Pastoral Visit: Day 1

This morning His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, DD arrived around 9:15am for the first ever two-day Parish Pastoral Visitation. After a brief opening liturgy, the Cardinal met with the Parish Pastoral Council at the Cardinal Sin Hall. He listened to the pastoral report of our Punong Lingkod Bro. Johnny Cosep, he praised our 8-year old parish for the many accomplishments ( he said he was happy that MMJP is "lumulusog" and that he appreciates what we have accomplished in a manner he described as "maliksi"), he also entertained questions from our lay leaders.  What was thought at first to be a very formal dialogue became a light moment with the Cardinal.  

After the dialogue we went to visit Zone 7 of our barangay.  Thanks to our chief of police Major Gary Reyes and his staff who provided security and to the many parish volunteers who also made sure the Cardinal's walk was safe and secure.  A short program followed his walk where he also shared his 3-point message to the people: first, know what is good and do it; second, know what is bad so you can avoid it and lastly, the golden rule, love God and love your neighbors. Other pictures of the first day of visitation at http://eyikcastro.multiply.com

The Pastoral Visitation: A Primer

What is a Pastoral Visitation?  Every 5 years, the local Ordinary (bishop or archbishop) is directed by the laws of the Church to embark on a pastoral visitation of parishes and church institutions. The purpose is to strengthen these communities of faith and to draw out the spiritual energies of the church for the mission of evangelization. Evangelization is the “raison d’etre” of the church: it exists in order to evangelize.

“A bishop is obliged to visit the diocese annually, either in whole or in part, so that he visits the entire diocese at least every five years either personally or, if he has been legitimately impeded, through the coadjutor Bishop, an auxiliary Vicar general, Episcopal Vicar, or another presbyter.” (Code of Canon Law, c. 396)

 “The pastoral visit is therefore an apostolic activity to be carried out by the Bishop in true pastoral activity, which reveals him to be the principle and visible foundations if the unity of the particular church. For the communities or institutions visited by the  Bishop, it is an event of grace, reflecting in some measure that great visit with which the “chief shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4) and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25), Jesus Christ, has visited and redeemed his people (Luke 1:68)

The Archbishop of Manila, His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales,DD, is the real shepherd of the parish.  Since the Archdiocese has more than 80 parishes and shrines, the Cardinal appoints Parish Priests to shepherd for him.  His pastroal visit is an occasion to rejuvenate the energies of those engaged in evangelization, to praise, encourage and reassure them. It is also an opportunity to invite the faithful to a renewal of Christian life and to an ever more intense apostolic activity. The pastoral visit helps the Bishop to evaluate the effectiveness of the structures and agencies designed for pastoral service, taking account of the circumstances and difficulties of the task of evangelization, so as to determine more accurately the priorities and the means required for overall pastoral provision.

The following are the objectives of the pastoral visit:

1.     “In the spirit of Communio”: to strengthen the bonds if communion among the people of the Archdiocese of Manila and the Cardinal Archbishop as the visible sign of unity. The apostolic vision is the binding force of communion among the members of the Church in Manila.

2.     “In a state of Mission”: to identify the “best features” and “areas of improvement” of a parish/school/community. The following domains to be presented are: catechesis, liturgy and popular religiosity, social services and development of the poor, family life and youth, ecumenical and inter-religious affairs, ecology, financial/logistical and organizational culture and climate.

3.     “In the service of the Pondo ng Pinoy Movement: the level of commitment of the community in the catechesis and collection of the “crumbs.”

 Let us pray for the success of the first ever Pastoral Visitation in our parish.  Let this occasion be a source of blessing and communio for all of us. 

Adios Padre!

Fr. Danny left for Rome last Friday, November 7. He was already on his way to the airport when I texted him around 6pm. Last November 4, we had dinner with him at the residence of Jope and Cathy Guevarra in FEU Village, Antipolo. Present were Eva Galvey (my spiritual directress), Rev. Jayvee (my deacon), Rean, Millette, and Vann.

I remember having read in one of the books of Henry Nouwen his (Nouwen's) thoughts on leaving and having to say goodbye. (I am not so fond of writing down exact quotes and from which books I read them. But I'm sure this one's from Henry Nouwen) He said something like people leave us whether we like it or not. But when they leave, we are sending them on a mission. When they leave, they bring with them the love they have experienced with us. And their mission is to share that love with the people they will encounter wherever they go. We are confident that Fr. Danny will bring with him not only memories but the love he experienced from the friends he left behind.

Adios padre. Que Dios te bendiga!

