The Filipino Catholic

Transcription

PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
HEMPSTEAD, NY
PERMIT NO. 7
The Filipino
CATHOLIC
VOL. 13, NO. 8
Spreading the Good News
March 11 - April 9, 2009
LENT
For God so loved
the world ...
that He gave His
only begotten Son,
that whosoever
believeth in Him
should not perish,
but have
everlasting life.
-- John 3:16
L DY and Her Children Pilgrimages
cordially invite you to join us
to follow the ...
ITINERARY
NOV 05(Thu): DEPART USA.
Depart from the USA for a transatlantic
flight to Athens.
NOV 06 (Fri): ARRIVAL ATHENS EMBARKATION
Arrive in Athens. Meet and greet at the
airport. Drive: to Piraeus Port and embark
your cruise ship, enjoying the fellowship
of other Christians and excellent teaching.
NOV 07(Sat): THESSALONIKI VERIA
Thessaloniki-Visit the Walls, The House
of Jason where Paul lived and the Agora
where he preached. Continue to Veriaancient Beroea- to the memorial commemorating Paul’s preaching to the local
Jews in 54 AD,
BOOK NOW
Space
is Limited
NOV 08 (Sun): KAVALA - PHILIPPI
Kavala (ancient Neapolis), the site where
Paul, Timothy and. Silas landed on the
coast of Thrace. From there, visit Philippi
where Paul lived, preached and was
imprisoned and the Baptistery of Lydia,
where the first baptism on European soil
took place.
Steps CRISTAL
Under Spiritual Direction of
Rev. John J. Oldfield, OAR
Christian actors will
dramatize on board
the life of Paul
and other biblical
characters.
2045*
$
Category 1, inside cabin
2245*
$
Category 3, outside cabin
* If paid before March 31st, 2009
Includes flights from JFK/Newark airports
INCLUSIONS
* Roundtrip Air out of New York
* 7 nights cruise incl. all meals (B,L,D)
* Athens and Corinth tour
* Airport and port transfers
* Shore excursions
* One Night Athens
Plus airport taxes: $ 492 p.p.
Plus port taxes: $ 248 p.p.
Plus fuel surcharge: $ 63 p.p.
Page 2 • March 11 - April 9, 2009 • The Filipino Catholic
Contact for more information:
Evelyn Buenafe
LADY and Her Children
Phone: 646-775-1164
E-mail: [email protected]
Cherry Gumapac: 732-485-6006
Aida: 848-218-9165
Vangie: 908-245-5750
NOV 09(Mon): ISTANBUL
In the morning we arrive in Istanbul, one
of the world’s greatest historic cities.
Formerly Byzantium, the center of the
Eastern Roman Empire, this city is built
on seven green hills and situated astride
two continents. East meets West in every
way’. We visit the Topkapi Palace with
its harem and fabulous treasure chambers.
the Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque with its
six minarets, and St. Sofia, converted to a
mosque from a Christian basilica after the
fall of Constantinople in 1453.
NOV 10 (Tue): DIKILI - PERGAMON,
SARDIS
A tour from Dikili (our port) is to Pergamon, the great city of Bergama and a city
of the Book of Revelation. It is one of the
best-preserved ancient sites in Turkey.
We continue by visiting Sardis, the most
picturesque of the Seven Churches.
NOV 11 (Wed): KUSADASI - EPHESUS
- MILETUS
Arrive at Kusadasi. Visit Ephesus, the
most impressive archeological site in
Turkey, including the Great Amphitheater where Paul spoke to the Ephesians.
An afternoon tour to Miletus, where Paul
delivered his touching farewell address the
elders of Ephesus and predicted his death,
for those wishing to visit the place.
NOV 12 (Thu): PATMOS
Pa Milos, the “Holy Island” for the Christian faith.. This is the place where the
apocalyptic Revelation of John was written
during his exile from the Roman Empire.
We visit the cave and the monastery of St.
John.
NOV 13 (Fri): DISEMBARKATION ATHENS - CORINTH
Disembark the cruise ship and begin
the tour of Athens. Visit among other
masterpieces of the “Golden Age” the
Acropolis, the agora and the Mars Hill
where Paul taught. Continue to ancient
Corinth. Visit the ruins of the ancient city
where Paul worked. See the remains of
first-century shops, the agora where Paul
was on trial. at the Bema, the Fountain of
Peirene, Temple of Apollo and visit the
museum.. Return to Athens. Overnight.
NOV 14 (Sat): DEPART ATHENS Transfer
to the airport and fly back home..
FROM THE EDITOR
The
Filipino
Catholic
(BN96001443), an independent
newsmagazine with editorial
offices at
453 Hawthorne Ave.,
Uniondale, NY 11553, is
published monthly and
distributed free
in New York.
The Filipino Catholic is staffed
by volunteers. Views expressed
by the contributing writers do
not necessarily reflect the views
of the publisher or the Catholic
Church.
LETTERS AND
CONTRIBUTIONS
Contributions from our readers
are welcome but subject
to approval, editing and
condensation. Please include
names, addresses and phone
numbers on all correspondence.
However, unpublished
materials cannot all be
acknowledged or returned.
ADVERTISING
AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
The Filipino Catholic is
funded by the support of
advertisers and subscribers.
Advertisements do not infer
implicit endorsement by the
Filipino Catholic. Advertising
rates are available upon
request. One year subscription
is available for a donation of
$25 or more.
Contributing Writers
& Columnists:
Rev. Peter James R. Alindogan
Rev. Euly B. Belizar, Jr.
Rev. Basilio Colasito
Msgr. R. Dimaculangan
Art Esguerra
Robert Fernandez
Andrea Florendo
Fr. Alfred Guthrie
AA Medrano
Norma Pascual
John Primi
Fr. James Reuter
Sonia S. Salerni
Rene Tubilleja
Maria Pascual
Felix Vinluan, Esq.
Jeanne Young
Photography
Henry Medrano
Albert Betito
Circulation & Distribution
Jun Makinano
Wendel Javier
Spiritual Director
Fr. Joe Cadusale
Editor & Publisher
Manny Pascual
Write us at:
P.O. Box 3067
Garden City, NY 11531
(516) 292-1445 phone/fax
Email: [email protected]
I am not so sure when or where I met Augie. But he’s been so much a part of what I do that it seems I
have known him forever. He must have been in his sixties when we started working together. The bond
of friendship grew stronger as time went by.
Last week when I visited his print shop, he was in his usual cheerful self despite the grim news he had
to tell.
“I am going to close shop. I can no longer pay the rent. And I have some health issues.” My heart sank.
It felt like the end of a long, sad story.
“Besides,” he continued, “I am eighty-five years old. Too old for this kind of job.”
“Remember these?” he showed me some old newsletters, pamphlets, journals and brochures ... jobs
we did a long time ago. They brought back a wealth of memories of when we were much younger and
much more capable of handling the pressures of the printing and publishing world. As we talked there
were flashbacks in our conversations ... of the good times and the bad. Of the struggles and the hurdles we had to make to survive in this
business.
Manny Pascual
“When I started,” he said, “I was poor. Now, I am much poorer.”
Then he added, “But God, despite the hardship and the pain, has been very good to me.”
And looking at me he said, “To you, too.”
The measure of a man’s worth is not gauged through tangible gems and riches but through the kind of relationship he has with God.
In life, our trust in God will often turn obstacles into opportunities, sorrows into happiness, tragedies into triumphs. Sometimes it seems
there’s no end to a life of pain. When a problem is over, it’s time to get ready for the next one. But God walks beside us on the road to
sorrow. He ministers to us through His Spirit and He inspires us to move forward.
Like my friend Augie, it is in the darkest moment of our life that we can shine, when we look beyond the hurt and the pain, when even
though our physical suffering is unrelieved, we find comfort in the Lord and say in faith that “God is good.”
Of Faith And Practicality
“With God nothing shall be impossible.“
- Luke 1:37
When People Stop Praying
I recently read a very interesting article in the Internet by a person describing how he lost his
religion. The Internet is of course rife with this kind of diatribe, but this one was of special interest
to me. It was written—very articulately, I must say—by a fellow La Sallite of the 60’s. He stopped
believing, he explained, because having gone to a Catholic school all his life he got tired of all the
“meaningless” religious practices imposed on him when he was growing up. I am not judging him in
any way. The 60’s was a turbulent and confusing time for young people then. Even I got caught in the
maelstrom of the era. I left the seminary and promptly dabbled in popular weird ideas and philosophies that sought to redefine our belief in God. I had also begun to question some venerable practices
that seemed to draw me away rather than bring me closer to God. But these practices were eventually
revised or debunked by the Vatican II Council. After that I began to again have a more meaningful
relationship with a loving God and Father, rather than a harsh judge and strict enforcer of rules.
by Rene Tubilleja
Many young minds, even among our children nowadays, have the same tendencies. If we impose praying as something like a rule then it
could quickly lose meaning for them. When we are not looking, or when they come of age, they’ll probably stop praying. So how do we
fix this quandary? How do we teach our children to pray without overwhelming them or making them get tired of the practice? First, we
must pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance on how to approach this. He will show us how to pick the right opportunity and the right words
to say. We must sincerely believe in this to work. Then we look inside ourselves and try to remember why we still pray. This is what we
should communicate to them, as it will be more convincing than citing catechism or other religious exhortations. Then we should set the
example by fervently praying ourselves. More importantly, when we receive the blessings that we are asking for in prayer, we must tell
them about this. I remember it when our car got stolen when my daughter was but 9 years old. That same night before going to sleep,
she was so troubled and asked me what’s going to happen next. I told her to sincerely talk to Our Lady and ask her to get our car back or
something better. Two days later the police found our car intact and caught the perpetrator. I believe that this experience alone more than
any other advice from her elders was what has made my daughter praying with confidence all her life.
The author I mentioned above wrote his article for a literary compendium in 1994, which was before the current Web browser was even
invented. But his words are still being read and, with the Internet, even more widely today. I wonder where he is now with his faith. I’m
hoping he has had a jolting enlightenment like St. Paul. I know of so many people of my age who have returned to the fold and embraced
it with even more vigor. Now we know how it is to be a Prodigal Son and be received back by a loving Father. Even while we tried not
to acknowledge it for the sake of being modern-thinkers, those practices of our childhood have actually planted a seed in us. For some
it germinated right away, and for others it may have taken a little while longer. For many, who have been raised in the strictest religious
regimen of Catholic schools, it may have sprung early, died out, but then left a dormant seed that is now just coming back to life again.
This Lenten Season there will be plenty of opportunities for us to do sacrifices because of all the difficulties brought upon us by the
current economic turmoil. However, let’s take it a little step further; let’s aim to be more positive in our observance of the Lenten spirit.
Instead of thinking merely about doing sacrifices, let’s think more about doing good things. Let’s pray for the re-conversion of all Prodigal Sons who have now wasted their heavenly inheritance and are just “feeding the swine” to get by spiritually. May God give them the
courage and inspiration to head back to their loving Father. There will be a feast waiting for them. If we are that Prodigal child, let us be
reconciled during this season of Penance. Let’s also especially pray for more vocation, for both men and women, to enter the Dedicated
Ministry as Priests and Nuns, or even the Lay Ministry. The Lord needs workers for His vineyard. Finally, let’s not forget to seek Our
Lady’s help in all the blessings we seek from Our Heavenly Father. With her intercession we can be assured that we would receive them.
The Filipino Catholic • March 11 - April 9, 2009 • Page 3
VIEWPOINT
by Rev. Alfred R. Guthrie
PILGRIMAGE TO FATIMA,
PORTUGAL!!!!
October 9-15, 2009.
Cost: $1,449 – plus Airport Tax.
Father Guthrie will accompany this
pilgrimage as chaplain.
This is intended to be primarily a
pilgrimage of prayer to Our Lord, Jesus, for the intentions of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for world peace and
the salvation of souls, as well as for
our own personal intentions. But it
will also include visits to other places.
Plus daily mass. Come!
Please contact Tita Mel at
646-645-3694 or
347-426-4294. Join us!
THIS ISSUE:
OUR LADY’S MESSAGE AT FATIMA IN THE LIGHT OF THE STORY OF THE
APPEARANCES OF OUR LADY IN KIBEHO, AFRICA,
(Both apparitions have been approved by the Holy See and are inseparably united in
their mutual importance.)
Plus: MEMBERSHIP IN AND SOME WORKS OF THE WORLD APOSTOLATE
OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA
I.) THE MOTHER OF GOD IN KIBEHO:
The story of OUR LADY OF KIBEHO is the history of Our Lady’s appearances a
small city in RWANDA, which, in turn, is a very small country in central AFRICA. Our
Blessed Mother asked in these visions to be known as the “Mother of the Word”.
These events are extremely important First, because in them Our Blessed Mother - after teaching these young visionaries the
importance of prayer, especially the rosary, and the importance of loving their neighbor
- expressed deep sadness that those who heard her message either didn’t believe that she
had been appearing, or didn’t follow her message that they truly love one another – and
that her dear Catholic people would experience a river of blood with a horrible destruction of human life.
Second, because they bring out the immensely more significant messages of Our Lady
of Fatima, whose image may be found in almost every Catholic Church in the whole
world.
That is, the same message of love and call to conversion that was proclaimed in Kibeho, Rwanda, but which was not heeded and was followed
by a predicted horrible massacre, must be heeded by all of us in response
to Our Lady of Fatima lest we all suffer the even far worse catastrophe that
already is imminently threatening us.
The history of the beautiful and horrible events that took place in Rwanda was written
by Immaculee Ilibagiza, who was born in 1970 in the small village of Mataba.
She was very devoted to Our Blessed Mother from her childhood and after hearing
about Our Lady of Fatima, became especially devoted to Our Lady under that title and
earnestly wished that Mary would appear in her own country.
In 1982 the Blessed Mother fulfilled that wish by beginning her appearances in
Kibeho.
She appeared, one by one, to eight very different young people.
Immaculee tells their fascinating stories which transmitted in different ways Our Lady’s
message to the people of Rwanda. The messages of three of these visionaries were approved
by Rome after much investigation in November of 2001.
The story of each of the eight visionaries is, in its own individual way, unique.
A truly remarkable story is that of another of the visionaries Vestine Salima.
This young woman was born into a Muslim family in 1960 near the town of Kibeho.
Though her parents sent her to a Catholic school, she was not very interested in either the
Muslim religion nor in Christianity.
In April of 1982, after seeing Jesus and the Blessed Mother in short, episodes which
puzzled her, Vestine was visited by the Blessed Mother, who sent her on a mission of
love.
Mary told her “…you will remind the world of my Son’s great mercy and the boundless love he has for his children. Tell them that he offers their souls peace and their hearts
happiness beyond imagination. Plead with them to pray to their heavenly mother, for I will
give them the strength they need to open their hearts to Jesus and let his love wash away
their sins and despair. Tell them to accept his love and they will receive eternal joy. Now
go, my child, and preach the loving word of the Lord.”
Vestine was told to carry a walking stick in her hand. “It will be your staff; it will show
those you meet that you are on a mission from God, that you are a shepherd of the Lord
sent to lead his flock from danger and show them the path.”
Mary also said to her: “My child, pray your rosary while you walk. When you meet
an orphan, treat him as your own child, and give comfort to the troubled and care for the
sick. Never refuse any who ask you for help; if your pockets are empty, give them hope.
Your every action must be born of kindness, your every word spoken with love. Live as
God would have you live, and others will be inspired to do the same.
“By walking the world as a shepherd, you will show my earthly children that the walk
to heaven is along a narrow road that is not easy to travel. But the road leading to satan is
wide and easy to follow, because the devil puts no obstacle on the road to darkness.”
Vestine said goodbye to her family and simply started her journey on foot on a mission that led her across the length and breadth of Rwanda and also into Zaire, Burundi,
Uganda, and Tanzania.
While such a mission by a young woman was filled with exceptional perils, Our
Blessed Mother was with her in every town and village, on every road, and in the deepest
jungles.
Vestine was, in the course of her missionary journey, welcomed by the leaders and
elders of Immaculee’s own town, Mataba. There, Immaculee, to her deep personal delight,
met Vestine.
Vestine’s message from Our Lady was:
THE MESSAGES OF LOVE
“The Holy Mother says that her love for you, her children, is greater than the love any
earthly mother has ever felt for as child. Her arms are wide open to embrace all who come
to her; she will press you tightly to her bosom and cherish and protect you.
“Our Lady says that she will console you; she hears the prayers of all who call on her,
and she watches over you all. She begs you not to follow the road that satan has built to
lead the world away from her Son. She says that Jesus is looking for a place to live and
begs you with her tears to offer him a home in your heart.
“She states that there are many lights in the world to follow, but there is only one true
light – that of God. She’s desperate for you to have the wisdom to believe what she tells
you and follow His light to the truth; it will give you life. Live with your faith throughout
your life. Don’t wear it like a coat that you put on and take off, since this won’t save you
when you die.
She says, ‘Love my Son, love each other, and care for the poor and sick. Do not let
jealousy and anger into your hearts; fill them with kindness and be willing to forgive. If
you are weak in spirit or lacking in faith, pray to me, and I will bring you comfort and
strength.”
THE MESSAGES OF WARNING
“Why are these people killing each other? Why do they chop each other?”
The visionary, Alphonsine, was crying and trembling, and then became “as though
frozen in fear.
[After speaking many times of her love for her dear children, and urging them earnestly
to say the rosary and to love one another, Mary began to reveal the results of the people’s
continuing in their unbelief and secret hatreds. And now] Mary was revealing even more
dreadful images to her – of severed human heads, which were still gushing blood. The
grotesque sight worsened still as Our Lady expanded Alphonsine’s vision until she beheld
a panoramic view of a vast valley piled high with the remains of a million rotting, headless
corpses, and not a single soul was left alive to bury the dead.”
Many people were so frightened by the things that Alphonsine was saying that they ran
away from the podium in Kibeho where the girl was experiencing this apparition.
“But as visionary after visionary stepped onto the podium that day, each received the
same images from the weeping Virgin. For hours their horrified cries echoed through the
hills, describing rivers of blood, savage murders, and the putrefying remains of hundreds
of thousands of people. For some it must have seemed terrifyingly obvious that the seers
were speaking about Rwanda….
“Marie-Claire continually wailed at the images she was shown, and she begged Rwandans to heed Mary’s pleas and warnings before it was too late: ‘Our lady says, “Do not
forget that God is more powerful than all the evil in the world…the world is on the edge
