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Random Thoughts by Peachy Maramba

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Voices from yesterday and today . . . by Peachy Maramba

ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA:
Patron of Catholic Youth
1568 – 1591
June 21

St. Aloysius had certainly lived up to his motto: “I was born for greater things.” At the same time he had fulfilled his father’s ambition for him to be brave and honored but not in the way he intended.

On June 21, St. Aloysius’ feast day the Church prays: “O God, author of all heavenly gifts, You gave Saint Aloysius both a wonderful innocence of life and a deep spirit of penance. Through his merits grant that we may imitate his penitence.”

He is one of the most venerated of modern saints especially for his intense love of chastity and his all-absorbing love for God.

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Reflections

“Pentecost Sunday,” A Gospel Reflection by Fr. Efren Jimenez, OFM

“We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit…”

Thus, we read in ACTS 19:2
Today, many Christians may have asked the same question. But strangely sometimes the Holy Spirit manifests Himself in a wonderful way. This happened to Dr. Joel Jimenez, M.D., my cousin who works and lives with his family in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. He is not a religious person, but simply works hard as he is committed to his medical profession. He testified in the opening words in the book he wrote May God Bless You (Xlibris Corp. 2010).

“ One night, I suddenly had an inner indescribable feeling I had to write something. Some thoughts entered my mind as if someone was telling me to do something. I was afraid I would hear voices and be labeled with a psychiatric condition. Thank God I didn’t hear any voices but suddenly my mind and body were guiding me to look for a pen and paper.Instantaneously, without my control, with a pen in my hand, I started to write words, phrases and sentences, which I think were divinely-inspired. I was totally aware of what was going on. With several thoughts entering my mind, my hand started to write, ”I am God talking to you. Don’t be afraid for I am using you to spread the Gospel in the modern world. People have forgotten to pray. They even deny my existence. They no longer respect me – their creator. I’ll use you to tell people I love them unconditionally…that this world would be a better place to live in if there is less greed and less hatred. Tell them to show more love and respect to one another. Tell people to share their wealth because they can’t take it with them. I’m a loving and forgiving God. I want people to be happy and have a sense of humor. I’m not vengeful but I could show my anger if I want to. Most of the human misery and suffering are from their own making.”

“So, I was asking myself and God what was the significance of all this? Then in the Fall of 2009, an idea came out of nowhere when I started writing and typing some Bible passages. I used the idea similar to acrostics, highlighting certain letters in some Bible passages, indenting the words and phrases, aligning those letters vertically and creating inspirational and powerful messages or themes. I researched the word acrostic and surprisingly found the symbol for Jesus Christ was a fish acrostic. The initials ICHTHYS (IX0YE) is the Greek word for fish i.e. Ieous, CHristos, THeou, Yios, Soter, hence the frequent use of the fish as a symbol for Jesus Christ from the early days of Christianity to the present time.”

Matthew 28: 16-20

Then the eleven disciPles went to Galilee, to the mountain wheRe Jesus had told thEm to go. When they sAw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus Came to tHem and said, “All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Therefore Go and make disciples Of all nationS, baPtizing them in the namEof the Father and of the Son and of the HoLy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of age. (Preach the Gospel.)

Matthew 5:1-12

Now when Jesus saw THE crowds, He went up on a mountainside and at down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, and saying: Blessed arE the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heAven. Blessed are Those who mourn, for they wIll be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for They will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hUngeranD thirst for rightEousness, for they will be filled. BlesSed re the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (The Beatitudes)

1 John3:16-24

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our Brothers. If anyonEhasmateriaLpossessIons and sees his brothEr in need but has no pity on him, how can the loVe of God bE in hIm? Dear childreN, let us not love in words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belonGto the truth, and hOw we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts conDemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pLeases him. And this is his cOmmand: to belieVe in the namE of hissOn, Jesus Christ, aNd to love one Another as he commanded us. Those who obey his cOmmands live in him and he in Them. An tHis is how we know that he livEs in us: We know it by the spiRit he gave us. (Believe in God, love one another.)