Despedida for Fr. Danny Huang, SJ

I feel honored for having been invited to a despedida dinner for Fr. Danny Huang, SJ last Thursday, October 16. It was no less than Fr. Catalino Arevalo, SJ (he whom they call the "Dean of Asian Theologians") who invited me through Fr. Albert Flores. I was hesitant at first and told Fr. Albert "baka ma-out of place ako" when I found out that only the four of us will be there. But then again I thought, it was a despedida dinner for a good friend, not an oral exam in Theology. So off we went to Ha Yuan Restaurant along Mother Ignacia St. in QC. The owners of the restaurant, who are close friends of Fr. Revs, personally prepared the sumptuous dinner we had.

Fr. Danny has been my friend since I was in San Jose Seminary. To be exact, since the second semester of school year 1997-1998. Although I have known him since 1996 when he moved in to San Jose, truth be told that we didn't start off well. Before my ordination he admitted that he thought I was "masungit" when he first saw me. Thanks to our common friend, Fr. Albert, who bridged the "gap." Every time he will invite Fr. Albert to eat outside or watch a movie, Fr. Albert will bring me along. And so by the start of the second semester of my third year in theology, Fr. Danny and I were already good friends. When Fr. Albert left for Rome, Fr. Danny was left with "no choice" other than me and my good friends Fr. Ryan Tevez and Fr. Randy Odchigue, among others. So many fond memories...


I remember after my ordination in 1999, he organized a group of seminarians to come with us as I moved in to my first ever assignment as a priest in Paco, Manila. I was so moved by the gesture. Up to now, wala akong maalala na naghatid ang mga Josefino sa first assignment ng isa sa mga kapatid nila. We attend ordinations, yes. Pero yung sasamahan at ihahatid sa unang assignment, parang wala pa kong narinig na ganon. ( By the way, we always remember each other every March 15 -- my ordination anniversary, his birthday).

He never ceases to inspire and touch my life by his mere presence and support. When I was installed as parish priest of Comembo, he was also present. He saw the humble beginnings of this parish and helped me out for as much as he could ... saying novena masses, giving recollections, giving talks to our parish leaders, and of course, always reserving a Simbang Gabi for us. Come December, we will surely miss him and his inspiring homilies.

So what was the despedida for? After holding key positions in the Society of Jesus (Rector of San Jose, Provincial of the Society), Fr. Danny has been elected as one of the Regional Assistants of the Superior General of the Society of Jesus. Let me quote some parts of his blog which I copied without permission from his multiply account:

"This morning, after prayers in the Aula together, Fr. General Adolfo Nicolas announced the names of nine Jesuits who would form the core of his General Council. Each of the nine was assigned as a Regional Assistant: that is to say, each would help Fr. General in his governance of a specific geographic region of the Society of Jesus (called an “Assistancy,” in Jesuit jargon). Each would also be a General Counselor, that is, someone who would help Fr. General in his supervision and care over the whole Society. Fr. General appointed me one of his General Counselors, and Regional Assistant for East Asia and Oceania. This Assistancy covers the Provinces of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia, the regions of Malaysia-Singapore, Thailand, Micronesia, and East Timor, and the missions of Myanmar and Cambodia. As Regional Assistant, I will have to visit the men and our apostolates in this area; help Fr. General with the requests, reports and other correspondence that come from the region; give him the advice he needs on decisions that will have to be made, on personnel, houses, communities, finances, ministries, and the like. As General Counselor, I am supposed to “collaborate with the General” and his other counselors, on policies, decisions, and implementation of those decisions, concerning the universal Society... 

...After Mass this evening, I laughed when a smiling American Jesuit came up to me and said, “Had a life-transforming day today, have you?” In truth, however, I have found myself remarkably strengthened by the kind responses of my brother Jesuits here in Rome. It was funny to walk down the corridor this evening and hear the venerable Fr. Jacques Gellard, Assistant ad Providentiam and Admonitor of Fr. Kolvenbach, greet me, with a kind of benevolent amusement in his voice: “Good evening, Fr. Assistant.” So many brother Jesuits here, from so many different countries, have expressed good wishes and promised prayers, and I have been deeply touched by the sincerity and brotherhood behind their words. I was very moved too by a few, including some I respect very much, surprising me by saying: “I am very happy that you are part of the Council."

People close to Fr. Danny have mixed emotions about his new assignment for he will be based in Rome starting end of this month. It is a seeming loss for the Church of the Philippines especially for the Philippine Province of the Jesuits. And yet we are also happy that his brilliance will be shared to a wider and bigger "community." For that we can only congratulate him and offer our prayers for him.