of catastrophe. Cleanse your hearts through prayer. The only way is God. If you don‘t take
refuge in God, where will you go to hide when the fire[the bloody genocide] has spread
everywhere?”’”
Immaculee wrote that “Unfortunately, not enough people prayed – too few cleansed
their hearts of hatred.”
The testimony of Alphonsine, Anathalie, and Marie-Claire, three young adults from
Rwanda, Africa, that they had seen and spoken to Mary, the Mother of God, has been
thoroughly investigated and authenticated by the Church. One by one, these three as well
as a few other young people, whose testimonies have not yet been officilly authenticated,
began seeing Our Lady in 1981, and, at different intervals, continued to see and speak
with Our Blessed Mother until 1989.
THE SAD FULFILLMENT
On April 7, 1994, the killings began. About a million people, most of the Tutsis were
murdered by their more numerous Hutu neighbors. They had no place to hide. So many
bodies were thrown into the rivers that they were literally thick with human blood.
What Alphonsine and the other visionaries saw in her terrifying vision turned out to
be horribly accurate.
The visions of the young people (specifically the three mentioned above) in Kibeho
(turn to page 26)
JUST SHARING
Divine Mercy and Miracle
Flight 1549
Is There Really Hope that
Springs Eternal?
The present global crisis together with our own moral
quagmire have many of us worried sick. We fear the
consequences they bring. Not that we have experienced
any relief from the state of crisis Pinoys have felt their
by Rev. Eutiquio ‘Euly’
country to be embroiled in since time immemorial. This
B. Belizar, Jr., SThD
time something is different. The whole world is also in it.
And for Pinoys who always thought that “going abroad”
to a world out there with endless possibilities was a way out of misery at home, nothing
could be more morally damaging. Thousands of Pinoys abroad face lay-offs along with
their local counter parts and, though other countries abroad offer opportunities, they may
not have the skills, training or profession being demanded. Every day the government tries
hard to downplay the crisis’ impact on the country. Every day facts and realities that are
the stuff of news underline it.
If crisis feels like the air we breathe, suffering seems like our twin brother or sister.
And, oh, he/she likes to play around and spread the mess. Almost every branch of government, from the executive to the legislative to the judiciary, is now under the thick cloud of
public distrust due to mounting reports from both local and foreign observers of pervasive
corruption. Worse, our social and political mechanisms meant to expose and check them
do not seem to work. Congressional and senate investigations of alleged wrongdoings are
mostly going nowhere.
We used to complain of the Pinoy sense of shame being not deep enough to sustain real
moral values. Now even that is in danger of extinction. Still, all these bring pain to us all.
They must. The pain indicates there’s still a better side of us that is yet alive.
This Lent the ancient book of Sirach, to me, is a mine of wisdom. For one, Sirach reminds us that difficulties, that is, suffering in plain language, do not come from economic
or even socio-political sources alone. What’s more, they even come with efforts to toe
God’s line. “My son,” it counsels, “when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself
for trials. Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in time of adversity…” (Sir 2:1).
He provides some reason for the effort: “For in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the
crucible of humiliation” (Sir 2:5).
Sirach inspires hope. For an Old Testament writing, it glows with New Testament
fire.
Shakespeare once said: “The miserable hath no other medicine than hope.” I couldn’t
agree more. But, pray tell, old master (and may I speak to the Catholic Shakespeare), is
hope enough to lift us up? And what is there to hope for, anyway?
Sirach answers better than Shakespeare. “Study the generations long past,” he continues
his counsel from his time and place, “and understand: Has anyone hoped in the Lord and
been disappointed?” (Sir 2:10). I would imagine that anyone who would doubt Sirach by
saying, “Yes, I’ve hoped and am disappointed!” would hear a counter question: “Have
you really hoped in the Lord?” The psalmist cites himself and confirms Sirach: “I waited
patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry” (Ps 40:2).
Hope in the middle of crisis, ah, that’s just what we need, I hear you say. Not quite, I
answer. We rather need its source. If we have its source, then we would have it always.
This time St. Paul seals the deal for us: “Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love
has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5).
Hope doesn’t give us salvation. But it keeps us after its trail. It protects us, too, from
falling into despair. “Let us… put on the breastplate of faith and charity and for a helmet
the hope of salvation” (1 Thes 5:8).
The breakdown of human and worldly sources of hope should teach us, then, to look
for its more lasting Source. Only then will the words of S. Smiles truly bring us smiles
again: “Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our
burden behind us.”
Fr. Euly writes from the Cathedral Parish of the Nativity of Our Lady in Borongon, Samar, Philippines where he
is assigned as pastor and rector. He is the Founding Director of the Diocesan Lay Formation Institute there.
by Fr. James Reuter, S.J.
Fred Barretta, with his wife, Liz, and their
children, Jonathan, 14, Evan, 13, Lauren, 9, and
Benjamin, 7. After Fred was pulled to safety
aboard a ferry boat, he called his wife back
home in Charlotte and said: “I’m doing OK.”
She responded, “That’s great. I’m doing OK,
too.” She didn’t yet know about Flight 1549. “I
had to explain how the plane just crashed into the
Hudson River,” Fred recalls with a laugh.
A banker on a business trip in New York City,
Fred Barreta had just checked into his hotel room.
He had about 20 minutes down time before he
had to meet his colleagues.
For some reason he decided to clean out his
briefcase, something he hadn’t done in a long
time. As he emptied it out, he came across a booklet he had stuffed into a pocket
years ago on praying the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. He recalls having prayed it a
few times years ago. But by Jan 15, 2009, it was a good intention mislaid — among
spreadsheets and quarterly reports and matters that seemed far more pressing.
Only two weeks prior, Fred had made a New Year’s resolution to try to get into
better spiritual shape. Here in this hotel room was an opportunity to fulfill it. So
he followed along in the booklet and prayed the chaplet, a prayer our Lord gave
St. Maria Faustina Kowalska in the 1930s during a series of revelations that have
sparked the modern Divine Mercy movement.
The time happened to be 3 o’clock, known as the Hour of Great Mercy, when
Jesus died on the cross. Fred considered that detail the following day — as he was
preparing to die.
He was among the 155 people to board a jetliner at LaGuardia Airport bound for
Charlotte, N.C., his home town. Ninety seconds after takeoff, the jet apparently hit
a flock of geese, the engines exploded and the plane lost power at 3,200 feet. The
aircraft was out of reach from any airfield. It lost thrust and altitude. Everything
became eerily quiet. Fred cinched his seatbelt. His left hand clutched the armrest,
his heart race, his face flushed.
He thought about his family — his wife and four young children. He thought
about God, about death, about thrust, about an extraordinary promise made by Jesus
that he read the previous day in that booklet.
“Prepare for impact,” the pilot said over the PA system.
What was the promise? Suddenly, it came to him, the last passage he read before
heading off to his meeting. Jesus said to St. Faustina, “This is the hour of great mercy.
In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of
My passion” (Diary of St. Faustina, 1320).
As the ground surged into view, Fred looked at his watch. It was 3:30, the Hour
of Great Mercy!
“I prayed with every fiber of emotion and sincerity I could muster, “God, please
be merciful to us,” Fred recalled two weeks later.
Miracle on the Hudson
In the crash landing of Flight 1549 in the Hudson River on January 15, no one
was seriously injured!
Politicians and news anchors quickly dubbed it the “Miracle on the Hudson.”
In the history of aviation no jetliner had ever made an emergency landing on water
without casualties.
Then, there were the news images of a US Airways Airbus floating gently down
the frigid Hudson, like some sort of breaching, people-friendly, aquatic creature.
The passengers stood on its wings, calmly awaiting rescue. Amidst all the news of
economic collapse, of tens of thousands of layoffs on a weekly basis, of families in
peril, or a reckoning at hand for a culture of greed, this plane, these passengers, its
pilot, all served as a sort of restorative balm on our collective conscious.
The story made you gasp, gulp hard, smile widely, and be thankful. Thankful for
what? For good news. For heroes in the pilot, Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, and the
rest of the crew. Thankful in the knowledge that in the panic-filled moments when
the plane lurched to a stop it wasn’t every man and woman for himself or herself.
Thankful that humanity’s better nature was on display. Thankful the incident wasn’t
terrorist-related, but apparently geese-related. Thankful that a guy like Fred Barreta,
41, would live to walk through the door of his home once again, hug his wife and
children, and make sure they knew he loved them — that he always had and that
he always will.
A couple of weeks before the flight, Fred has prayed the Rosary for the first time
in years. He had recently learned of the 15 promises that, as legend has it, the Virgin
Mary made to St. Dominic and Blessed Alanus to all who pray the Rosary with a
faithful heart. Fred remembers thinking at the time, “Are those promises real?” He
feels he recently received his answer.
God was doing more than preparing him for death: God was preparing him for
life.
Fr. James B. Reuter, S.J. writes from the Philippines. The article above which appeared in the
Philippine Star on February 14, 2009 is reprinted with permission.
A Word from Fr. Erno
The Making of the Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz
Note: This is the first chapter of the book in the making entitled The Chapel
of San Lorenzo Ruiz: The First Three Year [2005-2008]. Fr. Erno Diaz is the
founder and first director of the chapel. He stepped down as director on January 31 2009.
I will forever remember this day, June 8, 2005. It was four in the afternoon
when I got out of my office in St. Malachy’s Church in Times Square where I had
been doing some computer work for almost all afternoon and saw a bundle of
mails on top of the newspaper rack outside the door. As I picked up the mails
that included a copy of the Filipino Reporter and a copy of the Filipino Express,
I did not see the letter of the Cardinal right away that was tucked inside the two
newspapers. In my mind it was another day of empty expectation just like the
previous days when the mails had not produced the much-anticipated letter from
the Cardinal. I can’t forget the sinking feeling at not receiving the letter that Susan,
the Cardinal’s secretary, had told me on the phone would be coming in the mail.
That was four days ago, and no letter! My anxiety had built into uneasy nervousness. Could the Cardinal have changed his mind about the church?
And so when I was told about the letter that was coming in the mail from the
Cardinal I was somewhat skeptical. Nevertheless I was just as excited and filled
with anticipation. What could the letter contain? Would it mention something
about the date of the opening of the Filipino church in the present site of Most Holy
Crucifix church in Lower Manhattan that Bishop Robert Brucato, Vicar General,
had recommended to Cardinal Egan, or would the letter say something else like
a change of plans or a certain reservation on the part of the Cardinal to Bishop
Brucato’s recommendation?
The optimist in me prevailed when I opened the Cardinal’s letter with confident
assurance that there is a good news in it. Indeed, there was! The first line three
lines of his letter say,
“Dear Father Diaz,
With this letter I confirm your appointment as Director of the Filipino
Apostolate with the Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz effective September 1, 2005 …”
Those words stared at my unbelieving eyes. I was breathless for a second.
This is it. This is history in the making. A chapel for the Filipinos will open in
Manhattan, and the letter is the proof. There is no mistaking about it. There are
no illusions about it. It’s for real. There will be a Filipino-designated chapel in
New York, the very first one, the first to be remembered in history.
As I went over the letter one more time trying to let the full import of this letter
sink in I can’t help going over my mind the many events that led to this day – the
‘blood, sweat and tears’ that my friend Helena Benitez of the Philippine Women’s
University made mention in the Foreword that she wrote for my book published
by the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House, namely, On The Road With
San Lorenzo, obviously referring to my personal struggle to make the church for
the Filipinos to be named after San Lorenzo a reality that it now is.
The Quest and the Struggle
On March 7, 2003 I received from Cardinal Egan a letter telling me that he has
not forgotten the San Lorenzo Ruiz church project. I had written to him in February
to ask if there was any development in the search for the church. The Cardinal’s
reply came assuring me that a study team has been going around the archdiocese
exploring possibilities among existing churches in Manhattan.
That day on March 7th that I received His Eminence’s letter would be remembered by me as among the sweetest days of my life. I could see the dawning of a
new day, the beginning of a fulfillment of a dream, the fruition of my hopes and
aspirations for the Filipino Catholics of New York. I could picture in my mind
the framed image of San Lorenzo Ruiz that the San Lorenzo Ruiz Association of
America gave to the Pope John Paul II in Rome in 1987. In that frame the black
and white photograph of the Filipino saint was cropped and superimposed on
the skyline of Manhattan. When I asked the printer in Speedy Printing Press
in Hackensack, New Jersey, to give me an enlarged clean reproduction of the
photograph, my idea was to dramatize the fact that San Lorenzo Ruiz has come
to New York blessing the city and its people. But in my subconscious, I was
dreaming of the day when a church or a shrine for San Lorenzo would someday
stand in Manhattan as the ‘spiritual home’ to the Filipino immigrants in the same
way that St. Patrick’s Cathedral was ‘home’ to the Irish Catholic immigrants two
centuries ago. Incidentally, there is a second copy of the aforementioned image of
San Lorenzo that adorned the wall of the Philippine Pastoral Center on East 62nd
Street in Manhattan. Even though the pastoral center, a building surrounded by
Eastside’s tall buildings, is somewhat suggested by the framed image, and I’m sure
that this must be what many people think of when they look closely at the picture,
in my mind, however, the pastoral center is not exactly the mental blueprint that
I had back in 1987. The building that is to carry the name of San Lorenzo Ruiz in
New York shall be a church or perhaps a religious structure, I told myself then.
This shall be the ultimate goal of the San Lorenzo (then Blessed Lorenzo) Ruiz
Movement in America that I founded in 1981.
The Petition
Back in 2001, I mentioned to the trustees of the pastoral center my plan to write
to Cardinal Egan indicating the desire for
a church for San Lorenzo in New York.
Obviously, the continuing success of the
Philippine Pastoral Center had encouraged me to go one more step farther – to
explore the idea of a Filipino church. I
was pleased to receive an enthusiastic
ear from my trustees. I read to them the
letter that I had drafted and the project
Fr. Erno Diaz
proposal that I had written.
Going over that first project proposal I
could tell that some of my data were not as solid as they should. It seemed to me
now more of a vision statement than a project proposal. Nevertheless I like what
I put down if only to give a point of reference, or better still a jumping board for
future action. For instance, I included some churches on the Westside as possible
venues for a Filipino church although at the back of my head I knew that Westside
churches are not convenient for Filipino worshippers. Still, considering them and
mentioning them in a formal proposal to the archdiocese would somehow make
things easier for the decision makers in the 1011 headquarters of the Cardinal,
especially if options are smaller.
Eventually, when I submitted the proposal personally to Monsignor Thomas
Gilleece, the chancellor of the archdiocese, I was pleased that he was sympathetic
to the idea. I remember his asking me few questions. I remember better his telling me about a recent trip he had made to the Philippines and his raving about
the 400 Filipino children in an orphanage outside Manila who sang at his Mass.
Monsignor Gilleece had served as pastor in Congers in Rockland where he had
an active Filipino community in his former parish of St. Paul’s. I took the kind
sympathetic remarks of Monsignor Gilleece as a good sign for my project. Here is
another high-ranking archdiocesan official who could be on our side, I told myself.
In fact, that was going to be my observation when I told the staff at the pastoral
center. It is a good sign, I told them. For me, it was something to make us feel good
about the prospect and about the future of our San Lorenzo church project.
Cardinal Egan’s Visit to the Pastoral Center
In June 17, 2002 Cardinal Egan came to the Pastoral Center for a visit. I had
previously sent him a couple of letters containing my proposal for a church for
Filipinos in New York. One letter included my invitation to him to visit the
pastoral center. I heard that he had walked by the pastoral center apparently
taking a look at the center but he did not enter the building. He must have been
curious to see what the center must look inside. My invitation must have been
a good opportunity for him to see the center. His visit somewhat excited me. I
did not know what to expect from him apart from meeting him up-close which
is exciting in itself.
The day of visit was uneventful. I did not ask many people to come to the
center, although I urged the members of the FAYA (Filipino Apostolate Young
Adults) and the SFC (Singles for Christ) to attend inasmuch as the Cardinal had
shown some interest in our youth choir who sang at his Mass in the cathedral the
previous year. Some fifty people were present when the Cardinal came at around
five thirty in the afternoon. He was quite casual when he arrived accompanied by
his secretary Monsignor Greg and a security guard. Flashes from cameras exploded
from all sides, as one would expect from Filipinos. Everybody wanted to have a
picture taken with the Cardinal. I approached him just as casually and then asked
him if he would like to go around the place, to which he said ‘absolutely.’ But I
was quick to advise him that our youth choir would serenade him with a couple
of songs after his brief tour of the center.
After the photo sessions were finished I led the Cardinal to the garden where
he gushed with excitement at what he saw. I overheard him remark, “This is more
beautiful than I expected!” I then took him to the second floor to show the front
office, the dining room, and the chapel where he sat down on a chair and asked
me to tell him something about San Lorenzo Ruiz and Blessed Pedro Calungsod.
It was surely his first time to see the statue of San Lorenzo up-close! I thought I
felt awkward talking one-on-one to the Cardinal of New York. He was intently
listening to me telling him about this poor Filipino sacristan who, by the mysterious
grace of the Almighty God, is now honored on the altars of the world including
New York! After my five-minute presentation, the Cardinal and I walked down to
the ground floor meeting hall where everybody had already seated themselves in
anticipation of the dialogue with the Cardinal. I formally welcomed the Cardinal
