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

Categories
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.

Categories
Hospital Ministry

Kyra Pantinople

This is Kyra Pantinople14sept24 kyra pantinople,
A 12 year old child with rheumatic heart disease, Kyra did not have anyone with her as her parents are separated and her grandmother only gets to visit her when she has free time from her other responsibilities. The Hospital Ministry gave her antibiotics during one of our regular weekly visits and while we were doing our rounds, she asked the nurses/doctors for pen and paper so that she could write a thank you note for us. If you would like to know how to help her or other patients like her, please feel free to contact our social worker, Nimfa Dumago, at 8438830 to 31 loc 142.

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Family and Life Ministry Magnifikids

A MAGNIFIKIDS CHRISTMAS by Karen Blanco

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They say Christmas is for children. Indeed kids who attended last Sunday’s 1030 am mass were given a double treat. Our new Franciscan priest Fr. Laurian Janicki, blessed the children at the beginning of the mass after which they exited the main church to attend their Christmas party and last Magnifikids Sunday liturgy class for the year. Our youngsters were taught a class on “the Nativity”, played parlor games, won prizes and ate yummy snacks. It was such a delight to see these young kids learn about the coming of Jesus this advent season as they pray, sing, have fun and meet new friends in church. Magnifikids Sunday liturgy class sponsored by the Family Life Ministry discusses the Sunday readings and gospel through prayers, songs and art activities for children ages 4-7 years old. Classes will resume on 11 January 2015. For registration or more details please inquire at the parish office.

Categories
Hospital Ministry

Saddle Up for Christmas By Sabrina Soriano

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The day dawned bright and sunny last Wednesday, December 10, after 2 days of inclement weather due to typhoon Ruby. It seemed that our prayers had been answered as that was the day the Zonta Club of Alabang had scheduled “Saddle Up”, their Christmas outreach event with the PGH Pediatric Ward and Cancer Institute patients/students.

The children and parents had excitedly been awaiting this event for weeks, an activity that was very different for them. Instead of the usual field trips to the zoo, museums, and amusement parks, they would be given an opportunity to interact with horses! With a sense of anticipation, they all came early to PGH, where they were picked up by a bus provided by Zonta, to be brought to Manila Polo Club for the main event of the morning.

The 25 children were divided into 3 groups so they could take turns with the 3 different activities prepared for them. This also allowed the Zonta members and Manila Polo Club riders and members to better interact with the children. Each group was excited as they were given the chance to groom and feed, ride, and even paint the horses. The children enjoyed it so much, some of them were even asking their mommies if they could bring home the horses!

And that was not all that they had prepared. The Zonta members and Manila Polo Club riders and members also bought gifts specifically for each child. The kids were very excited as they opened the special gifts that they were given. They were given well thought of gifts – dolls, dresses they could wear for Christmas, rainbow loom set, Disney Princess book, etc.

Thank you to the Zonta Club of Alabang, headed by President Michelle Yu, for this outreach activity. Big thanks also to Mia Virata, Chairman of the Saddle Up Committee (who is a member of both Zonta and Manila Polo and is the riding instructor as well) who thought of this event, and to Tintin San Juan, Co-Chairman (who is a member of both Zonta and the Single Young Adults of Santuario de San Antonio) for thinking of the PGH patients/students for this. The children and the parents will forever treasure this experience.

Categories
The ABC’s of Catholic Doctrine

“So great a God, so tiny an infant!”, The ABC’s of Catholic Doctrine By Lianne Tiu

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St. Francis of Assisi repeated these words with tears of joy as he knelt at the first Christmas crib. He was the first to introduce the Nativity scene in 1223, after obtaining permission from Pope Honorius III.

“So great a God, so tiny an infant!” God, who made heaven and earth, came into the world without any ostentatious display of live bands or gun salutes. He spent nine months in His mother’s womb, like all of us, following the natural course of events. He took the form of a tiny defenseless baby. No one knew about Him except Mary and Joseph; later on, the shepherds and the three wise men. There was no room for Him at the inn; so there He was, the Lord of all creation, born in a manger. Since the time of Adam and Eve, the whole world waited for the promised Savior. And this most-awaited event in our history took place in a quiet and unspectacular way.
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God’s greatness is hidden in a manger, in swaddling clothes, in a stable. During this Christmas season, let us contemplate on Jesus’ birth and imitate Him. We resolve be humble and simple like Him. How often we desire to be the center of attention, to be loved and praised by everyone, and to always appear in good light. We are not content to do good and disappear. We must stop thinking about ourselves and feel the responsibility to help others. We ask Jesus, Mary and Joseph to help us to be simple before God and others. And we try to learn from the greatness of this Child who is God!
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(Reference: “Celebrating with God” by Fr. M. Guzman, “In Conversation with God Vol 1” by Francis Fernandez, “Do You Want to be Great” by Fr. Charles Belmonte; “Christ is Passing By” by St. Josemaria Escriva)

