Dear brothers and sisters, let us present our petitions to Jesus, so that through Saint Anthony's intercession, He may pour out His mercy on us.
1. O Lord, you have made Saint Anthony an apostle of the Gospel. Grant us, through his intercession, a strong and humble faith and make our lives coherent with the creed that we profess.
Glory be to the Father…
2. O God Almighty, you have made Saint Anthony a constructor of peace and fraternal charity. Look upon the victims of violence and war. Grant that in this confused world full of tensions, we may become courageous witnesses of non-violence, promoting human life and peace.
Glory be to the Father…
3. O God, you have granted Saint Anthony the gift of healing and performing miracles. Grant us health of soul and body. Grant serenity and solace to those who have asked for our prayers and make us always ready to serve the sick, the elderly and the distressed.
Glory be to the Father…
4. O Lord, you made Saint Anthony an untiring preacher of the Gospels along mankind's many paths. In your Fatherly mercy protect the homeless, refugees and emigrants; keep them safe from every danger and guide their steps along the path of peace.
Glory be to the Father…
5. O God Almighty, you granted Saint Anthony the power to reunite severed limbs. Reunite all Christians in your One and Holy Church, and grant that we may all live the mystery of unity, thus becoming one heart and one soul.
Glory be to the Father…
6. O Lord Jesus, you made Saint Anthony a great master of spiritual life. Grant us the ability to renew our lives according to the teachings of the Gospel and the beatitudes, and make us promoters of spiritual life for our brothers and sisters.
Glory be to the Father…
7. O Jesus, you granted Saint Anthony the incomparable grace of holding you as a child in his arms. Bless our children, and grant that they may grow in goodness and in health and that they may live their lives in the fear of God.
Glory be to the Father…
8. O Merciful Jesus, you granted Saint Anthony the wisdom and gifts necessary to guide souls to holiness through his preaching and priestly ministry. Grant that we may approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the great gift of your love, with humility and faith.
Glory be to the Father…
9. O Holy Spirit, in Saint Anthony you gave the Church and the world a great master of holy doctrine. Grant that all those who work in the sphere of information may feel the great responsibility they have and serve truth in charity and with respect for others.
Glory be to the Father…
10. O Lord, you are the Lord of the harvest. Through the intercession of Saint Anthony send many worthy religious and priests into your field, fill them with zeal, generosity and your love.
Glory be to the Father…
11. O Jesus, you called the pope to be a universal pastor, high priest and messenger of truth and peace. Through the intercession of Saint Anthony sustain and console him in his mission.
Glory be to the Father…
12. O Holy Trinity, you granted Saint Anthony the grace to know, to love and to glorify the Virgin Mary, your Blessed Mother, and our Heavenly Mother, grant that we may grow ever closer to her motherly heart, to better serve, love and glorify you, who are love itself.
Glory be to the Father…
13. O Lord, you allowed Saint Anthony to meet sister death with a serene soul. Direct our lives towards you, assist the dying and grant eternal peace to the souls of our departed brothers and sisters.
Glory be to the Father…
Friday, May 29, 2009
DEAR ST. ANTHONY: Help me to find
Saint Anthony is famous throughout the world as the saint who finds lost objects, from everyday items to important documents, to faith itself. The prayer that follows invokes Saint Anthony's aid in the search for what has been lost.
Glorious Saint Anthony, for centuries you have exercised the God-given power to find what was lost. Help me to recover God's grace and make me zealous in the service of God and in the practice of virtue. Let me find whatever I have lost, thus showing me the presence of your goodness.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be)
Let us pray
Saint Anthony, glorious servant of God, famous for your merits and powerful miracles, help us to find what was lost, give us help during moments of trial and enlighten our minds in the search for God's will. Help us to find once again the life of grace, which our sin destroyed, and lead us to the glory promised to us by our Saviour. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Glorious Saint Anthony, for centuries you have exercised the God-given power to find what was lost. Help me to recover God's grace and make me zealous in the service of God and in the practice of virtue. Let me find whatever I have lost, thus showing me the presence of your goodness.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be)
Let us pray
Saint Anthony, glorious servant of God, famous for your merits and powerful miracles, help us to find what was lost, give us help during moments of trial and enlighten our minds in the search for God's will. Help us to find once again the life of grace, which our sin destroyed, and lead us to the glory promised to us by our Saviour. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
MAY THE MONTH OF MARY
by Friar Mario
messengersaintanthony.com
MAY IS that time of the year in which piety is especially directed to Our Blessed Lady; it is the occasion for a tribute of faith and love to the Queen of Heaven.
In his 1965 Encyclical Mense Maio (the Month of May), which focuses on the Mother of God, Pope Paul VI wrote, “During this month Christians, both in church and in the privacy of the home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving homage of prayer and veneration. In this month, too, the benefits of God’s mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance”.
Many painters and sculptors have represented and continue to represent the Madonna holding the Baby Jesus very tightly and closely to herself. She seems to be afraid that somebody will try to take him away from her, or even just try to touch him. In my opinion, these artists have not understood Mary’s fundamental attitude, which is that of offering, of giving, and not of possessing.
Personally, I find Donatello’s bronze statue of the Virgin Mary, which can be admired on the High Altar of the Basilica of Saint Anthony, much more insightful. Mary has been captured in the act of standing up from her throne, reaching out in front of herself. She is holding the Baby Jesus like a paten, as an offering, and the smiling Baby seems to want to escape from his mother’s arms, almost as if he were looking for an infinite number of other hands and arms to receive him. I would even go so far as to say that in both the Madonna and the Child one can note a kind of impatience: the impatience of wanting to give something immediately.
Mary brought her son into the world but, unlike most mothers, she did not have any pretensions about wanting to keep him for herself. She gave her son to the world, to humankind. She knew full well that her son did not belong to her, but was destined to belong to others. Her son was a gift from God for all of us. The Gospels present Mary of Nazareth as a silent person who prefers to remain in the background, almost hidden, as it were.
Mary is the woman who does not step into the limelight. Her presence is a teaching of discretion and giving: it is the Word that must speak and be heard, not her. We should not be upset by this: the monstrance that bears the Word is splendid inasmuch as it is wrought from the same rare material of silence, and this silence of Mary expresses fullness, not lack of ability.
In front of that masterpiece of God which is the Virgin Mary, the correct stance for us should be that of contemplation, of openness and of silence. Devotion to Mary is really authentic if it makes us look at our inner selves, if it produces meditation on our faith which is nurtured above all by God’s love, rather than by apparitions and miracles. After all, even Mary had to find answers for the many doubts in her life without any special assistance.
Luke the Evangelist ends his version of the Annunciation with the phrase “Then, the Angel left her.” This is certainly not a happy ending. If anything it is a difficult and binding beginning. Mary was left alone, with no further extraordinary communication or reassuring message which removed her doubts. She had to make her journey with the help of her own faith, and not with the special assistance of an angel. Even in her life, as in our lives, her doubts and questions grew. She had to draw light from the darkest moments, and did not find easy ready-made answers. The angel had finished speaking, and from that moment on Mary would have to question the events of her life in order to try and understand. The same is true for all of us.
messengersaintanthony.com
MAY IS that time of the year in which piety is especially directed to Our Blessed Lady; it is the occasion for a tribute of faith and love to the Queen of Heaven.
In his 1965 Encyclical Mense Maio (the Month of May), which focuses on the Mother of God, Pope Paul VI wrote, “During this month Christians, both in church and in the privacy of the home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving homage of prayer and veneration. In this month, too, the benefits of God’s mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance”.
Many painters and sculptors have represented and continue to represent the Madonna holding the Baby Jesus very tightly and closely to herself. She seems to be afraid that somebody will try to take him away from her, or even just try to touch him. In my opinion, these artists have not understood Mary’s fundamental attitude, which is that of offering, of giving, and not of possessing.
Personally, I find Donatello’s bronze statue of the Virgin Mary, which can be admired on the High Altar of the Basilica of Saint Anthony, much more insightful. Mary has been captured in the act of standing up from her throne, reaching out in front of herself. She is holding the Baby Jesus like a paten, as an offering, and the smiling Baby seems to want to escape from his mother’s arms, almost as if he were looking for an infinite number of other hands and arms to receive him. I would even go so far as to say that in both the Madonna and the Child one can note a kind of impatience: the impatience of wanting to give something immediately.
Mary brought her son into the world but, unlike most mothers, she did not have any pretensions about wanting to keep him for herself. She gave her son to the world, to humankind. She knew full well that her son did not belong to her, but was destined to belong to others. Her son was a gift from God for all of us. The Gospels present Mary of Nazareth as a silent person who prefers to remain in the background, almost hidden, as it were.
Mary is the woman who does not step into the limelight. Her presence is a teaching of discretion and giving: it is the Word that must speak and be heard, not her. We should not be upset by this: the monstrance that bears the Word is splendid inasmuch as it is wrought from the same rare material of silence, and this silence of Mary expresses fullness, not lack of ability.
In front of that masterpiece of God which is the Virgin Mary, the correct stance for us should be that of contemplation, of openness and of silence. Devotion to Mary is really authentic if it makes us look at our inner selves, if it produces meditation on our faith which is nurtured above all by God’s love, rather than by apparitions and miracles. After all, even Mary had to find answers for the many doubts in her life without any special assistance.
Luke the Evangelist ends his version of the Annunciation with the phrase “Then, the Angel left her.” This is certainly not a happy ending. If anything it is a difficult and binding beginning. Mary was left alone, with no further extraordinary communication or reassuring message which removed her doubts. She had to make her journey with the help of her own faith, and not with the special assistance of an angel. Even in her life, as in our lives, her doubts and questions grew. She had to draw light from the darkest moments, and did not find easy ready-made answers. The angel had finished speaking, and from that moment on Mary would have to question the events of her life in order to try and understand. The same is true for all of us.
KAPISTAHAN NI SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA
Sa darating na Ika-4 ng Hunyo 2009 ay sisimulan na sa ating parokya ang siyam (9) na araw ng Nobenaryo sa karangalan ng ating patron San Antonio De Padua. Ang Banal na Misa ay idaraos sa ganap na ika-6 ng hapon na magsisimula sa Hunyo 4 hanggang Hunyo 12 kung saan maraming mga kaparian ang inimbitahan upang pangunahan ang mga nasabing misa at pagninilay sa kapistahan ni San Antonio De Padua. Sa darating na Ika-13 ng Hunyo araw ng kapistahan ni San Antonio, ang mga oras ng Misa ay ang mga sumusunod:
Ika-6 ng umaga-Pangungunahan ng Kanyang Kabunyian,Obispo Leo Drona
Ika-7 ng umaga
Ika-8 ng umaga
Ika-9 at kalahati ng umaga-Misa Konselebrada
Ika-5 ng hapon-Huling Misa
Ika-6 ng umaga-Pangungunahan ng Kanyang Kabunyian,Obispo Leo Drona
Ika-7 ng umaga
Ika-8 ng umaga
Ika-9 at kalahati ng umaga-Misa Konselebrada
Ika-5 ng hapon-Huling Misa
UPDATE ON THE PARISH FEEDING PROGRAM
Last May 08, 2009, the Parish Feeding Program started with 60 malnourished children from different areas in the Parish as beneficiaries. These children were selected by the Barangay Nutrition Council thru its Brgy. Nutrition Scholar (BNS) in coordination with the Municipal Social Welfare Office and Municipal Nutrition Action Officer of Binan, Laguna. The organizers of the program is using the approach and techniques provided by the Department of Social Welfare & Development (DSWD) Region IV-A on a per module basis composed of the required manpower complements for the food preparations, marketing, meal menu and even the education/formation of the parents beneficiaries.
The facilities of the Parish Hall serves as the official kitchen area of the program while the covered court of the Pedro H. Escueta Memorial School in Garcia Subdivision is chosen as the official feeding venue of the program given the proximity of the place and convenience on the part of the beneficiaries. The venue is also a good site for the available space for the Gulayan sa Bakuran project of the program which will be launched this June 2009 for the benefit of the parent’s beneficiaries.
The feeding program is on a daily basis Monday to Friday at 4:00 in the afternoon. This coming June 2009 various sub-programs within the project itself will be launched with the assistance of other private and government agencies that will complement the very purpose of the program which include the following:
• Gulayan ni San Antonio (container and backyard gardening project)
• Nutrition Education Program to be led by the Municipal Nutrition Action Officer of MSWD
• Kabuhayan 101-a livelihood education and training program to be led by the professors and students of the College of Business Administration of St. Michael’s College of Laguna.
Also, this coming school year, the organizers will start to accept student volunteers thru the Bayanihan sa Parokya Project as part of the community service awareness campaign of the program wherein they will be given exposures and hands on experience on every aspect of the program from food preparations to parent’s education and training activities. For those who are interested to join you may contact the following numbers:
049-511-7895 (Parish Office)
0932-222-9711 (Feeding Program Secretariat)
The facilities of the Parish Hall serves as the official kitchen area of the program while the covered court of the Pedro H. Escueta Memorial School in Garcia Subdivision is chosen as the official feeding venue of the program given the proximity of the place and convenience on the part of the beneficiaries. The venue is also a good site for the available space for the Gulayan sa Bakuran project of the program which will be launched this June 2009 for the benefit of the parent’s beneficiaries.
The feeding program is on a daily basis Monday to Friday at 4:00 in the afternoon. This coming June 2009 various sub-programs within the project itself will be launched with the assistance of other private and government agencies that will complement the very purpose of the program which include the following:
• Gulayan ni San Antonio (container and backyard gardening project)
• Nutrition Education Program to be led by the Municipal Nutrition Action Officer of MSWD
• Kabuhayan 101-a livelihood education and training program to be led by the professors and students of the College of Business Administration of St. Michael’s College of Laguna.
Also, this coming school year, the organizers will start to accept student volunteers thru the Bayanihan sa Parokya Project as part of the community service awareness campaign of the program wherein they will be given exposures and hands on experience on every aspect of the program from food preparations to parent’s education and training activities. For those who are interested to join you may contact the following numbers:
049-511-7895 (Parish Office)
0932-222-9711 (Feeding Program Secretariat)
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Isang Pagpupugay sa Dakilang Ilaw ng Tahanan-An Open Letter to all the Mothers of the Parish during the 2009 Mothers Day Tribute
NANAY NGAYON ANG ESPESYAL NA ARAW MO, OO MARAMING OKASYON AT SELEBRASYON KUNG SAAN MAARI KONG ALALAHANIN ANG IYONG PAGMAMAHAL AT PAGKALINGA SUBALIT ANG ISANG ITO ANG KATANGI-TANGI DAHIL ITO ANG ARAW KUNG SAAN HIGIT KONG DAPAT NA ALALAHANIN ANG IYONG PAGIGING INA, ANG DAKILANG BOKASYON NG ISANG BABAENG TULAD MO.
DAHIL DITO ‘NAY, BAYAAN MONG BUKSAN KO ANG NILALAMAN NG PUSO KO SA ORAS NA ITO SA PAMAMAGITAN NG MGA PAGBABALIK ALAALA SA MGA NAKARAANG PANGYAYARI SA ATING DALAWA NITONG NAGDAAANG MGA ARAW:
• SA DINAMI-DAMI NG MGA NAGAWA KONG KASALANAN SA IYO ALAM KO AT NARARAMDAMAN KO KUNG ALIN SA MGA ITO ANG HIGIT NA DUMUDUROG SA PUSO MO. MARAMING PAGKAKATAON HINDI AKO NAGSASABI NG TOTOO SA ILANG MGA BAGAY , TUMATAKAS AKO SA MGA PAGKATATAON NA KAILANGAN MO ANG AKING PRESENSYA PARA SA MGA GAWAING BAHAY LAHAT NG MGA ITO BALEWALA LANG SA IYO, MINSAN NAKAKAPAGTAAS KA NG BOSES DAHIL SA MGA ITO PERO MADALING MAPAPAWI ANG GALIT MO.