thanking him for the visit. My few words done, the Cardinal began his speech
by saying right away that he is thinking of giving the Filipinos a church. Those
words were greeted by those present with a very loud applause. Then the excited
(turn to page 24)
FROM THE PULPIT
Desserts and Deserts
by Fr. Peter James R. Alindogan
There was once a woman who was given three
months to live. As she began getting her things in
order, she called up her pastor to discuss her funeral
arrangements: what Scripture readings and songs she
wanted. She also requested to be buried with her favorite Bible in her left hand. Everything was in order and
as Father was preparing to leave, the woman suddenly
remembered one final request that was important to
her, “Just one more thing, Father. I want to be buried
holding a fork in my right hand.” The priest asked,
“Why do you want to be buried with a fork in your
right hand?”
The woman replied, “In all my years of attending
church functions, I remember that when the dishes
are being cleared, someone would lean over to me
and say, “Keep your fork!” “It was my favorite part of the meal,” she added, “because I
know something better was coming, like velvety chocolate cake or a deep dish apple pie.
Something wonderful to end the meal.”
Like this lady, most of us probably like desserts. In fact, I would think that for some of
us, you like desserts a lot that you have given them up for Lent. Before desserts are given,
however, we all have to undergo our own deserts.
Jesus was in the desert in today’s Gospel. As He began his public ministry, he needed
to confront his own desert. In a place where he found himself all alone, with no family to
support him and with no friends to advise him, he faced his loneliness and humanity.
He knew what could turn up in the desert. The desert could be a place of silence and
solitude where trial and testing may happen. The desert could be a place of abandonment
and surrender where perseverance and hope are the only answers. The desert could be a
place of hardship and emptiness where fullness and comfort are the only solutions.
Jesus also knew that the desert could be a place of purification and blessing to know
God better. It was in the desert that God called Moses, purified his desires and gave him
the Ten Commandments. It was in the desert that God promised to Jacob that he would be
the father of many nations. And, it was in the desert that the prophet Elijah found God in
the whispering silence of a gentle breeze.
All of us have our own desert experiences at one point in our lives. All of us have hit
that dry patch in life. Those among us who wake up each day and see nothing to expect
would know what I am talking about. Those among us who feel alone and lonely though
we have our friends and our loved ones to rely on know this kind of pain. Those among
us who find boredom in life that sees no bright promise in tomorrow know this kind of
anguish.
With mounting debts and foreclosures, with layoff news and budgetary constraints,
with bleak and dark predictions of our economic situation, for some of us this may be our
desert experience. And we are longing and yearning, praying and wanting, waiting and
believing that we will get out of this desert experience.
What was your desert experience? What is your desert experience right now? I have had
my own share of those experiences and they were not happy ones. In this desert, I have to
learn the spirit of abandonment, surrender and forgiveness. In this desert, decisions have
to be made on what is important, accountability has to be established, and responsibility
has to be considered.
They say it could be lonely when you are on top, but I believe it is lonelier down at
the desert where we have to discover an invisible God who loves us and challenges us to
have faith in Him and in the truth. We have to remember the example of Jesus. Never did
he falter in doing God’s will. Never did he fail in being God’s Son. And never did he fall
into temptation, though he was led to it.
Thomas Merton said, “One of the first essentials of the desert is faith. It is the kind of
faith in which you take full responsibility for your life. You take upon yourself the lonely,
barely comprehensible task of working your way through the darkness of your own mystery
until you discover that your mystery and the mystery of God merge into one reality: that
God lives in you and you live in God.”
Jesus discovered this mystery. And He also wants us to discover it. God has promised
us something better: love over hatred, a risen Christ over a crucified Christ, a glorious
Easter Sunday over a mournful Good Friday. We only need to believe and hope in Him.
The essential reason for our deserts is for us to have our just desserts.
At the funeral of the lady I mentioned earlier, those who walked by the casket saw her
wearing a beautiful dress with her favorite Bible in her left hand and a fork in her right
hand. Over and over they heard people ask the question, “Why is she holding a fork?”
And we all know the reason. Keep your fork because the best is yet to come.
Homily delivered by Rev. PJ Alindogan on March 1, 2009 at St. Charles Borromeo Church
in Cinnaminson, NJ.
REFLECTIONS
How I Pray
by Rev.
Basil C. Colasito
First, I create an environment for prayer. Relaxing
on an easy chair, playing soft music, and lighting
a candle will usually quiet me down, and remind
me that I am walking out and
closing the door of my routine
activities behind me, and that I
am opening a door to a special
room where Jesus is waiting for
me. His irresistible smile and
firm hug assure me that He is
very happy to see me. He waves
me to a comfortable seat in front
of Him, and smiles a greeting
which I take as a real question.
“How are you doing?” He says,
as He relaxes on the easy chair
in front of me.
“Fine,” I respond quickly and automatically, without really meaning
what I say.
“Oh?” The word pierces my heart. I feel transparent. Somehow I know
that He could see what was in my mind; and was eagerly waiting for
me to tell Him.
pains not only answers my question (Did this ever happen to You?) but it also teaches
me what attitudes to assume when confronted with these similar situations. They answer
my WWJD question, “What Would Jesus Do?
Fourth, I experience a change of heart. The thought that Jesus is with me as I go through
painful situations gives me strength to carry my cross. I am transformed by my encounter
with Jesus. I am able to say with the Disciples who had met Jesus on the road to Emmaus: “Were not our heart burning within
us as He explained the Scriptures to us?”
They recognized Jesus in the breaking of the
bread. In Latin “cum” means “with” and
“panis” means “bread.” I experience Jesus
as a “Com-pan-ion,” not only as One Who
walks with me, but also as One Who breaks
bread with me on my life journey.
The Transfiguration describes Jesus praying.
First, Jesus stops the routine of activities in
His ministry, and He goes away to a secluded
place, to a mountain where His
Father is eagerly waiting for Him. There, He
is totally engrossed in conversation with the
Father. He is oblivious of
Peter, James and John whom He had taken
with Him to the mountaintop.
“Son, how are you?”
Second, I complain. I open my heart and pour out before Him all the events, peoples, and
situations that are irritating and annoying me, generally ending my complaints by asking,
“Did these things ever happen to You?”
Jesus bears open His heart
before His Father. The cross looms ominous before Him and He is terrified. “Father, if
it is possible, let this chalice pass me by.”
Third, I listen. Listening takes the form of remembering events in His own life similar
to what I am going through. In this particular prayer, I remember His many agonies: the
physical pains of being spat upon, slapped, insulted, and crowned with thorns, flogged,
weighed down by (and nailed to) the cross, pierced on the rib side, forced to swallow
vinegar; the spiritual pains at the prospect of undergoing the torments, at the sight of
close friends denying and abandoning Him, the loneliness at the garden of Gethsemani,
thoughts of torture so revolting that made Him sweat blood. The recollection of Jesus’
Third, Jesus listens to His Father. The listening takes the form of remembering the Prophet,
Elijah, and a Law-giver, Moses. Jesus remembers how these two had gone through pains
and sufferings, and how the Father had assured them, “Fear not, I will be with you.”
Jesus experiences a change. Not only a change of heart, but a change in appearance. He
is transfigured by the Father’s affirmation: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.”
Energized by these words, Jesus walks with confidence to accept the cross and death.
“Father, Thy Will be done,” He says.
Happenings
by AA Medrano
Lenten Services at Our Lady of Pompei
First Friday Holy Hour
Filipino/ English 6:30 – 8:00 P.M.
Brazilian
8:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Way of the Cross - Every Friday 7:00 P.M.
Palm Sunday - April 5, 2009 Filipino Mass
3:00 P.M.
Holy Thursday - Washing of the Feet at April 9,
2009 7:00 PM.
Good Friday - Veneration of the Cross April 10,
2009 7:00 P.M.
Easter Vigil Mass – April 11,2009 8:00 P.M. –
10:00 P.M.
Easter Sunday – April 12, 2009 Filipino Mass
3:00 P.M.
Choir from Ohio will sing in the Mass for the
Feast of Annunciation
On Wednesday, March 25, a group of 50 students from Ohio will sing at the 6:30 P.M.
Novena Mass for Our Lady of Perpetual Help at Our Lady of Pompei Church. The Mass
is being offered also for the Feast of the Annunciation. Please come and hear them sing
during the Mass. For more info, please the Rectory 212 989 6806 or 212 727 0214
Pabasa ng Pasyon
The devotees of the Poon Hesus Nazareno will hold the Pabasa ng Pasyon on April
3 and 4 - sponsored by the FPM Pompei Poon Hesus Nazareno sa Village Hermano/
Hermana Mayores. Non-stop from Friday 8:00 P.M. to Saturday 2:00 P.M. There will be
a concelebrated Mass and the Blessing of the Palms at the end of the Pabasa. On April 6
to 10 the daily Pabasa ng Pasyon is sponsored by the San Lorenzo Devotional Group –
Jamaica Estate. Daily 7:30 P.M. to Midnight on Holy Monday to Good Friday
Bishop of Sorsogon celebrated the Mass
The Most Reverend Arturo M. Bastes, SVD,D.D. Bishop of Sorsogon celebrated the
3:00 P.M. Tagalog Mass at Our Lady of Pompei on March 1. The members of the Team
Ministry of the Chapel of San Lorenzo – Fr. Nil Villavisa, Fr. Romy Hontiveros, Fr. Mike
Lagrimas and Msgr. Romy Montero were the concelebrants. He also celebrated the 12:30
Mass at the San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel.
Bishop Bastes is the chairman of the Episcopal Commission of Biblical Apostolate of
the Philippines and the president of the Philippine Bible Society. As chairman of the ECBA,
his mission is to educate the Filipino Catholics about Jesus by giving them the Holy Bible
to read. He appealed for help to be able to provide the Holy Bible to 5 million Catholics
in the Philippines. While in New York, he met with the Filipino clergy and the different
members of the American Bible Society. He was invited by the American Bible Society,
the counterpart of the Philippine Bible Society in the US.
Way of the Cross over the Brooklyn Bridge
The devotees of Poon Hesus Nazareno are invited to join the Way of the Cross over
the Brooklyn Bridge on Good Friday April 10, 2009. The procession will start from the
Cathedral of St. James in Brooklyn, cross the bridge stopping at City Hall Park, Ground
Zero. The Way of the Cross will end at St. Peter’s Church, 22 Barclay St. If you would like
to join the group from Pompei for the procession, the meeting time is at 9:00A.M. The
Pompei group will travel together by Subway to the assembly place at St. James Cathedral.
For more info, please call the FPM office c/o Fr. Romy Montero 212 727 0214.
Easter Sunday Celebration and the Children’s Easter Egg Hunting
In addition to the usual fellowship after the 3:00 P.M. Tagalog Mass, there will be an
Easter Sunday treat for the Kids. Children will enjoy the egg painting, egg hunting and
other fun games and surprises. Bring your kids and friends to enjoy the fun on April 12.
19th Sayawan sa Village – April 18
You are invited to the 19th Annual Sayawan sa Village sponsored by Filipino Pastoral
Ministry of Pompei and the Santo Nino Prayer Groups of New York on April 18. It will be
a 7:00 PM to midnight dancing. The donation is $20. Aside from dancing (disco, ballroom
and line dance) there will be raffle prizes and good food. Tell your friends and family to
come and enjoy the evening. Tickets will also be available at the entrance door. For more
information please call: FPM office c/o Fr. Romy 212 727 0214, Nancy – 917 294 4203,
Malou –917 515 4764, Nelia C. 718 844 2829, Maxie – 914 874 7762.
Santo Nino Novena Mass – April 19
Save the Date: April 19 and every Sunday thereafter, the Santo Nino Prayer Groups
of New York will start the Novena Mass in preparation for the Feast of Santo Nino on
June 21. Santo Nino devotees and member families are invited to join the weekly Novena
Mass at Pompei. (See the FPM Schedule of Activities)
SGSK Thanksgiving Party
On February 22, the Simbang Gabi Sa Katedral Steering Committee held the second
annual SGSK Thanksgiving party at Our Lady of Pompei Fr. Demo Hall. The party was
held to acknowledge all the precious sacrifices of the SGSK volunteers, members and
officers they offered for the successful December 6, 2008 Simbang Gabi sa Katedral
celebration. Many came to enjoy the music, dancing, singing and of course, the Filipino
food. Marami Pong Salamat.
FPM Planning Session
On February 15 and 16 the volunteers and members of the Filipino Pastoral Ministry
attended the meeting held in New Jersey. Fr. Mike Lagrimas was the moderator in the discussion of issues, views, interaction and suggestions to improve the program and activities
of the Filipino Pastoral Ministry and to better serve the community as a welcoming church
for the Filipinos in New York. There were thirty participants in the overnight brainstorming session. A second session was held on February 21 to formulate a new and improve
vision and mission of the Filipino Pastoral Ministry. We are grateful to all the volunteers
and members who participated in the FPM Planning especially Fr. Mike Lagrimas who
gave his time and expertise to make the planning happened.
SAN LORENZO RUIZ SCALABRINI CENTER
168-41 84th Avenue Jamaica Hills, NY 11432
Mass Schedule:
• First Tuesday and First Friday of the month
• Special Intention Masses by appointment
• Every 25th day of the month - Prayer Service and Mass in honor of Santo Nino,
Our Lady of Fatima and the Lord of Pardon.
Lenten Activities
• Stations of the Cross every Friday at 7:30 P.M.
• Poon Hesus Nazareno Friday Prayer Service
• PABASA NG PASYON
1. April 3 and 4 - sponsored by the FPM Pompei Poon Hesus Nazareno sa
Village Hermano/Hermana Mayores. Non-stop from Friday 8:00 P.M. to
Saturday 2:00 P.M. Blessing of the Palms for the Palm Sunday anticipated
Photos by Henry Medrano
The members Simbang Gabi sa Katedral Steering Committee during the SGsK Thanksgiving Party on February 22 held at Our Lady of Pompei.
ON SCHEDULE
Masses, novenas, fiestas and other
important religious celebrations.
“This is the day which the Lord hath
made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
-- Ps 118:24
Most Reverend Bishop Arturo M. Bastes, SVD, DD, Bishop of Sorsogon,
celebrated Mass on March 1 at Our Lady of Pompei. The Team Ministry
of San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel, Fr. Mike Lagrimas, Msgr. Romy Montero,
Fr.Honteveros, Fr. Nil Villavisa were the concelebrants.
Mass.
2. April 6 to 10 sponsored by the San Lorenzo Devotional Group – Jamaica
Estate. Daily 7:30 P.M. to Midnight on Holy Monday to Good Friday.
Prayer Service
• Tuesday - San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, Our Lady of Manaoag and Blessed
John B. Scalabrini.
• Friday – Poon Hesus Nazareno
• First Tuesday - Scalabrini Lay Movement (SLM) Formation Seminar conducted
by Fr. Walter Tonelotto, cs.
The Feast of Our Lady of Manaoag
• Save the Date: May 3, Sunday 3:00 P.M. SLRAA Devotional Group will
hold the annual feast day in honor of the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary – Our
Lady of Manaoag. This year’s Hermana mayores are Lita Solis and Celeste
Gomez. It will be held at the Immaculate Conception church in Jamaica,
Queens.
• April 24 to May 2 Novena Mass daily at the SLRAA Center at 7:30 P.M in
preparation for the May Feast day of Our Lady of Manaoag. Please send your
request for prayers and Mass Intention to be included in your preferred date.
SLRAA Project Thailand
• The mission of spreading the Word far and wide, as commanded by our Lord,
Jesus, through the help and intercession of San Lorenzo Ruiz and His Companion
Martyrs will now become a reality. Nick Libramonte, National Director of SLRAA
and Casto Changho, the Director of the SLRAA Foreign Mission will attend the
blessing of the Church of San Lorenzo Ruiz and Companion Martyrs in Muhaki,
Mae Hong Son Thailand. Bishop Joseph Sangval of Chiang Mai Diocese will
officiate the dedication of the church and the celebration of the First Mass.
SLRAA Parapol
• The incoming 2009 Hermano and Hermana Mayores, Mr. & Mrs. Raul and
Rose Calicdan initiated the SLRAA Fiesta Raffle to raise funds for the upkeep
of the San Lorenzo Ruiz Scalabrini Center and to support the programs and
activities of SLRAA.
$ 2 per ticket or $10 / per book of 6 tickets
Prizes - $1,000 1st prize; $500 2nd prize and $ 250 3rd prize.
The raffle drawing will be held during the 27th annual San Lorenzo Ruiz Ruiz
Fiesta on September 27
Scalabrini Lay Movement NY Assembly
• On March 6 – 8. the SLRAA will join the SLM Representatives from Canada
– Montreal & Toronto, Columbia, Venezuela, Haiti, Rhode Island, New York –
Brooklyn, Staten Island for a three days assembly at St. Charles Mission Center
in Staten Island. Nick, Ed, Cely and Eleonor will represent the SLRAA to the
assembly.
CHAPEL OF SAN LORENZO RUIZ
378 Broome Street New York, NY 10013
Schedule of Activities
MASS
Sunday :12:30 P.M.
Saturday : 6:30 P.M.
Wednesday: 6:30 P.M. Mother of Perpetual Help Novena Mass
•
Lenten Recollection
“Pagbabago at Paglilingkod: Tawag sa Bawat Pilipino”
March 7, 2009 Saturday 1:00 – 7:00 P.M. to be conducted by Fr. Mike Lagrimas
(turn to page 13)
MARCH 2009 EVENTS
March 15, 2009
1:30 PM - Filipino Mass
St. Joan of Arc Church
82-00 35th Ave. Jackson Heights, NY 11372
(Every 2nd Sunday of the Month)
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church,
101-41 91st Street, Ozone Park, NY 11416
(Every 3rd Sunday of the Month)
Guardian Angel Church
2978 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY, 11235
5:00 PM – Filipino Mass
St. Bartolomew Church
43-22 Ithaca Street, Elmshurst NY 11373
March 22, 2009
Corpus Christi Church
31-30 61st Street, Woodside, NY
(Every 4th Sunday of the Month)
Most PreciousBlood Church (Basement)
32-23 36st Street
Long Island City, NY 11006
APRIL 2009 EVENTS
April 3, 2009
7:30 PM - Filipino Mass – First Friday
Sponsored by FDA and
Apostleship of Prayer
St. Jude Church
1677 Canarsie Road, Brooklyn, NY 11236
(Every 1st Friday of the Month)
April 4, 2009
St. Brigid Church,
409 Linden Street, Brooklyn, NY 11227
(Every 1st Saturday of the Month)
Presentation Church,
88-19 Parsons Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11432
(Every 1st Saturday of the Month)
April 5, 2009 (Palm Sunday)
Feast of Sto. Nino
St. Patrick Church,
39-38 29th Street, LIC, NY 11101
(Every 1st Sunday of the Month)
Our Lady Help of Christians Church,
1315 E. 28th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11210
(Every 1st Sunday of the Month)
Our Lady of the Island
Eastport, Long Island
Long Island Expressway, Exit 70
(Every 1st Sunday of the month)
April 12, 2009 (Easter Sunday)
by Gene Salle
Incarnation Church,
89-43 Francis Lewis Blvd.
Queens Village, NY 11427.
St. Rose of Lima Church
269 Parkville Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11230.
Church of Holy Child Jesus
111-11 86th Avenue
Richmond Hill, NY 11418
Mary’s Nativity Church
4602 Parsons Blvd., Flushing, NY 11355.
April 19, 2009 (Divine Mercy Sunday)
St. Joan of Arc Church
82-00 35th Ave. Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church
101-41 91st Street, Ozone Park, NY 11416
Guardian Angel Church
2978 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY, 11235
St. Bartolomew Chapel
43-22 Ithaca Street, Elmshurst NY 11373
April 26, 2009
Corpus Christi Church
31-30 61st Street, Woodside, NY 11377
(Every 4th Sunday of the Month)
Most PreciousBlood Church (Basement)