Categories
Fr. Jesus Galindo Health Care Ministry

Health Care Ministry Gives to Rizal Medical Center by Chuchi Quevedo

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Despite the announcement that no classes and no government offices would open due to Typhoon Ruby, the Health Care Ministry members did not mind getting a little wet last Dec. 9. Accompanied by their spiritual adviser Fr. Jesus Galindo, OFM, they went ahead with their plan to distribute 150 ecobags to the Pedia Ward, Medicine, Surgery, and certain rooms of OB-Gyne Ward, at the Rizal Medical Center.

As in the past years, they pooled their resources and asked Elisa Manaloto to buy toiletries from Divisoria. They also included in their gift bags, Ovaltine, Bread Pan, choco bars, apples and a religious calendar.

The patients were all smiles upon seeing them don their Santa hats as they distributed the gifts. Fr. Jesus offered to bless a baby with hydrocephalus. Thanks also to Barbie Young for having lent her van and driver the whole morning.

Categories
Fr. EJ Reflections

SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Cycle B By Fr. Efren Jimenez, OFM

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Its three days before Christmas! Who would not be touched by such a great mystery! A time to marvel at the greatness and beauty of everything pulsating with life! What amazes us, however, is how we cease to marvel at, and take for granted, the most marvelous event to shake human history. Both John and Luke summed it up passionately, “God so love the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have life eternal.” (Jn. 3:18) And Luke in today’s Gospel,” He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High.”(Lk. 1:32)

“God so loved the world.” Its awesome. Many of us have a fearsome idea of God, the “God who appeared to Moses in thunder,” yet…can a woman forget her suckling child, that she should have no compassion for the son in her womb? Even these you may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hand.” (Isa. 49:14-16).

This is the same God whom John declares: “Beloved let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knowsGod. In this is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us.” (1 Jn 4:7-10)

The God who is love gave us a gift, not a lifeless thing, silver or gold; a person, not an angel; God gave us God’s only Son. Sweat, if you can, make an act of love, an act of faith, understandable, believable. God gave you and me, Jesus, His very Son.

“Gave!” How paltry a monosyllable! The gift was a baby shivering in straw! The gift was the Son of the Most High and the child of a Jewish mother. The gift was a young man who scuffed the dust of Palestine from one end to the other because, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me: He anointed me to preach the good news to the poor…sight to the blind, to set at liberty the oppressed.” (Lk 4:18)

A gift – the whole package. A gift because we had no claim on Christ, did not deserve him. A gift because he was born for you and me, lived and died and rose for you and me.

And He made it clear, he came that we might have life fully. He came that we might have hope in this world darkened by greed and selfishness. He became the WORD (VERBUM DEI) that we might have life in Him – and light amidst darkness in our human world.

Once, a Protestant martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer said: “Grace that comes cheap, grace that keep us ever so comfortable, will never redeem this sin scared earth. Only costly grace can do that – the WORD that engulfs humanity to the heart of God!”

Blessed Christmas to all!

Sometime in 2000, I took this shot of a young Jewish lad, Son of an Orthodox Jew, in front of our Church of St. Peter in Jaffa, near Telaviv City. Notice how he is clad in their traditional garment, wearing “Tipa” (Skullcap) on his head and phylacteries on his waist.

He was peering through outside the iron fence – similar to our grilled fence here at our church. He was kind of curious to see inside our church. He was meek looking and was willing to have his picture taken after I asked hispermission.

As Christmas draws near, we remember the baby Jesus, a Jew like him.
I put these words on the boys lips:

COME .. AND SET ME FREE.. JESUS
I LONG TO SEE YOU. .
I WANT TO KNOW YOU. . AND TO TOUCH YOU AND TO LOVE YOU.. THE ONE! LONGED-FOR MESSIAH . . of ERETZ ISRAEL . .
Free me from my TRADITIONS . .
Untie me from the bondage of my religion. YOU ARE THE KING OF ISRAEL!

About Fr. EJ and his reflections.

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