PERO ‘NAY NATATANDAAN MO BA ANG UNANG PAGKAKATAON NA NAGAWA KONG MAGTAAS NG BOSES SA IYO AT SIGAWAN KA? SARIWANG SARIWA SA AKING DIWA ANG PANGAYAYARING IYON. . .HINDI KA NAGSALITA NAKATINGIN KA LANG SA AKIN. . .NATULALA KA AT NAPAISIP SA AKING GINAWA. . .
• MAY MGA PAGKAKATAON NA HINDI TAYO NAGKAKAINTINDIHAN SA ILANG MGA BAGAY AT USAPIN SA BAHAY, PILIT MONG PINAPALIWANAG AT ITINUTURO SA AKIN ANG DAPAT GAWIN PERO DAHIL SA TINGIN KO MAS TAMA AKO HINDI KITA PINAKINGGAN. . .AT NAGALIT KA DAHIL DITO PERO MATIGAS TALAGA ANG ULO KO AT HINDI KO MATANGGAP ANG SINASABI MO KAYA AAMININ KO MASAMA ANG LOOB KA SA IYO. . .GALIT AKO ‘NAY, YAN ANG DAHILAN KUNG BAKIT HAGGANG NGAYON HINDI KITA PINAPANSIN AT KINIKIBO. . .
‘NAY PASENSYA KA NA WALA AKONG LAKAS NG LOOB NA LUMAPIT SA IYO AT PERSONAL NA IPALIWANAG ANG NARARAMDAMAN KO, HINDI NAMAN AKO SANAY NA KAUSAPIN KA NG GANITO. . .ALAM KO ITO ANG IYONG ARAW, PERO MAY DALAWANG BAGAY LANG AKO NA GUSTONG HINGIN SA IYO SA PAGKAKATAONG ITO . . .KAHIT NGAYON LANG,
‘NAY PWEDE BA KITANG YAKAPIN NG MAHIGPIT? TULAD NOON, NA KAPAG AKO’Y NA SA IYONG BISIG WALANG ANUMAN O SINUMAN ANG MAARING MAKASALING SA AKIN, ANG DAMING KONG PROBLEMA NGAYON ‘NAY, ISANG YAKAP LANG. . .
AT HALIKAN MO NAMAN AKO SA NOO, YUNG DATING MONG GINAGAWA? ANG HALIK NA KAPAG DUMADAMPI SA AKING NOO AY NARARAMDAMAN KO ANG IYONG PAGHINGA, ANG IYONG PAGHINGA NA NAGBIGAY SA AKIN NG LAKAS NA MAGPAHANGGANG NGAYON AY AKING TAGLAY.
DAHIL DITO ‘NAY, BAYAAN MONG BUKSAN KO ANG NILALAMAN NG PUSO KO SA ORAS NA ITO SA PAMAMAGITAN NG MGA PAGBABALIK ALAALA SA MGA NAKARAANG PANGYAYARI SA ATING DALAWA NITONG NAGDAAANG MGA ARAW:
• SA DINAMI-DAMI NG MGA NAGAWA KONG KASALANAN SA IYO ALAM KO AT NARARAMDAMAN KO KUNG ALIN SA MGA ITO ANG HIGIT NA DUMUDUROG SA PUSO MO. MARAMING PAGKAKATAON HINDI AKO NAGSASABI NG TOTOO SA ILANG MGA BAGAY , TUMATAKAS AKO SA MGA PAGKATATAON NA KAILANGAN MO ANG AKING PRESENSYA PARA SA MGA GAWAING BAHAY LAHAT NG MGA ITO BALEWALA LANG SA IYO, MINSAN NAKAKAPAGTAAS KA NG BOSES DAHIL SA MGA ITO PERO MADALING MAPAPAWI ANG GALIT MO.
PERO ‘NAY NATATANDAAN MO BA ANG UNANG PAGKAKATAON NA NAGAWA KONG MAGTAAS NG BOSES SA IYO AT SIGAWAN KA? SARIWANG SARIWA SA AKING DIWA ANG PANGAYAYARING IYON. . .HINDI KA NAGSALITA NAKATINGIN KA LANG SA AKIN. . .NATULALA KA AT NAPAISIP SA AKING GINAWA. . .
• MAY MGA PAGKAKATAON NA HINDI TAYO NAGKAKAINTINDIHAN SA ILANG MGA BAGAY AT USAPIN SA BAHAY, PILIT MONG PINAPALIWANAG AT ITINUTURO SA AKIN ANG DAPAT GAWIN PERO DAHIL SA TINGIN KO MAS TAMA AKO HINDI KITA PINAKINGGAN. . .AT NAGALIT KA DAHIL DITO PERO MATIGAS TALAGA ANG ULO KO AT HINDI KO MATANGGAP ANG SINASABI MO KAYA AAMININ KO MASAMA ANG LOOB KA SA IYO. . .GALIT AKO ‘NAY, YAN ANG DAHILAN KUNG BAKIT HAGGANG NGAYON HINDI KITA PINAPANSIN AT KINIKIBO. . .
‘NAY PASENSYA KA NA WALA AKONG LAKAS NG LOOB NA LUMAPIT SA IYO AT PERSONAL NA IPALIWANAG ANG NARARAMDAMAN KO, HINDI NAMAN AKO SANAY NA KAUSAPIN KA NG GANITO. . .ALAM KO ITO ANG IYONG ARAW, PERO MAY DALAWANG BAGAY LANG AKO NA GUSTONG HINGIN SA IYO SA PAGKAKATAONG ITO . . .KAHIT NGAYON LANG,
‘NAY PWEDE BA KITANG YAKAPIN NG MAHIGPIT? TULAD NOON, NA KAPAG AKO’Y NA SA IYONG BISIG WALANG ANUMAN O SINUMAN ANG MAARING MAKASALING SA AKIN, ANG DAMING KONG PROBLEMA NGAYON ‘NAY, ISANG YAKAP LANG. . .
AT HALIKAN MO NAMAN AKO SA NOO, YUNG DATING MONG GINAGAWA? ANG HALIK NA KAPAG DUMADAMPI SA AKING NOO AY NARARAMDAMAN KO ANG IYONG PAGHINGA, ANG IYONG PAGHINGA NA NAGBIGAY SA AKIN NG LAKAS NA MAGPAHANGGANG NGAYON AY AKING TAGLAY.
ANG PASIMHAY IS ONLINE AGAIN!
After more than 2 months of being offline, the site has already been re-activated and will give its fresh new looks in the next few weeks! More news and feature articles including fresh photos will be uploaded in the next few days for everyone to be continually updated in all the activities of the Parish. To be able to give the best service, the Administrator of the site shifted to a new ISP, it's now the GLOBE BROADBAND that will provide the internet access and services requirements of the administrator.
WELCOME BACK!
WELCOME BACK!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
UPDATE ON THE PARISH FEEDING PROGRAM
Just recently, Ushers & Collectors Ministry (UCM) received a notice from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)Regional Office thru its Head, Mrs. Precy Escalante that the Hapag-asa, Hapagmamahal Feeding Program of UCM has already been accredited by the Department.
As an accredited partner of the DSWD, UCM will be receiving logistics and financial support from the NGO partner of DSWD for the feeding programs, the Kabisig ng Lahi Foundation including support and assistance from Unilever Philippines and Mead Jhonson Philippines for the entire 6 month duration of the program.
Under the program, 60 identified malnourished children under the level 1 and 2 classifications as validated and confirmed by the local social workers helping the UCM since last year shall be provided an everyday meal including milk supplements for 6 months. The beneficiaries has already been identified from key areas of the program like Garcia Subdivision, Faraon Subdivision and Umboy Riverside.
Mrs. Escalante revealed that the people from Kabisig and their partners from Unilever and MeadJohnson are very excited with the tie up with UCM considering that it will be the very first time in the history of the program that they will be working with a religious/parish based organization. Kabisig is expecting to launch the program in the parish this coming March 2009 and has already scheduled a visit to the Parish next week to meet the core group of UCM handling the program including the selected parents of the beneficiaries to ensure the effective and smooth implementation of the program.
As an accredited partner of the DSWD, UCM will be receiving logistics and financial support from the NGO partner of DSWD for the feeding programs, the Kabisig ng Lahi Foundation including support and assistance from Unilever Philippines and Mead Jhonson Philippines for the entire 6 month duration of the program.
Under the program, 60 identified malnourished children under the level 1 and 2 classifications as validated and confirmed by the local social workers helping the UCM since last year shall be provided an everyday meal including milk supplements for 6 months. The beneficiaries has already been identified from key areas of the program like Garcia Subdivision, Faraon Subdivision and Umboy Riverside.
Mrs. Escalante revealed that the people from Kabisig and their partners from Unilever and MeadJohnson are very excited with the tie up with UCM considering that it will be the very first time in the history of the program that they will be working with a religious/parish based organization. Kabisig is expecting to launch the program in the parish this coming March 2009 and has already scheduled a visit to the Parish next week to meet the core group of UCM handling the program including the selected parents of the beneficiaries to ensure the effective and smooth implementation of the program.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
PARISH VISITA IGLESIA 2009-PRIMER II-ILOCOS NORTE
Brief History
Long before the coming of the Spaniards, there already existed an extensive region (consisting of the present provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra and La Union) renowned for its gold mines. Merchants from Japan and China would often visit the area to trade gold with beads, ceramics and silk. The inhabitants of the region, believed to be of Malay origin, called their place "samtoy", from "sao mi toy", which literally meant “our language.”
In 1591, when the Spanish conquistadors had Manila more or less under their control, they began looking for new sites to conquer. Legaspi's grandson, Juan De Salcedo, volunteered to lead one of these expeditions. Together with 8 armed boats and 45 men, the 22 year old voyager headed north. On June 13, 1572, Salcedo and his men landed in Vigan and then proceeded towards Laoag, Currimao and Badoc. As they sailed along the coast, they were surprised to see numerous sheltered coves ("looc") where the locals lived in harmony. As a result, they named the region “Ylocos” and its people “Ylocanos.”
As the Christianization of the region grew, so did the landscape of the area. Vast tracks of land were utilized for churches and bell towers in line with the Spanish mission of "bajo las campanas". In the town plaza, it was not uncommon to see garrisons under the church bells. The colonization process was slowly being carried out.
The Spanish colonization of the region, however, was never completely successful. Owing to the abusive practices of many Augustinian friars, a number of Ilocanos revolted against their colonizers. Noteworthy of these were the Dingras uprising (1589) and Pedro Almasan revolt (San Nicolas, 1660). In 1762, Diego Silang led a series of battles aimed at freeing the Ilocanos from the Spanish yoke. When he died from an assassin's bullet, his widow Gabriela continued the cause. Unfortunately, she too was captured and hanged. In 1807, the sugar cane ("basi") brewers of Piddig rose up in arms to protest the government's monopoly of the wine industry. In 1898, the church excommunicated Gregorio Aglipay for refusing to cut off ties with the revolutionary forces of Sen. Emilio Aguinaldo. Unperturbed, he established the "Iglesia Filipina Independiente". Aglipay’s movement and the nationalist sentiment it espoused helped restore the self-respect of many Filipinos.
In an effort to gain more political control and because of the increasing population of the region, a Royal Decree was signed on February 2, 1818 splitting Ilocos into two provinces: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. Soon thereafter, the provinces of La Union and Abra likewise became independent.
Political Subdivision
Ilocos Norte has 22 municipalities namely: Adams, Badoc, Bacarra, Bangui, Batac, Burgos, Carasi, Currimao, Dingras, Dumalneg, Espiritu, Marcos, Nueva Era, Pagudpud, Paoay, Pasuquin, Piddig, Pinili, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Solsona and Vintar. Laoag converted into a city on June 19, 1965 under R.A. 4584, remains as capital. The municipalities and Laoag City are further subdivided into 550 barangays and 2 districts.
Climate
The province experiences dry season from November to April and wet season from May to October. Annual rainfall is 2,067.2 mm. while average temperature is 27.8oC. The province is occasionally visited by tropical cyclones and storms during the southwest monsoon season.
Population
Population of the province in 2000 was 514,241. This figure is projected to increase to 553,080 in 2005.
Language / Dialect
Ilocano (Iloko) is the major dialect. English and Filipino are the tools of instruction in schools.
People, Culture and Arts
“Ilocanos” comprise the overwhelming majority of the province’s inhabitants, although there are small communities of Isnegs and Tinguians in the eastern and southeastern fringes of the province. The people do not differ from other Ilocanos in customs, but as a result of the establishment of the Aglipayan Church, a majority of the population are members of the independent church.
Hundreds of years of Catholic preeminence had made Ilocos Norte home to many old Catholic Churches. Most famous is the Paoay Church which is a unique combination of baroque and Southeast Asian motifs blended into a distinct style called earthquake baroque. Another is The Cathedral of St. William the Hermit (San Guillermo) that possesses a unique two-storey façade held up by four pairs of coupled columns.
The province is also the birthplace of many important personalities whose ancestral homes had been converted to museums. The Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc, is a preserved brick-type house of the hero-painter and is a repository of his memorabilia, including replicas of his masterpieces. Another museum called Balay ti Ili (house of the people) is the ancestral home of the late President Ferdinand Marcos.
Major Industries
Agriculture is the main livelihood of the people. Garlic is the principal cash crop. Fishing and manufacturing are other industries. Cottage industries include weaving, pottery, blacksmithing and furniture-making.
Long before the coming of the Spaniards, there already existed an extensive region (consisting of the present provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra and La Union) renowned for its gold mines. Merchants from Japan and China would often visit the area to trade gold with beads, ceramics and silk. The inhabitants of the region, believed to be of Malay origin, called their place "samtoy", from "sao mi toy", which literally meant “our language.”
In 1591, when the Spanish conquistadors had Manila more or less under their control, they began looking for new sites to conquer. Legaspi's grandson, Juan De Salcedo, volunteered to lead one of these expeditions. Together with 8 armed boats and 45 men, the 22 year old voyager headed north. On June 13, 1572, Salcedo and his men landed in Vigan and then proceeded towards Laoag, Currimao and Badoc. As they sailed along the coast, they were surprised to see numerous sheltered coves ("looc") where the locals lived in harmony. As a result, they named the region “Ylocos” and its people “Ylocanos.”
As the Christianization of the region grew, so did the landscape of the area. Vast tracks of land were utilized for churches and bell towers in line with the Spanish mission of "bajo las campanas". In the town plaza, it was not uncommon to see garrisons under the church bells. The colonization process was slowly being carried out.
The Spanish colonization of the region, however, was never completely successful. Owing to the abusive practices of many Augustinian friars, a number of Ilocanos revolted against their colonizers. Noteworthy of these were the Dingras uprising (1589) and Pedro Almasan revolt (San Nicolas, 1660). In 1762, Diego Silang led a series of battles aimed at freeing the Ilocanos from the Spanish yoke. When he died from an assassin's bullet, his widow Gabriela continued the cause. Unfortunately, she too was captured and hanged. In 1807, the sugar cane ("basi") brewers of Piddig rose up in arms to protest the government's monopoly of the wine industry. In 1898, the church excommunicated Gregorio Aglipay for refusing to cut off ties with the revolutionary forces of Sen. Emilio Aguinaldo. Unperturbed, he established the "Iglesia Filipina Independiente". Aglipay’s movement and the nationalist sentiment it espoused helped restore the self-respect of many Filipinos.
