith. On 16 January 1220, after cruel torments, they were slain by the king himself. Pope Sixtus IV canonized them in 1481. The account of their martyrdom is found in Analecta Franciscana III, pp. 579-596.

References: Franciscan Saints and Mystics; Society of the Divine Word.

Categories
The ABC’s of Catholic Doctrine

“Pope Francis is coming to town!”, The ABC’s of Catholic Doctrine By Lianne Tiu

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Four more days to go – as we continue to find ways and means on how we can get close to the Holy Father or be a part in the meetings and Masses that he will be celebrating during his visit to the Philippines.

Pope Francis is the Vicar of Christ on earth, the bishop of Rome, the successor of St. Peter. He is the leader of the 1.2 billion Catholics. He has gained many fans around the world because of his personal holiness and simple living.

We are not, however, to treat the pontiff like some kind of celebrity or rock star. Rather, we are to look at the message he is trying to tell us. He is coming here primarily to comfort our people who have suffered from the typhoons and earthquake that have hit the Visayas. He is imitating Jesus, who after seeing the people, felt compassion for them for they were distressed like sheep without a shepherd. (Matt9:36) We, too, are challenged to imitate Jesus by resolving to make an act of mercy everyday. It may be to visit our lonely grandmother, to adjust the low salary of an employee, to attend a funeral, to lovingly correct a friend who is using contraceptives, or engaging in marital infidelity, or contemplating to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF).

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The papal visit is a good time to re-learn and live the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. It is also a good time to meet Jesus in the Tribunal of Mercy, which is the Sacrament of Penance. In Confession, He (in the person of the priest) waits for us with open arms to show his love, mercy, and compassion.

Yes, Pope Francis is coming to town. And he wants to lead us to Jesus Christ, who is Mercy and Compassion.
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(Reference: papalvisit.ph “Pope Francis Papal Visit 2015 Mercy and Compassion”; “The Faith Explained” by Leo Trese; Vatican Radio)

7 Corporal Works of Mercy:
To feed the hungry
To give drink to the thirsty
To clothe the naked
To visit the imprisoned
To shelter the homeless
To visit the sick
To bury the dead

7 Spiritual Works of Mercy:
To admonish the sinner
To instruct the ignorant
To counsel the doubtful
To comfort the sorrowful
To bear wrongs patiently
To forgive all injuries
To pray for the living and the dead

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Random Thoughts by Peachy Maramba

R A N D O M T H O U G H T S Voices from yesterday and today . . . by Peachy Maramba

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BLESSED ANDRE BESSETTE
1845 – 1937
January 6

St. Joseph’s Oratory

If you are ever in the great city of Montreal, Canada be sure to visit the magnificent basilica of St. Joseph’s Oratory on Mount Royal of that city. Join the millions of pilgrims from all over the world to visit the world’s principal shrine in honor of St. Joseph, the Spouse of the Virgin Mother of God and foster father of Jesus.

It’s hard to believe that this great basilica had its humble beginnings as a simple humble wooden chapel built by an even simpler and more humble lay brother of the Congregation of the Holy Cross in Montreal. With only a mere $200 which Frere Andres himself earned by cutting the hair at five cents each of the students at the College of Notre Dame where he was assigned as a mere doorkeeper, sacristan, infirmarian, laundry worker, gardener, messenger, lamplighter, etc., he was able to build this wonderful edifice.

Its Founder

Unbelievably its founder was not a rich man but the son of a lowly carpenter. Alfred Bessette or Frere Andre as he was fondly called was of French parentage in rural Quebec, Canada. Orphaned at the age of 12 he was adopted and tried his hand at farming, being a shoemaker, baker, blacksmith, etc. He even went to the United States where he worked for a few years. But he never seemed to hold a job for long because of his poor health and frailty which dogged him all his life.

Becomes a Holy Cross Brother

Thankfully this did not stop him from spending long periods praying. So when he returned to Canada he decided to apply as a brother at the Congregation of the Holy Cross. Bringing with him a letter from his pastor which said, “I am sending you a saint for your congregation,” he was admitted as a novice.

Once again he almost didn’t make it because towards the end of his year’s novitiate they were thinking of rejecting him again because of his weakness and frailty. Begging the local bishop to help he told him how convinced he was that God really wanted him to be a Holy Cross brother. Because of Bishop Bourget’s intervention and insistence Brother Andre was allowed to make his religious profession on August 22, 1872.