32-23 36st Street
Filipino Mass every Sunday - 5:00 PM at the
Most Precious Blood Church (Basement),
32-23 36th Street, Long Island City, NY 11006.
Novena to Mother Perpetual Help at 7:00 PM
every Wednesday at St. Patrick Church,
39-38 29th Street, LIC, NY 11101.
Please show your support to our Filipino
Apostolate by participating and joining with us
in any of these events. The readings,
prayers, homily and songs are said in Tagalog.
Please consult Mapquest.com or Yahoo.com
or
Google for directions to these events.
TAGALOG
Syanga Naman!
Msgr. Ruben M. Dimaculangan
1. Napapag-usapan lang. Ano kaya at naaksidente kayo, pero hwag sanang mangyari. Bagay
lang at napapag-usapan. Tapos, sa aksidenteng
yaon, nagtamo kayo ng kaunting sugat. Tanong:
Ano kaya ang una ninyong gagawin? Alam nyo,
pwedeng mangyari na sa isa sa mga mambabasa
ng “Syanga Naman” na ang una niyang isi-secure
ay ang kanyang cell phone. Bakit? Kasi, kapag
nabasa ni Misis ang text messages nito, magiging
dahilan ito ng kamatayan ng puso nilang dalawa.
Ha ha ha ha ha. Syanga Naman.
2. Ang cell phone, salamin ng ating pagkatao. Totoong-totoo ito sa ating Bayan.
Ipinapakita ng text messages nito ang ating kabanalan o ang ating mga attachments
na magandang pagnilayan ngayong Kuwaresma para maituwid. Ipinapakita rin
nito ang ating mga priorities; kahit yaong tendency na maging maluwag sa paggastos sa mga texts, gaya ng “Mmmmwah!”, na hindi naman napaka-essential at
yaong tendency na maging maganit sa pagdukot ng pisu-piso sa mga proyektong
maka-bayan, gaya ng “Pondong Batangan” na ayon kay Fr. Manny Guazon ay
napakarami nang mag-aaral na mahihirap ang natutulungan.
Aanhin pa ang batas kung wala laging ebidensya? Sa cell phone ay pwede ring
masalamin hindi lang ang ating sarili kundi ang ating Bansa, lalo na ang sub-culture
na gumagapang sa katauhan ng mga nanunungkulan: ito ay ang sub-culture na
maging maganda ang imahen sa panlabas at mapagtakpan ang mga gawaing makakasira
ng panlabas na imahen. Kahit maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw ang nakita ng mga
saksi, sila pang mga saksi, kasama ng mga biktima at taong-bayan, ang laging talo
sa hukuman dahil wala silang ebidensya. Panay na lamang ang imbestigasyon sa
Kongreso at Senado para daw ma-improve ang batas. Pero aanhin pa ang magandang batas kung walang ebidensya? Dahil dito, kahit si Haring Solomon na sikat sa
kanyang wisdom, intuition at higit sa lahat, sa common sense, ay maluluma ngayon
… dahil walang ebidensya. Ha ha ha ha ha. Syanga Naman.
3. Transfiguration resolution. Nang ikalawang Linggo ng Kwaresma, nang
ang ebanghelyo ay tungkol sa Transfiguration, nasabi ni Fr. Orbos sa TV Mass na
kailangan ng ating Bansa ang “Transfor-Nation” at “Transfigu-Nation”. Oo nga
naman. Syanga Naman.
4. Paala-ala ni Santo Tomas de Aquino. Napakarami sa atin ngayon ang sugatan
financially, morally at spiritually. At kahit alam nating “ang tunay na nagmamahal
ay nag-aalay” nahihirapan tayong maka-move on. Nalalanta tayo. Maganda, at
this point, na mapaalalahanan tayo ni Sto. Tomas de Aquino tungkol sa “tatlong
bagay ng kinakailangan nating malaman para maligtas o kaya para maramdaman ang
langit dito pa man sa lupa”.
Una, “know what we ought to believe”. Sapagkat kung malinaw sa atin kung ano
at Sino ang dapat nating sampalatayanan hindi tayo mapipigilang mangarap.
Malakas ang ating pag-asa. Kagaya ni Amang Abraham, magagawa nating tupdin
ang utos ng Diyos kahit masakit itong isagawa sapagkat malinaw sa ating di Siya
lumilimot sa Kanyang mga pangako. Syanga naman.
Pangalawa, “know what we ought to desire”. Sapagkat kung malinaw sa atin kung
ano ang dapat nating gustuhin kaya nating kitlin mula sa ugat ang dahilan ng
ating kasakiman, hindi lang sa “moderation ng ating greed”. Kaya nating magalay dahil tayo’y nagmamahal. Hindi natin pagbibintangan ang pera bilang ugat
Virgin of the
Barangay
If you wish to sponsor a novena to
Our Lady in your home, please call:
Bayani Villaver (201) 451-1669
Aida Manlangit (973) 335-4435
Josette Camino (347) 879-3674
Cora Mendoza (973) 364-5241
Maria Sulat (201) 386-1132
Myrna Agustin (201) 222-6365
Fred Soliva (718) 365-9253
Norrie Cornelio (212) 777-2662
ng kasamaan dahil batid nating ang pusong sakim ang ugat ng kasalanan. Kapag
malinaw sa atin kung ano ang dapat nating gustuhin, malinaw din sa atin na “ang
kabanalan ay hindi necessarily ang maging mahirap financially”. Malinaw din sa
atin na kaya tayo nabubuhay ay hindi upang magdusa kundi upang magmahal.
At bahagi ng pagmamahal na ito ang pag-aalay. Sinabi nga ng Panginoon na
“Sinuman ang gustong maging aking alagad, buhatin niya ang aking krus at sumunod
sa akin.” Syanga Naman.
At pangatlo, “know what we ought to do”. Kapag malinaw sa ating puso at isipan
kung ano ang dapat nating gawin, kaya nating maging magiting. Nakakatayo
tayo kahat ilang beses tayong madapa. Alam nating isang chapter lamang ito sa
ating buhay, isang tuldok sa kasaysayan ng kaligtasan. Alam nating instrumento
lang tayo. Di hinihingi ng Diyos na maging tagumpay sa ating misyon. Malinaw
sa ating misyon na ang Diyos ang Panginoon ng Kasaysayan ng Kaligtasan. Hindi
tayo! Ang hinahanap Niya ay maialay natin ang “the best” ng ating makakaya.
Nakakaya nating maging kakaiba dahil “To be a Christian is to be different”. Kaya
nating makagawa ng mabuti na di na naghahangad pang ipaskel ang pangalan
sa mga gusali, lathalain at sa mga sasakyan. Ang paglilingkod ay bunga ng pagmamalasakit at naglalayong maipastol ang mga sugatang tupa upang pagalingin
ng Dakilang Pastol. Hindi mo nilalayon na matulungan ang kapatid upang sa
gitna ng kanyang kahinaan (vulnerability) ay sagpangin upang pakinabangan at
angkinin para sa sariling kapakanan. Syanga Naman.
Kapag malinaw sa atin ang tatlong paala-alang ito ni Santo Tomas de Aquino,
makakaya nating sundin ang halimbawa ni Abraham. At tuwinang merong magiging “kakaiba” bilang Kristyano dahil hindi siya sumusukong “mangarap”, tuwing
may magtiwala sa Diyos at “mag-aalay” ng buhay, maraming mga nawawalan na
ng pag-asa ang mabubuhayan ng loob. Bakit? Sapagkat sa tagpong ito maririnig
mula sa langit ang sinabi ng Diyos Ama sa unang Transfiguration: “Narito ang
aking anak na lubos kong kinalulugdan. Sundin ninyo siya …”
5. Si Kristo, tunay na Alay-Kapwa. Kinahabagan Niya tayo hindi lang kahit (in
spite of) tayo makasalanan kundi sapagkat tayo ay makasalanan. Hindi lang
kamay ang kanyang iniabot. Siya mismo ang dumating upang tayo ay tubusin.
Dahil dito, sa pagnanais na matularan Siya, napakagandang pagnilayan ang awitin
ng Alay- Kapwa na nagsasabing: “Mag-utos ka, Panginoon ko. Dagling tatalima ako
…” Syanga Naman.
6. Yeheeey, bakasyon na naman! Dahil malapit na naman ang bakasyon, magandang mabanggit yaong “question and answer session” ng mga pari ng Diyosesis ng
Roma kay Pope Benedict XVI nitong nakaraang Marso 2009. Tungkol ito sa pastoral care ng mga kabataan. Nasabi doon na hindi sapat na basta na lang mapuno
ang kumbento o ang parokya ng mga grupo ng kabataan na nagpapalipas ng
panahon na hindi nag-aaral o hindi nagtatanong ng mga tamang katanungan na
makakapagbukas sa kanila ng religious meaning, laan upang maging gabay nila sa
paglilingkod sa kapwa. Ang kumbento ay hindi dapat magsilbing refuge lamang
ng mga batang tumatakas sa bahay. Ngayong bakasyon, maganda na matuto silang
makisama, maging lider at maging mga taga-sunod at lalo’t higit, ang magkaroon
sila ng kultura ng tunay na mananampalataya.
Kaalinsabay nito, inirekomenda ni Pope Benedict para naman sa mga kabataangpari, bilang pastol na rin ng mga kabataan, maganda na silang junior clergy ay
bigyan ng three-year term bilang assistant pastor para magkaroon sila ng sapat na
exposure sa iba’t-ibang kultura at sitwasyon ng bawat parokya. Syanga Naman.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit, thou make me see everything and show me
the way to reach my ideal … you who give me the divine
gift to forget and forgive the wrong that is done to me, and
who are in all instances of my life with me … I, in this short
dialogue want to thank you for everything and confirm
once more that I never want to be separated from you no
matter how great the material desires may be. I want to
be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory.
Amen. (A person must pray this for 3 consecutive days without
stating her/his wish. After the third day, the wish will be granted
no matter how difficult it may be. Promise to publish this as soon
as your favor has been granted.) – offered by F. Colonna
TAGALOG
Rey Lauron
Tabo
Awit ni Ka Naldo
Ave Maria - O Ina
Sa lipunan ng mag-anak ni Charles Gounod yaong
angkan
Sa may bayan nuong Saint Cloud duon sa banda ng
silangan
Duon sa gilid ng Paris ni Santa Juana Frances
Chantal
Yaong buong maganakan walang patid ang awitan.
Yaon manding manga awit ang amain ang may katha
Nang panahong una-una ay tampulan ng paghanga
Subalit ang siyang sikat na alay ng manga bata
Ay ang “Ave Maria” bawat isa ay naghanda.
Ito manding abang lingkod na sa punsyon napaloob
Bandang huli’y naatasang mag-alay din niyong
tunog
Sa kanilang maganakan tunay manding naa-angkop
Bilang alay sa dakilang si Charles Gounod,
kompositor.
Yaong wikang ibinunyag nitong inyong abang
lingkod
“Larangan po ng dakila hindi ko po maa-abot;
Kung kaya nga nais ko po na sa inyo ay idulot
Saling Frances ng “Bayan Ko” ayon sa pagkakasunod.”
“Mon Pays, les Iles Philippines;
C’est une terre pleine d’or et de fleurs;
Quand on aime c’est pour la patrie
Pour qu’elle rougisse dans sa beaute.
A sa grace et a sa beaute
Tomberent amoureux les etrangers
Mon Pays, tu es vaincu
Dans le chagrin tu es plonge.
Les oiseaux meme quand emprissoniers
Pleurent trop prives de liberte
A combien fort raison a la terre
Tres heureuse quand elle a la paix.
Philippines, ma terre adoree,
Cage de ma douleur et pauvrete;
C’est ma seule espoir:
Que tu sois libre; tu aies la paix.”
Masigabong palakpakan ng sa Gounod manga
angkan
Sigaw ay isa pang muli isang awit niyong bayan.
Heto namang abang lingkod manga bata’y
ginayahan
Ng pag-awit ng sa Lolo, “Ave Maria” ang ngalan.
Anupanga’t siyang isip haba manding inaa-awit
Ay ang Ina ng Notre Dame, dulog ni Santo Dominic
Bago pa mag-talumpati sa pamantasang kay tarik
Sa may gulod niyong Pantheon sa Sorbonne ng pagsaliksik.
Ating Ina ay nagwika ng gayari kay Dominic:
“Yaon manding inihanda, talumpating sinaliksik
Bagama’t may kagandahan yaring alay ay mahigit”
Ang Santo’y nagpasalamat sa Ginang ng
“Psalteriis”.
Yaon manding pagka-hawig ng pangyayari sa Paris,
Sa Pamantasan ng Sorbonne, palatuntunan ng awit;
Kung saan ang abang lingkod ay hiningan din ng
dalit
Na mula sa Pilipinas, isinali’t ini-himig..
Bagama’t ang kapistahan, kay San Huang Mangguguhit
Peter James R. Alindogan
Ayon kay Alan de la Roche sa “Dignitate
Psalteriis”
Yaong bilin niyong Ina sa anak na si Dominic,
“Manong papuri ay iwasan, kaligtasan ang idalit.”
Ito namang abang lingkod sa gayunding
pananangis
Sa harap ng Ating Ginang sa altar ng Pitong Sakit
Sa likuran ng Notre Dame ng rosaryong
sinasambit
Sa sandaling nagha-handa sa manga Gounod ay
pag-awit.
“Ito manding aking alay sa inyo po ay kabagay
Nilikha ko nang bata pa kahit na po walang malay
Kungdi nang bandang huli na sa pamantasan ay
alay
Awit ko sa ating Ina “Ave Maria” ay karamay.
“O Ina namin na mahabagin,
Tanglawan ang anak mo sa dilim;
Laging lipos niyong kalungkutan
Buhat pa ng sa mundo ay isilang.
Sana’y ibisan bigat niring pinapasan;
Tila hindi na mababatang tuluyan
Ang buhay kong salat sa ganoong kandungan
Ng sinta at magulang.
May tinig pa kaya na malumanay na maghahayag
Ng tamang landas sa akin ay karapat-dapat;
Sa tulong ng langit, tahakin man ay maluwag
Ng buhay ko hanggang sa mag-wakas.”
Sa sandali ng pagliwas dito sa Estados Unidos
Labing siyam na daan po siyamnapong araw
lubos
Yaon manding pasalubong dito po sa abang
lingkod
Yaong manga balasubas, magnanakaw,
mandurukot.
Sa hospital niyong Saint John (sumalangit na rin
po)
Ay nalugmok at binuhay niyong muli sa ICU
Mandi’y aklat ng Cardinal Suenen, Carismatico,
Ay ang “Sonnet to the Virgin” na ugat ng “O Ina
Ko”.
Matapos ang sampong taon duon pa rin po sa
Saint John,
Kagaya ni Julio Cesar nakadalwang operasyon,
Kaya yaong neuro-surgeon ang sa akin po’y
siyang tanong
Yaong unang araw namin ay “Ides of March”
aking tugon.
Yaong araw na ang wika talumpati ni Marc
Antonio,
“Dumanak po yaong dugo duon sa Pompeii, sa
templo;
Dakila po na si Cesar nalugmok na at yumao.”
Tila baga abang lingkod ang kaparis ay ganito.
Yaong manga pagtaliwas sa awit na binibigkas
Upang awitin ng lubos sa DC po ay pagbagtas;
Inawit ko na po lamang sa simbahan niyong
Elmhurst;
Subali at ano baga’y naglaho bago magwakas.
Yaong tanong niyong Pari nang matapos yaong
misa
Gayundin ng manga tao na lahat ay nagtataka
Bakit wika yaong “Koro” sa ibaba’y ‘di isama?
Ito manding abang lingkod lumabas at lumuha
na.
Naikwento ko na si Tabo sainyo. Gustavo del Cielo ang kanyang
tunay na pangalan. Kasakasama ko siya noon sa Hospicio de San
Jose. May katandaan sa akin ng konti at noong kapanahunan
niya siguro, medyo may lamang rin sa karaniwan kung hitsura
ang pag-uusapan. Nakapag-artista sana siya kaya lang naunahan
siya ni Aga Muhlach ng isang libong paligo. Parang bodyguard
ko si Tabo na hindi naman. Gayak na gayak siya lalo na kung
Linggo, araw ng Panginoon. Kung minsan nga, ako pa ang napapagkamalang bantay niya.
Minsan kaming kumain sa Kenny Rogers, paborito niyang kainan,
may waitress na naglakip ng survey sa hapag namin. At dahil
Ingles ang saad, kinakailangan kong isalin sa wikang Tagalog
para maintindihan ni Tabo. “Masarap ba ang pagkain?” tanong
ko. “Oo naman,” sabi niya. “Masarap ba ang manok?” “Oo
naman,” sabi pa niya. “Malinamnam ba ang pagkain?” tanong
ko pa. “Oo naman,” dagdag pa niya. Pagdating sa tanong
tungkol sa friendliness ng crew, salin ko sa kanya, “Mabait ba
sila sa iyo?” “Sino, ang mga manok?” biglang sagot ni Tabo sa
akin, “Hindi, ah!”
Kilala man natin sila o hindi, maraming tulad ni Tabo. Matanda
kung tingnan, ngunit damdamin ay bata. May bigote’t parang
may kalaliman, ngunit loob ay murang kaisipan. Malawak ang
kaalaman kung tutuusin, ngunit kulang sa katotohanan.
Tao si Tabo. At dahil siya ay taong tulad natin, karapatdapat
siyang tanggapin at galangan. Nasa kanya at sa mga taong tulad
natin ang kaluluwang nagsisilbing haligi ng ating pagkatao. Dahil sa kaluluwang angkin nating lahat, walang sinuman sa taong
likha ng Diyos ang hindi banal. Dahil sa kaluluwang gawa ng
Diyos, walang sinuman sa taong nilikha ang hindi naaayon sa
iginuhit ng tadhana.
May kamalian ang mga turo ni Darwin. Kamukha man nati’y
unggoy at kapangitan na di kayang pandayin, pagbutihin at pagandahin ng sinumang Belo at Calayan, unggoy na tao pa rin na
balot ng kaluluwang kabutihan ang patutunguhan.
Mali rin si Marx. Wala sa pera, trabaho, ekonomiya at industriya ang kahulugan ng tao. Ang tao ay hindi isang makina na
ginagamit at pinapakinabangan. Dahil kung gamitan lamang ang
mundo, sayang ng ating pagiging tao.
At lalong mali si Freud. Wala sa pagtatago at pagpapalaganap
ng kasarian ang kahulugan ng tao. Ang ari ng tao ay hindi pagaari ng tao. Gawa ng Diyos ang ari ng lalaki at babae. Gawa ng
Diyos ang ari ng lahat upang pagyamanin ito sa pag-usbong ng
panibagong katauhan.
Ang tao ay hindi isang unggoy na lamang. Ang tao ay hindi
isang makinang ginagamit lamang. Ang tao ay hindi isang ari
na lumalamang.
Dahil sa tatlong kaisipang gawa nila Darwin, Marx at Freud,
natutuhang puksain ng tatlo ring mamamatay ang mga taong
katulong ng Diyos sa paglikha. Ang kamatayang inihain nila
Hitler, Stalin at Mao na tumupok ng karamihan ay nakaukit pa
rin sa ating isipan.
Dahil sa tatlong kaisipang gawa nila Darwin, Marx at Freud,
nakakakilabot isipin ang milyon milyong batang pinatay ng mga
doktor na sumantala at sumalanta sa mga nanay na tumalikod at
tumakwil ng mga supling nila. Daan daang aborsyon ang nagaganap habang binabasa ninyo ito. Sayang at nakakahinayang.
Nabigyan sana ng buhay, ngunit wala.
Hindi tulad ni Tabo. Buhay, kahit hindi niya kilala ang kanyang
mga magulang. Buhay, kahit na siya’y lumaki sa ampunan.
Buhay, dahil binigyan siya ng buhay. Ng Diyos na dahilan ng
buhay. Ng Diyos na simulain at wakas ng ating buhay.
Ng Diyos, ang Buhay.
The Filipino - American Community
Our Lady of the Snows Church
258-17 80th Avenue, Floral Park, NY 11004
Invites you to join in the celebration of
Flores de Mayo 2009
In Honor of
Philippine Virgin of Antipolo
Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage
Coping with the Crisis
by Rev. Eutiquio ‘Euly’ B. Belizar, Jr., SThD
Lately the headlines are as much telling as they are alarming. Otherwise reliable companies report huge losses. Or that they are closing. Millions are losing jobs worldwide.
Locally the country’s supposed economic resiliency, often touted by the government as
something we can count on, are getting painful reality checks. OFWs are losing their jobs
by the thousands; so are local workers in affected companies, for now foreign-owned ones.
Hunger and criminality are on the rise. Fuel, food and fare rates continually do a see-saw.
Hence, the pervading sense of gloom.
The twin products of the global economic crunch, very palpable even where we stand,
are fear and a certain desperation. It’s not too hard to sense that the degree of their seriousness could be greater in families, cultures and societies habituated to more materially
prosperous conditions. I find it instructive to go back to 1929 America through the eyes
of the movie The Day the Bubble Burst which zeroes in on the stock market crash that led
to the era of economic depression in the U.S. Then, as now, fortunes and jobs were lost,
and with them, hope. Recently the tragedy of a California family, flashed globally in the
headlines and promptly forgotten by the public in the cacophony of other competing news
items, continue to haunt me to this day. A father who lost his job, savings and financial
resources due to the economic crisis caused the deaths of all his family members and his
own (he shot himself). It appears that when all hope is gone, so is sanity.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Novena at 3:30 pm followed by procession.
Eucharistic celebration starts at 5:00 pm
For further information,call
Liz M. Yao (718) 347-1013 • Rosebelle Cadelina (347) 548-4673
Al Tan (718) 347-4596 • Ely Noblesala (718) 347-6338
NOVENA DAYS AT 2:30 pm
Sunday, March 22 in the Green Room
Sunday March 29 in the Green Room
Sunday, April 5 in the Church • Sunday, April 12 in the Church
Sunday April 19 in the Green Room
Sunday, April 26 in the Green Room
Sunday, May 3 in the Church • Sunday May 10 in the Church
Sunday, May 17 9th and last day in the Chuch
*** FLORES DE MAYO ***
Directions:
By car: From Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island—Take any roadway
to the Grand Central Pkwy. East. Get off at Exit 22 Union Tpke. Make a
right at Union Tpke up to 258 St. Parking lot is at the corner.
From Bronx: Take Throgs Neck Bridge to Clearview Expwy. to Hillside
Ave., take Grand Central Pkwy. East exit, stay on right lane. Next exit is
Union Tpke. Follow above directions to church.
By bus/train: Take F train to 179 St. Jamaica. Get off at Union Tpke.
station. Take Q46 bus to Glen Oaks or LIJ Hospital. Get off on 258 St.
Sixth annual Flores de Mayo at
Our Lady of Snows Parish
by Lily Ulep
Preparations are now underway for the sixth annual Flores de Mayo at Our Lady of the
Snows parish on North Floral Park, Queens, New York. Flores de Mayo 2009 is set for
Sunday, May 17 at 3:30 in the afternoon.
This time honored Philippine tradition in May honors Mary as Queen of Flowers.
Here at Our Lady of the Snows she is invoked under her title of Nuestra Senora de la
Paz y Buen Viaje or Virgin of Antipolo. The feast, sponsored by Our Lady of the Snows
Filipino-American Community includes community rosary and last day of the novena
to Our Lady of Antipolo, street procession, Holy Mass, followed by fellowship and
entertainment. Ave Maria girls and sagalas will walk in procession with the Reina de las
Flores.
The concelebrated Mass will start at 5:00 O’clock. This is the first Flores de Mayo
Mass to be held in the new church inaugurated in August 2008. Pastor of Our Lady of the
Snows Parish is the Rev. Msgr. Raymond F. Chappetto. Rev. Patrick Longalong , is the
parochial vicar.
Like in previous years, proceeds from the Flores de Mayo will benefit the new church.
Come join us in the celebration including the 9 days of novena to Our Lady of Antipolo.
For further details including novena days schedule, please refer to the ad in this issue
of The Filipino Catholic newspaper.
On the other hand, although we encounter cases of this sort in the Philippines, in the