Fr. Albert told me it was Fr. Danny who personally requested that I join them for dinner last Thursday. I feel flattered. Not everybody gets to be invited by a Jesuit Regional Assistant to dinner (together with the Dean of Asian Theologians). I was asking Fr. Albert if I had to be formal before Fr. Danny and if I had to start calling him Fr. Huang instead. But when he stood up and embraced me as I approached the dinner table, I knew it was still my good old friend...

Good luck Fr. Assistant.  Comembo will miss you. Rest assured of our prayers.

Things I Learned from the WYD!!!

1. Never sleep in the train when you are in a foreign land. (thanks to Leah for this)
2. Budget your time for shopping so you don't get lost and left behind. (thanks to Karina)
3. Make sure there's no camera when you dance in public - esp. if you are a priest. (thanks to me)
4. Don't forget your ipod or mp3 player especially if you will sleep beside a loud one-man orchestra. (thanks to Phil)
5. Huwag ikahiyang gamitin ang sariling wika kapag inaaway ka na ng mga banyaga sa sarili nilang wika. (salamat Fr. Josue and Fr. Jun)
6. Never "line the cross". (kay Camille ba ito??? hahahaha)
7. The Southern Cross is found in the sky, not in the face. (thanks again to Karina)
8. Kangaroos are not only fun to see but fun to eat as well. (thanks to Fr. Leo)
9. The African word for "father" is "Baba". (right, Baba Ding?)
10. Believe that real power can only come from the Holy Spirit. (thanks to the Holy Spirit!)

World Youth Day: Sydney, July 15-21

We arrived in Sydney early Sunday morning. This time we didn’t have to wait for hours at the airport. We were soon being brought to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Randwick which was just a few blocks away from the Randwick Race Course which was to be the site of the Papal Mass. That was to our relief because it meant we wouldn’t have to walk a long way to get there. We found out however that our foster families were not expecting us until the evening of the 14^th. So everyone started calling on their relatives in Australia to look for a place to stay for the night. I brought along with me Phil and Atty. Lea to Plumpton which was an hour’s drive from the city. We were lucky because Erwin Buensuceso who was picked up by his aunt was also going that way and gave us a ride. I was able to get in touch with Ate Remy Fairweather, sister of Sis. Rita Fernandez. She was kind enough to give us a place to spend the night. Gigi and Queenie stayed in Gigi’s cousin’s place near the city.

In Sydney, Fr. Chris and I were still housemates but this time we stayed in the same house with Msgr. Ding, Fr. Eugene, Fr. Jojo and Fr. Roy. We were warmly received by Stephanie Burke and her family in their house along Coogee Bay.


July 15 was the actual starting date of the WYD 2008. It was such a memorable first day for most of us priests. We had to line up at the Opera House for the accreditation of priests for us to be able to concelebrate in the Papal Mass. We started lining up around 8:30am and finally got out of the Opera House around 5:30pm. Imagine, nine hours of lining up with thousands of other priests and only 5 computers available for registration. That would have been an hour longer than our flight back to Manila. And because of that queue, we never got to concelebrate during the Opening Mass at Barangaroo.



From July 16-18, we joined catechetical sessions in the morning at the Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Kensington. The catechism sessions had bishops and Cardinals as speakers. The main focus of the catechism was the theme of the WYD 2008: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes, and you will become my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). In the afternoon of July 17, we joined thousands of ecstatic young people in Barangaroo for the grand Papal Arrival.



The highlight of any WYD celebration is the overnight vigil before the last day. And so was it in Sydney. Around 1:30pm of Saturday, July 19, we began our pilgrim walk to the Randwick Race Course. There was a festive atmosphere in the streets of Sydney. Young people from different nations were marching towards the same direction while chanting their love for Jesus and for the Pope. Equally moving and heartwarming were the Filipinos based in Sydney who were as ecstatic whenever they see us and the Filipino flag being waved in the air. They were so proud to see their countrymen and even joined us in our chants of “Boom Tarat-tarat.”

That was also the most challenging part of the WYD. Remember, it was the heart of winter. By 5pm, we were already struggling with the biting coldness to think that the vigil had not begun yet. The Pope arrived around 8pm and the prayer vigil lasted until 10pm. By the end of the vigil, we were freezing to our bones. Four layers of winter clothing, sleeping bags and thermal blankets were not enough to ward off the stinging coldness. But there was no giving up on this once in a lifetime experience. Everyone was courageous enough to take the extra challenge. Four hundred thousand young people slept under the Southern sky anticipating the Pope’s closing mass the following morning.

It was all worth the sacrifice. Although most of us were not able to really get a good night’s rest, everyone was as energetic as the previous day as we awaited the Closing Mass. The Pope’s message reverberated around the race course. Power can only come from the Holy Spirit, a power so different from what the world can offer. The Papal message was full of hope for the young people of the world.