He was sent to the brother’s Notre Dame College in Montreal. Because of his lack of skills and because he could hardly read or write because of his erratic schooling due to his poor health he was assigned all kinds of menial tasks such as janitor, sacristan, laundry worker, messenger, etc., but foremost of which was being doorkeeper. Frere Andre humorously said of his job, “When I joined this community the superiors showed me the door and I remained there 40 years.”

Everyone grew to love this kind and helpful doorkeeper. Students, parents and visitors alike would all seek his advice, prayers, help and especially healing. By rubbing on their afflicted parts some of the oil which he had collected from the lamp hanging before the statue of St. Joseph in the college chapel Andre was able to help them. Or sometimes he would massage men (not women) with a St. Joseph medal wrapped in cloth.

It is no wonder that people would come in droves asking his help. But this humble brother would constantly tell them, “It is St. Joseph who cures, I am only his little dog.” Some day the saint will be honoured in a special way on Mount Royal, the hill above the college.

Ever since a child Andre had developed a great devotion to St. Joseph. He would spend long hours before a little status of St. Joseph which he had put on his window sill facing Mount Royal.

For many years the Holy Cross authorities had tried unsuccessfully to buy land on Mount Royal. One day Brother Andre and others climbed the steep hill and there planted medals of St. Joseph. Suddenly and surprisingly the owners yielded.

The Building of the Oratory

When Andre asked permission to build a small chapel in honor of St. Joseph (to whom the congregation itself had a great devotion) he was granted it on the condition that he could not incur any debt with the project.

So gathering all the coins he had saved over the years he used the $200 as nucleus money to build a small wooden chapel. Of course everyone helped either in money or labor.

As the donations came in Andre was able to expand the chapel several times and its popularity grew as well. Finally in 1917 using the donations from the thousands of people that came Andre was able to build a crypt church able to seat 1,000 people. Plans were made to even build a basilica over it.

However in 1931 the money ran out and construction was delayed for several years due to the Depression. So somebody said, “Put a statue of St. Joseph in the middle. If he wants a roof over his head, he’ll get it.” Got it he did but it took 50 years to build the magnificent Oratory on Mount Royal.

It now houses the mortal remains of Andre Besset, St Joseph’s most ardent devotee who unfortunately died in 1937 years before the grand minor basilica was completed. But the standing pile of crutches, canes and braces are testament of Frere Andre’s work through his beloved St. Joseph. The sickly boy died at 92 years old!

By the time he died the frail boy who could never hold a job for long needed a staff of four secretaries to answer the eight thousand letters he received annually.

He was declared Blessed in 1982 by Pope John Paul II.

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SOURCES of REFERENCE
BL ANDRE BESSETTE
January 6

Pocket Dictionary of Saints – p 77
Illustrated Lives of the Saints – Vol. I – pp 24 – 25
Saint Companions – pp 20 -22
Saints for Our Time – pp 29 – 30
Saint of the Day – pp 9 – 11
Voices of the Saints – pp 712 – 713
Saints of the Roman Calendar – pp 9 – 10
Saints for Our Times – pp 9 – 13

Categories
Fr. Baltazar Obico Reflections

“Feast of the Lord’s Baptism: New Life in Christ, Incorporation into the Faith Community”, a Sunday Reflection by Fr. Baltazar Obico, OFM

Introduction: The word padrino or ninong comes from the church religious vocabulary to mean godparents, someone who assist the parents of the child in order that the baptized child grows up to be a mature Christian. They serve as second parents to their godchild that the latter should grow into Christian discipleship. The word padrino has deteriorated into what is known as the padrino system in our culture that is contributive, if not the major cause, to our inefficient and corrupt bureaucracy. It has eroded the merit system; what is important is who is your well placed padrino who can facilitate favors on your behalf, either through employment or juicy government contracts. The deterioration can be traced to reduction of baptism to become merely social events. Chief concern is given to numerous ninongs and ninangs to the lavish feasts for the invited guests. Less interest is shown in explicit religious dimension of the sacrament itself. The obvious result is nominal Catholicism sometimes labeled as KBL (kasal, binyag at Iibing) as those are the only occasions when the baptized go to Church.