average Filipino psyche the father’s deed, with or without the wife’s and his children’s
consent, is almost unthinkable.
I remember talking last Sunday to a group of churchgoers during my homily in a poor
barangay chapel of our parish. “Naabat ba kamo hit’ krisis? (Do you feel the economic
crisis?)” I asked them. They smiled and said, “(Siempre, Padre) Of course, Father.” It struck
me that they could just smile at the mere mention of the crisis. Then it hit me: They have
been going through economic crisis all their lives (it’s also called ‘rural poverty’). “When
have we been out of a crisis, anyway?” someone asked me facetiously. “The only difference
these days is that it’s now being shared by more and more people in the world.”
I say the attitude of our rural poor in that chapel has educated me on what living faith
does. Material deprivation (as many of our rural folks are characterized by) does not
necessarily mean an impoverished spirit. When faith is misdirected, say, when it is put in
material prosperity alone or mainly, any economic crisis could understandably challenge
and even ruin some people’s grip on life. “When money is everything,” our bishop, Bishop
Bai Varquez, once remarked, “the moment it is lost also means everything is lost.” But
when faith is rightly placed in God, the economic and whatever crisis we go through just
become a test and a means of purifying that faith.
The figure who, I believe, needs to be recognized on a global scale during this time
of global crisis is Job. No, I don’t mean ‘work’, that scarce commodity of these times. I
mean the biblical character who lost not only all his material wealth and properties but
also his family to an unexpected tragedy. But there is no parallel to his indomitable faith
as is obvious in his words: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb; naked shall I return.
The Lord gave; the Lord has taken away. Blessed be his name” (Job 1:21).
To that we can only say, “How true, how wise Job’s words are.” Our nakedness on
the day we were born is a loud testimony not only to our dependence on God’s love and
generosity for everything we now have and are but also to real freedom. Yes, the freedom
that comes from attachment to God first and foremost, and detachment from his gifts,
material things included. It is truly the Lord, says the wisdom of faith, who gives and
takes everything away. Without him not only is everything already lost; there is really
nothing to gain.
But with him every crisis does not have to end in tragedy but in courage over fear,
compassion over self-absorption. This is what I see in people living in faith. And, since
Job is a type of Jesus, we must find in Jesus the perfection of the right response to each and
every crisis. In the way he eased the sufferings of others we must see our real program in
the face of the crisis. Our program is not to simply meet our needs and remedy our sufferings but likewise those of others. In the way Jesus accepted his own sufferings and death to
lead us to the victory of his resurrection, we must rediscover self-sacrifice and selflessness
as among the essential keys to personal, communal, national and global recovery. This
crisis, after all, as US President Barack Obama observed, “was prompted by the greed and
irresponsibility of some.” It must be met by the generosity and self-sacrifice of all.
As St. Pio Pietrelcina puts it: “The most beautiful act of faith is one made in darkness,
in sacrifice, with extreme effort.” That must also mean the one that the few who are rich
can do for the many who are poor. That, further, must also mean the act of faith that does
justice and humble, loving service especially to those who suffer the most in this and in
every human crisis.
Therein lies the way to peace (personal, national and global).
Happenings
from page 9
.
• The Most Reverend Arturo M. Bastes, SVD, D.D. the Bishop of Sorsogon celebrated the
Mass on March 1 at the San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel. Bishop Bastes is the Chairman, Episcopal Commission on the Biblical Apostolate of the Philippines, President of the Philippine
Bible Society. His visit in New York was sponsored by the American Bible Society.
• On Ash Wednesday, 12:30 P.M. and 6:30 P.M. Mass with the imposition of the
ashes was held at the Chapel. Fr. Romy Hontiveros officiated the 12:30 P.M. Mass.
• We invite you to contact the Team Ministry Service for Sunday and Weekday Mass
intentions you want to offer for your loved ones, friends, families as well as the
spiritual programs, and activities that you would like to be held at the Chapel of San
Lorenzo Ruiz.
SUNDAY 12:30 pm
Priests of the Team Ministry will alternate in celebrating the Eucharist
Devotional prayers and confession before the Mass
WEEKDAY MASSES can be scheduled upon request. Priests of the Team
Ministry may be contacted on their assigned days. Devotional prayers and
confession before the Mass
MONDAY - REV. DR. JOSEPH G. MARABE, JCD
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 460 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10022, 212-753-2261
Ext. 251, Mobile 646-290-4881; Metropolitan Tribunal 212-371-1000’, Email:
[email protected]
TUESDAY - MSGR. ROMY MONTERO
Our Lady of Pompei Church, 25 Carmine St., New York, NY, 10014; 212-7270214
WEDNESDAY - FR. ROMY HONTIVEROS
Our Lady of Victory, 60 William St., New York, NY, 10005, 212-422-5535
THURSDAY- FR. NIL VILLAVISA
St. Agnes Church, 143 East 43rd St, New York, NY, 10017, 212-682-5722
FRIDAY - FR. MIKE LAGRIMAS
St. Teresa Church, 141 Henry St., New York, NY, 10022, 212 233 0233
SATURDAY - (Rotation) also upon request
CONFESSIONS - Before each Sunday Mass and by appointment
SPECIAL MASSES - by Appointment
For update of the Schedule of Activities, Please visit the
website: www.chapelofsanlorenzoruiz.org or
send E-mail: [email protected]
FILIPINO PASTORAL MINISTRY OF POMPEI
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
March to May 2009
Wednesday 6:30 P.M.
Mother of Perpetual Help
Sunday
3:00 P.M.
Misang Pilipino *
First Friday
6:30 P.M.
Mass and Holy Hour
March
7 Sat 1–7:00P.M
Lenten Recollection – Fr. Mike Lagrimas
Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz
14 Sat 6:00 P.M.
Cenacle / Bible Study – Fr. Mike Lagrimas
25 Wed 6:00 PM
Novena Mass- Mother of Perpetual .Help
Choir from OHIO to sing in the Mass
28 Sat 6:00 P.M.Cenacle / Bible Study
29 Sun 3:00 PMMarch Birthday celebration
*Free Ballroom and Line Dancing & Fellowship after the Sunday Mass.
April
3 & 4Fri 8:00 PM PABASA NG PASYON – SLRAA Center, Jamaica
5 Sun 3:00 PMPalm Sunday
9 Thu 7:00 PMHoly Thursday - Washing of the Feet
10 Fri 9:00 AMBrooklyn Bridge Way of the Cross
7:00 PMGood Friday - Veneration of the Cross – Pompei Church
12 Sun 3:00 PMEaster Sunday
Children’s Easter Egg Hunting
18 Sat 6:30 PM 19th SAYAWAN SA VILLAGE
19 Sun 3:00PM 1st Day Novena Mass SANTO NINO SA VILLAGE
Divine Mercy Novena Mass
22 Wed 6:30 PM
Perpetual Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help
1st Day in preparation for Feast on June 24, 2009
*Free Ballroom and Line Dancing & Fellowship after the Sunday Mass
May
01
Fri
6:30 PM
1st Friday Mass & Holy Hour
03 Sun
3:00 PM Start of FLORES DE MAYO
(All Sundays of May)
10,17,24 Sun
3:00 PM Novena Mass for Santo Nino
06 Wed 6:30 PM Perpetual Novena Mother of Perpetual Help
10 Sun 3:00 PM Mother’s Day
24 Sun 3:00 PM May Birthday Celebration
31 Sun 3:00 PM 19th Annual May Crowning & SANTAKRUSAN
*Free Ballroom and Line Dancing & Fellowship after the Sunday Mas
REAL ESTATE
Is New Construction
In Your Future?
by Robert Fernandez
As new construction prices continue to be more
reasonable buying a new home may be for you. Add to
this lower mortgage interest rates and the newly passed
law giving a maximum tax credit of $8,000* for first-time
home buyers make a new home purchase an attractive
proposition to some. A couple of years ago this option
may not be doable for most buyers, but times have
changed. One can buy the same house now which a few
years ago would cost higher by $100,000 or more. If you are thinking of purchasing a
home especially if you’re upgrading, why not consider a newly built home.
Here are the plusses, among others, of a new construction:
• Built in accordance with the latest town / village building codes. This covers from
electric to roofing – GFI (ground fault interference) electric outlets in bathrooms and
kitchen, roof and windows that can withstand hurricane force winds.
• One year warranty – This means if anything goes wrong within one year from closing,
the builder has to fix it up. Examples are leaking roof, plumbing and heating problems.
• Absence of lead-based paint. This is a home inspection issue for existing homes
built prior to 1978 if the paint is peeling, chipping, chalking or damaged.
• Can customize and upgrade in the latest trends, design and materials – e.g. color
(bathroom & kitchen tiles for walls and floors, kitchen cabinet finish, granite countertop,
siding, roof, carpet, etc.) Layout could be altered to suit needs.
• Practically nothing to worry about repairs and maintenance. Roof lasts about 25
years, boiler even more. Double pane windows, heating system and appliances are more
modern and energy efficient. The result is lower fuel and electric costs. Obviously, very
little money to spend for repairs and maintenance for the next 20 years or more.
There are new homes that are already built and ready to move in. The way to buy
this is just like buying an existing home – a down payment that is agreed upon during
negotiations. The balance is financed and closing could be quick. Some builders will
construct only if a home buyer sign a contract. Builders normally ask a 20% down
payment – 10% upon signing a contract and another 10% once the walls are up and the
house is framed.
What’s the down side of new construction? Very few, I would say.
• Customizing a home may become expensive. Of course, this depends upon the
home buyer. If there are a lot of expensive upgrades – higher grade kitchen cabinets and
appliances, top quality tiles and granite, pavers versus poured concrete, etc. – then costs
naturally would go up. Constant layout changes or reconfiguring would contribute to
higher costs. The higher costs may be worth it if the home buyer will stay in the house for
a long time. The owners have to be happy with their surroundings. A newly built home
won’t have any window treatments – no blinds or curtains. Landscaping is absent in most
cases except maybe in the front of the property.
• Long waiting time to finish – construction time may be delayed due to weather
– rainy, too cold or too hot, waiting for custom orders like kitchen cabinets, delays in
obtaining certificate of occupancy, changes in design or layout etc. Depending upon the
builder, construction time could take five to eight months or more.
New homes just look good, smell good and feel good for those who are fortunate to
own them.
* Applies to any single family residence including coops, condos and townhouses that
will be used as a principal residence that a first-time homebuyer (defined as purchaser and
spouse who have not owned a principal residence in three years previous to purchase).
Income limits – individuals with adjusted gross income of no more than $75,000 ($150,000
on a joint return). Must close by December 1, 2009. If home is sold within three years
of purchase, the entire amount of credit is recaptured on sale. (American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act)
Robert L. Fernandez, Seniors Real Estate Specialist and Notary Public, is Broker /
Owner of Realty Network in East Meadow, New York. He can be reached at 516-5427936 or by email: [email protected].
Salamat Po!
by Ate Norma
&
FACES
PLACES
We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to those who joined our 4th year of celebrating the fiesta of
Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, the patroness of
Silang, Cavite.
We give to the Silang Parish Church ALL the funds from the second collection during the Mass celebrations
The first year’s collection funded all the kneelers at the Silang Parish Church while the second and third
year collections were used for the tables, benches and cabinets of the Silang Parish Church’s Multi-Purpose
Center. We will coordinate with the Parish Priest on where this year’s collection would be used.
MARAMING SALAMAT PO SA INYONG LAHAT AT SANA PO AY MAGKITA ULIT TAYO SA
SUSUNOD NA FIESTA. – Gene and Nene Salle
Gene and Nene Salle,
promoters of the devotion
to Our Lady of Candelaria,
patroness of Silang, Cavite.
The newly installed lectors of the Filipino Pastoral Ministry of Our Lady of Pompei got together for a souveniir photo with Fr. Mike Lagrimas and Msgr.
Romy Montero.
Allison and Ethan
Scarlett
Caleb
“Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name.” -- Ps. 96:8
Quinn
FACES & PLACES
Renewal of Vows
Although wedding vows are meant to last a lifetime and need no renewing, the Church gives us a special ritual as a celebration of the marriage covenant.
The tradition of renewing wedding vows, which is universal, is being observed more and more by Filipino Catholics. It is a solemn ceremony filled with
many blessings for the married couple, their children and their children’s children. The renewal of wedding vows emphasizes the couple’s love and
commitment not just to each other but to God. The lighting of two separate candles from one light, which represents the Light of Christ, symbolizes a
union of two people in God. This solemn ceremony celebrates the sanctity of marriage and the strength of a family that is centered on faith and love.
Marcia and Ben Ocampo’s
25th Wedding Anniversary
Marcia and Ben Ocampo celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary on
December 27, 2008 at St. Margaret Mary Church in Torrance, California.
Marcia and Ben with daughters Christina (left), Camille and Catherine
(right).
The Filipino Catholic • March 11 - April 9fil, 2009 • Page 15
Happy Birthday
Tonette!
Drs. Tony and Juliette de Guzman
gave a surprise birthday party for
their only child “Tonette” (Antoinette)
recently at the Century Buffet
Restaurant in Queens Village. Among
the guests were seated from left,
a guest, Dr. Tony de Guzman and
Tonnnette. Standing from left: Dr.
Julliette de Guzman , Julian de Armas,
Wendel Javier, Chot Ulep , Elena
Brandt, a guest, Lily Ulep and Andrea
Oliva Florendo
-- Photo by Julian De Armas
Day of Prayer
In honor of The Lady of All Nations
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Shrine of The Lady of the Island
Manorville, Long Island NY (run by the Montfort Fathers)
www.ourladyoftheisland.org. for direction and schedule
Tentative Schedule
11:00 am-3:00 pm.- Confessions : 11:30 am.Rosary Walk/Meditation
12:00 P.M.--- Angelus/ Lunch
1:00 pm- 1st Conference : Witnessing Mary by a Franciscan Friar
2:00 pm—Second Conference :“ Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate
3:00 pm - Divine Mercy ( sung )
3:30 pm Concelebrated Mass( possibly with a Bishop). Homilist: Rev.Fr. Angelo
Geiger, FI ;from”Air Maria” “ ; “The Triumph of The Immaculata”
4: 30pm– Benediction followed by a rosary procession to the top of
the hill shrine followed by the crowning of the Blessed Mother’s image
5:30 pm—Consecration based from St. Louis De Montfort or based the
consecration of all nations by late Pope John Paul II
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, send now
your Spirit over the earth. Let the Holy Spirit
live in the hearts of all nations that they may be
preserved from degeneration, disaster and war.
May the Lady of All Nations, the Blessed Virgin
Mary be our Advocate. Amen.
Contact Aileen/Lisa at the shrine for parking and pack lunch- 631-3250661or bring lunch Elena-718-6332482;
Susan, 6462278582; Betty- 2015920017. Adults from all nations are welcome in their traditional dresses and
to offer flowers to the Blessed Mother Children ages 5- 14 are all welcome to offer flowers in white dresses”
From this day all generations shall call me Blessed “
Call Elena 718-6332482 for busses departing from Brooklyn, Manhattan. Staten Island, Queens and NJ. For
LI train from the city take LI railroad from Madison Square Garden, 34th St. get off at Speonk , NY , taxis are
waiting outside $ 10.00 fee ( you can share wth a group).By car go to www.mapquest.com or go to www.
ourladyofisland.org. Fee for bus departures: $ 25.00
BusDepartures: Manhattan:St John the Baptist Church;210West 31st St. NY, NY 1001:8:30am .Connie: 7184241260, Elena 718-6332482; St. Emeric Church: Susan;6462278582; Brooklyn: Canarsie: Terry : 718763382;
Park Slope ;Ana 718-7689266
Bayridge:Emma/ Vangie; 718 4393429;NJ Betty :201-5920017; Staten
Island : Thelma: 718- 3703628; Queens:Marilou ;6467044183.Call Elena if you would like to be a bus
coordinator. Bus Guardians for children; Call Ann :7188994378. Call Elena to host a film on The Key to the
Triumph and World Peace made by Maxcol Institute –and given by famousTheologians.
Let’s study the
Come Holy
Spirit, Come.
CATECHISM
by Sonia S. Salerni
(Continued from last month)
The
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II. JESUS AND THE TEMPLE
582 Going even further, Jesus perfects the dietary
law, so important in Jewish daily life, by revealing its
pedagogical meaning through a divine interpretation:
“Whatever goes into a man from outside cannot
defile Him. . . (Thus He declared all foods clean.).
. . What comes out of a man is what defiles a man.
For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil
thoughts. . .” In presenting with divine authority
the definitive interpretation of the Law, Jesus found
himself confronted by certain teachers of the Law
who did not accept His interpretation of the Law, guaranteed though it was by the divine
signs that accompanied it. This was the case especially with the sabbath laws, for He
recalls, often with rabbinical arguments, that the sabbath rest is not violated by serving
God and neighbour, which His own healings did.
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583 Like the prophets before Him Jesus expressed the deepest respect for the Temple in
Jerusalem. It was in the Temple that Joseph and Mary presented Him forty days after His
birth.[349] At the age of twelve He decided to remain in the Temple to remind His parents
that He must be about His Father’s business. He went there each year during His hidden
life at least for Passover. His public ministry itself was patterned by His pilgrimages to
Jerusalem for the great Jewish feasts.
584 Jesus went up to the Temple as the privileged place of encounter with God. For Him,
the Temple was the dwelling of His Father, a house of prayer, and He was angered that its
outer court had become a place of commerce. He drove merchants out of it because of
jealous love for His Father: “You shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade. His
disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’” After
His Resurrection His apostles retained their reverence for the Temple.
585 On the threshold of His Passion Jesus announced the coming destruction of this
splendid building, of which there would not remain “one stone upon another”. By doing
so, He announced a sign of the last days, which were to begin with His own Passover. But
this prophecy would be distorted in its telling by false witnesses during His interrogation
at the high priest’s house, and would be thrown back at Him as an insult when He was
nailed to the cross.
586 Far from having been hostile to the Temple, where He gave the essential part of His
teaching, Jesus was willing to pay the Temple-tax, associating with Him Peter, whom He
had just made the foundation of His future Church. He even identified himself with the
Temple by presenting himself as God’s definitive dwelling-place among men. Therefore
His being put to bodily death presaged the destruction of the Temple, which would manifest
the dawning of a new age in the history of salvation: “The hour is coming when neither
on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.”
III. JESUS AND ISRAEL’S FAITH IN THE ONE GOD AND SAVIOUR
587 If the Law and the Jerusalem Temple could be occasions of opposition to Jesus by
Israel’s religious authorities, His role in the redemption of sins, the divine work par
excellence, was the true stumbling-block for them.
588 Jesus scandalized the Pharisees by eating with tax collectors and sinners as familiarly
as with themselves. Against those among them “who trusted in themselves that they were
righteous and despised others”, Jesus affirmed: “I have not come to call the righteous, but
