The
Vol. 7, No. 3 Issue
PARACLETE The little paper that feeds on prayer
Parish of the Holy Spirit, BF Homes, Quezon City
September 2014
Kristong Hari: From Dream to Reality to Legacy
HIS MOST REVEREND Antonio Tobias, D.D., Bishop of Novaliches, turned 73 years old on June 13, 2014. Two years thenceforth, he retires from his post. Saint Pope John Paul II appointed him to the bishopric at a time when he was in the thick of construction work for Christ the King Church in Greenmeadows. Twentyfive years later today, he is again on top of the same task for another church in honor of The King. Dubbed as his dream church, the Kristong Hari Diocesan Shrine for the Youth may yet be his second and last legacy. From 50 parishes, the diocese has mushroomed into 67 churches, covering mostly Quezon City and some parts of Caloocan City. As the territory grew in economic activity, residential communities sprouted everywhere, compelling the need to open more churches to serve growing churchgoers. The Kristong Hari Parish is one such church. At the heart of the national government center on Commonwealth Avenue, it started as a makeshift chapel under the Good Shepherd and Holy Trinity Parishes at a time when Commonwealth Avenue was still muddy and unpaved – for twenty or so years. Owed to progress, the said avenue morphed into a major thoroughfare. While the poor little chapel looked like a “dirty kitchen” of the more massive and – admittedly – impressive structure of its neighbor, the Iglesia ni Cristo. The observant will not fail to notice the parallel pointed emergence of a recent behemoth that dwarfed the 30-year-old Sto. Niño de Leyte Shrine beside it. The Bishop has time and again shared that, “It is my dream that our diocese could build a landmark church on Commonwealth Avenue to keep up with
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the infrastructure that have burgeoned all over it.” The dream, happily, is close to becoming a reality, thanks to a 5,000-square-meter land that the church stands on. He is optimistic that, aside from accommodating at least 2,000 at a single Mass, the dream church can also serve as a venue for diocesan-wide events. Kristong Hari is right smack in an urban poor community so the diocesan endeavor to support pastoral and social development projects for the poor can be realized. More specifically, the Bishop’s vision is geared towards evangelizing the youth very seriously. Thus, the shrine is the church’s desire to become a major shrine for this significant sector of society. To kick off the project, the Bishop hosted a series of intimate dinners for the clergy and their parishioners. At those dinners, he shared his dream and boldly begged for financial contributions from them. The project was officially launched at the “People’s Day with
By Marielou de Vera
September 2014
the Bishop,” on the eve of his birthday at the church itself. His enthusiasm rubbed off instantly on the multitude that gathered at his milestone. At the Holy Spirit Parish alone, the second collection in weekend Masses (except the first) is dedicated to his dream. Love Offering envelopes are making their rounds at parish pastoral councils, ministries, mandated organizations, religious congregations, BECs, government offices and other sincerely sympathetic sectors. The ground-breaking ceremony is set on November 23, 2014. To prepare the faithful, the Bishop has enjoined everyone to support and participate in the Banal na Paghahanda para kay Kristong Hari. It will be highlighted by the visits of the pilgrim images of saints to our diocese, namely: San Padre Pio of Eastwood, Quezon City, Divine Mercy of Marilao,Bulacan and Poong Itim na Nazareno of Quiapo, Manila. (Source: RCBN Circulars 2014-09 and 2014-17) TP
Stewardship in Creation
MAN IS BESTOWED with stewardship over nature – a covenant deeply ingrained in humanity from the very beginning of creation itself. If humanity understands this covenant, it will gain knowledge of the interdependence of human beings and the rest of creation: an idea of natural balance in cosmic proportions. God during creation gave Adam dominion over the earth and her goods. It was a call to take accountability and responsibility for what was created. It was not just to own the earth but carried the duty to care for what was given and received. It included not only nature and animals. The second story of creation expanded its meaning in that not only was Eve mentioned but also a host of other creatures. In our modern day context, stewardship means time, talent, treasure and people. The call to stewardship springs forth within us. Living in harmony and peace makes us grow in the image and likeness of God. A steward is also an educator who has a positive attitude to life because all human life is made according to the image and likeness of the Creator. In schools, as the one who guides the child to understand the creation stories, the teacher is the steward of God’s gift to him through his profession. His teaching leads students to an education towards freedom. Parents have a deeper connection to stewardship of their children because the process is lived through. It is to impart life. Stewardship is a call to build a community in whatever level of society one belongs to. It is also a means of crossing cultural, educational and social boundaries. Stewardship is based on the human being. Not on hierarchy prevalent in schools, government and religious institutions
in all denominations. The second story of creation is about humanity and human communities. It briefly explains order and harmony in our relationships. It means connectedness. God’s loving presence is universal and has fortified man’s existence. The understanding that a Divine Being is active and present in all of Creation becomes an occasion for deepening our encounter with our neighbor and respect for the diversity in religions. Almost at all times it is difficult to see the image of God in our suffering and poor neighbor and “poor” doesn’t always mean literally. Being poor means the lack of something in one’s life. We are all poor in one sense or another. But being poor needs to be qualified – as a need or a want? What we usually see is what we want. What we normally prioritize is what we need. It is our call to determine our necessity. The assumptions of truth, beauty and goodness are shared by all people in different cultures. However, it comes in different shapes and sizes clad in different faces in the events that we meet every day. This is where the disparity of thought usually comes in and arguments set in which can lead to divisions in the community. Carry the thought of reverence for every human being whether or not they are in conformity with our line of thought, belief and deed because each one is an image of God. Compassionate love in the service of neighbors destroys the prejudices which set ethnic and social groups against one another. As all of life speaks not only of interdependence but also of connectivity, we rest in the unperturbed and grounded understanding that all truths find convergence in God. Continued on the next page