In an effort to gain more political control and because of the increasing population of the region, a Royal Decree was signed on February 2, 1818 splitting Ilocos into two provinces: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. Soon thereafter, the provinces of La Union and Abra likewise became independent.
Political Subdivision
Ilocos Norte has 22 municipalities namely: Adams, Badoc, Bacarra, Bangui, Batac, Burgos, Carasi, Currimao, Dingras, Dumalneg, Espiritu, Marcos, Nueva Era, Pagudpud, Paoay, Pasuquin, Piddig, Pinili, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Solsona and Vintar. Laoag converted into a city on June 19, 1965 under R.A. 4584, remains as capital. The municipalities and Laoag City are further subdivided into 550 barangays and 2 districts.
Climate
The province experiences dry season from November to April and wet season from May to October. Annual rainfall is 2,067.2 mm. while average temperature is 27.8oC. The province is occasionally visited by tropical cyclones and storms during the southwest monsoon season.
Population
Population of the province in 2000 was 514,241. This figure is projected to increase to 553,080 in 2005.
Language / Dialect
Ilocano (Iloko) is the major dialect. English and Filipino are the tools of instruction in schools.
People, Culture and Arts
“Ilocanos” comprise the overwhelming majority of the province’s inhabitants, although there are small communities of Isnegs and Tinguians in the eastern and southeastern fringes of the province. The people do not differ from other Ilocanos in customs, but as a result of the establishment of the Aglipayan Church, a majority of the population are members of the independent church.
Hundreds of years of Catholic preeminence had made Ilocos Norte home to many old Catholic Churches. Most famous is the Paoay Church which is a unique combination of baroque and Southeast Asian motifs blended into a distinct style called earthquake baroque. Another is The Cathedral of St. William the Hermit (San Guillermo) that possesses a unique two-storey façade held up by four pairs of coupled columns.
The province is also the birthplace of many important personalities whose ancestral homes had been converted to museums. The Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc, is a preserved brick-type house of the hero-painter and is a repository of his memorabilia, including replicas of his masterpieces. Another museum called Balay ti Ili (house of the people) is the ancestral home of the late President Ferdinand Marcos.
Major Industries
Agriculture is the main livelihood of the people. Garlic is the principal cash crop. Fishing and manufacturing are other industries. Cottage industries include weaving, pottery, blacksmithing and furniture-making.
PARISH VISITA IGLESIA 2009-PRIMER-ILOCOS SUR
The Visita Iglesia (Visit of the Churches) is one of the most pleasant traditions that Catholics observe during the Lenten season.
And by going to the right churches, Catholics can do two things at the same time: Offer a solemn prayer and immerse in culture kept alive within church walls.
For this year, the Parish has chosen the magnificent province of Ilocandia as this year's place of the Visita Iglesia. As a primer of the said activity, the site has decided to feature the province of Ilocos for the parishioners to have a better appreciation of the province and its culture.
ILOCOS SUR
Brief History
Before the advent of the Spanish Regime, settlements already existed along the coves or “looc” in the northern part of Luzon. These settlements called the “Ylocos” which extended from Bangui in the north to Namacpacan in the south were discovered during the expedition led by Juan de Salcedo in 1572.
Juan de Salcedo decided to establish his headquarters in a settlement along the Mestizo River, then named “Kabigaan” because of the “gabi” like plants abundantly growing by the bank of the river. Vigan also became the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia and was called “Ciudad Fernandina” in honor of King Ferdinand. Vigan remains to be the capital city of Ilocos Sur.
On February 2, 1818, the Ylocos was divided into two provinces: Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. At that time, Ilocos Sur encompassed what are now the northern towns of La Union up to Luna and Abra. Also annexed were Lepanto and Amburayan in Mt. Province. Act 2683 passed on March 1917 by the Philippine Legislature defined the present geographical boundaries of Ilocos Sur.
Geography
Ilocos Sur is located along the western coast of Northern Luzon It is bounded by Ilocos Sur Norte on the north, Abra on the northeast, Mt. Province on the east, Benguet on the southeast, La Union on the south and the China Sea on the west. Its area of 2,579.58 square kilometers occupies about 20.11 % of the total land area of Region 1.
The topography of Ilocos Sur is undulating to rolling with elevations ranging from 10 to 1,700 meters above sea level.
Political Subdivision
Ilocos Sur has 32 municipalities and 2 cities which are subdivided into 764 barangays. They are Alilem, Banayoyo, Bantay, Burgos, Cabugao, Caoayan, Cervantes, Galimuyod, Gregorio del Pilar, Lidlidda, Magsingal, Nagbukel, Narvacan, Quirino, Salcedo, San Emilio, San Esteban, San Ildefonso, San Juan, San Vicente, Santa, Santiago, Sta. Catalina, Sta. Cruz, Sta. Lucia, Sta. Maria, Sto. Domingo, Sigay, Sinait, Sugpon, Suyo, Tagudin. The cities include Candon City and Vigan City.
Climate
The climate is generally dry as defined by the Hernandez type of climate. Classification is characterized by more dry months usually from October to May. However, the southernmost portion (part of Cervantes) is observed to be humid and rain is even distributed throughout the year while the eastern part of Sugpon is dry with rain not sufficiently distributed. August has the most rainfall while January and February have the least. The mean temperature in the province is 27oC. January is the coldest.
Population
In the 2000 census, the population of Ilocos Sur was 594,206. Vigan City, the capital of Ilocos Sur, has a population of 45,143. The population in the province for year 2000 increased by 1.85% relative to the 1995 census.
Language / Dialect
Filipino and English are the basic tools of instruction in schools while Ilocano is the principal dialect. Kankanaey and Itneg are spoken in cultural communities.
Religion
Christianity is widely spread in the province. Approximately 85 percent of the total population professes Roman Catholicism, the prevailing religion in the province. The remaining percentage of the population professes to Protestantism, Buddhism, Iglesia ni Cristo, Aglipayan, Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Seventh Day Adventists.
Major Industries
The people are engaged in farming producing food crops mostly rice, corn, vegetable, rootcrops and fruits. Non-food crops include tobacco, cotton and tigergrass. Cottage industries include loomweaving, furniture making, jewelry making, ceramics, blacksmithing and food processing.
And by going to the right churches, Catholics can do two things at the same time: Offer a solemn prayer and immerse in culture kept alive within church walls.
For this year, the Parish has chosen the magnificent province of Ilocandia as this year's place of the Visita Iglesia. As a primer of the said activity, the site has decided to feature the province of Ilocos for the parishioners to have a better appreciation of the province and its culture.
ILOCOS SUR
Brief History
Before the advent of the Spanish Regime, settlements already existed along the coves or “looc” in the northern part of Luzon. These settlements called the “Ylocos” which extended from Bangui in the north to Namacpacan in the south were discovered during the expedition led by Juan de Salcedo in 1572.
Juan de Salcedo decided to establish his headquarters in a settlement along the Mestizo River, then named “Kabigaan” because of the “gabi” like plants abundantly growing by the bank of the river. Vigan also became the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia and was called “Ciudad Fernandina” in honor of King Ferdinand. Vigan remains to be the capital city of Ilocos Sur.
On February 2, 1818, the Ylocos was divided into two provinces: Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. At that time, Ilocos Sur encompassed what are now the northern towns of La Union up to Luna and Abra. Also annexed were Lepanto and Amburayan in Mt. Province. Act 2683 passed on March 1917 by the Philippine Legislature defined the present geographical boundaries of Ilocos Sur.
Geography
Ilocos Sur is located along the western coast of Northern Luzon It is bounded by Ilocos Sur Norte on the north, Abra on the northeast, Mt. Province on the east, Benguet on the southeast, La Union on the south and the China Sea on the west. Its area of 2,579.58 square kilometers occupies about 20.11 % of the total land area of Region 1.
The topography of Ilocos Sur is undulating to rolling with elevations ranging from 10 to 1,700 meters above sea level.
Political Subdivision
Ilocos Sur has 32 municipalities and 2 cities which are subdivided into 764 barangays. They are Alilem, Banayoyo, Bantay, Burgos, Cabugao, Caoayan, Cervantes, Galimuyod, Gregorio del Pilar, Lidlidda, Magsingal, Nagbukel, Narvacan, Quirino, Salcedo, San Emilio, San Esteban, San Ildefonso, San Juan, San Vicente, Santa, Santiago, Sta. Catalina, Sta. Cruz, Sta. Lucia, Sta. Maria, Sto. Domingo, Sigay, Sinait, Sugpon, Suyo, Tagudin. The cities include Candon City and Vigan City.
Climate
The climate is generally dry as defined by the Hernandez type of climate. Classification is characterized by more dry months usually from October to May. However, the southernmost portion (part of Cervantes) is observed to be humid and rain is even distributed throughout the year while the eastern part of Sugpon is dry with rain not sufficiently distributed. August has the most rainfall while January and February have the least. The mean temperature in the province is 27oC. January is the coldest.
Population
In the 2000 census, the population of Ilocos Sur was 594,206. Vigan City, the capital of Ilocos Sur, has a population of 45,143. The population in the province for year 2000 increased by 1.85% relative to the 1995 census.
Language / Dialect
Filipino and English are the basic tools of instruction in schools while Ilocano is the principal dialect. Kankanaey and Itneg are spoken in cultural communities.
Religion
Christianity is widely spread in the province. Approximately 85 percent of the total population professes Roman Catholicism, the prevailing religion in the province. The remaining percentage of the population professes to Protestantism, Buddhism, Iglesia ni Cristo, Aglipayan, Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Seventh Day Adventists.
Major Industries
The people are engaged in farming producing food crops mostly rice, corn, vegetable, rootcrops and fruits. Non-food crops include tobacco, cotton and tigergrass. Cottage industries include loomweaving, furniture making, jewelry making, ceramics, blacksmithing and food processing.
VISITA IGLESIA
Q: Why do people visit seven churches on Holy Thursday?
A: The custom goes back to the early Church when Christians would visit the seven great basilicas in Rome for adoration of the blessed sacrament after the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. The sacramentary, the official altar book of the Church, says that after this Mass, "The faithful should be encouraged to continue adoration before the blessed sacrament for a suitable period of time during the night, according to local circumstances, but there should be no solemn adoration after midnight."
Visita Iglesia is a practice in cities, where there are many churches, in countries as diverse as Malta, Poland, Ireland and The Philippines. Filipinos have brought it to places in North America that never had it before.
- Source: The Catholic Herald
A: The custom goes back to the early Church when Christians would visit the seven great basilicas in Rome for adoration of the blessed sacrament after the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. The sacramentary, the official altar book of the Church, says that after this Mass, "The faithful should be encouraged to continue adoration before the blessed sacrament for a suitable period of time during the night, according to local circumstances, but there should be no solemn adoration after midnight."
Visita Iglesia is a practice in cities, where there are many churches, in countries as diverse as Malta, Poland, Ireland and The Philippines. Filipinos have brought it to places in North America that never had it before.
- Source: The Catholic Herald
Friday, February 13, 2009
GOSPEL REFLECTION: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B
The Gospel for this Sunday is not just about leprosy otherwise it would be irrelevant to most of us here since we don’t have leprosy. Nevertheless, the message of the Gospel today, and also, of course, the message of the Church, is: Jesus can heal you. Jesus can make you clean.
But we have to stop thinking in terms of physical diseases. We have to go to the level of sin; that is really what Jesus came to take away. If he is not curing you or your loved one from some disease, or taking away some difficulty, it is because it is not his will to do so; it is not his will to intervene.
Leprosy has always been a clear image of sin. It is contagious, disfiguring, repulsive, cuts us off from the community, and causes death. We can see our bodies but we can’t see our souls. Leprosy we can see; sin remains invisible.
But God can see our soul. He can see whether it is diseased and ugly, dead or alive.
The Good News is that although Jesus, for the good of our soul, may delay healing us of disease, he is ‘dying’ to heal our soul from sin. How? Well, if it’s a matter of an everyday sin (a venial sin), Jesus has ALREADY relieved us of that burden during the Penitential Rite of the Mass. Indeed, every time we make a sincere act of sorrow our venial sins are forgiven. However, if it’s a matter of a grave sin (a mortal sin), we have only to come to the priest in Confession and acknowledge that sin to him. In Jesus’ name he will forgive that sin or those sins and relieve us instantly of that burden. What’s stopping us; what's stopping you? The leper in today’s Gospel was not allowed to approach Jesus but he did. What’s stopping you from approaching Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation where he is waiting, longing for you - to set you free?
*
Are you ashamed? Are you frightened? Are you proud?
*
Are you in denial about your sin? - I have no sin.
*
Are you uncertain about whether to confess to a priest?
To all of them I say “Well don't be!"
Don’t be ashamed. Don’t be frightened. Don’t be proud. Don’t be uncertain about whether Jesus wants to use a priest to forgive your sins. He sent lepers to the priests and he sends sinners to the priest.
I sit in that confessional every weekend but very few people come. Is that because no one commits mortal sin anymore? No. It is because today people deny they have mortal sin: I have no leprosy! This is certainly one of the grave evils in the Church today; the denial of mortal sin.
Are you not sure whether you have sin? Whether you are a leper? The priest will tell you .. don’t worry about that. In the Old Testament if people thought they might have leprosy they went to see the priest and if they thought they had been cured they went to see the priest. Jesus told the leper in today’s gospel to go and see the priest.
And what would I say? I would say what the Church says:
Using contraceptives because you want to avoid pregnancy? - you are in sin; had a tubal ligation, vasectomy? - you are in sin; sleeping with someone outside of marriage? - you are in sin; divorced and then remarried outside the Church? - you are in sin; consulting fortune tellers or mediums? - you are in sin; had an abortion, or advised someone to have an abortion? - you are in sin, grave sin; deliberately missing Mass on Sunday? you are in sin; going to Holy Communion without confessing grave sin? - you are in sin.
It does not matter to God whether we are in our Sunday best and going to Mass every Sunday because he can see our souls as plain as the nose on our face, and if we are in mortal sin we are to God as ugly as lepers, even uglier.
It does not matter to me if the church is filled to the brim with parishioners if they are not in communion with Jesus and his Church; in other words, not in the state of grace.
If you are in mortal sin there is something you must do first, you must go to confession.
Jesus can make you clean and Jesus wants to make you clean through the absolution given by the priest. What could be more simple?
Do you know that Jesus is so eager to take away our sins that he is willing to become a leper for us? Look at what happens in today’s Gospel: The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived.
Jesus is willing to make himself a leper for us; what more could he do? So what’s keeping us? What’s keeping you?
But we have to stop thinking in terms of physical diseases. We have to go to the level of sin; that is really what Jesus came to take away. If he is not curing you or your loved one from some disease, or taking away some difficulty, it is because it is not his will to do so; it is not his will to intervene.
Leprosy has always been a clear image of sin. It is contagious, disfiguring, repulsive, cuts us off from the community, and causes death. We can see our bodies but we can’t see our souls. Leprosy we can see; sin remains invisible.
But God can see our soul. He can see whether it is diseased and ugly, dead or alive.
The Good News is that although Jesus, for the good of our soul, may delay healing us of disease, he is ‘dying’ to heal our soul from sin. How? Well, if it’s a matter of an everyday sin (a venial sin), Jesus has ALREADY relieved us of that burden during the Penitential Rite of the Mass. Indeed, every time we make a sincere act of sorrow our venial sins are forgiven. However, if it’s a matter of a grave sin (a mortal sin), we have only to come to the priest in Confession and acknowledge that sin to him. In Jesus’ name he will forgive that sin or those sins and relieve us instantly of that burden. What’s stopping us; what's stopping you? The leper in today’s Gospel was not allowed to approach Jesus but he did. What’s stopping you from approaching Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation where he is waiting, longing for you - to set you free?