sinners to repentance.” He went further by proclaiming before the Pharisees that, since
sin is universal, those who pretend not to need salvation are blind to themselves.
589 Jesus gave scandal above all when He identified His merciful conduct toward sinners
with God’s own attitude toward them. He went so far as to hint that by sharing the table
of sinners He was admitting them to the messianic banquet. But it was most especially by
forgiving sins that Jesus placed the religious authorities of Israel on the horns of a dilemma.
Were they not entitled to demand in consternation, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
By forgiving sins Jesus either is blaspheming as a man who made himself God’s equal, or
is speaking the truth and His person really does make present and reveal God’s name.
590 Only the divine identity of Jesus’ person can justify so absolute a claim as “He who
is not with me is against me”; and His saying that there was in Him “something greater
than Jonah,. . . greater than Solomon”, something “greater than the Temple”; His reminder
that David had called the Messiah His Lord, and His affirmations, “Before Abraham was,
I AM”, and even “I and the Father are one.”
591 Jesus asked the religious authorities of Jerusalem to believe in Him because of the
Father’s works which He accomplished. But such an act of faith must go through a
mysterious death to self, for a new “birth from above” under the influence of divine grace.
Such a demand for conversion in the face of so surprising a fulfilment of the promises
allows one to understand the Sanhedrin’s tragic misunderstanding of Jesus: they judged
that He deserved the death sentence as a blasphemer. The members of the Sanhedrin were
thus acting at the same time out of “ignorance” and the “hardness” of their “unbelief”.
IN BRIEF
592 Jesus did not abolish the Law of Sinai, but rather fulfilled it (cf. Mt 5:17-19) with such
perfection (cf. Jn 8:46) that He revealed its ultimate meaning (cf.: Mt 5:33) and redeemed
the transgressions against it (cf. Heb 9:15).
593 Jesus venerated the Temple by going up to it for the Jewish feasts of pilgrimage, and
with a jealous love He loved this dwelling of God among men. The Temple prefigures
His own mystery. When He announces its destruction, it is as a manifestation of His own
execution and of the entry into a new age in the history of salvation, when His Body would
be the definitive Temple.
594 Jesus performed acts, such as pardoning sins, that manifested Him to be the Saviour
God himself (cf. Jn 5:16-18). Certain Jews, who did not recognize God made man (cf.
Jn 1:14), saw in Him only a man who made himself God (Jn 10:33), and judged Him as
a blasphemer.
Source: The Catechism of the Catholic Church Book
to be continued …
The Gospel Truth
by Rev. Joe Cadusale
The first report on survey findings, entitled US Religious Landscape Survey, by the Pew Forum on Religion
and Public Life, was released on February 25, 2008. In
the United States, 10.1 percent of the adult population now consists of people who have left the Catholic
Church for another religion or for no religion. To put it
another way, one out of every ten people in the United
States (or 22,725,000 is an ex-Catholic. The numbers speak for themselves. We have
lost a massive part of the Church. We must reach out to those who have fallen
away. It has been my experience that many former Catholics have joined evangelical congregations because they were not fed by the Word of God in their Catholic
parishes. They were attracted to these congregations because of Bible studies.
The Synod of Bishops which took place in Rome in October 5 to 26 2008, has an
answer. The message (Nuntius) is directed to the people of God. The topic for this
Synod was “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church.” The message
has four parts: Voice, Face, House and the Roads of the Word of God.
Voice: The Word of God speaks to man and rveals himself to man. Face: Jesus
Christ, the Word became man in Jesus of Nazareth. House: The “house” of the Word
is the Church. The Roads: The mission of the Church to preach the Word.
The Synod concludes by urging all to read and study the Bible, that all Catholics
are called by God to preach the Word in their own circumstances. Benedict XVI said
that pastors should be well prepared to spread knowledge of the Bible among the
laity. The Holy Father prayed: “Let us pray that from this renewed listening to the
Word of God, guided by the action of the Holy Spirit, an authentic renewal of the
universal Church may spring forth, as well as of every Christian community.”
Join Fr. Joe’s Bible Study Class
For more information, please call: (718) 275-3936
Most Precious Blood Charismatic
Prayer Community
Most Precious Blood Church
32-23 36th Street
Head Servant: Nenett Barbilla
718 937 5242
2nd Tuesday 7:30 PM
El Shaddai Prayer Community
Most Precious Blood Church
32-23 36th Street
Long Island Ciyt, NY 11106
Head Servant: Amerito Gerodias
718 458 8214
4th Sunday 3:00 PM
Light Of Christ Prayer Group
St. Nicholas of Tolentine
150-75 Goethals Avenue
Jamaica, NY 11432
Head Servant: Cookie Fernandez
718 380 1712
Last Thursday 7:30 PM
Family of Christ Prayer Community
Presentation Church
8819 Parsons Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11432
Head Servant: Patrick de la Paz
718 658 2078
1st Tuesday 7:30 PM
Mary Mother of Divine Healer
St. Gerard Majella Church
188-16 91st Ave., Hollis, NY 11423
Head Servant: Raymonde Cesaire
718 445 4423
1st Friday 7:30 PM
Haitian Community
90-33 184th Place
Hollis, NY 11423
Head Servant: Alberte Madame Delatur
718 454 8572
3rd Tuesday 7:30 PM
Sacred Heart Family Apostolate
37-74 6th St.
Woodside, NY 11377
Head Servant: Remy Consoli
718 424 7984
2nd Sunday 6:30 PM
English Community
161 Le Grand St.
Brentwood, NY 11717
Coordinator: Rose Nallie Germain
631 231 8758
1st Thursday 7:30 PM
Filipino Catholic
453 Hawthorne Avenue
Uniondale, NY 11553
Coordinator: Dr. Norma Pascual
516 2921445
Last Monday 8:00 PM
Handmaid of the Lord/Couples for Christ
202-35 Foothill Ave., A-38
Hollis, NY 11423
Head Servant: Dolly Pawal
718 468-8463
Last Sunday 6:30 PM
Militia Immaculatae Marian Kolbe Movement
St. Stanislaus B&M
101 East 7th Street
New York, NY 10009
(917) 753-7233
1st Saturday 5:00 P.M.
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs
110-06 Queens Blvd.
Forest Hills, NY 11375
Head Servant: Nellie Milite
718 544 5141
2nd Friday 7:30 PM
Haitian Community
16339 130th Ave., Apt 5C
Jamaica, NY 11434-3014
Head Servant: Raymonde Cesaire
718 481 9683
4th Saturday 7:00 PM
Filipino Community Our Lady of Angels
2860 Webb Ave., Bronx, NY 10468
Head Servant: Josette Camino
718 543 0884
2nd Saturday 7:30 PM
Flushing, NY 11366
Coordinator: Perla Leonardo
(718) 591-4579
2nd Friday, 9:00 PM
Divine Mercy Devotion Our Lady of Victories
2217 Kennedy Blvd.,
Jersey City, NJ 07304
Head Servant: Tess Alvarez
4th Friday 7:00 PM
The Lord’s Flock Prayer Group
Sta. Rita
281 Bradley Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Coordinator: Myrna Leyson
718 983 1410
3rd Saturday 8:00 PM
St. John Prayer Community
272 Boyd Ave
Head Servant: Purita Vasquez
201 333 3136
3rd Monday 7:00 PM
St. Nicholas Prayer Group
122 Ferry St.
Head Servant: Elsa Leonida
210 656 2010
1st Sunday 6:30 PM
Puissance Divine D’Amore
820 Wallace Ave
Baldwin, NY 11510
Head Servant: Yvrose Saint-Urban
516 378 8173
2nd Thursday 7:30 PM
Home Bound Bible Study
St. Rose of Lima
269 Parkville Ave
Coordinator: Violeta Robbins
718 677 8131
1st Saturday 2:00 PM
The Vine & the Branches IncarnationPrayer Group
92-19 212th St., Queens Village, NY 11428
Head Servant: Ofelia Villar
718 465 0087
3rd Friday 7:00 PM
Family of God
160-31 78th Rd
Divine Mercy Prayer Group
Our Lady of Mercy
70-01 Kessel St., Forest Hills, NY 11375
Coordinator: Victoria Angeles
718 268 6516
2nd Wednesday 6:30 PM
Filipino Community
Our Lady of the Angelus
63-63 98th St., Rego Park, NY 11374
Coordinator: Ofelia Concepcion
(718) 897-4444
2nd Monday 7:30 PM
Saint Martin de Porres Healing Ministry
Flushing Chapter
86-60 Range St., Bellrose, NY 11427
Coordinator: Sylvia David
(718) 913-6922
3rd Thursday 8:00 PM
Friday Night Devotion
40-14 62nd St., Apt. 4F
Woodside, NY 11377
Coordinator: Rosemary Khan
718 457 5877
5th Friday 8:30 PM
Dominican Nuns
Corpus Christi Monastery
1230 Lafayette Ave., Bronx, NY 10474
Coordinator: Sr. Maria Pia
718 328 6996
Last Saturday, 9 AM
x
APR 16-28
MAY15-25
SEP 7-20
SEP 9-21
SEP10-19
SEP 12-22
SEP19-28
SEP 25-OCT5
OCT 2-15
OCT 9-15
OCT 9-17
OCT 12-22
OCT 22-NOV2
OCT 24-NOV5
NOV 6-16
NOV 29-DEC8
DEC 8-13
JUL 10-25
AUG 8-14
AUG29-SEP6
MAY26-JUN6
SEP11-22
SEP18-29
PILGRIMAGES 2009
MEDJUGORJE/ITALY
Medjugorje, Rome, Vatican, Pauline Pilgrimage sites, Padre Pio
FATIMA/LOURDES/MADRID
Fatima, Burgos, Zaragoza, Lourdes, Madrid
TURKEY/GREECE- Footsteps of St Paul (with 3 Day Cruise)
Istanbul, Antioch, Tarsus, Cappadocia, Athens, Corinth
WATERWAYS OF RUSSIA
St. Petersburg, Mandrogi, Kizhi, Goritsy, Yaroslav, Moscow
HOLY LAND
Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Tiberias, Cana, Nazareth, Dead Sea
EASTERN EUROPE
Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Prague
GREECE- Celebrating 2000th Year of St Paul
Athens, Corinth, Meteora, Olympia, Thessalonica Delphi,
TURKEY (ASIA MINOR)- Celebrating 2000th Year of St Paul
Istanbul, Antioch, Tarsus, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus, Troy
FATIMA/LOURDES/ROME
Fatima, Zaragoza, Madrid, Lourdes, Nice, Florence, Rome
LISBON & FATIMA
Lisbon, Estoril, Sintra, Santarem, Fatima
BEST OF PERU
Lima, St. Rose and St. Martin de Porres, Cuzco, Machu Pichhu
ITALY/MEDJUGORJE
Rome, Assisi, Loreto, Lanciano, Padre Pio, Medjugorje
EGYPT & HOLY LAND
Cairo, Mt Sinai, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Tiberias, Cana, Dead Sea
EASTERN EUROPE & MEDJUGORJE
Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Medjugorje
HOLY LAND
HOLY LAND
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
Mexico City, Puebla, Ocatlan, Teotihuacan
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$2,399 JFK
$2,799 JFK
$2,399 JFK
$2,249 JFK
$2,999 EWR
$1,449 JFK
$1,899 EWR
$2,799EWR
$2,499 JFK
$3,099 LAX
$2,749 LAX
$2,199 JFK
$1,099 EWR
$2,899 EWR
$1,349 EWR
$ 729 BWI
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from $2,799 PLUS AIR
MEDJUGORJE/CROATIA/AUSTRIA/GERMANY
Medjugorje, Dubrovnik, Zagreb, Salzburg, Oberammergau, Munich
Note: Fares, taxes & schedules are subject to change without prior notice. Prices are plus tax/fuel surcharge, double occupancy.
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Web: www.noelette.com
SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES PRAYER AND HEALING MINISTRY
Celebrating the Feast of St. Martin de Porres, November 2008
Pilgrimage to St. Martin de Porres Parish, Poughkeepsie, New York
The St. Martin de Porres Queens, New York devotees together with Sister Josephine G. Dichoso and Governor of Sorsogon, Sally Lee, visited
St. Martin de Porres Parish in Poughkeepsie, New York on November 9, 2008. On their way, they recited and meditated on the 2000 Hail Mary’s
Devotion. The group arrived in time for the 12PM Eucharistic Celebration. After mass, the devotees spent an hour of meditation and prayers in
front of the Blessed Sacrament after which they were prayed over by Sister Josie. They had a late lunch at one of the Restaurants in the area
before heading back home.
NY devotees posing in front of St. Martin de Porres Parish with Sister Josie and Gov. Sally Lee.
Sister Josie prays over the devotees in front of the Blessed Sacrament. One of the Parish Priests welcomes the devotees.
The devotees gather in front of the main altar.
Enjoying a hearty lunch.
Msgr. Vengco Leads Antipolo Pilgrimage of Peace in DC
Filipino-American Catholics from different states and cities will gather in pilgrimage on June 27, 2009 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in Washington, D.C. to honor the Blessed Mother under her title of
Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Birhen ng Antipolo). The whole day celebration
will feature activities by different religious organizations.
The Reverend Monsignor Sabino A. Vengco, Jr. of Manila, founding president
of Kadiwa sa Pagkapari Foundation, Inc., a ministry of care-giving to elderly and
sick Filipino diocesan priests, will be the homilist and main celebrant at the 2:00
o’clock concelebrated mass. Concelebrants will include the Reverend Monsignor
Godfrey Mosley, pastor of Saint Ann Church in Washington, D.C., and Spiritual
Advisor of Birhen ng Antipolo, U.S.A., Inc., and other Filipino and American
priests.
The day’s festivities will commence with the novena prayer at 10:00 a.m. at the
main Church led by the Fil-Am group of Cleveland, Ohio. This will be followed
by the sacrament of reconciliation at 11:00 o’clock. The recitation of the rosary
will be led by Filipino-American kids under the guidance of Tess Sulit and her
group of volunteers, followed by the serenata (choir singing & musical rendition)
and the procession of Marian images. The Knights of Columbus will lead the
procession of images under the direction of Bobby Soriano, Nick Relacion and
Apolinario Espinosa.
The annual pilgrimage now in its 12th year, was started in 1998 following the
dedication of the Oratory in June 1997 by the late James Cardinal Hickey of the
Archdiocese of Washington and the Most Reverend Protacio Gungon of Antipolo.
It continues to generate tremendous interest among devotees of the Virgin Mother.
It has become a significant gathering of Filipino devotees that has touched the
hearts of many.
It is also a pilgrimage of peace for many as pilgrims take time to renew friendships and acquaintances.
In 2008, Bishop Oscar Solis, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, said that Filipinos
in the United States are united based on Philippine geographical locations they
hailed from. However, he said, Filipinos transcend regional differences when they
come to the pilgrimage as devotees.
It is the prayer of the Birhen ng Antipolo Ministry, organizer of the annual pilgrimage, that as we are one in a universal and apostolic church founded by Christ,
for all people and for all time, that through this annual pilgrimage we strengthen
and deepen our commitment to Jesus through Mary, the Mother of God.
Monsignor Sabino A. Vengco, Jr.
Is one priest who cares deeply about his fellow priests. A strong supporter and advocate of
caring for the sick and the elderly, Monsignor Vengco, Jr. founded the Kadiwa sa Pagkapari,
Inc., a ministry of care-giving to the elderly and sick Filipino priests. He is also president
of the Msgr. Jose B. Aguinaldo Foundation, Inc. Monsignor
Sabino is:
• Of the Diocese of Malolos, hailing from Hagonoy, Bulacan
• He studied for the priesthood in San Jose Seminary and was ordained to the priesthood
in 1965.
• Has an M.A. in Philosophy, and a doctorate in Sacred Theology (Magna Cum Laude)
and a diplomate in Liturgy (Summa Cum Laude) from Trier, Germany.
• He was formerly dean of theology in San Carlos Graduate School of Theology, Makati;
and in the Immaculate Conception Seminary Graduate School of Theology, Guiguinto,
Bulacan.
• An “Outstanding Son of Hagonoy” awardee (1984), and an “Outstanding Catholic Author”
awardee for his writings (1989), the 2003 “Bukas Palad Awardee of Ateneo de Manila
University, and the 2007 Catholic Mass Media Awards Serviam awardee.
• He is presently a professor of Theology at the Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de
Manila University, Quezon City; at the San Carlos Seminary Graduate School of Theology
in Makati; at the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary Graduate School of Theology
in Guiguinto, Bulacan; at the University of Santo Tomas Central Seminary, Manila and at
the Recolletos School of Theology, Quezon City.
• Founding president of Kadiwa sa Pagkapari Foundation, Inc., a ministry of care-giving
to elderly and sick Filipino diocesan priests; also president of Msgr. Jose B. Aguinaldo
Foundation, Inc.
• Host of the Catholic Sunday telecast: “Ecclesia in Asia” on GMA 7, 5-6 a.m. every
Sunday simultaneously aired on DWIZ AM Radio 882,
• and a columnist of “Business Mirror” every Thursday with his column entitled “Alalaong
Baga’.” -- Eddie Caparas
Stories Within Sacramental Moments
It all began with a religious experience.
A band of marginal Jews had an encounter
with a carpenter’s son. A turning point
took effect in their lives. The Creator had
now disclosed Himself at River Jordan
to the believers in the person of Jesus
with these words: “This is my Beloved
Son… to whom I am well pleased.” It was
shown to them so
vividly that all of
their concepts of
God had to include
their experience of
Jesus.
The first followers had many
titles for Jesus of
Nazareth. They
called him Son of
Man. Savior. Messiah. The Anointed
by Andrea Oliva Florendo
One. Christ. The
Lord. They had
their own words for telling their story. Baptism was a
most basic way in which the disciples told their story. It
was a story of how they went into the waters in their own
time, recalling the waters of creation, the great flood, the
Red Sea, Christ’s baptism in River Jordan, the pierced side
of Christ which gushed forth water at Calvary. Their many
stories were finally pulled together into a book we call the
New Testament. The Gospels. Mark told it in a different
way from Matthew, and Luke shaped his version different
from John. But despite the variations, the four evangelists
told their story of Jesus with the same excitement and sense
of exultation.
There was another ritual known to the disciples. It was
Guiradelco
coming together into a
fellowship, a meal of bread and wine. On the eve of
Passover, Jesus gave this ritual a new significance. He charged it with the meaning
of his own life, ministry and death. It is not a surprise to read that his followers
met in another’s homes for the breaking of bread right from the beginning. Later,
these stories of breaking bread would take shape in the form of a worship that
was destined to bless the world.
A religious experience and a story are closely linked that they become hard to
distinguish. In the same sense, a story and festivity go hand in hand. Why? We
need a context for story-telling and festivity provides one. To do so, we turn to
what is familiar. We tell our own narratives. We do it in actions and signs. We
bestow a warm embrace. We bless someone with a kiss. We serve a meal.
Remembering and re-telling help us to
re-enter our lives with a sense of renewal. A
new vigor. A purpose. More of the same ritual
happens at family celebrations---- birthdays,
anniversaries, reunions, reconciliations. Family stories are retold. Some games are played.
Same songs are sung. Best dishes made. No one
ever leaves such celebration without a renewed
awareness of who we are as a family. Festivity
sweeps us off our feet and returns us to our daily
life with new eyes.
While all these stories have a common
ground in tales of conversions, spiritual guidance and lessons of love, all mediate for us the
language of God.
We respond not only to a gift of divine communication. We get a direct access to His own
initiative. Even within sacramental moments, we
turn to stories. The same is true with the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass. This is why the festivity of
the Eucharist is one big celebration. The Liturgy
of the Word is a time when we tell our larger
story in the hope of entering into it more fully
in our own personal histories. At the heart of the
Eucharistic prayer is a story centered on Christ.
Only God could tell it like that. And this is why
we are giving thanks. This is why we are breaking bread this way!
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Gesù Bambino
Pilgrims’ House
VATICAN CITY - Pope
Benedict’s general prayer
intention for March is:
“That the role of women
may be more appreciated
and used to good advantage
in every country in the
world”.
by the Shrine of the
Blessed Sacrament
His mission intention is:
“That, in the light of the
Letter addressed to them
by Pope Benedict XVI, the
bishops, priests, consecrated
persons and lay faithful
of the Catholic Church
in the Popular Republic
of China may commit
themselves to being the sign
and instrument of unity,
communion and peace”.
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email: info@
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website:
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“Keep Jesus in the center of our lives. Keep the
Tabernacle in the center of the Altar.”
Prayer to
Saint Martin De Porres
Most glorious Martin de Porres whose
burning charity embraced not only thy