There are still so many things to write about the WYD. One blog entry will never be enough. I am just giving you a summary of the events that transpired during those unforgettable days in Sydney and Melbourne. In fact I haven’t told you about the Blue Mountains, about the food, koalas, kangaroos, lamingtons, Tim-tams …and WYD 2011 in Madrid! Hasta la vista!!!

Melbourne: Days in the Dioceses, July 10-13

It was a dream come true for most of the 96-strong Manila delegation to the Sydney World Youth Day. Most of us were first-timers, except of course for those who were already “young” when the WYD was held in Manila in 1995. It was just amazing that most of those who went to Sydney were only toddlers or were still inside their mothers’ wombs when it was held in Manila.

We arrived in Melbourne on the morning of July 9. We were brought to the Marcelin College after six hours of waiting at the airport. People from our host parish, St. John the Evangelist in Mitcham, fetched us and brought us to the parish. By 6pm, foster parents started arriving to pick up those assigned to them. Barry O’ Shei who became my foster father for 5 days, came to pick me up together with Fr. Chris Sabili from Palawan. His house along Ventnor St. was about 1.6kms away from the parish.

July 10: We joined the community mass at Mitcham’s around 10am. Then the parish priest and some parish leaders brought us to Victoria Market where we had lunch before proceeding to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for the Opening Mass of the Days in the Diocese.

July 11: We went to the Pilgrim Center (while worrying whatever happened to Atty. Lea who was not able to get off the train). Our group made a pilgrimage walk to the Blessed Mary McKillop Heritage Center. Blessed Mary Mckillop hopefully will become Australia’s first saint. At 6pm, we were already at the Telstra Dome for the commissioning mass. Finally, and to our relief, we were reunited with Atty. Lea.

July 12: After mass at Mitcham’s, we had barbecue with the parishioners. Then we were given the afternoon for free. For tennis fans, Melbourne is a sacred place. Every year, around the month of January, Melbourne hosts the first Grand Slam event to kick off the tennis season, the Australian Open. Having mastered the art of manipulation (laugh), I was able to drag along with me some priests and young people for a side trip to the Rod Laver Arena. I was in Cloud Nine! Just seeing the tennis courts where famous tennis players compete gave me a blast. My trip to Australia was complete!

The following day we were off to Sydney. Melbourne was memorable. First, for Barry O’Shei, my foster father there. Second, The Rod Laver Arena. Third, for everything that happened while we were there. :)

Parish Youth Camp 2008

The Parish Youth Ministry, led by the very energetic and efficient Jacky Sapitanan went to Real, Quezon last June 8, 2008.  I wasn't able to join them because of a prior commitment.  Thanks to Millette for offering the place and to her mom for preparing the venue and for staying there and served as the guardian of our youth.  I hope to be able to visit the place soon.  

If the smiles in the photos below will be the basis, then Youth Camp 2008 was a resounding success. 

Merry Month of May

National Conference for Youth Ministers (NCYM)

The NCYM 2008 was held last May 5-10 in Jaro, Iloilo. Our Parish Youth Coordinator Jacky Sapitanan was part of the official delegation from the Archdiocese of Manila and she represented the Makati District Youth Ministry. The theme of this year’s conference was “The Word of God Lives in You” (1 John 2:14). The conference aimed to stress among the youth ministers that the Bible should take the central place in the lives of youth ministers. Bishop Chito Tagle of Imus was the keynote speaker of the conference. He challenged all the youth ministers to listen and witness to the Word of God, Jesus Christ. The NCYM believes that the young are not only objects of evangelization but that they can be ministers of evangelization.

EMHC Retreat 2008

The annual retreat of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) was held last May 9-10 at Villa San Jose, Tagaytay City. Bro. Jayvee Zuniga of San Jose Seminary was their retreat director. The theme of this year’s retreat was Eucharistic Spirituality. Bro. Jayvee said that when we speak of spirituality we speak about a particular expression of a belief which is rooted in the quality of one’s relationship with God. When we speak therefore of Eucharistic spirituality, we refer to the spirituality of a person who is transformed by his communion with the Body of Christ.

Santacruzan 2008

The month of May in the Philippines is dedicated in a particular way to Mama Mary. In almost every parish, little children flock to churches to be taught catechism and afterwards offer flowers to the Blessed Mother. Another activity that highlights this Marian Devotion is the Santacruzan which gives honor to Mary through her different titles. This also recalls Queen Helen’s search for the Holy Cross, the true Cross of Christ. Young women are dressed to look their best to give honor to the most beautiful woman ever, the Blessed Mother. Our santacruzan this year was held last May 10. This year’s Reyna Elena is no less than Queenie Cance who really looked every inch a queen.