If you want to order the book contact: Xlibris Corporation, 1-888-795-4274, http://www.Xlibris.com, orders@Xlibris.com

In these examples, the author was able to “read” the hidden theme or thought behind the scripture passage. It is by the motion of the Holy Spirit that guided how the message was revealed in few words. Amazing indeed!

About Fr. EJ and his reflections

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CCD

“Confirmation 2014” by Rachelle Wenger

confirmation 2014Another year has passed, another batch of students have patiently attended their CCD (Continuing Catholic Development) classes and finally have reaffirmed their Catholic vows and received the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation.

I still vividly recall how on the first day of the school year, I was nervous as to how to teach teenagers and make them enjoy, learn, and appreciate, at the same time, the teachings of our faith and to know God on a more personal level and understand what Jesus went through and hopefully be mature enough to understand what receiving the Holy Spirit means. How do I let these messages become adaptable to their teen years when they themselves have a lot of questions and conflicts with the many changes this age brings?

I guess, I myself had to open up to the Holy Spirit to allow the Spirit’s wisdom and grace to open my mind and heart to be able to touch these children’s lives in that one hour we have together every Sunday.

As our officiating bishop, Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara, has shared during his homily, there are 3 things that the Confirmandi need to take with them: Pray to God daily, in whatever state or mood one is in, pray. Whether happy or sad, grateful or needy, pray. It is a beautiful habit for one to offer our daily lives conversing with our God, makes us feel closer to Him, makes Him become more real to us, makes Him work in our lives even more.

Next is to celebrate Jesus in the Eucharist, by receiving Christ, we strengthen our bond with Him and hopefully as we receive Jesus’s real body through the sacrament, we are more aware of our thoughts, words and actions.

Lastly, and I think was such a beautiful parting word was to imitate Christ. He is the ultimate role model and the best human being to walk the earth. As we are all created in the likeness of God and Christ is our brother, difficult as it may be, we have it all in ourselves to be like Christ, to imitate Him. To reflect on things we say and do and be consciously aware if this is pleasing to our Creator who at all times is watching over us and aspire to live a moral life are just some things we can do. Being kind to others even at challenging times is a real manifestation of how God loves us.

This year’s batch had 37 students all beautifully confirmed by Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara and assisted by our new parish priest, Fr. Reu Galoy, OFM. Of course, a big thank you to the CCD Committee — Lia Te, Marivic Borromeo, Katty Qua and Nancy Gonewai, with the help of Leah Azarcon, for patiently working hard to make the whole school year a success. Special thanks also go to our Curriculum Head, Libet Virata, our commentator Karen Blanco, our Liturgical Coordinator Jojo Leveriza, our Speech and Comportment coach Juno Henares Chuidian, CCD teachers Mimi David, Uwa Tambunting, lay ministers and altar servers Jentry Arbis, Andrew Romualdez, Christie Nair and Paco Borromeo for their dedication and assistance, the Psalm 47 Men’s Choir for the beautiful music which made the event even more meaningful. Thank you also to Betta Kramer, CCD treasurer and Conifrmation Committee member together with Gina Roxas.

Thank you also to the parents who are our co-educators and role models in raising good Catholics. Most specially, thank you to my co-teachers in Confirmation, Nancy Gonewai and Yolanda Lomotan for lovingly, passionately and tirelessly teaching the students how it is to love God and live a truly virtuous Catholic life.

The year has ended, the students have graduated and confirmed, certificates were given, photos were taken, tears of joy were shed, these I will take with me as I journey again on the next path to meeting the next batch of Confirmandi. And just like in any beginning and ending, it is the journey with the new batch of students in leading them closer to our Creator that I most look forward to.

Categories
The ABC’s of Catholic Doctrine

“The Humble Work of a Homemaker,” The ABC’s of Catholic Doctrine By Lianne Tiu

Many full-time housewives, when asked what they do, feel belittled and give a humble answer “I’m just a housewife.” They fear being stereotyped as being overweight, under-educated, uninformed, and boring. They dread being labeled as homemakers who spend most of the time watching TV soaps or game shows, playing “candy crush” game, having body or hair treatment at beauty spas, shopping, and checking on “facebook.” We have to realize that not everyone who devote themselves to motherhood and full-time homemakers are like that.