needy brethren, but also the very animals
of the field, splendid example of charity,
we hail thee and invoke thee! From that
high throne which thou dost occupy,
deign to listen to the supplications of
thy needy brethren that, by imitating
thy virtues, we may live contented in
that state in which God has placed us
and carrying with strength and courage
our cross, we may follow in the footsteps
of Our Blessed Redeemer and His most
afflicted Mother, that at last we may
reach the Kingdom of Heaven through
the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen. JCC
Fourth Month
Virgin Mary, we pray for the sick and those in
distress. You were there, close to Jesus on the cross,
now these afflicted need you. Soothe them and give
them hope.
Assist those in the shadow of death. Escort them
as they pass from this darkness into God’s light.
Console those who mourn the loss of loved ones.
For too many, living is reduced to a daily struggle
for existence. Please shelter and sustain their fragile
bodies. Many others are shattered by repeated
failures and disappointments. Restore purpose to
those whom frustration and futility have rendered
depressed and discouraged.
Where sin has deadened the mind and the will,
come in haste to instill faith and hope.
All who suffer need you. They cry out for that
consolation which you bring from your Son.
Our Lady of the Cape, we entrust to you the
worries and pain which we carry in the depths of
our hearts. Your mother’s intuition probes all of our
secrets. Please pray for us. JCC
Pope Benedict’s
Prayer Intentions for this Month
Fr. Erno ... from page 6
questions came. “Which church would it be?” “Could we have the church on 33rd
Street and First Avenue?” To which the good-natured Cardinal simply replied
that he was not aware of any church in particular but that he would ask Monsignor
Greg to take note of those questions.
The dialogue with Cardinal Egan ended with a closing prayer, even as the
Filipino group, seated in circle with the Cardinal, spontaneously held each other’s
hands in a manner that they are accustomed to do in prayer meetings. As I held
the Cardinal’s big hand during the prayer, my mind was engrossed on the church
for the Filipinos that he came to tell us about, even as I as felt my heart beat fast
with a sweet inexpressible feeling of gladness and gratitude. I knew deep in my
being that it would be just a matter of time and San Lorenzo Ruiz would have a
‘home’ in New York.` Most Holy Church on 378 Broome Street, New York City, now
canonically renamed after San Lorenzo Ruiz, first Filipino saint, will be officially
known as The Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz. It is the hope of the Filipino Catholics
of New York that someday it would become a first parish for Filipinos.
Epilogue:
The monthly Chapel newsletter carries this information about the Chapel of
San Lorenzo Ruiz: “The Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz is a church in Lower Manhattan
designated by Cardinal Edward Egan for the Filipino community. It is attached to the
Philippine Pastoral Center of the Filipino Apostolate of the Archdiocese of New York. It
is currently not a parish church, but it is envisaged to become a parish someday. It opened
on September 1, 2005. It was blessed on September 15, 2005 by Bishop Precioso Cantillas,
chairman of the Philippine Episcopal Commission on Migration. The event was graced
by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Philippines. The Archdiocesan Filipino
Apostolate is in charge of the Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz and the Philippine Pastoral
Center. Father Erno Diaz was appointed by Cardinal Edward Egan as Director of the
Filipino Apostolate with the Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz. The Chapel has been authorized
by Cardinal Egan to offer “all of the Sacraments of the Church, with the exception of the
Sacrament of Confirmation, unless a Bishop confers the Sacrament.” Although the Cardinal
has designated the Chapel of San Lorenzo for the Filipino community and has authorized
only Filipino liturgies in the Chapel, nevertheless, everybody is welcome to attend the
services or to participate in the events held in the Chapel or Pastoral Center.”
Note: Father Erno is the founder and former director of the Chapel of San
Lorenzo Ruiz. He stepped down as director of the chapel on January 31, 2009.
“Your sins are
forgiven.”
A paralyzed man lying in a bed was brought
to Jesus to be healed. The story from the gospel
according to Mark is even more dramatic because
of the many people who came together to listen
to Jesus’ preaching made it difficult for the men
who brought the paralyzed man to get close to him.
So they “made a hole in the roof right above the
by Deacon Rolando V. Nolasco place where Jesus was.” Seeing how much faith the
paralytic had, the Lord said to him: “My son, your
sins are forgiven.” This upset some teachers of the
Law calling such act as blasphemous for they believed the Lord Jesus had no authority to
forgive sins. He did prove to them that He had such authority on earth to forgive sins by
miraculously healing the paralyzed man. As they watched the paralytic man got up, picked
up his mat and walked away had left them greatly amazed.
Forgiveness is defined as the “act of granting pardon, the willingness to remit or cancel
a debt.”(Webster Dictionary) I was hoping the mention of reconciliation or the effort to
forget all the ill-feelings that is brought into the once harmonious relationship. So I decided
to check out the spiritual aspect of the word since our Lenten observance had already begun. True enough; the Encyclopedia of Catholicism defines it as “the act of being restored
to a good relationship with God, others and self following a period or incident of sin or
alienation.” The practice of forgiveness is basic to our Christian identity as described in
the Lord’s Prayer where we seek God’s forgiveness as we forgive those who have wronged
us. Scripture so declare that “if we forgive the wrong others have done to us, our Father
in heaven will also forgive us.” The importance of being reconciled with God at all times
cannot be overlooked. Our communal gathering for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist
requires us to be blameless for us to participate fully to include the partaking of sacred
Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel reminds us that when we are “about
to offer our gift to God at the altar and we remember that our brother had something against
us, we should leave the gift at the altar and be reconciled and make peace with our brother
and then come back and offer our gift to God.”
To forgive those who have wronged us is certainly one of the most challenging tasks
we are asked to do as followers of Christ, our Lord. Just like the parable of the unforgiving servant who sought relief from his master in paying his debt while dealing shrewdly a
fellow servant who happened to owe him some money. While we pray the Lord’s Prayer,
do we really mean to forgive those who have transgressed us? Most often, I believe, we do
forgive from our lips and not from our hearts as we carry the ill-feelings for a long, long
time. Even family members are not exempt from such unfortunate pain of being isolated
and treated as persona non grata. So we find Peter asking the Lord how many times he
had to forgive with the thought that seven times was sufficient. But the Lord responded
that he needs to forgive seventy times seven- which means always. This is affirmed in
the parable of the Prodigal Son who took off and squandered all the money he demanded
from his father as his share of the inheritance. This beautiful image of the father patiently
waiting for the return of his long-lost son clearly shows us how our loving God yearns
for those wayward children to find their way back to Him. Unconditionally, the father
upon seeing his returning son from a distance rejoiced and promptly ordered his servants
to prepare for the feast as a sign of grand welcome. He had his clothes, sandals and ring
ready to put on, a sign of a restored dignity as his son as if nothing happened in the past.
Unfortunately, the parable showed the other son who remained with his father the whole
time resented of the attention given to his brother. But it is indeed reassuring to be told
that those who remained faithful to God have ever the joy of knowing that our God was
always with us; on the other hand, those who have been lost have truly suffered a great
deal from being separated.
On the cross, such pain and anguish as a result being away from God is voiced by
our Lord Jesus. The cry of abandonment is every man’s expression, a manifestation that
we are nothing without God. History points that in times of great economic and scientific
progress there seem to have been gradual disregard for God by men. So we decided to
change our ways away from God and embrace a culture dictated purely by human wisdom. Many governments have become corrupted where leaders turn away from their most
important job – to govern and rule the land with justice and great concern for the plight of
their constituents. The faithful have turned away from religion that seeks to bring about
real transformation. Societies seemed to have accepted values that undermine stability
of the institution of marriage and that of the family. Just this week, a medical expert in
reproduction offered parents the possibility of being able to alter their baby’s features.
This ethical issue of going into realm of God’s creative domain is indeed very alarming.
No wonder that the whole world in undergoing so much upheaval because the powerful,
the rich and the famous are acting like gods.
In all of these assaults to God’s call to holiness, He sent His only begotten Son to
redeem us as the prophet declared: “By His wounds we were healed.” The sacrament of
Reconciliation was instituted and left under the care of the apostles and ultimately to its
successors as a means to absolve sins through the mercy of God. There had been a recurring issue about the ministers of the Church power to forgive sins which is basically a
misunderstanding of the fact that God acts through them by way of their valid ordination.
The sacrament of Baptism removes all the sins we have committed in the past and emerge
as a new person. All these are directed that man be reconciled to God and that its dignity
as God’s children is restored.
SACRAMENTALS
The Rite of Exorcism
The topic of exorcism is something that peaks most
peoples interest because it is a mystery as to what it is really about. However, few people realize the importance
of utilizing this practice for the benefit of the Mystical
Body of Christ and of the world.
For example when the practice of doing exorcisms
declined at certain times the world suffered. When it
declined in the fourteenth century the bubonic plague
sprang up and forty percent of Europe’s population
died.
by Scapular John
An exorcism is a sacramental. It falls under the category of prayer. It can only be done
by a Catholic priest and only by a bishop’s permission. Lay people cannot do exorcisms.
Why is this? One reason is the priest uses the power of the Church in which he has been
invested in by being a priest. Jesus Christ established and operates through this Church
via His priests. Matthew, 16:18 “Upon this rock I will build my Church.” While Catholic
lay people are part of this Church, they cannot invoke that power. Also, part of the prayer
invokes the power of the Church that only a priest can invoke.
Lay people can say prayers of deliverance, such as the popular St. Michael’s prayer composed by Pope Leo the XIII. However, for heavy duty cases of demonic possession the
power of the Catholic Church is needed via the Catholic priest. This is one reason why
when Protestants have difficulty in setting a person free of demonic possession. They send
that person to the Catholic Church.
It has been said that the main reason why Jesus came to earth was to set us free from sin
by overcoming the devil. In the Gospel of St. Mark, 16: 17-18, the fist thing on a list of
things that Jesus said was, “In my name they shall cast out devils.”
So the question becomes how does the devil get into a person? There are a number of
reasons how this can happen. Here are some of them: turning more and more of their life
from God by going deeper and deeper into sinful life styles; getting into occult groups and
practices such as, Ouija boards, horoscopes, Tara cards, psychics, higher forms of Yoga
mediation. Sometimes just dabbling in this can result in demonic possession because of the
weakness of the person. Some people instead of consecrating their lives to God consecrate
their lives to satan. Some make a pack with him only to find he won’t let them get out of
it. Other times passion is due to a curse placed on them or by no fault of their own they
are victim souls such as the true story of Emily Rose.
Possession by the forces of evil in a person is usually unnoticed. Internally they can be
totally against the Catholic Church and cannot say that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior.
However, sometimes their voice will change or exhibit super human strength. For example,
one patient in an ambulance suddenly sat up by breaking the straps that held him down,
kicked open the back of the doors and went out saying, “I am satan.”
Oppression is when a person can be affected by the devil. For example, depression, anxiety,
bad habits, bad thoughts, addictions, temptations, hearing voices and strange behaviors
can be cases of oppression. Here simple prayers and or using sacramentals can be used
and the person is liberated. Such sacramentals can be blessed or exorcised holy water,
exorcised salt, St Benedict medal or the St. Benedict Medal/Crucifix.
In doing an exorcism extensive repeated prayers are necessary. Usually the dramatic exorcisms with screaming, deep voices and super strength are shorter. The exorcisms with
little reaction by the possessed person take a lot longer. Typically an exorcism can take a
year or more and yet it can be as short as a matter of minutes.
What causes these differences? Usually the strength and length of the possession is a key
factor. Other times God uses the long suffering for the benefit of the Church, Corinthians
12:26.
In all cases God is the focus of the deliverance. All is directed to Him. A sense of Heaven
is created around the person. This contributes to the devil leaving.
When a person is free of this evil, it is important for them to make use of the sacraments,
prayer, holy meditation, acts of charity, etc to grow in strength and the love of God.
It is no mystery that God loves us but it is a mystery how He does this in so many ways
especially through the rite of exorcism.
For more information on sacramentals you can log on to our website at, www.TheHolyFamily.com or call us at 610.253.8604 or write to us at:
Dove Tales, PO Box 3623, Easton Pa, 18043.
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Philippines’ Best
Fr. Guthrie
from page 4
were ultimately verified by the Church and the visions were declared by the Holy See to
be authentic in November, 2001.
Immaculee, having survived the genocide is now telling its story to the world. Her
first of three books, written with the help of Steve Irwin, is entitled “Left To Tell”. In it
Immaculee relates the story of her family, and of the hatred that led to the murder by her
neighbors of close to a million people including her family.
The other two books, “Led By Faith” and “Our Lady of Kibeho” describe Our Blessed
Mother’s appearances, beginning in 1982, to warn of the coming genocide and how it
could be avoided.
Immaculee’s three books may be ordered through a book store or by communicating
directly with the publisher, Hay House, 1-800-654-5126, or by visiting www.leftotell.
com.
*************
2.) HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER OF - AND SOME SPECIFIC WORKS OF THE
WORLD APOSTOLATE OF FATIMA:
One becomes a member of the World Apostolate when he or she signs the Pledge and
is adhering to the Fatima message. The Pledge consists in promising (not under pain of
sin) with the following prayer and commitments:
Long Island’s largest and most complete
selection of fresh and canned Filipino and
Oriental foods ... cooking ingredients ...
snacks and delicacies ... and a variety of
other Philippine products.
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Hicksville, New York 11801
(516) 939-0800
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The only Filipino Catholic newspaper in the Tri-State area is available in churches,
prayer groups and most places where Filipinos congregate. Spiritual and
inspirational in nature, it brings into focus what is most important to Filipinos: their
faith in and love of God. Every issue is packed with articles that educate, inform
and entertain. Its pages are filled with stories and pictures that inspire.
The Filipino Catholic ... an expression of our faith and of our people.
Don’t miss a single issue! Have The Filipino Catholic delivered to your home.
Fill out the form below and send it to us, now!
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I want to subscribe to The Filipino Catholic for
one year. Enclosed is my check/money order for
$25 (to cover postage & handling only).
Two-year subscription: $40.
I enclose $ __________ for ______ year(s) subscription to the
Filipino Catholic.
Name____________________________________________________________
Address______________________________________________ Apt. #_______
City __________________________________State ______Zip ____________
Telephone:________________________________________________________ Please make checks payable and mail to:
P.O. Box 3067, Garden City, NY 11531
THE FATIMA PLEDGE:
“Dear Queen and Mother, who promised at Fatima to convert Russia and bring
peace to all mankind, in reparation for my sins and the sins of the whole world, I
solemnly promise to your Immaculate Heart:
1.) To offer up every day the sacrifices demanded by my daily duty;
2.) To pray part of the Rosary [five decades] daily while meditating on the
Mysteries;
3.) To wear the Scapular of Mount Carmel as profession of this promise and
as an act of consecration to you. I shall renew this promise often, especially in
moments of temptation.”
When the angel who had been preparing the three children in Fatima for the appearances of the Mother of God, was asked by the children “How are we to make sacrifices”
[that had been asked of them], the angel answered:
“Make everything you do a sacrifice, and offer it as an act of reparation for the sins by
which He [Jesus] is offended and in supplication for the conversion of sinners.”
NOTE:
Next month we will print the Morning Offering used by members to help us follow
this request.
If you make this pledge and sincerely intend to keep it as best as you can, and if you
would like to be registered as a member, of the World Apostolate, kindly sign a copy of
this pledge (written or machine copy) and send your name and address and phone to Father
Guthrie at the address listed in the title of this Newsletter.
*************
SOME OF OUR MORE IMPORTANT PROGRAMS
What are some of the programs a local division could promote?
1) Arranging that every parish in our diocese has a parish Pilgrim Virgin constantly going
from home to home in the parish. (Many parishes are already promoting this devotion).
2) Spreading knowledge of and devotion to the gift of the Brown Scapular.
3) Promoting parish practices of the First Saturdays.
4) Promoting the Home Enthronement and Consecration of the family to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
5) Introducing youth to Our Lady’s message.
6) Promoting a regular All-Night Vigil (or Vigils in more than one parish). –we still
need to find, the Lord willing, the right parish and time to do this – if you would like to
help in this important apostolate please let us know.
7) Encouraging and promoting pilgrimages to Fatima.
If you are interested in taking part in promoting any of the above programs as a service
to Our Blessed Mother and as a means of bringing our people, especially our young people
to God, please write your name, address and phone, with the kind of apostolate in which
you are interested and send it to me,
Father Alfred R. Guthrie, at this address:
St. Fidelis Church
123-06 14th Avenue
College Point, N.Y. 11356.
If you live in Nassau or Suffolk county I will help you to join others from those counties.
Thank you.
Amigos
de
St. Michael
37-74 64th Street Woodside, NY 11377
(718) 424-7984 / 478-4413