*
Are you ashamed? Are you frightened? Are you proud?
*
Are you in denial about your sin? - I have no sin.
*
Are you uncertain about whether to confess to a priest?
To all of them I say “Well don't be!"
Don’t be ashamed. Don’t be frightened. Don’t be proud. Don’t be uncertain about whether Jesus wants to use a priest to forgive your sins. He sent lepers to the priests and he sends sinners to the priest.
I sit in that confessional every weekend but very few people come. Is that because no one commits mortal sin anymore? No. It is because today people deny they have mortal sin: I have no leprosy! This is certainly one of the grave evils in the Church today; the denial of mortal sin.
Are you not sure whether you have sin? Whether you are a leper? The priest will tell you .. don’t worry about that. In the Old Testament if people thought they might have leprosy they went to see the priest and if they thought they had been cured they went to see the priest. Jesus told the leper in today’s gospel to go and see the priest.
And what would I say? I would say what the Church says:
Using contraceptives because you want to avoid pregnancy? - you are in sin; had a tubal ligation, vasectomy? - you are in sin; sleeping with someone outside of marriage? - you are in sin; divorced and then remarried outside the Church? - you are in sin; consulting fortune tellers or mediums? - you are in sin; had an abortion, or advised someone to have an abortion? - you are in sin, grave sin; deliberately missing Mass on Sunday? you are in sin; going to Holy Communion without confessing grave sin? - you are in sin.
It does not matter to God whether we are in our Sunday best and going to Mass every Sunday because he can see our souls as plain as the nose on our face, and if we are in mortal sin we are to God as ugly as lepers, even uglier.
It does not matter to me if the church is filled to the brim with parishioners if they are not in communion with Jesus and his Church; in other words, not in the state of grace.
If you are in mortal sin there is something you must do first, you must go to confession.
Jesus can make you clean and Jesus wants to make you clean through the absolution given by the priest. What could be more simple?
Do you know that Jesus is so eager to take away our sins that he is willing to become a leper for us? Look at what happens in today’s Gospel: The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived.
Jesus is willing to make himself a leper for us; what more could he do? So what’s keeping us? What’s keeping you?
Saturday, February 7, 2009
GOSPEL REFLECTION: 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B
Today is the 5th Sunday in Ordinary time and for the last three weeks the readings have been looking at the man Jesus setting out on his mission to preach the Good News of the Kingdom.
On the 2nd Sunday we saw Jesus inviting the disciples of John to follow him to ‘come and see’ where he lived. We see their excitement as they return home after spending only a day with him and announcing: We have found the Messiah!
Then on the 3rd Sunday we saw the attraction Jesus has for those seeking the truth. He calls four men to become his apostles and they follow without hesitation.
Last week, the 4th Sunday, we saw Jesus teaching in the synagogue and all were impressed by the authority of his teaching and astonished at the power of his word which could give orders even to unclean spirits.
And today we meet him once again in the Gospel. We see him at work; we watch him in action. We draw closer to him, trying to get to know him and understand him a little better.
So what do we see about Jesus in today’s Gospel?
*
We see a strong, energetic, busy Jesus, working hard to spread the Good News of the Kingdom. From the synagogue where he cast out the evil spirit from a possessed man he went straight to Simon’s house and cured his mother-in-law. Then crowds came and after sunset he is still working. Long before dawn he got up for prayer: let us go elsewhere (let us keep moving) … he went all through Galilee.
*
There is a sense of urgency, of mission, of energy, of driven-ness. Jesus is like the sower of seed who doesn’t stop to look back where the seed has fallen but one who goes on sowing.
*
We see a man of great simplicity and power. Jesus comes to the bed of Simon’s mother-in-law and takes her by the hand and helps her up – her illness now gone. The words of Jesus and the deeds of Jesus are one and the same thing, equally powerful. Simplicity and power!
*
We see a man of prayer, a man who keeps his priorities straight; his relationship to his Father stays in the first place. A man who refuses to let the busy routine dictate the terms of his life. A man who defends the spiritual from the practical, as well as from the temptation of popularity.
*
Finally, we see a man who is busy teaching us. Not only by what he says but by what he does.
This Gospel shows us one of the greatest and most significant aspects of what Jesus came to teach us. When he goes off to preach elsewhere and leaves behind all those who are not yet cured and who are still suffering he shows us that he did not come to take all this away. He could have gone on curing till there was no one left to cure but in moving on he showed us that he had not come to inaugurate a paradise on earth without illness or suffering.
Nor did he exempt himself from suffering.
Jesus came to show us by the example of his life and death that the way to happiness and eternal life was through the human situation – and not around it.
Jesus did not come to take away our suffering but to show us how to make it – in union with him – a vehicle to eternal life. He came to bring happiness IN our human condition – and not through exemption from it.
*
Do we live our Christian life with a sense of urgency, with a sense that the day will come when it will end and that then it will be too late for all the things we need to accomplish?
*
Are we simple and humble about how we deal with others or do we have lots of self interest? Are we simple about our good deeds?
*
Are we people of prayer? Do we put energy into our prayer? Do we make time for prayer, even getting up early, like Jesus? Do we look for a time and a place, every day? If Christians are serious about their Christian life they will pray.
*
Are we constantly praying for exemptions from suffering; for privileges, for favours? Or do we pray for the strength to remain happy and peace in these sufferings?
Our present life is a special time of grace, a time of favour. Let us set to work before it runs out.
On the 2nd Sunday we saw Jesus inviting the disciples of John to follow him to ‘come and see’ where he lived. We see their excitement as they return home after spending only a day with him and announcing: We have found the Messiah!
Then on the 3rd Sunday we saw the attraction Jesus has for those seeking the truth. He calls four men to become his apostles and they follow without hesitation.
Last week, the 4th Sunday, we saw Jesus teaching in the synagogue and all were impressed by the authority of his teaching and astonished at the power of his word which could give orders even to unclean spirits.
And today we meet him once again in the Gospel. We see him at work; we watch him in action. We draw closer to him, trying to get to know him and understand him a little better.
So what do we see about Jesus in today’s Gospel?
*
We see a strong, energetic, busy Jesus, working hard to spread the Good News of the Kingdom. From the synagogue where he cast out the evil spirit from a possessed man he went straight to Simon’s house and cured his mother-in-law. Then crowds came and after sunset he is still working. Long before dawn he got up for prayer: let us go elsewhere (let us keep moving) … he went all through Galilee.
*
There is a sense of urgency, of mission, of energy, of driven-ness. Jesus is like the sower of seed who doesn’t stop to look back where the seed has fallen but one who goes on sowing.
*
We see a man of great simplicity and power. Jesus comes to the bed of Simon’s mother-in-law and takes her by the hand and helps her up – her illness now gone. The words of Jesus and the deeds of Jesus are one and the same thing, equally powerful. Simplicity and power!
*
We see a man of prayer, a man who keeps his priorities straight; his relationship to his Father stays in the first place. A man who refuses to let the busy routine dictate the terms of his life. A man who defends the spiritual from the practical, as well as from the temptation of popularity.
*
Finally, we see a man who is busy teaching us. Not only by what he says but by what he does.
This Gospel shows us one of the greatest and most significant aspects of what Jesus came to teach us. When he goes off to preach elsewhere and leaves behind all those who are not yet cured and who are still suffering he shows us that he did not come to take all this away. He could have gone on curing till there was no one left to cure but in moving on he showed us that he had not come to inaugurate a paradise on earth without illness or suffering.
Nor did he exempt himself from suffering.
Jesus came to show us by the example of his life and death that the way to happiness and eternal life was through the human situation – and not around it.
Jesus did not come to take away our suffering but to show us how to make it – in union with him – a vehicle to eternal life. He came to bring happiness IN our human condition – and not through exemption from it.
*
Do we live our Christian life with a sense of urgency, with a sense that the day will come when it will end and that then it will be too late for all the things we need to accomplish?
*
Are we simple and humble about how we deal with others or do we have lots of self interest? Are we simple about our good deeds?
*
Are we people of prayer? Do we put energy into our prayer? Do we make time for prayer, even getting up early, like Jesus? Do we look for a time and a place, every day? If Christians are serious about their Christian life they will pray.
*
Are we constantly praying for exemptions from suffering; for privileges, for favours? Or do we pray for the strength to remain happy and peace in these sufferings?
Our present life is a special time of grace, a time of favour. Let us set to work before it runs out.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Ang mas pinasiglang Pondo ng Pinoy!
Abangan ang pagbabalik ng mas pinasiglang Pondo ng Pinoy sa Parokya sa pangunguna ng Parish Catechetical Ministry at mga bagong kaagapay.
Mulin nating alalahanin at sariwain ang mga gintong aral ng Pondo ng Pinoy mula sa mga mensahe ng Kanyang Kabunyian Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales. . .
Lazarus, the beggar, was not asking to be seated with the rich; neither was he asking for the food of the wealthy man. The question here is neither of wealth nor of position. The poor was only asking for crumbs, useless scraps that fell from the rich man’s table of daily living. When the quarrel is over millions and billions, the stake is for the devil; but when the issue is about crumbs and morsels the obvious destiny is heaven as the saying goes “Ano mang magaling, kahit maliit, basta’t malimit ay patungong langit.”
How true to the Lord’s teaching on littleness as the beginning steps to the Kingdom of heaven. Feeding the poor and providing for the needs of the disadvantaged will begin with as little as crumbs we gather everyday.
We have already weighed a crumb and its value is 25 centavos. Every Filipino believer in the goodness and love of God, as expressed in Jesus His Son, will set aside “a crumb”, 25 centavos everyday. An educational component, called catechesis, will always accompany the witnessing to the values of Pondo ng Pinoy. No one gives more than one peso a day. (Of course for others, crumbs can be relative in size or value.) The practice will make love and compassion a way of life.
Pondo ng Pinoy is about the love of God lived by us. It is about the littleness in the expression of the love of God in behalf of our brothers and sisters. It will involve all of us – rich and poor, strong and weak, young and old, educated or untutored, priests, bishops, religious, brothers, sisters, the laity, teachers, students, anyone – who accept the love and goodness of God in His Son Jesus.
The Church is the initiator. The Church is the motivator. The Church is the steward.
But again do not be deluded into thinking that PnP is merely a resource enhancing movement. It is an evangelization tool and a development process. Through its catechesis, Pondo ng Pinoy is slowly going to clarify the person’s vision and it will set an aim in life. Our Lord Jesus Christ calls that life he wanted to give us as “fullness of life.” (John 10:10). The Church calls this now as “integral evangelization”. Through the love of God and the poor Pondo ng Pinoy will help purify one’s values. Participated in collectively, a community of believing citizens will slowly transform to a community of a “built up” people who belong to the Father’s Kingdom and not just to an uncaring nation.
Make sure that daily every Filipino will have just enough love for God and brother or sister even only the size of “a crumb”.
If you have that love, join us in this movement!
If you cannot spare God and his poor that little morsel then do not join us. Take your “crumb” with you, and go where the rich man in the parable was told by God to go.
PnP is PONDO NG PINOY.
PnP is PAGIBIG NG PANGINOON.
PnP is PAGASA NG PILIPINO.
Mulin nating alalahanin at sariwain ang mga gintong aral ng Pondo ng Pinoy mula sa mga mensahe ng Kanyang Kabunyian Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales. . .
Lazarus, the beggar, was not asking to be seated with the rich; neither was he asking for the food of the wealthy man. The question here is neither of wealth nor of position. The poor was only asking for crumbs, useless scraps that fell from the rich man’s table of daily living. When the quarrel is over millions and billions, the stake is for the devil; but when the issue is about crumbs and morsels the obvious destiny is heaven as the saying goes “Ano mang magaling, kahit maliit, basta’t malimit ay patungong langit.”
How true to the Lord’s teaching on littleness as the beginning steps to the Kingdom of heaven. Feeding the poor and providing for the needs of the disadvantaged will begin with as little as crumbs we gather everyday.
We have already weighed a crumb and its value is 25 centavos. Every Filipino believer in the goodness and love of God, as expressed in Jesus His Son, will set aside “a crumb”, 25 centavos everyday. An educational component, called catechesis, will always accompany the witnessing to the values of Pondo ng Pinoy. No one gives more than one peso a day. (Of course for others, crumbs can be relative in size or value.) The practice will make love and compassion a way of life.
Pondo ng Pinoy is about the love of God lived by us. It is about the littleness in the expression of the love of God in behalf of our brothers and sisters. It will involve all of us – rich and poor, strong and weak, young and old, educated or untutored, priests, bishops, religious, brothers, sisters, the laity, teachers, students, anyone – who accept the love and goodness of God in His Son Jesus.
The Church is the initiator. The Church is the motivator. The Church is the steward.
But again do not be deluded into thinking that PnP is merely a resource enhancing movement. It is an evangelization tool and a development process. Through its catechesis, Pondo ng Pinoy is slowly going to clarify the person’s vision and it will set an aim in life. Our Lord Jesus Christ calls that life he wanted to give us as “fullness of life.” (John 10:10). The Church calls this now as “integral evangelization”. Through the love of God and the poor Pondo ng Pinoy will help purify one’s values. Participated in collectively, a community of believing citizens will slowly transform to a community of a “built up” people who belong to the Father’s Kingdom and not just to an uncaring nation.
Make sure that daily every Filipino will have just enough love for God and brother or sister even only the size of “a crumb”.
If you have that love, join us in this movement!
If you cannot spare God and his poor that little morsel then do not join us. Take your “crumb” with you, and go where the rich man in the parable was told by God to go.
PnP is PONDO NG PINOY.
PnP is PAGIBIG NG PANGINOON.
PnP is PAGASA NG PILIPINO.
GOSPEL REFLECTION-Year B: Mark 1:21-28 - A new kind of teaching, with authority - 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
In the Scriptures we frequently hear mention of the city of Capernaum, it was on the north west shore of the sea of Galilee and was the centre of Jesus' activities in Galilee. It is in the synagogue that Mark describes the first public act of Jesus and we hear that Jesus is powerful in both word and deed.
On the Sabbath the service in the Synagogue would feature prayers, Scripture readings and teachings in fact our Liturgy of the Word follows a similar pattern. Anyone with sufficient learning would be invited to teach as there was no need for Rabbinic "ordination" in the time of Jesus.
The Scribes based their teaching on the Scriptures but we hear that the teaching of Jesus was 'new', so Jesus' style would have been more direct and confident of his own authority because when Jesus spoke about God he was speaking about a God he called Abba.
While Jesus did heal the man passed by a demon, he shows that he is not merely a wonder worker because of the authority of his teaching. The demon objects to Jesus' meddling in the domain of evil. The coming of God's kingdom would spell the end of the demon's power and the demon recognises Jesus' identity and his significance for the coming kingdom.
The fact that Jesus cures the possessed man by word alone indicates the power of God's incarnate Word, Jesus. You and I are exposed to the power of God's word every time we read or listen to the Scriptures. We can thank the teachings of the Second Vatican Council for the greater significance Catholics now place on the Scriptures. To be denied God's Word would make us a "people who live in darkness".
When we live in the darkness of secularism we can be possessed by various demons - uncontrollable urges to participate in addictions or activities that shrink the life out of us and can turn us into bitter, angry, frightened and anxious people. Addictions to drugs, to alcohol, to power, to materialism, to consumerism, to gossip, to vindictive behaviour, all deny us the openness needed to be Christ's disciples.
It is worth considering what it is that we need to be liberated from and ask God to free us, so that when we interact with people they encounter a person of peace, a person of love, a person of hope, a person who makes them wonder what it is that makes us different. The answer would be found in the liberation that God gives us when we open ourselves to God's incredible love.
