Self Awareness Workshop with Little Way Group

Last April 6, 2010, the members of the Little Way Group had a glimpse of the module that they will use in facilitating workshops in the Diocese.

The group underwent a self-awareness activity called My Paper Mosaic. In this activity, papers were cut into human figures and were distributed to each participant. Strips of colored paper were used to represent their strengths, weaknesses, interest and source of support. Everyone worked excitedly.

When everyone had their mosaic ready, everyone took turns in sharing and interpreting their work.

Most members of LWG are already retired and senior citizens but the activity reminded them of their younger years and made them feel like they are children again. According to them, the activity was very helpful. Despite their age, they had discovered something new about themselves and they had gifts, which they never appreciated before.

Mr. Nick Alayon and Mr. Michael Brian Arcedas from the Guidance Services Center of Colegio San Agustin – Bacolod facilitated the activity.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

"Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen."

Little Way Group Starts Little Steps

LWG March 9, 2010 Meeting at Lorenzo Ruiz Retreat House, Kabankalan City

News from the South

KCC - Technology Center worth 45M blessed by Bp. Pat Buzon SDB D.D. and Frs. Ramon Florete, Radny Bayog.

A 1.5-hectare lot donated by Johnny Jalandoni and family funder by German government through Salesian Project office in Germany.

Courses offered for 6 months
- Dressmaking
- Building Wiring
- Welding/GMAO
- Computer & Hardware Servicing
Registration  Php. 100.00
Enrollment Php. 1,000.00

Requirements:
a) High School graduate
b) Computer literate
c) 80% (NCAE Exam)
d) High School Card
e) Recommendation from the Priest

Peace Covenant in Cauayan on Feb. 19

P/Ins Figuroa requested the Roman Catholic Church of Cauayan to Host the Peace Covenant on Feb. 19 - Comelec, PPCRV, Political Parties are requested to attend. They will promise to avid with HOPE now CHAMP for election 2010.

Alay Kapwa 2010 Launch in Ash Wednesday

St. Paul's Parish wish to inform the lay faithful to join the Alay Kapwa 2010 as we begin Ash Wednesday - Feb. 17 season of lent. The money collected in Alay Kapwa will be use Pol-Education, victims of calamities in typhoon, fire, tsunami and child labor.


Reported by Fr. Bert Rivera
PMS & ADSUM correspondent in Southern Negros 

Little Way Group Moves Beyond Prayers!

February 16, 2010– The Little Way Group held its meeting for the month of February at the San Lorenzo Retreat House in Kabankalan City. Seven members from the different vicariates of the Diocese of Kabankalan attended the said meeting.

Fr. Rembert Rivera, the director of the Commission on Mission, presided the meeting. According to him, it is high time for the group to go beyond prayers and attend to the demanding needs of this generation.

 A guidance program was proposed and was readily accepted by the group. The group members will undergo series of workshops that will develop team-building and basic counseling skills. The group is looking forward to this great leap in promoting the missionary spirit in the diocese.

Feast of the Our Lady of Lourdes

Feast of the Our Lady of Lourdes

February 11

On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus. A little more than three years later, on February 11, 1858, a young lady appeared to Bernadette Soubirous. This began a series of visions. During the apparition on March 25, the lady identified herself with the words: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Bernadette was a sickly child of poor parents. Their practice of the Catholic faith was scarcely more than lukewarm. Bernadette could pray the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Creed. She also knew the prayer of the Miraculous Medal: “O Mary conceived without sin.”

During interrogations Bernadette gave an account of what she saw. It was “something white in the shape of a girl.” She used the word aquero, a dialect term meaning “this thing.” It was “a pretty young girl with a rosary over her arm.” Her white robe was encircled by a blue girdle. She wore a white veil. There was a yellow rose on each foot. A rosary was in her hand. Bernadette was also impressed by the fact that the lady did not use the informal form of address (tu), but the polite form (vous). The humble virgin appeared to a humble girl and treated her with dignity.

Through that humble girl, Mary revitalized and continues to revitalize the faith of millions of people. People began to flock to Lourdes from other parts of France and from all over the world. In 1862 Church authorities confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions and authorized the cult of Our Lady of Lourdes for the diocese. The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes became worldwide in 1907.

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1288

2nd National Congress of the Clergy

MANILA, January 21, 2010—“The Second National Congress of the Clergy (NCC2) is a real retreat experience. It is basically a retreat, a call to interior renewal, a call to holiness.”

This is how Msgr. Jose Bernardo, Jr., Executive Secretary of National Organizing Committee of NCC2, discussed on the framework of the forthcoming national clergy congress in a recent press conference.

He explained that this event is a follow up of the first clergy congress in 2004 and a response to the prophetic call of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, to convene all priest from all over the world to gather and honor a holy man, St. John Vianney.