2009
1.
2.
3.
Calendar
 
  


 
  






 

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Consecrate oneself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Recite the consecration prayer daily, for One-Fold and One-Shepherd.
Participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receive Holy Communion
daily, if possible - for reparation.
Offer a Holy Hour once a week for reparation and encourage others to
do the same.
Daily Rosary.
Assist the Church Suffering and the Holy Souls in purgatory by offering
indulgences.
Spread the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary
starting with the enthronement of their homes. Then follow-up with daily
family rosary, weekly or monthly holy hour or holy hour night adoration.
Organize if you can, vigils for First Fridays/ First Saturdays
and Blessed Sacrament Adoration.
Help in opening bible centers in your area or church
(      )
Tools for Apostleship: be in a state of grace (free of mortal sin); wear armours
for protection like St. Benedict medal, brown scapular, rosary; spiritual
growth and maintenance by continuous prayers and reading good
religious books like Lives of the Saints/seeing religious films.
            
               
                   
                   
               
       

    
  
    

  








    




   
BACK COVER
FRONT COVER
2009 LITURGICAL COLOR CALENDAR
Great gift idea. This full color liturgical
calendar contains 64 pages of materials on
holy saints and their feast days, scripture
readings, catechism, indulgences, Catholic
practices, daily mass readings, favorite
prayers, prophesies and revelations. Included
are the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart
images and enthronement instruction kit.
Only
EAST COAST LIFESAVERS, INC.
class on ACLS, CPR provider, BCLS
(718) 424-7984
Sponsors of this ad and services:
1.Sacred Heart Family Apostolate (64th St.)
• Family Library, Club -- assist in starting religious libraries
• 2nd Sunday Bible Study, Family Monthly Support Group Meetings
• Assist in Home Enthronement of the Two Hearts
2.Quallity Hands Placement Co. - Employment Services (64th St.)
3.NY Construction - Licensed and Bonded (64th St.)
4.Taxes - Authorized IRS E-File Provider (64th St.)
5.Money Remittance (Placid) and Other Small Businesses (65th St.)
• R/E, Mortgage, Life, Home and Car Insurances
• woodsidetravels.com or FEUtravel.com - book your travel online at low rates
• wateralkaline.com - purified and anti-oxidant water
• acuflex.myffi.biz - experience fuel gas economy. 20% down
• silawnyc.ambitenergy.biz - lower rates in gas and electric
6.East Coast Llifesavers, Inc. - ACLS and BCLS, and NCLEX review (64th St.)
7. Pasalubong at Iba Pa - located 3 doors near Jollibee, 3712A 63rd St., Woodside
Sells Filipino food, pastries, native craft including barong tagalog, etc.
15
$
IRS TAX PROBLEMS ...
we can help.
Formation of business
organization. Corporation, LLC,
Federal ID. Restore your credit
score in a month.
Call 646-209-4971 accountant.
Affordable religious gift
shop ... from $1 and up. Tan
books, DVD, VHS, medals.
FREE rosaries and scapulars.
Join the Sacred Heart Library
Club.
37 - 74 64th Street
Woodside, NY 11377
New book available at amigos de
St Michael - St. Sebastian Parish
International Cookbook and Food
Remedies at $15 per book.
Water Alkaline and
anti-oxidant. Kangen or
Universal Company.
Call (718) 424-7984
OFFICES FOR RENT AND BUSINESS
OPPURTUNITIES FOR SALE
CALL 917-607-6137
Woodside Mail Box
Rentals
for those who do not have
a permanent address
Tel. 718-424-7984
NYC Tel. 212 731 9662
Mobile 917 607 6137
Sacred Heart Family Apostolate
www.sacredheartfamilyapostolate.net
Library and Religious Book Store is open to public at 64th Street Location
FOR LEGAL HELP IN
ANY STATE OF THE
U.S.A. ON
Working Visas
Labor Certification
Immigrant Petitions
Citizenship
COME, JOIN OUR
FILIPINO MASS
Every First Sunday of the month
at The Shrine of
Our Lady of the Island
CALL:
Atty. Wilfrido E.
Panotes, Jr., Ph.D.
Eastport, Long Island, New York
Mass in Tagalog at 1:30 p.m.
preceded by Rosary in Tagalog
(Practicing Immigration & Naturalization Law since 1973)
• LL. B. (Ateneo de Manila); A.B., Ph. B., Ph. L. (UST); M.A.
(Fordham Univ.); Ph.D. (Graduate Theological
Foundation - Indiana/Oxford/Rome)
• Admitted: New Jersey, New York and Philippine Bars
• Member: Association of Immigration and Nationality Lawyers; National Lawyers Association
3000 Kennedy Blvd., Suite 303
Jersey City, N.J. 07306
Tel. (201) 963-5565
Tel. (212) 244-0581
Fax (201) 798-0636
MAILING ADDRESS
72 Van Reipen Avenue
PMB #405
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL:
Primo & Tessie Carlos (631) 325-1177
• Manny & Norma Pascual (516) 292-1445 • Helen & Peter Buni (631) 543-8775
• Mercy & Ding Rivera (631) 583-3236
• Ben & Lou Ileto (516) 433-2338
• Nita Vasquez (516) 931-5229 • Gilda Abejar (516) 476-7274
• Zeny Berroya (516) 869-8202 • Eden Gaceta (516) 942-0203
• Elsa Vergara (516) 640-5580
Directions: Head east on LIE, then take exit 70 South on Port
Jefferson-Westhampton (Capt. Daniel Roe Hwy - Route 111).
Drive for a couple of miles, then turn right to Eastport Manor
Rd. and follow the signs to the Shrine.
Visit the Shrine’s website at:
www.OurLadyoftheIsland.org

The Filipino Catholic

Transcription

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