In fact, many of them are talented and accomplished women. Although their work may be financially unrewarding and sometimes monotonous, they know that their commitment to their families is very important. Chopping onions, changing diapers, vacuuming carpets, tutoring a son, preparing clothes for the husband may not be as “glamorous” as the outside-of-home-work. But their rewards are the smiles, embraces, and love of their families.

A famous conductor of an orchestra was asked which instrument was the most difficult to play. He answered, “Second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists. But to find one who can play second fiddle with enthusiasm – that’s the problem. And if we have no second fiddle, we have no harmony!” First violins are often the stars of the show; they get the melody lines; they get to sit next to the audience. Behind them are the second violins who are hardly seen. They play a supporting role; they play the harmony to the first violins. Without them, the orchestra would sound incomplete.

The work of a homemaker may be compared to that of a second fiddle. It is actually the hardest role to play as it appears unfulfilling by world standard. We should not look down on the humble work of the home because God wants to bestow this unique role on married women. No work is unimportant when it is done and offered up for God. We just have to work intensely behind the scene without seeking applause or admiration. Jesus notices our continuous exhausting work and our little sacrifices (done cheerfully and without show). He sees them and gives His blessings. St. Josemaria said: “Never expect men to thank you for your work. Do not seek human compensations. Always work for love of Jesus Christ.”

We ask Mother Mary to help us play our best as second fiddle. She is THE EXPERT in this very important humble work of the home.

{This article is not meant to offend mothers who MUST work outside the home to provide for their families. They deserve our prayers and support. This is about those full-time career mothers who are in the work force not because of need but because of greed and prestige.}

(Reference: Raising Catholic Children by Mary Ann Kuharski; http://meetingintheclouds.wordpress.com )

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Articles Random Thoughts by Peachy Maramba

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Voices from yesterday and today . . .by Peachy Maramba

Our Family Prayer to St. Anthony of Padua

Dear Saint Anthony, hear the prayer, which I offer you for my family and for the Great Family of those devoted to you throughout the world.

Intercede for each one of us and obtain the blessings of heaven upon our labours. Help us in our moment of weakness. Be our defense against sickness and dangers of body and soul; support us in the sufferings and trials, which God in His Wisdom deems fit to send us. Allow us not to falter in our Faith. Obtain for us from the Lord goodness of heart so that we may share God’s bounty with the poor and suffering.

Hear our prayers, oh Saint of Wonders respond favorably to the trust we place in your powerful intercession before God. Amen.

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Random Thoughts by Peachy Maramba

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Voices from yesterday and today . . .by Peachy Maramba

ST. ANTHONY of PADUA:
Our Patron Saint; Doctor of the Church
1195 – 1231
June 13

Next to St. Therese of Lisieux St. Anthony of Padua is considered the most popular saint in the world. The number of candles that are lit throughout the world to honor him and ask for his help is fantastic.

Are you in need of a miracle, a cure or an answer to a prayer? Are you seeking a special favor from God? Pray to St. Anthony.People ask St. Anthony for help all the time and for the most ordinary things because like a good friend St. Anthony is always willing to help.People especially like to ask St. Anthony to help them find things that are lost.

Thus he has been given the title “The Saint of Small Things.”No one should be ashamed of seeking his help in seemingly trivial matters because nothing can be trivial in this saint’s eyes because nothing is in God’s. He teaches us that God doesn’t just care about major catastrophes and big problems. He cares even about the tiniest parts of our lives.

People from all walks of life – rich and poor alike would come from all over not only to hear him preach eloquently but to make their confessions to him inspite of his strict admonitions and his being a “demanding” preacher and confessor.

He was so beloved by all that, like a movie star, people followed him around snipping off parts of his gown as a “relic.” He was one of the best loved saint of all time that it was no wonder that even at his death people fought over his body to such a point that armed guards had to be posted around the convent where his body lay.