On the Sabbath the service in the Synagogue would feature prayers, Scripture readings and teachings in fact our Liturgy of the Word follows a similar pattern. Anyone with sufficient learning would be invited to teach as there was no need for Rabbinic "ordination" in the time of Jesus.
The Scribes based their teaching on the Scriptures but we hear that the teaching of Jesus was 'new', so Jesus' style would have been more direct and confident of his own authority because when Jesus spoke about God he was speaking about a God he called Abba.
While Jesus did heal the man passed by a demon, he shows that he is not merely a wonder worker because of the authority of his teaching. The demon objects to Jesus' meddling in the domain of evil. The coming of God's kingdom would spell the end of the demon's power and the demon recognises Jesus' identity and his significance for the coming kingdom.
The fact that Jesus cures the possessed man by word alone indicates the power of God's incarnate Word, Jesus. You and I are exposed to the power of God's word every time we read or listen to the Scriptures. We can thank the teachings of the Second Vatican Council for the greater significance Catholics now place on the Scriptures. To be denied God's Word would make us a "people who live in darkness".
When we live in the darkness of secularism we can be possessed by various demons - uncontrollable urges to participate in addictions or activities that shrink the life out of us and can turn us into bitter, angry, frightened and anxious people. Addictions to drugs, to alcohol, to power, to materialism, to consumerism, to gossip, to vindictive behaviour, all deny us the openness needed to be Christ's disciples.
It is worth considering what it is that we need to be liberated from and ask God to free us, so that when we interact with people they encounter a person of peace, a person of love, a person of hope, a person who makes them wonder what it is that makes us different. The answer would be found in the liberation that God gives us when we open ourselves to God's incredible love.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
HAPAG-MAMAHAL HAPAG-ASA SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING PROGRAM UPDATE:
The Feeding program of the Parish at Umboy Riverside is already on its 6th week now and almost 150 children are being served every Saturday morning. Aside from the senior members of UCM, there are other regular volunteers also from the Municipal Social Welfare Office of Binan including two (2) nurse volunteers from the University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna who’s sharing their precious time for these less fortunate children. The documentation and updating of the records of the beneficiaries are assigned to them for proper monitoring purposes especially with the intention of the DSWD to accredit and link the program to the existing health care and nutrition programs of the government.
Starting next week, January 31, 2009, the second phase of the program or the Lecture/Briefing Sessions with the Parents of the beneficiaries will already commence wherein issues and concerns on heath care and sanitation will be given emphasis. The sessions will run for four (4) consecutive Saturdays to be led by the College of Nursing of St. Michaels College of Laguna.
The group is simultaneously working on the third (3rd) phase of the program which is the livelihood components for the parents also of the beneficiaries which will start immediately after the Health Care and Sanitation Sessions in the next few weeks. The livelihood components shall be handled by another group of NGO’s who made the commitment last year to support the program.
Starting next week, January 31, 2009, the second phase of the program or the Lecture/Briefing Sessions with the Parents of the beneficiaries will already commence wherein issues and concerns on heath care and sanitation will be given emphasis. The sessions will run for four (4) consecutive Saturdays to be led by the College of Nursing of St. Michaels College of Laguna.
The group is simultaneously working on the third (3rd) phase of the program which is the livelihood components for the parents also of the beneficiaries which will start immediately after the Health Care and Sanitation Sessions in the next few weeks. The livelihood components shall be handled by another group of NGO’s who made the commitment last year to support the program.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The Image of the Sto. Nino
The country’s oldest and most precious Christian relic, the
Santo Nino, is with Magellan’s Cross, the most popular symbol of Cebu. Expressive of the pleasing oppositions in Cebuano culture, it is at once both foreign and native. In history, it was made by Flemish artisans, brought to the island by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. In local tradition, it is a miraculous piece of wood, cast out of the Visayan sea, worshipped from “times immemorial”.
On the other hand, it is a powerful deity that, in the colonial period, was called Capitan General and honored with a 21-gun salute when taken out from the church for a procession. On the other hand, it is an icon that “disappears” to become a playful and innocent child cavorting with peasants and fishermen. Invoked by rulers and subjects to the present day, enshrined in business suites and cardboard shanties, it is metaphor for Cebuanos as a people and for what they desire.
Santo Nino, is with Magellan’s Cross, the most popular symbol of Cebu. Expressive of the pleasing oppositions in Cebuano culture, it is at once both foreign and native. In history, it was made by Flemish artisans, brought to the island by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. In local tradition, it is a miraculous piece of wood, cast out of the Visayan sea, worshipped from “times immemorial”.
On the other hand, it is a powerful deity that, in the colonial period, was called Capitan General and honored with a 21-gun salute when taken out from the church for a procession. On the other hand, it is an icon that “disappears” to become a playful and innocent child cavorting with peasants and fishermen. Invoked by rulers and subjects to the present day, enshrined in business suites and cardboard shanties, it is metaphor for Cebuanos as a people and for what they desire.
A Tale Of The Santo Nino
It is told that when, in the days of Legaspi, the capital was moved from Cebu to Manila, the authorities decreed that the image of the Sto. Nino should also be moved to the new capital.
So, the image was crated and shipped to manila, but the crate arrived there empty. The image miraculously disappeared, reappearing in its shrine in Cebu. It was recreated, and the crate placed inside another box, and then shipped to manila. Again, the boxes arrived in Manila empty. The image was crated a third time, and the crate placed not in one but in two boxes - but in vain. The Santo Nino was back in Cebu.
Eventually, the shippers sent the image out in a series of Chinese boxes, one inside another, with the seventh and inner-most box containing the image. In this manner, the image arrived in Manila and was enthroned in the Augustinian church of the capital city. The image, however, kept disappearing from the Augustinian church and reappearing in its shrine in Cebu. And so, it is told, the Manila Augustinians decided to cut off one of the Holy Child’s legs to stop it from escaping and returning to Cebu. This proved of no avail. The Santo Nino still kept on returning to Cebu
Manila finally gave up and Cebu kept its little Lord. Today, it is said, one can still notice how unevenly the Santo Nino stands. It is a sign of how, at one time, it had been amputated to keep it from returning to its beloved home.
In other versions of this story, the image was shipped not to Manila but to Spain. Whatever the version, however, it is a story told to show how intimately wedded to each other Cebu and the Santo Nino have become.
So, the image was crated and shipped to manila, but the crate arrived there empty. The image miraculously disappeared, reappearing in its shrine in Cebu. It was recreated, and the crate placed inside another box, and then shipped to manila. Again, the boxes arrived in Manila empty. The image was crated a third time, and the crate placed not in one but in two boxes - but in vain. The Santo Nino was back in Cebu.
Eventually, the shippers sent the image out in a series of Chinese boxes, one inside another, with the seventh and inner-most box containing the image. In this manner, the image arrived in Manila and was enthroned in the Augustinian church of the capital city. The image, however, kept disappearing from the Augustinian church and reappearing in its shrine in Cebu. And so, it is told, the Manila Augustinians decided to cut off one of the Holy Child’s legs to stop it from escaping and returning to Cebu. This proved of no avail. The Santo Nino still kept on returning to Cebu
Manila finally gave up and Cebu kept its little Lord. Today, it is said, one can still notice how unevenly the Santo Nino stands. It is a sign of how, at one time, it had been amputated to keep it from returning to its beloved home.
In other versions of this story, the image was shipped not to Manila but to Spain. Whatever the version, however, it is a story told to show how intimately wedded to each other Cebu and the Santo Nino have become.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
UCM BADMINTON TOURNAMENT 2009
The Bread of St. Anthony (BSA), the social action arm of Ushers & Collectors Ministry (UCM) will be having a Badminton Tournament entitled “Smash for Love” on February 15, 2009 Sunday in cooperation with San Antonio Badminton Club to be held at the Smashers Point Badminton Court in Brgy. Sto.Nino, Binan, Laguna, near the University of Perpetual Help System-Binan Campus. The said tournament is for the benefit of the group’s various community service outreach projects including the on-going Supplemental Feeding Program at Umboy Riverside, and the Free Dental & Circumcision Mission in cooperation with Binan Medical & Dental Society to be held on April 18, 2009.
Friday, January 2, 2009
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD DAY OF PEACE 1 JANUARY 2009
FIGHTING POVERTY TO BUILD PEACE
1. Once again, as the new year begins, I want to extend good wishes for peace to people everywhere. With this Message I would like to propose a reflection on the theme: Fighting Poverty to Build Peace. Back in 1993, my venerable Predecessor Pope John Paul II, in his Message for the World Day of Peace that year, drew attention to the negative repercussions for peace when entire populations live in poverty. Poverty is often a contributory factor or a compounding element in conflicts, including armed ones. In turn, these conflicts fuel further tragic situations of poverty. “Our world”, he wrote, “shows increasing evidence of another grave threat to peace: many individuals and indeed whole peoples are living today in conditions of extreme poverty. The gap between rich and poor has become more marked, even in the most economically developed nations. This is a problem which the conscience of humanity cannot ignore, since the conditions in which a great number of people are living are an insult to their innate dignity and as a result are a threat to the authentic and harmonious progress of the world community” [1].
2. In this context, fighting poverty requires attentive consideration of the complex phenomenon of globalization. This is important from a methodological standpoint, because it suggests drawing upon the fruits of economic and sociological research into the many different aspects of poverty. Yet the reference to globalization should also alert us to the spiritual and moral implications of the question, urging us, in our dealings with the poor, to set out from the clear recognition that we all share in a single divine plan: we are called to form one family in which all – individuals, peoples and nations – model their behaviour according to the principles of fraternity and responsibility.
This perspective requires an understanding of poverty that is wide-ranging and well articulated. If it were a question of material poverty alone, then the social sciences, which enable us to measure phenomena on the basis of mainly quantitative data, would be sufficient to illustrate its principal characteristics. Yet we know that other, non-material forms of poverty exist which are not the direct and automatic consequence of material deprivation. For example, in advanced wealthy societies, there is evidence of marginalization, as well as affective, moral and spiritual poverty, seen in people whose interior lives are disoriented and who experience various forms of malaise despite their economic prosperity. On the one hand, I have in mind what is known as “moral underdevelopment”[2], and on the other hand the negative consequences of “superdevelopment”[3]. Nor can I forget that, in so-called “poor” societies, economic growth is often hampered by cultural impediments which lead to inefficient use of available resources. It remains true, however, that every form of externally imposed poverty has at its root a lack of respect for the transcendent dignity of the human person. When man is not considered within the total context of his vocation, and when the demands of a true “human ecology” [4] are not respected, the cruel forces of poverty are unleashed, as is evident in certain specific areas that I shall now consider briefly one by one.
Poverty and moral implications
3. Poverty is often considered a consequence of demographic change. For this reason, there are international campaigns afoot to reduce birth-rates, sometimes using methods that respect neither the dignity of the woman, nor the right of parents to choose responsibly how many children to have[5]; graver still, these methods often fail to respect even the right to life. The extermination of millions of unborn children, in the name of the fight against poverty, actually constitutes the destruction of the poorest of all human beings. And yet it remains the case that in 1981, around 40% of the world's population was below the threshold of absolute poverty, while today that percentage has been reduced by as much as a half, and whole peoples have escaped from poverty despite experiencing substantial demographic growth. This goes to show that resources to solve the problem of poverty do exist, even in the face of an increasing population. Nor must it be forgotten that, since the end of the Second World War, the world's population has grown by four billion, largely because of certain countries that have recently emerged on the international scene as new economic powers, and have experienced rapid development specifically because of the large number of their inhabitants. Moreover, among the most developed nations, those with higher birth-rates enjoy better opportunities for development. In other words, population is proving to be an asset, not a factor that contributes to poverty.
4. Another area of concern has to do with pandemic diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS. Insofar as they affect the wealth-producing sectors of the population, they are a significant factor in the overall deterioration of conditions in the country concerned. Efforts to rein in the consequences of these diseases on the population do not always achieve significant results. It also happens that countries afflicted by some of these pandemics find themselves held hostage, when they try to address them, by those who make economic aid conditional upon the implementation of anti-life policies. It is especially hard to combat AIDS, a major cause of poverty, unless the moral issues connected with the spread of the virus are also addressed. First and foremost, educational campaigns are needed, aimed especially at the young, to promote a sexual ethic that fully corresponds to the dignity of the person; initiatives of this kind have already borne important fruits, causing a reduction in the spread of AIDS. Then, too, the necessary medicines and treatment must be made available to poorer peoples as well. This presupposes a determined effort to promote medical research and innovative forms of treatment, as well as flexible application, when required, of the international rules protecting intellectual property, so as to guarantee necessary basic healthcare to all people.
5. A third area requiring attention in programmes for fighting poverty, which once again highlights its intrinsic moral dimension, is child poverty. When poverty strikes a family, the children prove to be the most vulnerable victims: almost half of those living in absolute poverty today are children. To take the side of children when considering poverty means giving priority to those objectives which concern them most directly, such as caring for mothers, commitment to education, access to vaccines, medical care and drinking water, safeguarding the environment, and above all, commitment to defence of the family and the stability of relations within it. When the family is weakened, it is inevitably children who suffer. If the dignity of women and mothers is not protected, it is the children who are affected most.
6. A fourth area needing particular attention from the moral standpoint is the relationship between disarmament and development. The current level of world military expenditure gives cause for concern. As I have pointed out before, it can happen that “immense military expenditure, involving material and human resources and arms, is in fact diverted from development projects for peoples, especially the poorest who are most in need of aid. This is contrary to what is stated in the Charter of the United Nations, which engages the international community and States in particular ‘to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with the least diversion for armaments of the world's human and economic resources' (art. 26)” [6].
This state of affairs does nothing to promote, and indeed seriously impedes, attainment of the ambitious development targets of the international community. What is more, an excessive increase in military expenditure risks accelerating the arms race, producing pockets of underdevelopment and desperation, so that it can paradoxically become a cause of instability, tension and conflict. As my venerable Predecessor Paul VI wisely observed, “the new name for peace is development”[7]. States are therefore invited to reflect seriously on the underlying reasons for conflicts, often provoked by injustice, and to practise courageous self-criticism. If relations can be improved, it should be possible to reduce expenditure on arms. The resources saved could then be earmarked for development projects to assist the poorest and most needy individuals and peoples: efforts expended in this way would be efforts for peace within the human family.
7. A fifth area connected with the fight against material poverty concerns the current food crisis, which places in jeopardy the fulfilment of basic needs. This crisis is characterized not so much by a shortage of food, as by difficulty in gaining access to it and by different forms of speculation: in other words, by a structural lack of political and economic institutions capable of addressing needs and emergencies. Malnutrition can also cause grave mental and physical damage to the population, depriving many people of the energy necessary to escape from poverty unaided. This contributes to the widening gap of inequality, and can provoke violent reactions. All the indicators of relative poverty in recent years point to an increased disparity between rich and poor. No doubt the principal reasons for this are, on the one hand, advances in technology, which mainly benefit the more affluent, and on the other hand, changes in the prices of industrial products, which rise much faster than those of agricultural products and raw materials in the possession of poorer countries. In this way, the majority of the population in the poorest countries suffers a double marginalization, through the adverse effects of lower incomes and higher prices.
