Tag: CCD

A Taste of Silence By Conchitina S. Bernardo

Post author By Santuario de San Antonio Parish
Post date April 25, 2016

A Taste of Silence
By Conchitina S. Bernardo

A letter was sent to me by Nanise Gonewai, a native of the island of Fiji, now an active parishioner and member of Contemplative Outreach Philippines. Permit me to share:

Dear Chita,

When you had asked me to share my reflections and thoughts on “ GRATITUDE” for possible publication in our Parish Bulletin, the idea did not faze me at all solely and only because it is a word that’s daily on my mind, in my heart and on my lips . A large part of which is my new-found love for the Philippines and its people. Every morning, the first words I speak are “Heavenly Father, I bow my head this morning in prayer and in thanksgiving for my life, for all my blessings, and for bringing me to the Philippines”. And it is here in Manila, in the sunset of my life, that I have found true and enduring love through prayer, specifically Centering Prayer.

I arrived in your vast and vibrant country from Fiji in 2006. Within a week I was feeling at home and then found my niche through then Parish Priest, Father Tony Rosales, OFM – teaching catechism at the Parish’s Continuing Catholic Development (CCD) Ministry. My abiding love for children and teaching them about our faith are a channel for my serving the Lord through my work at CCD.

I was introduced to Centering Prayer. The continuation of my spiritual journey began in earnest. Something, had been lacking in my life, which I had been searching for so long. In the silence of the prayer, I re-encountered God in different ways.

My first Introductory Retreat was a turning point in my spiritual life. I have never looked back. The prayerful life, the love, the support, and the friendship I have with my San Antonio Parish Support Group are priceless as they are constant, continuous and completely un-conditional.

It has been ten year, and my blessings are multiplied: I now have two grandsons, I have a loving and a caring family, I have a wonderful group of friends, I have my CCD classes still, I have my daily Lectio Divina, I have time to smell the roses, and with His infinite love and mercy, I enjoy good health and happiness. What more could one ask for? And so YES, GRATITUDE, is a word I am very familiar with.

I would like to share with you a reflection which is based on Psalm 100 “Enter the Temple gates with thanksgiving –THANKFULLNESS OPENS THE DOOR to My Presence.” Therefore, my total and endless Gratitude to Him for everyone and for everything in my life.

Nancy

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Tags CCD

Articles Family and Life Ministry

Deepening Spirituality through Prayer, Sacrament and Service

Post author By Santuario de San Antonio Parish
Post date April 6, 2014

The Family Life Ministry of Santuario de San Antonio organized a half-day Lenten recollection, which was held last Saturday, March 8, at the Parish Center. Its theme was on “Deepening Spirituality through Prayer, Sacrament and Service.” It was facilitated by Fr. Roberto Buenconsejo, SJ, Assistant Director of the Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Members of different parish committees, parishioners, as well as some parents and teachers of CCD students attended this activity.

Helping us go through this season of Lent, Fr. Buenconsejo guided us through reflection to recognize God’s presence in our situation in this modern world where we can easily go about our daily routine, live through great problems and maybe forget or question God’s presence in our lives.

There is a form of spirituality that would work for each one of us. Be it as in the Middle Ages – when the pious “left” behind the world to find their way towards God. There is also another spirituality that meant recognizing God and His goodness in the small details of our everyday life – a blooming flower, a beggar on the street, children, nature, etc.

Every year the season of Lent gives us the chance to step back and evaluate our relationship with God and set ourselves back on the right track through prayer, reflection and atonement. How do we make God part of our life? A few minutes several times throughout the day would certainly add up and count for God. Pause in the early morning for 15 minutes in gratitude for a good night’s rest, think of what lies ahead for the day and seek God’s guidance, pause again at noon in gratitude and awareness of God’s presence, and another 15 minutes before bedtime to end the day with God.

Before ending the recollection with the holy Mass, Fr. Buenconsejo reminded us of the feast that comes from fasting, as we recognize the goodness of restraining ourselves from even small acts of ease and comfort. This could be “to fast from complaining” to be able “to feast on appreciation” or “to fast from judging others” and instead “feast on the Christ within them.” For many of us, who are in a secular situation, and in our own way, to offer up the small inconveniences and recognizing the good that could be drawn from them can help us live this Lenten season closer to God. May all of us be blessed this Lent!

Tags CCD, Roberto Buenconsejo

Ministries

CCD Students Reach Out

Post author By Santuario de San Antonio Parish
Post date January 5, 2014

Putting into practice what they learn in the classroom about their faith, and specifically the Commandment of love, CCD’s (Continuing Catholic Development) Level 7 students (Confirmation Level), celebrated the holy season of Advent and brought forward the joyous season of Christmas, to children at the convent of the Daughters of Charity Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul at Parañaque City.

On Saturday morning, 7 December: students, teachers, committee and helpers, departed by bus from the Parish for Paranaque – loaded with food, drinks, presents, good cheer and a strong sense to share with those children who were the beneficiaries of the first CCD Outreach program for this school year. Funds to pay for these goodies and to make the Outreach a distinct possibility, was raised from CCD’s own annual Light A Parol fund-raising project.

CCD’s contact with the children and the Daughters of Charity Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul, was through BINHI, an English Literacy Foundation, which begin in 2008 by a group of women bonded by a common vision to help improve the future of Filipino children in the marginalized areas, through education.

The CCD students were tasked with giving and grading Mid-Test to their young hosts, girls and boys aged 3 and 4 years old – to determine whether the child can already recognize upper and lower case letters. The overall results would also indicate whether the child is ready for enrolment in the elementary schools. The report back from BINHI was that 71% of the total number of children passed the test; 7% would have to re-do the test.

The whole exercise and the project itself was one of caring patience, kindness and consideration to the younger children some of whom quickly formed a bond with their guests from CCD. “Love your neighbour as yourself” as clearly and widely in evidence that day and as told to a teacher by a student: “today, we are the Good amaritan”. Clearly those from CCD were indeed putting their Faith in Action.

After an enjoyable interval of singing and dancing, eating and resting, we bade goodbye to the children, their parents, their teachers and the nuns who care for them, and made the bus ride back to Santuario de San Antonio Parish, mentally and spiritually refreshed and happy, that we had just spent a very worthwhile morning with some very deserving people – in an Outreach of caring and sharing.

To know more about Santuario de San Antonio Parish CCD Program>>>>>

Tags CCD, CCD activities, CCD articles