Frederick R. Dempsay writes this of St. Anthony:
“During his life, but especially since his death, he has made countless people happy. Ask what you will from eternal life to the finding of a pin. St. Anthony answers prayers. He does not require extraordinary demonstrations of faith, heroic piety or a blameless life. Just come as you are.”

St. Anthony of Padua is the Church’s foremost Thaumaturge – or worker of miracles. His unusual ability to work wonders has been known and celebrated for more than seven hundred and seventy-eight years.

He showed us not only how to cope with life but how to embrace it in a continual search of God’s will. This is why St. Anthony always answers our prayers. Because he always said “yes” to the Lord, now the Lord says “yes” to him.

Eloquent as he was, his simple life style was even more forceful. St. Anthony is a fine example of a saint who was rooted in the Bible and lived the truths to the fullest.

Even if 778 years have passed since the death of our beloved patron saint – San Antonio de Padua – devotion to this great Franciscan saint still seems to be increasing day by day all over the world. The reason for this lies in the secret advantage that St. Anthony had: for he was filled with the Holy Spirit as well as with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It’s a winning combination!

He first practiced humility which is the foundation of all virtues.Although he was the object of admiration to all, he did not strive after higher offices and dignities, but was content with the humbler walk of life and solitude. “The way of wisdom is the way of humility. Every other way is the way of ignorance because it is the path of pride.”

However unlike other saints to whom we just say our prayers and hope for the best, St. Anthony may first demand a favor from you. Thus one great priest observed devoutly, “St. Anthony has his price.”

It could be a monetary donation to the poor (St. Anthony is the patron of the poor) or an offering of a novena of Tuesdays or from June 4 – 13 in honor of St. Anthony or praying the chaplet of St. Anthony composed of 13 Our Fathers, Hail Mary’s and Glory Be’s.

However most important of all St. Anthony wants your soul for Christ. He wants us to become followers of St. Francis and St. Anthony and to act as their genuine followers by imitating them.
Let us all strive to be A Christian – Franciscan Family Called to Witness and Proclaim God’s Love!!

SOURCES of REFERENCE: Butler’s Lives of the Saints – Vol. II – pp 534 – 537; Voices of the Saints – pp 362 – 363; The Flying Friar – pp 30 – 33; and others.

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Cathechism of the Catholic Church

Catechism of the Catholic Church

(continued from the Parish Bulletin June 8, 2014 Issue)

What does Sacred Scripture say about the sacrament of Confirmation?
In the Old Testament, the People of God expected the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Messiah. Jesus lived his life in a special Spirit of love and of perfect unity with his Father in heaven. This Spirit of Jesus was the “Holy Spirit” for whom the people of Israel longed; this was the same Spirit whom Jesus promised to his disciples, the same Spirit who descended upon the disciples fifty days after Easter, on the feast of Pentecost. And it is again this same Holy Spirit of Jesus who descends upon everyone who receives the sacrament of Confirmation.

In the Acts of the Apostles, which were written a few decades after the death of Jesus, we see Peter and John traveling about to confirm new Christians by imposing hands on those who previously “had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,” so that their hearts might be filled with the Holy Spirit.

What happens in Confirmation?
In Confirmation the soul of a baptized Christian is imprinted with a permanent seal that can be received only once and marks this individual forever as a Christian. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the strength from above in which this individual puts the grace of his Baptism into practice through his life and acts as a “witness” for Christ.

To be confirmed means to make a “covenant” with God. The confirmand says, “Yes, I believe in you, my God; give me your Holy Spirit, so that I might belong entirely to you and never be separated from you and may witness to you throughout my whole life, body and soul, in my words and deeds, on good days and bad.” And God says, “Yes, I believe in you, too, my child and I will give you my Spirit, my very self. I will belong entirely to you. I will never separate myself from you, in this life or eternally in the next. I will be in your body and your soul, in your words and deeds. Even if you forget me, I will still be thereon good days and bad.”