The Executive Secretary also affirmed that the recent congress intends to respond to the needs of the clergy in the Philippines as well as “to surface the needs and realities concerning the ongoing formation and renewal of priests.”

NCC II Committee member, Msgr. Gerardo Santos, on the other hand, said that upcoming congress aims to provide the priests a deep and religious experience that will hopefully lead to a spiritual conversion and greater commitment. ]

Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFMCap, Preacher to the Papal Household, will be the retreat master of the congress while Imus Bishop Luis Chito Tagle will provide the challenge for the pastoral aspect of the call to holiness, according to Bernardo.

Meanwhile, the relics of St. John Mary Vianney, Patron Saint of Priests, will be brought to Manila just in time for the NCC2 that will be held at the World Trade Center on January 25-29, 2010.

The Manila Archdiocese recently announced that St. Vianney’s stole and breviary, among others relics, will arrive from France accompanied by two French priests.

The exposition and visit of the relics will commence at the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Makati City on January 23 then at the EDSA Shrine on the 24^th.

It will settle at the World Trade Center on January 25-29 then at the Sto. Niño de Tondo Parish on January 29; Quiapo Church on January 30 and at the St. John Mary Vianney Parish, Makati on January 31.

Spearheaded by the Episcopal Commission of the Clergy of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, the NCC2 assumed the theme of the Year for Priests, “Faithfulness of Christ, Faithfulness of Priests.” (Kate Laceda)

http://clergycongress2.org/?p=233

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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Happy Feast Day Philippines!

Feast of the Immaculate Conception December 8

A feast called the Conception of Mary arose in the Eastern Church in the seventh century. It came to the West in the eighth century. In the eleventh century it received its present name, the Immaculate Conception. In the eighteenth century it became a feast of the universal Church.

In 1854, Pius IX solemnly proclaimed: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.”

It took a long time for this doctrine to develop. While many Fathers and Doctors of the Church considered Mary the greatest and holiest of the saints, they often had difficulty in seeing Mary as sinless—either at her conception or throughout her life. This is one of the Church teachings that arose more from the piety of the faithful than from the insights of brilliant theologians. Even such champions of Mary as Bernard and Thomas Aquinas could not see theological justification for this teaching.

Two Franciscans, William of Ware and Blessed John Duns Scotus, helped develop the theology. They point out that Mary’s Immaculate Conception enhances Jesus’ redemptive work. Other members of the human race are cleansed from original sin after birth. In Mary, Jesus’ work was so powerful as to prevent original sin at the outset.

Comment:In Luke 1:28 the angel Gabriel, speaking on God’s behalf, addresses Mary as “full of grace” (or “highly favored”). In that context this phrase means that Mary is receiving all the special divine help necessary for the task ahead. However, the Church grows in understanding with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit led the Church, especially non-theologians, to the insight that Mary had to be the most perfect work of God next to the Incarnation. Or rather, Mary’s intimate association with the Incarnation called for the special involvement of God in Mary’s whole life. The logic of piety helped God’s people to believe that Mary was full of grace and free of sin from the first moment of her existence. Moreover, this great privilege of Mary is the highlight of all that God has done in Jesus. Rightly understood, the incomparable holiness of Mary shows forth the incomparable goodness of God.

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1223

Happy Feast Day Kabankalan City!

Jesus asked, “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Matthew 16:26a). The words were repeated to a young teacher of philosophy who had a highly promising career in academics, with success and a life of prestige and honor before him.

Francis Xavier, 24 at the time, and living and teaching in Paris, did not heed these words at once. They came from a good friend, Ignatius of Loyola, whose tireless persuasion finally won the young man to Christ. Francis then made the spiritual exercises under the direction of Ignatius, and in 1534 joined his little community (the infant Society of Jesus). Together at Montmartre they vowed poverty, chastity and apostolic service according to the directions of the pope.

From Venice, where he was ordained priest in 1537, Francis Xavier went on to Lisbon and from there sailed to the East Indies, landing at Goa, on the west coast of India. For the next 10 years he labored to bring the faith to such widely scattered peoples as the Hindus, the Malayans and the Japanese. He spent much of that time in India, and served as provincial of the newly established Jesuit province of India.

Wherever he went, he lived with the poorest people, sharing their food and rough accommodations. He spent countless hours ministering to the sick and the poor, particularly to lepers. Very often he had no time to sleep or even to say his breviary but, as we know from his letters, he was filled always with joy.

Francis went through the islands of Malaysia, then up to Japan. He learned enough Japanese to preach to simple folk, to instruct and to baptize, and to establish missions for those who were to follow him. From Japan he had dreams of going to China, but this plan was never realized. Before reaching the mainland he died. His remains are enshrined in the Church of Good Jesus in Goa.

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1218