Global solidarity and the fight against poverty
8. One of the most important ways of building peace is through a form of globalization directed towards the interests of the whole human family[8]. In order to govern globalization, however, there needs to be a strong sense of global solidarity [9] between rich and poor countries, as well as within individual countries, including affluent ones. A “common code of ethics”[10]
is also needed, consisting of norms based not upon mere consensus, but rooted in the natural law inscribed by the Creator on the conscience of every human being (cf. Rom 2:14-15). Does not every one of us sense deep within his or her conscience a call to make a personal contribution to the common good and to peace in society? Globalization eliminates certain barriers, but is still able to build new ones; it brings peoples together, but spatial and temporal proximity does not of itself create the conditions for true communion and authentic peace. Effective means to redress the marginalization of the world's poor through globalization will only be found if people everywhere feel personally outraged by the injustices in the world and by the concomitant violations of human rights. The Church, which is the “sign and instrument of communion with God and of the unity of the entire human race” [11] will continue to offer her contribution so that injustices and misunderstandings may be resolved, leading to a world of greater peace and solidarity.
9. In the field of international commerce and finance, there are processes at work today which permit a positive integration of economies, leading to an overall improvement in conditions, but there are also processes tending in the opposite direction, dividing and marginalizing peoples, and creating dangerous situations that can erupt into wars and conflicts. Since the Second World War, international trade in goods and services has grown extraordinarily fast, with a momentum unprecedented in history. Much of this global trade has involved countries that were industrialized early, with the significant addition of many newly- emerging countries which have now entered onto the world stage. Yet there are other low-income countries which are still seriously marginalized in terms of trade. Their growth has been negatively influenced by the rapid decline, seen in recent decades, in the prices of commodities, which constitute practically the whole of their exports. In these countries, which are mostly in Africa, dependence on the exportation of commodities continues to constitute a potent risk factor. Here I should like to renew an appeal for all countries to be given equal opportunities of access to the world market, without exclusion or marginalization.
10. A similar reflection may be made in the area of finance, which is a key aspect of the phenomenon of globalization, owing to the development of technology and policies of liberalization in the flow of capital between countries. Objectively, the most important function of finance is to sustain the possibility of long- term investment and hence of development. Today this appears extremely fragile: it is experiencing the negative repercussions of a system of financial dealings – both national and global – based upon very short-term thinking, which aims at increasing the value of financial operations and concentrates on the technical management of various forms of risk. The recent crisis demonstrates how financial activity can at times be completely turned in on itself, lacking any long-term consideration of the common good. This lowering of the objectives of global finance to the very short term reduces its capacity to function as a bridge between the present and the future, and as a stimulus to the creation of new opportunities for production and for work in the long term. Finance limited in this way to the short and very short term becomes dangerous for everyone, even for those who benefit when the markets perform well[12].
11. All of this would indicate that the fight against poverty requires cooperation both on the economic level and on the legal level, so as to allow the international community, and especially poorer countries, to identify and implement coordinated strategies to deal with the problems discussed above, thereby providing an effective legal framework for the economy. Incentives are needed for establishing efficient participatory institutions, and support is needed in fighting crime and fostering a culture of legality. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that policies which place too much emphasis on assistance underlie many of the failures in providing aid to poor countries. Investing in the formation of people and developing a specific and well-integrated culture of enterprise would seem at present to be the right approach in the medium and long term. If economic activities require a favourable context in order to develop, this must not distract attention from the need to generate revenue. While it has been rightly emphasized that increasing per capita income cannot be the ultimate goal of political and economic activity, it is still an important means of attaining the objective of the fight against hunger and absolute poverty. Hence, the illusion that a policy of mere redistribution of existing wealth can definitively resolve the problem must be set aside. In a modern economy, the value of assets is utterly dependent on the capacity to generate revenue in the present and the future. Wealth creation therefore becomes an inescapable duty, which must be kept in mind if the fight against material poverty is to be effective in the long term.
12. If the poor are to be given priority, then there has to be enough room for an ethical approach to economics on the part of those active in the international market, an ethical approach to politics on the part of those in public office, and an ethical approach to participation capable of harnessing the contributions of civil society at local and international levels. International agencies themselves have come to recognize the value and advantage of economic initiatives taken by civil society or local administrations to promote the emancipation and social inclusion of those sectors of the population that often fall below the threshold of extreme poverty and yet are not easily reached by official aid. The history of twentieth-century economic development teaches us that good development policies depend for their effectiveness on responsible implementation by human agents and on the creation of positive partnerships between markets, civil society and States. Civil society in particular plays a key part in every process of development, since development is essentially a cultural phenomenon, and culture is born and develops in the civil sphere[13].
13. As my venerable Predecessor Pope John Paul II had occasion to remark, globalization “is notably ambivalent”[14] and therefore needs to be managed with great prudence. This will include giving priority to the needs of the world's poor, and overcoming the scandal of the imbalance between the problems of poverty and the measures which have been adopted in order to address them. The imbalance lies both in the cultural and political order and in the spiritual and moral order. In fact we often consider only the superficial and instrumental causes of poverty without attending to those harboured within the human heart, like greed and narrow vision. The problems of development, aid and international cooperation are sometimes addressed without any real attention to the human element, but as merely technical questions – limited, that is, to establishing structures, setting up trade agreements, and allocating funding impersonally. What the fight against poverty really needs are men and women who live in a profoundly fraternal way and are able to accompany individuals, families and communities on journeys of authentic human development.
Conclusion
14. In the Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, John Paul II warned of the need to “abandon a mentality in which the poor – as individuals and as peoples – are considered a burden, as irksome intruders trying to consume what others have produced.” The poor, he wrote, “ask for the right to share in enjoying material goods and to make good use of their capacity for work, thus creating a world that is more just and prosperous for all” [15]. In today's globalized world, it is increasingly evident that peace can be built only if everyone is assured the possibility of reasonable growth: sooner or later, the distortions produced by unjust systems have to be paid for by everyone. It is utterly foolish to build a luxury home in the midst of desert or decay. Globalization on its own is incapable of building peace, and in many cases, it actually creates divisions and conflicts. If anything it points to a need: to be oriented towards a goal of profound solidarity that seeks the good of each and all. In this sense, globalization should be seen as a good opportunity to achieve something important in the fight against poverty, and to place at the disposal of justice and peace resources which were scarcely conceivable previously.
15. The Church's social teaching has always been concerned with the poor. At the time of the Encyclical Letter Rerum Novarum, the poor were identified mainly as the workers in the new industrial society; in the social Magisterium of Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II, new forms of poverty were gradually explored, as the scope of the social question widened to reach global proportions[16]. This expansion of the social question to the worldwide scale has to be considered not just as a quantitative extension, but also as a qualitative growth in the understanding of man and the needs of the human family. For this reason, while attentively following the current phenomena of globalization and their impact on human poverty, the Church points out the new aspects of the social question, not only in their breadth but also in their depth, insofar as they concern man's identity and his relationship with God. These principles of social teaching tend to clarify the links between poverty and globalization and they help to guide action towards the building of peace. Among these principles, it is timely to recall in particular the “preferential love for the poor”[17], in the light of the primacy of charity, which is attested throughout Christian tradition, beginning with that of the early Church (cf. Acts 4:32-36; 1 Cor 16:1; 2 Cor 8-9; Gal 2:10).
“Everyone should put his hand to the work which falls to his share, at once and immediately”, wrote Leo XIII in 1891, and he added: “In regard to the Church, her cooperation will never be wanting, be the time or the occasion what it may”[18]. It is in the same spirit that the Church to this day carries out her work for the poor, in whom she sees Christ[19], and she constantly hears echoing in her heart the command of the Prince of Peace to his Apostles: “Vos date illis manducare – Give them something to eat yourselves” (Lk 9:13). Faithful to this summons from the Lord, the Christian community will never fail, then, to assure the entire human family of her support through gestures of creative solidarity, not only by “giving from one's surplus”, but above all by “a change of life- styles, of models of production and consumption, and of the established structures of power which today govern societies” [20]. At the start of the New Year, then, I extend to every disciple of Christ and to every person of good will a warm invitation to expand their hearts to meet the needs of the poor and to take whatever practical steps are possible in order to help them. The truth of the axiom cannot be refuted: “to fight poverty is to build peace.”
From the Vatican, 8 December 2008.
1. Once again, as the new year begins, I want to extend good wishes for peace to people everywhere. With this Message I would like to propose a reflection on the theme: Fighting Poverty to Build Peace. Back in 1993, my venerable Predecessor Pope John Paul II, in his Message for the World Day of Peace that year, drew attention to the negative repercussions for peace when entire populations live in poverty. Poverty is often a contributory factor or a compounding element in conflicts, including armed ones. In turn, these conflicts fuel further tragic situations of poverty. “Our world”, he wrote, “shows increasing evidence of another grave threat to peace: many individuals and indeed whole peoples are living today in conditions of extreme poverty. The gap between rich and poor has become more marked, even in the most economically developed nations. This is a problem which the conscience of humanity cannot ignore, since the conditions in which a great number of people are living are an insult to their innate dignity and as a result are a threat to the authentic and harmonious progress of the world community” [1].
2. In this context, fighting poverty requires attentive consideration of the complex phenomenon of globalization. This is important from a methodological standpoint, because it suggests drawing upon the fruits of economic and sociological research into the many different aspects of poverty. Yet the reference to globalization should also alert us to the spiritual and moral implications of the question, urging us, in our dealings with the poor, to set out from the clear recognition that we all share in a single divine plan: we are called to form one family in which all – individuals, peoples and nations – model their behaviour according to the principles of fraternity and responsibility.
This perspective requires an understanding of poverty that is wide-ranging and well articulated. If it were a question of material poverty alone, then the social sciences, which enable us to measure phenomena on the basis of mainly quantitative data, would be sufficient to illustrate its principal characteristics. Yet we know that other, non-material forms of poverty exist which are not the direct and automatic consequence of material deprivation. For example, in advanced wealthy societies, there is evidence of marginalization, as well as affective, moral and spiritual poverty, seen in people whose interior lives are disoriented and who experience various forms of malaise despite their economic prosperity. On the one hand, I have in mind what is known as “moral underdevelopment”[2], and on the other hand the negative consequences of “superdevelopment”[3]. Nor can I forget that, in so-called “poor” societies, economic growth is often hampered by cultural impediments which lead to inefficient use of available resources. It remains true, however, that every form of externally imposed poverty has at its root a lack of respect for the transcendent dignity of the human person. When man is not considered within the total context of his vocation, and when the demands of a true “human ecology” [4] are not respected, the cruel forces of poverty are unleashed, as is evident in certain specific areas that I shall now consider briefly one by one.
Poverty and moral implications
3. Poverty is often considered a consequence of demographic change. For this reason, there are international campaigns afoot to reduce birth-rates, sometimes using methods that respect neither the dignity of the woman, nor the right of parents to choose responsibly how many children to have[5]; graver still, these methods often fail to respect even the right to life. The extermination of millions of unborn children, in the name of the fight against poverty, actually constitutes the destruction of the poorest of all human beings. And yet it remains the case that in 1981, around 40% of the world's population was below the threshold of absolute poverty, while today that percentage has been reduced by as much as a half, and whole peoples have escaped from poverty despite experiencing substantial demographic growth. This goes to show that resources to solve the problem of poverty do exist, even in the face of an increasing population. Nor must it be forgotten that, since the end of the Second World War, the world's population has grown by four billion, largely because of certain countries that have recently emerged on the international scene as new economic powers, and have experienced rapid development specifically because of the large number of their inhabitants. Moreover, among the most developed nations, those with higher birth-rates enjoy better opportunities for development. In other words, population is proving to be an asset, not a factor that contributes to poverty.
4. Another area of concern has to do with pandemic diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS. Insofar as they affect the wealth-producing sectors of the population, they are a significant factor in the overall deterioration of conditions in the country concerned. Efforts to rein in the consequences of these diseases on the population do not always achieve significant results. It also happens that countries afflicted by some of these pandemics find themselves held hostage, when they try to address them, by those who make economic aid conditional upon the implementation of anti-life policies. It is especially hard to combat AIDS, a major cause of poverty, unless the moral issues connected with the spread of the virus are also addressed. First and foremost, educational campaigns are needed, aimed especially at the young, to promote a sexual ethic that fully corresponds to the dignity of the person; initiatives of this kind have already borne important fruits, causing a reduction in the spread of AIDS. Then, too, the necessary medicines and treatment must be made available to poorer peoples as well. This presupposes a determined effort to promote medical research and innovative forms of treatment, as well as flexible application, when required, of the international rules protecting intellectual property, so as to guarantee necessary basic healthcare to all people.
5. A third area requiring attention in programmes for fighting poverty, which once again highlights its intrinsic moral dimension, is child poverty. When poverty strikes a family, the children prove to be the most vulnerable victims: almost half of those living in absolute poverty today are children. To take the side of children when considering poverty means giving priority to those objectives which concern them most directly, such as caring for mothers, commitment to education, access to vaccines, medical care and drinking water, safeguarding the environment, and above all, commitment to defence of the family and the stability of relations within it. When the family is weakened, it is inevitably children who suffer. If the dignity of women and mothers is not protected, it is the children who are affected most.
6. A fourth area needing particular attention from the moral standpoint is the relationship between disarmament and development. The current level of world military expenditure gives cause for concern. As I have pointed out before, it can happen that “immense military expenditure, involving material and human resources and arms, is in fact diverted from development projects for peoples, especially the poorest who are most in need of aid. This is contrary to what is stated in the Charter of the United Nations, which engages the international community and States in particular ‘to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with the least diversion for armaments of the world's human and economic resources' (art. 26)” [6].
This state of affairs does nothing to promote, and indeed seriously impedes, attainment of the ambitious development targets of the international community. What is more, an excessive increase in military expenditure risks accelerating the arms race, producing pockets of underdevelopment and desperation, so that it can paradoxically become a cause of instability, tension and conflict. As my venerable Predecessor Paul VI wisely observed, “the new name for peace is development”[7]. States are therefore invited to reflect seriously on the underlying reasons for conflicts, often provoked by injustice, and to practise courageous self-criticism. If relations can be improved, it should be possible to reduce expenditure on arms. The resources saved could then be earmarked for development projects to assist the poorest and most needy individuals and peoples: efforts expended in this way would be efforts for peace within the human family.
7. A fifth area connected with the fight against material poverty concerns the current food crisis, which places in jeopardy the fulfilment of basic needs. This crisis is characterized not so much by a shortage of food, as by difficulty in gaining access to it and by different forms of speculation: in other words, by a structural lack of political and economic institutions capable of addressing needs and emergencies. Malnutrition can also cause grave mental and physical damage to the population, depriving many people of the energy necessary to escape from poverty unaided. This contributes to the widening gap of inequality, and can provoke violent reactions. All the indicators of relative poverty in recent years point to an increased disparity between rich and poor. No doubt the principal reasons for this are, on the one hand, advances in technology, which mainly benefit the more affluent, and on the other hand, changes in the prices of industrial products, which rise much faster than those of agricultural products and raw materials in the possession of poorer countries. In this way, the majority of the population in the poorest countries suffers a double marginalization, through the adverse effects of lower incomes and higher prices.
Global solidarity and the fight against poverty
8. One of the most important ways of building peace is through a form of globalization directed towards the interests of the whole human family[8]. In order to govern globalization, however, there needs to be a strong sense of global solidarity [9] between rich and poor countries, as well as within individual countries, including affluent ones. A “common code of ethics”[10]
is also needed, consisting of norms based not upon mere consensus, but rooted in the natural law inscribed by the Creator on the conscience of every human being (cf. Rom 2:14-15). Does not every one of us sense deep within his or her conscience a call to make a personal contribution to the common good and to peace in society? Globalization eliminates certain barriers, but is still able to build new ones; it brings peoples together, but spatial and temporal proximity does not of itself create the conditions for true communion and authentic peace. Effective means to redress the marginalization of the world's poor through globalization will only be found if people everywhere feel personally outraged by the injustices in the world and by the concomitant violations of human rights. The Church, which is the “sign and instrument of communion with God and of the unity of the entire human race” [11] will continue to offer her contribution so that injustices and misunderstandings may be resolved, leading to a world of greater peace and solidarity.
