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.

Parish Outing 2008

The Parish Outing for this year was held last Saturday, April 5, at Villa Fortunata Resort, Nasugbu, Batangas. The owner of the resort, Joey and Celine Perpinan, were very kind and generous enough to close the resort for our exclusive use. I got to know Joey and Celine through Sis. Chat Cance. Their children, Kyle and Queenie, were classmates in high school. They toured us around the resort while it was still undergoing renovation last March.

The buses and the vans left MMJP around 5:30am. I was not able to leave early since I was tasked by the Cardinal to be the main presider of the MAGPAS mass in Paco. I arrived in the resort around noon and found everyone enjoying their day: swimming in the pool and in the beach, singing videoke, playing volleybal and frisbee, or simply frolicking under the sun. I guess I don't have to write anything more. Just look at the pictures and see for yourselves.

Sacerdotal Anniversary

Today I celebrate my 9^th year in the priesthood. It was on this date, nine years ago, when His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin ordained me at the EDSA Shrine. The Church also celebrates today in anticipation the Feast of St. Joseph whose actual feast falls on the 4^th day of the Holy Week (March 19). As many of you would know, I am a product of San Jose Seminary. In San Jose we even have a song which we usually sing during ordinations and other special occasions, “Father of Priestly Sons, O Noble San Jose.” And so on the occasion of my 9^thanniversary, we also honor the Father of Priestly Sons.

San Jose was the silent worker of the Sacred Scriptures. He hardly even uttered a word. He was pictured as the obedient servant of God who found answers to the most difficult questions that confronted him in his dreams (Mt 1:18-25; 2:13ff; 2:19ff). His dreams were always about Jesus and what he had to do for Jesus. Sa bawat panaginip at pangarap ni San Jose, palaging kasama si Hesus. This leads us in searching ourselves and our dreams. We all have dreams: dreams for ourselves, dreams for our family, dreams for our parish, dreams for a better future, dreams for a better country, and so on and so forth. Is Jesus part of our dreams? Do we include Him in our dreams?

San Jose inspires all of us, whether ordained or lay, in our respective ministries. The word minister comes from the Latin word minus, which means to lessen or to subtract, and the suffix ter which means three or third. And so a minister goes down three times in his service. As Jesus himself proclaimed, “The Son of Man has come, not to be served but to serve.” (Mt 20:28) Jesus must have learned this from His foster father, San Jose. He never bragged about the role He was playing in the history of mankind’s salvation. Rather, he served humbly in taking care of Jesus and the Blessed Mother. He stayed in the background, he stayed behind Jesus. Similarly, all of us serving the vineyard of our Lord must realize it is Christ’s mission and we are just laborers. As St. Paul would later say, “It is not ourselves that we preach, but Christ Jesus as Lord.” (2 Cor 4:5)

Let us all look up to San Jose for inspiration. Let us dream dreams, but never forget to include Jesus in our dreams. Let us serve through our own ministries, but never forget to serve with humility.

Fiesta 2008 Photos

Here are some photos taken during the fiesta week celebration: First Set: Walk for a Cause (top left); Medical-Dental Mission (top right); Dinner with Hermanos.
Second Set: Water-Shed Rejuvenation Project in Antipolo;
Third Set:Fiesta Masses with Bishop Cortez and Bishop Bacani; and special guests, Julius Babao and Christine Bersola in the sacristy.

FIESTA 2008:Spirituality. Mission. Ministry.

The formation program of the Archdiocese of Manila for this year is a deepening of the MAGPAS formation on the Vision Statement. It is best captured by the three words which we shall also use as the theme of this year's fiesta celebration: spirituality, mission and ministry. Actually we are now on the 5th day of our novena masses and so this posting is quite late already. Anyway, people might still want to know the sub-themes and the presiders for this year's novena masses.

February 29 Fr. Roderick Castro (MMJP)
"Spirituality. Mission. Ministry"

March 1 Fr. Roy Belen (Director of Archdiocesan Parish Youth Ministry - Manila)
"Guiding the Youth Towards Fullness of Life
March 2 Fr. Maxell Aranilla (Principal, Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary
"Ignorance: A Dehumanizing Reality"
March 3 Fr. Benito Tuazon (St. Alphonsus de Liguori Parish)
"Destruction of Our Beautiful Land"
March 4 Fr. Joselito Buenafe (Spiritual Director, San Carlos Seminary)
"Falsehood and Disvalues: Media as Evangelization Today"
March 5 Fr. Victor Apacible (National Shrine of the Sacred Heart)
"Lay Spirituality"
March 6 Fr. Edwin Mercado (Rector, San Carlos Seminary)
"Priestly Life and Ministry"
March 7 Fr. Anton Pascual (Director, CARITAS Manila)
"The Scourge of Poverty: What is it All About?"
March 8 Fr. Alan Dialogo (St. John of the Cross Parish)
"Unjust and Selfish Attitudes Attacking Family Life"

March 9 FIESTA DAY
7:00 am Fr. Roderick Castro
9:00am Bishop Bernardino Cortez, DD GRAND FIESTA MASS
5:00 pm Fr. Albert Flores
6:00pm Bishop Teodoro Bacani, Jr.
7:15pm Fr. Jeffrey Jamias

"Is this the little girl I carried..."

I am not 100% sure but I think that was the first line of a song from the musical "Fiddler on the Roof." And again if I am not mistaken that was sung by a father upon seeing his daughter who was about to get married. I am sure Jobelle's father could relate very well to that song when he saw her wearing her bridal gown last January 30. I wasn't there when Jobelle was a little baby so I never got the chance to carry her. But somehow, when I saw her walking down the aisle, I felt I was his father too. Mixed emotions ...

I have known Jobelle for almost eight years now. I remember her as the sweet and petite girl applying as lector/commentator together with her "sisters" Millette and Jerdi. Shy but very smart. People thought that she was masungit because of her overarching eyebrows. That was what I thought too. But as the friendship developed, I got to know the deeper and more beautiful side of her personality. I cannot count anymore the many times she told me or wrote to me how thankful she is to have me as a father and brother in one.

Jay-R and Jobelle's wedding was simple yet solemn. There was so much happiness in both their faces. I could sense their excitement as they entered a new chapter in their life together. But just like any couple I also know there were gnawing questions and uncertainties in their hearts as to the future of their relationship. But with deep faith in God, they also know that God will never abandon them.

Jay-R and Jobelle, rest assured of our prayers for you. As I shared during your wedding, every act of God is an act of love and therefore a miracle. He was the one who brought you together. And just like what He did for the couple at Cana, He will be more than willing to do more miracles for you if you will allow Him because he loves you that much. Stay happy!