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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

Life

When God created the dog, He said: "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."

The dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

So God agreed.

Next, God created the monkey and said: "Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span." The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?"

And God agreed.

God then created the cow and said: "You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years."

The cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"

And God agreed again.

Finally, God created man and said: "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years." But man said: "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."

So that is why the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grand-children. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you.

http://www.kabankalanon.com/profiles/blogs/3241215:BlogPost:51980

Happy Feast Day Columban Fathers!

ST. COLUMBAN Feast: November 23

This great missionary abbot founded monastic centers in France, Switzerland, and Italy that became centers of evangelization and learning for the whole area. He was a monk of the monastery of Bangor in north Ireland, founded by St. Comgall, one of the notable monastic founders of Ireland. At Bangor, sanctity and scholarship were prized, and St. Columban became a teacher in the monastic school there. He was born in Leinster, and after a youthful struggle he lived at Cluain Inis for a time. After thirty years at Bangor, he received Comgall's permission to spread the Gospel on the continent of Europe, and taking twelve companions with him he settled in Gaul where the devastation of the barbarian invasions had completely disrupted civil and religious life. Invited by the Merovingian King Childebert, he founded a monastic center in Burgundy at Annegray and two others at Luxeuil and Fontaines. From these three monasteries over two hundred foundations were made, and Columban composed for these monasteries two monastic rules.

With the zeal of a prophet, he attacked the immoral court life of the Merovingian kings, the lax local clergy, and introduced to the continent the Irish penitential system, which became the basis for private confession. Reproving a local king for his immoral life, Columban was expelled from Burgundy, traversed France and Germany, leaving disciples behind to found monasteries, and crossed the Alps to found his most famous monastery at Bobbio in Italy.

He was a firm opponent of Arianism, wrote letters to popes on the religious issues of the day, and left a legacy of writings that deeply influenced the monasticism that came after him.

He impressed his contemporaries as a giant of a man in mind and spirit, who revived religion on the continent and prepared the way for the Carolingian renaissance. He died at Bobbio on November 23, 615, and is buried in the crypt of St. Columban's Church there.

The St. Columban's Missionary Society took its name from him, recognizing in him a missionary genius with a uniquely Irish spirit.

Thought for the Day: St. Columban suffered for his outspokenness in the face of moral corruption and public depravity. He was exiled, but his words were remembered years later and many of his warnings heeded. He preached the word of Christ fearlessly and was not afraid of the anger of kings. It is the kind of Christian courage we should have.

From 'The Catholic One Year Bible': . . . God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were less than nothing; now you are God's own. Once you knew very little of God's kindness; now your very lives have been changed by it.—1 Peter 2:9-10

Taken from "The One Year Book of Saints" by Rev. Clifford Stevens published by Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., Huntington, IN 46750.

http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/COLUMBAN.htm

Columban Partners' Prayer Meeting

OCTOBER 25, 2009 – Sixteen Columban Partners in Mission from the different parishes of the Diocese of Kabankalan, together with Fr. Brian Gore and six Columban seminarians, gathered at San Columbano, Himamaylan City for a prayer meeting.

During the meeting, the group reminisced the history and works of the Columban Missionaries in the island of Negros. The group shared how the Columbans touched and transformed their lives.

The seminarians were greatly inspired and encouraged as they listened to the heart-warming real-life stories of the people who worked and lived with the Columbans in Negros. The seminarians were also assured that there are people who continuously work and pray for the Columban mission and vocation in the island.

A fellowship lunch followed and more stories were shared. After the meal, Fr. Gore toured the group around the renovated San Columbano Compound. The new looks of San Columbano makes it more comfortable and conducive for retreats, seminars, recollections and gatherings. Located near the famous beach resorts in the province, San Columbano also provides the same ambiance its neighboring resorts offer.

The group bade farewell to each other and with the undying missionary zeal instilled by the Columban Missionaries, they returned to their respective parishes to continue their missions.

Feast of the Little Flower

St. Therese of Liseux
"The Little Flower"

(Feast day:October 1)

Therese Martin was the last of nine children born to Louis and Zelie Martin on January 2, 1873, in Alencon France. However, only five of these children lived to reach adulthood. Precocious and sensitive, Therese needed much attention. Her mother died when she was 4 years old. As a result, her father and sisters babied young Therese. She had a spirit that wanted everything.

At the age of 14, on Christmas Eve in 1886, Therese had a conversion that transformed her life. From then on, her powerful energy and sensitive spirit were turned toward love, instead of keeping herself happy. At 15, she entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux to give her whole life to God. She took the religious name Sister Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Living a hidden, simple life of prayer, she was gifted with great intimacy with God. Through sickness and dark nights of doubt and fear, she remained faithful to God, rooted in his merciful love. After a long struggle with tuberculosis, she died on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24. Her last words were the story of her life: "My God, I love You!"

The world came to know Therese through her autobiography, Story of a Soul. She described her life as a "little way of spiritual childhood." She lived each day with an unshakeable confidence in God's love. "What matters in life," she wrote, "is not great deeds, but great love." She lived and taught a spirituality of attending to everyone and everything well and with love. She believed that just as a child becomes enamored with what is before her, we should also have a childlike focus and totally attentive love. Therese's spirituality is of doing the ordinary, with extraordinary love.

Therese saw the seasons as reflecting the seasons of God's love affair with us. She loved flowers and saw herself as the "little flower of Jesus," who gave glory to God by just being her beautiful little self among all the other flowers in God's garden. Because of this beautiful analogy, the title "little flower" remained with St. Therese.

Her inspiration and powerful presence from heaven touched many people very quickly. She was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925. Had she lived, she would have been only 52 years old when she was declared a Saint.