9. In the field of international commerce and finance, there are processes at work today which permit a positive integration of economies, leading to an overall improvement in conditions, but there are also processes tending in the opposite direction, dividing and marginalizing peoples, and creating dangerous situations that can erupt into wars and conflicts. Since the Second World War, international trade in goods and services has grown extraordinarily fast, with a momentum unprecedented in history. Much of this global trade has involved countries that were industrialized early, with the significant addition of many newly- emerging countries which have now entered onto the world stage. Yet there are other low-income countries which are still seriously marginalized in terms of trade. Their growth has been negatively influenced by the rapid decline, seen in recent decades, in the prices of commodities, which constitute practically the whole of their exports. In these countries, which are mostly in Africa, dependence on the exportation of commodities continues to constitute a potent risk factor. Here I should like to renew an appeal for all countries to be given equal opportunities of access to the world market, without exclusion or marginalization.
10. A similar reflection may be made in the area of finance, which is a key aspect of the phenomenon of globalization, owing to the development of technology and policies of liberalization in the flow of capital between countries. Objectively, the most important function of finance is to sustain the possibility of long- term investment and hence of development. Today this appears extremely fragile: it is experiencing the negative repercussions of a system of financial dealings – both national and global – based upon very short-term thinking, which aims at increasing the value of financial operations and concentrates on the technical management of various forms of risk. The recent crisis demonstrates how financial activity can at times be completely turned in on itself, lacking any long-term consideration of the common good. This lowering of the objectives of global finance to the very short term reduces its capacity to function as a bridge between the present and the future, and as a stimulus to the creation of new opportunities for production and for work in the long term. Finance limited in this way to the short and very short term becomes dangerous for everyone, even for those who benefit when the markets perform well[12].
11. All of this would indicate that the fight against poverty requires cooperation both on the economic level and on the legal level, so as to allow the international community, and especially poorer countries, to identify and implement coordinated strategies to deal with the problems discussed above, thereby providing an effective legal framework for the economy. Incentives are needed for establishing efficient participatory institutions, and support is needed in fighting crime and fostering a culture of legality. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that policies which place too much emphasis on assistance underlie many of the failures in providing aid to poor countries. Investing in the formation of people and developing a specific and well-integrated culture of enterprise would seem at present to be the right approach in the medium and long term. If economic activities require a favourable context in order to develop, this must not distract attention from the need to generate revenue. While it has been rightly emphasized that increasing per capita income cannot be the ultimate goal of political and economic activity, it is still an important means of attaining the objective of the fight against hunger and absolute poverty. Hence, the illusion that a policy of mere redistribution of existing wealth can definitively resolve the problem must be set aside. In a modern economy, the value of assets is utterly dependent on the capacity to generate revenue in the present and the future. Wealth creation therefore becomes an inescapable duty, which must be kept in mind if the fight against material poverty is to be effective in the long term.
12. If the poor are to be given priority, then there has to be enough room for an ethical approach to economics on the part of those active in the international market, an ethical approach to politics on the part of those in public office, and an ethical approach to participation capable of harnessing the contributions of civil society at local and international levels. International agencies themselves have come to recognize the value and advantage of economic initiatives taken by civil society or local administrations to promote the emancipation and social inclusion of those sectors of the population that often fall below the threshold of extreme poverty and yet are not easily reached by official aid. The history of twentieth-century economic development teaches us that good development policies depend for their effectiveness on responsible implementation by human agents and on the creation of positive partnerships between markets, civil society and States. Civil society in particular plays a key part in every process of development, since development is essentially a cultural phenomenon, and culture is born and develops in the civil sphere[13].
13. As my venerable Predecessor Pope John Paul II had occasion to remark, globalization “is notably ambivalent”[14] and therefore needs to be managed with great prudence. This will include giving priority to the needs of the world's poor, and overcoming the scandal of the imbalance between the problems of poverty and the measures which have been adopted in order to address them. The imbalance lies both in the cultural and political order and in the spiritual and moral order. In fact we often consider only the superficial and instrumental causes of poverty without attending to those harboured within the human heart, like greed and narrow vision. The problems of development, aid and international cooperation are sometimes addressed without any real attention to the human element, but as merely technical questions – limited, that is, to establishing structures, setting up trade agreements, and allocating funding impersonally. What the fight against poverty really needs are men and women who live in a profoundly fraternal way and are able to accompany individuals, families and communities on journeys of authentic human development.
Conclusion
14. In the Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, John Paul II warned of the need to “abandon a mentality in which the poor – as individuals and as peoples – are considered a burden, as irksome intruders trying to consume what others have produced.” The poor, he wrote, “ask for the right to share in enjoying material goods and to make good use of their capacity for work, thus creating a world that is more just and prosperous for all” [15]. In today's globalized world, it is increasingly evident that peace can be built only if everyone is assured the possibility of reasonable growth: sooner or later, the distortions produced by unjust systems have to be paid for by everyone. It is utterly foolish to build a luxury home in the midst of desert or decay. Globalization on its own is incapable of building peace, and in many cases, it actually creates divisions and conflicts. If anything it points to a need: to be oriented towards a goal of profound solidarity that seeks the good of each and all. In this sense, globalization should be seen as a good opportunity to achieve something important in the fight against poverty, and to place at the disposal of justice and peace resources which were scarcely conceivable previously.
15. The Church's social teaching has always been concerned with the poor. At the time of the Encyclical Letter Rerum Novarum, the poor were identified mainly as the workers in the new industrial society; in the social Magisterium of Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II, new forms of poverty were gradually explored, as the scope of the social question widened to reach global proportions[16]. This expansion of the social question to the worldwide scale has to be considered not just as a quantitative extension, but also as a qualitative growth in the understanding of man and the needs of the human family. For this reason, while attentively following the current phenomena of globalization and their impact on human poverty, the Church points out the new aspects of the social question, not only in their breadth but also in their depth, insofar as they concern man's identity and his relationship with God. These principles of social teaching tend to clarify the links between poverty and globalization and they help to guide action towards the building of peace. Among these principles, it is timely to recall in particular the “preferential love for the poor”[17], in the light of the primacy of charity, which is attested throughout Christian tradition, beginning with that of the early Church (cf. Acts 4:32-36; 1 Cor 16:1; 2 Cor 8-9; Gal 2:10).
“Everyone should put his hand to the work which falls to his share, at once and immediately”, wrote Leo XIII in 1891, and he added: “In regard to the Church, her cooperation will never be wanting, be the time or the occasion what it may”[18]. It is in the same spirit that the Church to this day carries out her work for the poor, in whom she sees Christ[19], and she constantly hears echoing in her heart the command of the Prince of Peace to his Apostles: “Vos date illis manducare – Give them something to eat yourselves” (Lk 9:13). Faithful to this summons from the Lord, the Christian community will never fail, then, to assure the entire human family of her support through gestures of creative solidarity, not only by “giving from one's surplus”, but above all by “a change of life- styles, of models of production and consumption, and of the established structures of power which today govern societies” [20]. At the start of the New Year, then, I extend to every disciple of Christ and to every person of good will a warm invitation to expand their hearts to meet the needs of the poor and to take whatever practical steps are possible in order to help them. The truth of the axiom cannot be refuted: “to fight poverty is to build peace.”
From the Vatican, 8 December 2008.
“Mother of God and our Mother”
The humility of my holy Mother Mary! She is not to be seen amid the palms of Jerusalem, nor at the hour of the great miracles--except at that first one at Cana. But she doesn't escape from the contempt at Golgotha; there she stands, juxta crucem Jesu, the Mother of Jesus, beside his Cross. (The Way, 507)
This has always been the true belief of Christians. Against those who denied it, the Council of Ephesus proclaimed that ‘if anyone should deny that the Emmanuel is truly God, and that therefore the most Blessed Virgin is the Mother of God, since she gave birth according to the flesh to the incarnate Word of God, let him be anathema’.
The Blessed Trinity, in choosing Mary as the Mother of Christ, a Man like us, has brought each one of us under the shelter of her maternal cloak. She is the Mother of God and our Mother.
The divine Motherhood of Mary is the source of all the perfections and privileges with which she is endowed. Because of it, she was conceived immaculate and is full of grace; because of it, she is ever virgin, she was taken up body and soul to heaven and has been crowned Queen of all creation, above the angels and saints. Greater than she, none but God. ‘The Blessed Virgin from the fact that she is the Mother of God has a certain infinite dignity which comes from the infinite good, which is God.’ There is no danger of exaggerating. We can never hope to fathom this inexpressible mystery; nor will we ever be able to give sufficient thanks to our Mother for bringing us into such intimacy with the Blessed Trinity.
We were sinners and enemies of God. Redemption has not only freed us from sin and reconciled us with Our Lord. It has also made us into children of God and has given us a Mother, the very Mother who gave birth to the Word when he took human nature. Could there ever be a greater, more generous, outpouring of love? (Friends of God, 275-275) [Top]
http://www.opusdei.ph/art.php?p=12605
This has always been the true belief of Christians. Against those who denied it, the Council of Ephesus proclaimed that ‘if anyone should deny that the Emmanuel is truly God, and that therefore the most Blessed Virgin is the Mother of God, since she gave birth according to the flesh to the incarnate Word of God, let him be anathema’.
The Blessed Trinity, in choosing Mary as the Mother of Christ, a Man like us, has brought each one of us under the shelter of her maternal cloak. She is the Mother of God and our Mother.
The divine Motherhood of Mary is the source of all the perfections and privileges with which she is endowed. Because of it, she was conceived immaculate and is full of grace; because of it, she is ever virgin, she was taken up body and soul to heaven and has been crowned Queen of all creation, above the angels and saints. Greater than she, none but God. ‘The Blessed Virgin from the fact that she is the Mother of God has a certain infinite dignity which comes from the infinite good, which is God.’ There is no danger of exaggerating. We can never hope to fathom this inexpressible mystery; nor will we ever be able to give sufficient thanks to our Mother for bringing us into such intimacy with the Blessed Trinity.
We were sinners and enemies of God. Redemption has not only freed us from sin and reconciled us with Our Lord. It has also made us into children of God and has given us a Mother, the very Mother who gave birth to the Word when he took human nature. Could there ever be a greater, more generous, outpouring of love? (Friends of God, 275-275) [Top]
http://www.opusdei.ph/art.php?p=12605
Monday, December 29, 2008
The 2008 Parish Christmas Party
Isang napakalaking tagumpay ang naganap na Parish Christmas Party kagabi December 29, 2008 sa parking area ng parokya. Sa nasabing pagtitipon ay muling ipinakita ng halos lahat ng mga samahang pansimbahan ang kani-kanilang mga talento sa larangan ng musika, sayaw at maging sa pag-arte para bigyan kasiyahan ang lahat. Kabilang sa mga naging tampok na palabas ng gabing iyon ay ang pagsasayaw ng mga miyembro ng Lectors & Commentators Ministry (LCM), Mother Butler at LCM mula sa Resurrecion Chapel-Tulay Bato at ang “comedy skit” ng mga kabataang miyembro ng Lingkod ng Dambana. Katulad ng mga nakagawiang pagsasama-sama ay nagkaroon din ng pagsasalo na tinampukan ng mga pagkaing inihanda ng bawat grupo.
Sa espesyal na mensahe mula sa ating Kura Paroko, Rev. Fr. Toochy Ubarco, ay kanyang binigyang diin ang kahalagahan ng pagsasama-sama ng pamilya ng parokya upang higit pang magkaroon ng matibay at matiwasay na pagsasamahan tungo sa isang mas epektibong paglilingkod. Ang lahat ay umuwi ng may kanya-kanyang alaala ng ngiti at galak dulot ng kasiyahang naihatid ng nasabing pagtitipon na higit pa sa mga material na premyong ipinamahagi ng gabing iyon.
Sa espesyal na mensahe mula sa ating Kura Paroko, Rev. Fr. Toochy Ubarco, ay kanyang binigyang diin ang kahalagahan ng pagsasama-sama ng pamilya ng parokya upang higit pang magkaroon ng matibay at matiwasay na pagsasamahan tungo sa isang mas epektibong paglilingkod. Ang lahat ay umuwi ng may kanya-kanyang alaala ng ngiti at galak dulot ng kasiyahang naihatid ng nasabing pagtitipon na higit pa sa mga material na premyong ipinamahagi ng gabing iyon.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
“Jesus is still looking for shelter”
Jesus was born in a cave in Bethlehem because, Sacred Scripture tells us, ``there was no room for them in the inn.'' I am not departing from theological truth when I say that Jesus is still looking for shelter in your heart. (The Forge, 274)
I am not at all stretching the truth when I tell you that Jesus is still looking for a resting‑place in our heart. We have to ask him to forgive our personal blindness and ingratitude. We must ask him to give us the grace never to close the door of our soul on him again.
Our Lord does not disguise the fact that his wholehearted obedience to God’s will calls for renunciation and self‑sacrifice. Love does not claim rights, it seeks to serve. Jesus has led the way. How did he obey? “Unto death, death on a cross” [1]. You have to get out of yourself; you have to complicate your life, losing it for love of God and souls. “So you wanted to live a quiet life. But God wanted otherwise. Two wills exist: your will should be corrected to become identified with God’s will: you must not bend God’s will to suit yours” [2].
It has made me very happy to see so many souls spend their lives — like you, Lord, “even unto death” — fulfilling what God was asking of them. They have dedicated all their yearnings and their professional work to the service of the Church, for the good of all men.
Let us learn to obey, let us learn to serve. There is no better leadership than wanting to give yourself freely, to be useful to others. When we feel pride swell up within us, making us think we are supermen, the time has come to say “no”. Our only triumph will be the triumph of humility. In this way we will identify ourselves with Christ on the cross — not unwillingly or restlessly or sullenly, but joyfully. For the joy which comes from forgetting ourselves is the best proof of love. (Christ is passing by, 19)
[1] Phil 2:8 usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis
[2] St Augustine, Enarrationes in psalmos, Ps 31:2, 26 (PL 36,274) [Top]
http://www.opusdei.ph/art.php?p=19281
I am not at all stretching the truth when I tell you that Jesus is still looking for a resting‑place in our heart. We have to ask him to forgive our personal blindness and ingratitude. We must ask him to give us the grace never to close the door of our soul on him again.
Our Lord does not disguise the fact that his wholehearted obedience to God’s will calls for renunciation and self‑sacrifice. Love does not claim rights, it seeks to serve. Jesus has led the way. How did he obey? “Unto death, death on a cross” [1]. You have to get out of yourself; you have to complicate your life, losing it for love of God and souls. “So you wanted to live a quiet life. But God wanted otherwise. Two wills exist: your will should be corrected to become identified with God’s will: you must not bend God’s will to suit yours” [2].
It has made me very happy to see so many souls spend their lives — like you, Lord, “even unto death” — fulfilling what God was asking of them. They have dedicated all their yearnings and their professional work to the service of the Church, for the good of all men.