Feast/Gospel: Today we celebrate the Lord’s baptism. In Mark’s account, John the Baptist once more professed that Jesus whom he is going to baptize is mightier than he. Matthew therefore expressed John’s reluctance to baptize Jesus due to his awe of Jesus. He perceives Jesus as the more powerful one. All the three synoptics have common denominators of the baptismal account of Jesus. The opening of the heavens, the appearance of the Spirit like a dove, and the voice from heaven recognizing him as God’s beloved son in whom the father is well pleased. And all of them placed Jesus’ baptism as a prelude to his public ministry. Hence the baptism of Jesus is the father’s public recognition of Jesus’ Sonship as well as the beginning of his public life. The same text from the prophet Isaiah 42 was also uttered in the transfiguration story, where the beloved three disciples have difficulty accepting the public proclamation of Jesus that messiahship consists in his suffering and death. The Father is well pleased with Jesus because of his work as a messiah and his life as Son of God is by being a servant, a suffering servant. The baptism of the Lord reminds us of our own baptism. We have been anointed and have been constituted as God’s children.

WORD: In baptism we are made God’s children. Traditionally we have associated baptism with cleansing of original sin; the experience of painful moral weakness in trying to do what our conscience tells us, but also inclination to evil which is called concupiscence. As a consequence we find ourselves in a society structured by sinful structures, injustices and moral aberrations. The struggle against sin must go on, but with our baptisms we are marked with Christ, in dwelt by the Spirit and supported by Christian community. Therefore baptism focuses on our having new life in Christ, not simply washing away of original sin.

In baptism we have been incorporated into the faith, messianic community of believers, the Church. This means our personal relation with Christ is never a private affair but always a loving relation that originates, develops and grows in union with fellow members of Christ’s body. Our baptismal life is never solitary, isolated thing, but a communal sharing with others. Lastly, baptism enables us to share in the church’s three fold ministry of Jesus’ as priest, prophet and king. In baptism we are not only recipients of the privilege of being children of the father, but we are also tasked to
proclaim his message and establish his kingdom by our words, deeds and courageous initiatives. This ministry will entail bringing our baptismal commitment to the political arena.

About Fr. Tasang and his other reflections.

Categories
Hospital Ministry

Hospital Ministry PGH Christmas Gift Giving by Sabrina Soriano

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The Hospital Ministry has been partnering with PGH for more than 20 years, giving out medication and medical supplies on a regular basis to the patients of the pediatrics wards. One of our major activities is the annual Christmas Gift Giving, something that Mrs. Inday Canoy has been in charge of for years now.

Every year, Mrs. Canoy purchases items to include in the goodie bags for the patients, things that the patients and parents will appreciate and greatly need. This includes canned goods, noodles, toiletries, among many others. We also have a lot of parishioners who donate in cash and in kind regularly for this activity.

This year, the gift giving had to be rescheduled to December 12, as the original date was set during Typhoon Ruby’s arrival in Manila. It was still  overcast that day but it was good enough weather to go to PGH and bring our Christmas goodies for them.

Aside from the Hospital Ministry, represented by Inday Canoy, Florina Chan, Peter Soo, Sabrina Soriano, and our social worker, Nimfa Dumago, we were joined by Tess Barcelon and Fritz Carino, regular participants of our gift giving, and Jaime Blanco, our PPC President.

We also had the volunteers from the Mulawin community, who helped with the packages and provided our entertainment and live singing during the gift giving.

We gave out 170 goodie bags to 100 patients/parents, students,
maintenance crew, guards, nurses, and volunteers of PGH. They were highly appreciative of the help and goods that were given to them.

Though these are only enough to tide them over for a few weeks at most, what they are most thankful for is the fact that they are not forgotten and that there are people who are willing to help them.

With their situation in life, it is nice for them to be able to feel that those who are more blessed than them materially are sharing their blessings and time with them.

We would like to thank the following for their donations that helped make this Christmas gift giving a success:

Doris See (diapers, chocolate snacks, juice in tetrapack, loofah), Letty Tan-Chua (sacks of rice, pack lunches, juice in tetrapack), Florina Chan (slippers), Tess Barcelon and Jinx Carino (juice), Mike Limpe, Chris Tordesillas, Margarita Perez, Trina Jeturian, and Evelyn Tagle (assorted toys), Mariana Ongpin (assorted stuffed toys), and Leslie Tagle-Dinglasan (assorted clothing).

All this and the entire year of giving medication and medical supplies to the patients would not be possible if not for the generosity of our parishioners.

We give you our thanks for always supporting the Hospital Ministry with your time, donations, and prayers. If you would like to know more on how you can help or donate to the Hospital Ministry, please contact Nimfa Dumago at 8438830 or drop by the parish office.

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