Who can be confirmed, and what is required of a candidate for Confirmation?
Any Catholic Christian who has received the sacrament of Baptism and is in the “state of grace” can be admitted to Confirmation.
To be “in the state of grace” means not to have committed any serious sin (mortal sin).
By a serious sin a person separates himself from God and can be reconciled with God only by making a good confession. A (young) Christian who is preparing for Confirmation finds himself in one of the most important phases of his life. He will do everything possible to grasp the faith with his heart and his understanding; he will pray alone and with others for the Holy Spirit; he will reconcile himself in every way with himself, with the people around him, and with God. Confession is part of this, since it
brings one closer to God even if one has not committed a mortal sin.

Who may confirm?
The Sacrament of Confirmation is normally administered by the bishop. For weighty reasons when necessary, the bishop can also delegate a priest to do it. In danger of death, any priest can administer Confirmation.

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Family and Life Ministry Hospital Ministry Prison Ministry

SSAP Ministries Celebrate FLORES DE MAYO 2014

Family Life Flores de Mayo
May 31, 2014

“SANTA CRUZAN IN MAKATI CITY JAIL”
by Alli Raval
May 30, 2014

“FLORES DE MAYO IN PGH”
by Shen Sol
May 26, 2014

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Articles

PARISH ART RESTORATION PROJECT

As we celebrate the fiesta of our patron saint, St. Anthony of Padua, on June 13, we shall also launch the Amorsolo Restoration Project. Before the construction of Santuario de San Antonio in 1953, the Franciscans commissioned Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972), national artist, to paint copies of two murals attributed to Giotto di Bondone in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy: “Stigmatization of St. Francis” and “Sermon to the Birds.”

These murals are greatly in need of restoration. Appraisals were done by Sylvia Amorsolo Lazo, recognized expert on Amorsolo paintings. The Lopez Museum has been selected to do the work. After due diligence and consultations with experts, the Parish Pastoral Team and the Pastoral Council concurred in deciding that now is the time to do the restoration.

Please support the FERNANDO AMORSOLO’S PAINTINGS OF ST. FRANCIS RESTORATION PROJECT of our parish by buying raffle tickets worth Php1,000 each and get a chance to win the grand prize of Plane tickets for two (2) to Rome, Italy. Second prize – One (1) Sculptured Ostrich Egg by Artist Danny Rayos Del Sol, and Third Prize – Two (2) Plane tickets to Hong Kong.

You may also avail of the Fiesta Dinner Dinner Ticket for Php1,000 on June 13, Friday, 7PM. There will be minor raffle prizes to be given away for dinner participants.

All donations should be addressed to the following: SSAP Restricted for the Amorsolo Restoration Project and may be brought directly to the Parish Office.

Please click on these posters for more details or visit our parish office.Restoration Project

Categories
Articles Prison Ministry

“SANTA CRUZAN IN MAKATI CITY JAIL” by Alli Raval

Last May 30, 2014, we had the Santa Cruzan in Makati City Jail. 40 Residents joined the procession dressed in beautiful gowns and barongs donated by our parishioners. They all looked so different . . . not wearing their usual yellow shirts with BJMP stamped on them. They have smiles on their faces, looking proud of what they were wearing and the roles they were portraying for the procession.

Nowadays, others think of the Santa Cruzan as a fashion event. . . but this year, in MCJ, the participants gave a description of the Saints they were portraying. It gave a deeper meaning of what the Santa Cruzan is all about. Atty. Jolly Gomez gave the residents the history of Santa Cruzan in one of the Monday Catechism classes.

We started the event with a mass, celebrated by their Chaplain Fr. Bouban. In the sermon, he talked about embracing and carrying our own cross, as Jesus Christ did. Words cannot express the crosses being carried by the residents of MCJ. Some have been there for more than 10 years and their cases have not been heard. Others are proven innocent after 2 years of being in jail. They are away from their families, they are forgotten and abandoned. They are confined within the 4 walls of Makati City Jail, uncertain of what tomorrow brings.

We, we who are outside those walls, have our own crosses too. . . yet we are reminded and called by Jesus Christ to follow His example and help carry the crosses of others who have lost their freedom , who have lost hope, who are alone. . . those hardest to love . . . those who are imprisoned.

“For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

-Matthew 25:42-43

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