Let us learn to obey, let us learn to serve. There is no better leadership than wanting to give yourself freely, to be useful to others. When we feel pride swell up within us, making us think we are supermen, the time has come to say “no”. Our only triumph will be the triumph of humility. In this way we will identify ourselves with Christ on the cross — not unwillingly or restlessly or sullenly, but joyfully. For the joy which comes from forgetting ourselves is the best proof of love. (Christ is passing by, 19)
[1] Phil 2:8 usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis
[2] St Augustine, Enarrationes in psalmos, Ps 31:2, 26 (PL 36,274) [Top]
http://www.opusdei.ph/art.php?p=19281
Feature Group of the Week: EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF THE HOLY COMMUNION
Service to God, our life commitment
Ministering the Holy Eucharist, our very existence
Humility and obedience, our working virtues
Christ-centered, our source of strength…
The Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion (EMHC) was founded on 1986 through the initiatives then of former Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Jack Diaz and their basic responsibility is to assist the Clergy in administering Holy Communion to the faithful during masses and in special cases, to the sick, disabled and elderly in their homes.
The first appointed Lay Eucharistic Ministers were Bro. Mario Calatin and the late Bro. Dadoy Dela Rosa and Jojo Mangalile.
Vision:
A community of men where spirituality is a way of life, dedicated to the service of the Holy Eucharist…
Whose every member is mindful and respectful of one’s dignity, build on each other’s strength to achieve shared goals in unity of efforts that satisfies the parishioners with dedicated quality service of helping the clergy to distribute the Holy Communion; and
Whose members are persons of piety, dignity, good moral character, humble, obedient, and humane in his chosen ministry.
Mission:
To create a community of pious members, who are committed to serve as Ministers of the Holy Communion.
Objectives:
To be able to provide a truly responsible, committed and spiritually dedicated service to the Holy Eucharist.
Activities:
• Regular meetings every 2nd Friday of the month
• Regular formation program
• Annual Retreat
• Annual Participation to Diocesan formation programs
• Participation in various parish pastoral activities
Ministering the Holy Eucharist, our very existence
Humility and obedience, our working virtues
Christ-centered, our source of strength…
The Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion (EMHC) was founded on 1986 through the initiatives then of former Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Jack Diaz and their basic responsibility is to assist the Clergy in administering Holy Communion to the faithful during masses and in special cases, to the sick, disabled and elderly in their homes.
The first appointed Lay Eucharistic Ministers were Bro. Mario Calatin and the late Bro. Dadoy Dela Rosa and Jojo Mangalile.
Vision:
A community of men where spirituality is a way of life, dedicated to the service of the Holy Eucharist…
Whose every member is mindful and respectful of one’s dignity, build on each other’s strength to achieve shared goals in unity of efforts that satisfies the parishioners with dedicated quality service of helping the clergy to distribute the Holy Communion; and
Whose members are persons of piety, dignity, good moral character, humble, obedient, and humane in his chosen ministry.
Mission:
To create a community of pious members, who are committed to serve as Ministers of the Holy Communion.
Objectives:
To be able to provide a truly responsible, committed and spiritually dedicated service to the Holy Eucharist.
Activities:
• Regular meetings every 2nd Friday of the month
• Regular formation program
• Annual Retreat
• Annual Participation to Diocesan formation programs
• Participation in various parish pastoral activities
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Fourth Week of Advent
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Today we light again the candles of hope, love, and joy, and the fourth PURPLE candle, the candle of peace. Christ is the Prince of peace, come to reconcile us with God and others. Christ helps us to see that peace is possible.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Today we light again the candles of hope, love, and joy, and the fourth PURPLE candle, the candle of peace. Christ is the Prince of peace, come to reconcile us with God and others. Christ helps us to see that peace is possible.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Feature Group of the Week: Parish Youth Commission
PARISH YOUTH COMMISSION
The commission aims to provide the formation and organization of the youth to realize their potential, elicit their participation in Church activities, and to prepare them as future parish leaders. It also aspires to mobilize the youth as instruments of evangelization among their fellow youth and other people. The Ministry also implements programs that foster enthusiasm and goodwill among the youth that will address their special needs.
National Youth Day-December 16, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Feature Group of the Week: Lingkod Ng Dambana
The Celebration Ministry’s main apostolate is to provide for orderly, animated and meaningful liturgical celebrations, especially, of the Eucharist and the sacraments, and other para-liturgical activities in the parish center and in the different Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) zone and pastoral areas: to promote the growth and deepen the commitment of the different liturgical ministries and organizations meant to enhance worship life; to promote devotion to the Eucharist and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, or particularly to the person of the parish.
LINGKOD NG DAMBANA
“Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.”
– John 12: 26
The Lingkod ng Dambana is a group of young male servers assisting in the parish liturgical celebrations. Its main goal is to encourage young boys and men to become worthy guards of honor to the Eucharistic King and enkindle greater piety and devotion to Christ through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
LINGKOD NG DAMBANA
“Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.”
– John 12: 26
The Lingkod ng Dambana is a group of young male servers assisting in the parish liturgical celebrations. Its main goal is to encourage young boys and men to become worthy guards of honor to the Eucharistic King and enkindle greater piety and devotion to Christ through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Feast of the Immaculate Concepcion
Mary Immaculate
“You are all-beautiful, my beloved,
and there is no blemish in you.”
(Song of Songs 4:7)
Mary was conceived without original sin. This is the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
But did not Paul say that “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23)? Yes, but this is precisely what shows how special Mary is. She is the only human being after the fall who was the one exception.
Mary would bear the Son of God, and God is perfectly holy. It could not be that an imperfect vessel would bear a perfect God. So according to God’s eternal plan, God did not allow Mary to be conceived with any stain of sin.
God wants those that He intends to use to be clean and pure instruments. Such purity was to be from the time of their conception.
Manoah’s wife, who would give birth to Samson, was told “to be careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean.” (Jgs 13:4). This was because Samson was “to be consecrated to God from the womb” and would “begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines” (Jgs 13:5).
Jeremiah, one of the great prophets of Israel, was told by God: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jer 1:5).
Zechariah was told by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son. John the Baptist became the precursor of Christ. Zechariah was told that John would “be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.” (Lk 1:15-16).
Being a deliverer of Israel, a prophet to the nations, a restorer of Israel’s children to the Lordall these were mighty works of God, for which He raised pure instruments.
But Mary was the greatest instrument of all according to God’s plan. She would be the mother of the Savior, the mother of God Himself. As such, she needed to be a perfectly pure instrument.
But others would still insist that what the Bible says is perfectly true, that “all have sinned” (Rom 3:23a). The only exception is Jesus, “who did not know sin” (2 Cor 5:21). As such, then Mary was subject to original sin as well. Let us follow this trend of thought.
All of us indeed have sinned. We are born with original sin, the sin of our first parents. But through the blood shed for us by Jesus on the cross, our sin has been expiated. We “are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed” (Rom 3:24-25). We have sinned, but in and through Jesus we are cleansed, if we accept his saving death on the cross by faith.
Now God is not governed by time and space. God transcends time and space. So what God did was to extend to Mary his grace of expiation from sin, won on the cross, but applied backward to the time of Mary’s conception. Thus Mary, like everyone else, was redeemed by the blood of Jesus, but rather than being freed from sin already incurred, she was preserved from original sin.
Can God do that? Of course He can! There is nothing impossible for God! (Lk 1:37).
Indeed notice that with her Magnificat, Mary says her spirit rejoices in God her savior (Lk 1:47). She did not say she will rejoice, but that she already rejoices. But Jesus the Savior was still to be born, and still had to go to the cross to win salvation for all. Thus for Mary, Jesus had already saved her, even before he physically went to the cross. The prophecy of Isaiah rightfully applies to her: “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, ….. like a bride bedecked with her jewels.” (Is 61:10).
So Mary was conceived without sin.
We also need to see the Immaculate Conception in view of salvation history. When our first parents sinned, there was the first promise of a Redeemer. The Lord God told the devil that there would be enmity between him and the woman and between their offsprings, and that the offspring of the woman would strike him a mortal blow (Gen 3:15). It is a fight between the woman and the serpent. Now the woman is Mary, and so it is a fight between Mary and the devil. If the woman had original sin, then she would be subject to the power of the devil and would not be able to defeat him. So she needed to be free from sin.
And so in the fullness of time, God brought Mary into the world, and then revealed to her His plan. The angel Gabriel addressed her with the words “Hail, favored one!” (Lk 1:28). Another way to put the greeting is “Hail, fully graced.” Mary was full of grace! One who is fully graced cannot have the stain of sin.
And of course, God intended for Mary to bear His own Son. She was to become the mother of God. As the mother of the Holy One, she had to be unstained.
Consider also that there were other humans not covered by Paul’s assertion that all had sinned. These were Adam and Eve. They were born unstained, created in the image and likeness of God Himself (Gen 1:27). When God looked at what He had created, He “found it very good” (Gen 1:31). God being Who He is, what He creates is perfect. God cannot create something in His image and likeness that is stained in some way.
So Adam and Eve started out with no sin, because there was no sin as yet in the world. Now Mary is the new Eve. If Eve was created sinless, then how much more Mary who would become the mother of God?
And so Mary was conceived without sin. It was not that she had original sin and was freed from it, but rather that God preserved her from original sin, from the very beginning. She was still redeemed by Jesus, but in God’s mysterious ways, experienced this redemption from sin even before the actual physical event of Jesus’ crucifixion and death on the cross.
For reflection
1. We are all proud of our mothers and think they are the best moms in the world. Think about how your mom has been a blessing to you. Thank God for her.
2. Think about your Mother Mary, who was pure and immaculate and full of grace. How proud of her are you?
(Taken from the forthcoming new book of Frank Padilla entitled “40 More Days with Mary”)
“You are all-beautiful, my beloved,
and there is no blemish in you.”
(Song of Songs 4:7)
Mary was conceived without original sin. This is the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
But did not Paul say that “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23)? Yes, but this is precisely what shows how special Mary is. She is the only human being after the fall who was the one exception.
Mary would bear the Son of God, and God is perfectly holy. It could not be that an imperfect vessel would bear a perfect God. So according to God’s eternal plan, God did not allow Mary to be conceived with any stain of sin.
God wants those that He intends to use to be clean and pure instruments. Such purity was to be from the time of their conception.
Manoah’s wife, who would give birth to Samson, was told “to be careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean.” (Jgs 13:4). This was because Samson was “to be consecrated to God from the womb” and would “begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines” (Jgs 13:5).
Jeremiah, one of the great prophets of Israel, was told by God: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jer 1:5).
Zechariah was told by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son. John the Baptist became the precursor of Christ. Zechariah was told that John would “be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.” (Lk 1:15-16).
Being a deliverer of Israel, a prophet to the nations, a restorer of Israel’s children to the Lordall these were mighty works of God, for which He raised pure instruments.
But Mary was the greatest instrument of all according to God’s plan. She would be the mother of the Savior, the mother of God Himself. As such, she needed to be a perfectly pure instrument.
But others would still insist that what the Bible says is perfectly true, that “all have sinned” (Rom 3:23a). The only exception is Jesus, “who did not know sin” (2 Cor 5:21). As such, then Mary was subject to original sin as well. Let us follow this trend of thought.
All of us indeed have sinned. We are born with original sin, the sin of our first parents. But through the blood shed for us by Jesus on the cross, our sin has been expiated. We “are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed” (Rom 3:24-25). We have sinned, but in and through Jesus we are cleansed, if we accept his saving death on the cross by faith.
Now God is not governed by time and space. God transcends time and space. So what God did was to extend to Mary his grace of expiation from sin, won on the cross, but applied backward to the time of Mary’s conception. Thus Mary, like everyone else, was redeemed by the blood of Jesus, but rather than being freed from sin already incurred, she was preserved from original sin.
Can God do that? Of course He can! There is nothing impossible for God! (Lk 1:37).
Indeed notice that with her Magnificat, Mary says her spirit rejoices in God her savior (Lk 1:47). She did not say she will rejoice, but that she already rejoices. But Jesus the Savior was still to be born, and still had to go to the cross to win salvation for all. Thus for Mary, Jesus had already saved her, even before he physically went to the cross. The prophecy of Isaiah rightfully applies to her: “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, ….. like a bride bedecked with her jewels.” (Is 61:10).
So Mary was conceived without sin.
We also need to see the Immaculate Conception in view of salvation history. When our first parents sinned, there was the first promise of a Redeemer. The Lord God told the devil that there would be enmity between him and the woman and between their offsprings, and that the offspring of the woman would strike him a mortal blow (Gen 3:15). It is a fight between the woman and the serpent. Now the woman is Mary, and so it is a fight between Mary and the devil. If the woman had original sin, then she would be subject to the power of the devil and would not be able to defeat him. So she needed to be free from sin.
And so in the fullness of time, God brought Mary into the world, and then revealed to her His plan. The angel Gabriel addressed her with the words “Hail, favored one!” (Lk 1:28). Another way to put the greeting is “Hail, fully graced.” Mary was full of grace! One who is fully graced cannot have the stain of sin.
And of course, God intended for Mary to bear His own Son. She was to become the mother of God. As the mother of the Holy One, she had to be unstained.
Consider also that there were other humans not covered by Paul’s assertion that all had sinned. These were Adam and Eve. They were born unstained, created in the image and likeness of God Himself (Gen 1:27). When God looked at what He had created, He “found it very good” (Gen 1:31). God being Who He is, what He creates is perfect. God cannot create something in His image and likeness that is stained in some way.
So Adam and Eve started out with no sin, because there was no sin as yet in the world. Now Mary is the new Eve. If Eve was created sinless, then how much more Mary who would become the mother of God?
And so Mary was conceived without sin. It was not that she had original sin and was freed from it, but rather that God preserved her from original sin, from the very beginning. She was still redeemed by Jesus, but in God’s mysterious ways, experienced this redemption from sin even before the actual physical event of Jesus’ crucifixion and death on the cross.
For reflection
1. We are all proud of our mothers and think they are the best moms in the world. Think about how your mom has been a blessing to you. Thank God for her.
2. Think about your Mother Mary, who was pure and immaculate and full of grace. How proud of her are you?
(Taken from the forthcoming new book of Frank Padilla entitled “40 More Days with Mary”)
Friday, November 28, 2008
LUMANG LARUAN BAGONG SAYA 2008
The Ushers & Collectors Ministry (UCM) of the Parish thru its social action arm, The Bread of St. Anthony, will be having a gift giving project this Christmas season for the less fortunate children of the Parish entitled “Lumang Laruan Bagong Ngiti”. The said undertaking is one of the annual community outreach projects to be adapted by the group starting this year for our less fortunate parishioners this Christmas Season.
The project is actually in line with the tradition of the Angel Basket Program that was developed by the undersigned along with the pioneer members of Michaelian’s Business Management Society (MBMS) of St. Michael’s College ten (10) years ago. Last November 22, 2008, the group started to solicit old toys and will lasts until December 22, 2008 in time for the actual gift giving on December 24, 2008 to coincide also with the Pamasko Sa Kaparokya 2008 Project of the Parish.
Everyone is welcome to join us for the said project and be one of our official apostolate partner and let us relive once again the spirit of genuine service and love for our less fortunate brothers and sisters. As a group of concerned men and women of the parish, we take it upon ourselves to help our “kaparokya”. However, inasmuch as we would like to help all of them, we cannot do this on our own. Thus, we need as much help as we can get.
The project is also in partnership with Sta. Catalina College who has always been part of the UCM Family from the very start.
KUMPISALANG BAYAN
Sa darating na December 02, 2008 Martes ay magkakaroon ng Kumpisalang Bayan sa ating Parokya bilang bahagi pa rin ng taunang aktibidades sa panahon ng Adbiyento. Ang Kumpisalang Bayan ay magsisimula sa ganap na ika 7 ng gabi pagkatapos ng Banal na Misa. Inaasahang makikibahagi ang lahat ng mga kaparian sa buong Bikarya ng Binan kung kaya't ang lahat ng mga dadalo ay magkakaroon ng lubos na oras at pagkakataon upang makadulog sa Banal na sakramento ng pakikipagsundo.
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