"My mission - to make God loved - will begin after my death," she said. "I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses." Roses have been described and experienced as Saint Therese's signature. Countless millions have been touched by her intercession and imitate her "little way." She has been acclaimed "the greatest saint of modern times." In 1997, Pope John Paul II declared St. Therese a Doctor of the Church - the only Doctor of his pontificate - in tribute to the powerful way her spirituality has influenced people all over the world.

http://www.littleflower.org/

Saint Therese is the inspiration of the Little Way Group, the core group of the COmmission on Mission of the Diocese of Kabankalan.

October the Month of the Holy Rosary

October and the Rosary

Tradition holds that October has been celebrated as the month of the rosary since 1571, and the victory of the Catholic League (an alliance of Spain, Venice, the Papal States, Genoa, Savoy, and Malta) over the forces of the Ottoman Empire who were seeking to take over Italy in an effort to move into the heart of Europe. It was October 7, 1571 when the battle was fought and the Catholic League was able to overcome the Ottoman forces.

Prior to the ships sailing off towards battle, Pope Pius V prayed the rosary, asking for Our Lady’s intercession in victory, and every man on board carried a rosary. For this reason, as soon as the men returned from the battle, the good pope declared a feast day for Our Lady of Victory. A rosary procession was offered in St. Peter’s square after the victory and in time the whole month became associated with the rosary, rather than just one day. Pope Pius XIII officially established October as the Month of the Rosary in the 1884.

http://www.aquinasandmore.com/index.cfm/title/October-and-the-Rosary/FuseAction/store.displayArticle/article/145/

Feast Day of the Archangels

Michael, Gabriel and Raphael

Angels—messengers from God—appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are named.

Michael appears in Daniel's vision as "the great prince" who defends Israel against its enemies; in the Book of Revelation, he leads God's armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century.

Gabriel also makes an appearance in Daniel's visions, announcing Michael's role in God's plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah.

Raphael's activity is confined to the Old Testament story of Tobit. There he appears to guide Tobit's son Tobiah through a series of fantastic adventures which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah's marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit's blindness and the restoration of the family fortune.

The memorials of Gabriel (March 24) and Raphael (October 24) were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their feasts to Michael's. Each of these archangels performs a different mission in Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael guides. Earlier belief that inexplicable events were due to the actions of spiritual beings has given way to a scientific world-view and a different sense of cause and effect. Yet believers still experience God's protection, communication and guidance in ways which defy description. We cannot dismiss angels too lightly.

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1153

Child Labor Provokes Boycott of Philippine Exports

The United States has called for a boycott of a dozen Philippine exports because of the widespread use of child labor in agriculture, tobacco, pig raising, fireworks and the making of child pornography. The United States Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), acting under the US Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 and 2008, says some Philippines exports should be boycotted by US customers.

This is a devastating blow to the Philippine economy and should never have happened but it is a powerful argument for the promotion and adoption of Fair Trade criteria. The US Department of Labor report covers 58 countries worldwide and the Philippines is among the offenders. The report is an indication of the international outrage at and concern for the plight of hundreds of thousands of exploited Filipino children. The Philippine Department of Labor (DOLE) says it is doing all it can to stop the abuse. Many of the Filipino ruling elite living in obscene luxury apparently have no knowledge of or interest in the plight of the children.

Children work as long as 12 hours a day on banana plantations that are sprayed with deadly pesticides and efforts by church and NGO groups to have them banned have largely been ignored by the powerful politically well-connected tycoons who own most of the export plantations.

While there is much that needs to change, Fair Trade and ethical trading is growing in the country and boosting exports. Philippine Brand and Preda Fair Trade dried mango is what the government should be promoting and customers are buying. They are free of child labor, chemicals and additives and bring great benefits to children and their families. The proceeds help the children of farmers and the victims of abuse.

Fifteen-year-old Amabelle was telling her story and being supported and comforted by Maria, the social worker. This safe haven is PREDA Children’s Home, partially supported by the sale of Preda Fair Trade Dried mangos. Here, she found a safe haven and protection from her sexual abusers and exploiters. She told how she was brought from her rural village, lured with the promise of a job in a posh hotel but instead sold to a sex club. She owed money for transport, food, board and lodging and would be jailed if she refused to pay. She was forced to dance nude while being videotaped. Later she was taken to a cubical at the back of the sex club and raped. The horrific abuse was videotaped to be sold and spread over the internet as child pornography. This is nothing unusual, such child sexual abuse being commonplace here with the complicity of corrupt officials who give operating permits to the sex clubs. The uncontrolled flood of foreign and local sex tourists hungry for sex with minors are the big spenders. They enjoy impunity from investigation, arrest, and prosecution. Between January and August this year almost four million tourists entered the Philippines. How many of them were single males? This is an increase of 4 % over this time last year according to Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.

According to some critics, the root of the problem is the non-prosecution of the suspects due to corruption, bribery and political influence. However there are too few prosecutors due to low pay, huge case work and the failure of police to investigate, gather and present credible evidence against abusers and traffickers. Meanwhile, the children suffer unbelievable abuse in this modern sex slavery. Foreign governments, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank give millions of taxpayers' money to the Philippine government for so called 'development projects'. Much of it is siphoned off by corrupt officials for lavish living.

But little is given to NGO’s providing safe havens and legal assistance to the countless victims of child sexual exploitation especially done by local and foreign nationals. And at what stage is the prosecution of that suspected pedophile, an official of the World Health Organization caught in the act with small boys in his car in Metro Manila? Unless there is an awakening among Filipinos to defend the rights of exploited children, hundreds of pedophiles and sex tourists will continue to abuse minors with impunity. END

http://www.misyononline.com/misyonforum/?q=node/970#comment-602