september 2014
Editorial
The Paraclete
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Of Stewards and Speakers
WHEN FATHER MARIO Sobrejuanite, an Ilonggo, asked the audience to translate in Tagalog the word “steward,” many raised hands: tagapangalaga, tagapangasiwa, tapapamahala, tagapag-ingat. Some even ventured “caretaker” or “safekeeper.” All of which he accepted as appropriate translations, while marveling that our language has an aptly exquisite equivalent of the English word. He commended the translation of “fool” - hunghang - as how very clever indeed and to a T. And added his ultimate translation of the word “not the owner” alluding subtly to the attitude of the steward which exceeds – unwarranted - that of his master. He worked on his allotted two hours to the max and raised an amalgam of applause, howls and Amen at each turn. He was the third in the line of speakers the Holy Spirit has had, the first being Fr. Rene Lagaya, the second Fr. Peter Coching and the fourth Fr. Alan Abuan. While all four were distinctly different from one another, they shared one common attribute – made the congregation laugh. Each chose a subject close to his heart and shared it selflessly. And as grandly. As Fr. Rene’s deadpan digs, Fr. Peter’s performance-level vocals, Fr. Mario’s guilt-striking sketches and Fr. Alan’s rapidfire effort to make the most of what turned out to be an underestimation of his allotted time. The organizers realized that the last speaker had a lot more to say and decided to give him another shot at it for the sake of most of those in the audience who felt similarly. A Part II of his talk is in the offing. At the outset, it was an average crowd that greeted Fr. Rene. As though divined, however, it grew during Fr. Peter’s time and swelled when it was Frs. Mario’s and Alan’s turns. Had the audience used maximum recall, they might have noticed the parallel focus of Frs. Mario and Alan – attachments/detach-
ment. If the former said that “stuff you don’t use is no longer yours,” the latter’s corollary was “do not make your possessions possess you.” Basically hammering home the point that if what you own no longer serves a purpose, it starts to own you. While it is true that word of mouth travelled after each talk, there was no privileged information on who the next speaker would be, whence he sprung and what his forte consisted of. The natural offshoot would be the simple sharing of how excellent the speakers keep getting and their effect on their audience. What the observer does not know is that organizing the Stewardship Ministry alone went through great deliberation and determination before it could take off. The reasons were varied as the constituencies of the church. Thankfully, the prayers that coupled the efforts were as heartening as the warm bodies that burgeoned in response to the call. Such that the desired support that did not come from expected sectors paled and proved unworthy of notice. It became clear that, since the goal of the Ministry is to produce stewards out of the audience that conglomerates at the seminars, it would behoove the core attendees to look after those whose enthusiasm goes no further than the venue. Simply put, they will steward them to stewardship themselves, the basic goal of the exercise. Therefore, the indefatigable generosity of the couple behind the endeavor only grew and geared anew for the implementation phase of the undertaking. Their conjugal energy too palpable to be ignored, and often ameliorated by their household and office staff, they are often asked whence their drive springs and why the joyful relentlessness. Their austere answer: for the glory of God. TP
Stewardship and Creation, from page 2 Educators, parents, community workers and everyone involved in stewardship are given the privilege to nurture and carry out their common tasks in loving awareness of and the capacity to empathize with the feelings and thoughts of their nearest neighbour. We must go beyond a dogmatic approach to cultivate an open-minded tolerance that will help build human communities. All churches, schools and parents have the wonderful task of giving the child a solid formation that will cultivate in him deep respect and appreciation for the universal good and the culture of life.
All aspects of daily living provide a powerful foundation that gives the occasion to live connected in a complex and ever changing world transcending all social and religious groups and classes. Stewardship’s purpose is to develop good relations, decrease intolerance and diminish indifference to pave the way to harmony and peace among all peoples in communion with nature, environment and animals included as a covenant with God. TP (Editor’s Note: This article is culled from the author’s soon-tobe-launched book, “Art and the Creation Stories” a Claretian Publication.)
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The Paraclete
September 2014
A(l)-lel-(u)-i-(ah!) Aleli Francis S. Rivera
Dominican Order Founder: A saint of determination and prayer
“The Rosary of Mary is the principle and foundation on which the very Order of Saint Dominic rests for making perfect the life of its members and obtaining the salvation of others” – Pope Pius XI AUGUST 8 MARKED the feast day of a well known saint, one whose name is followed by two other famous saints such as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Albert the Great, St. Dominic. Dominic Guzman was born in Caleruega, Spain, on 1170, to wealthy religious parents Felix Guzman and Blessed Joan of Aza. As a child, he was familiar with the religious habit of prayer with his parents and siblings which led him to pursue priesthood at the age of 25 at the Diocese of Osma (where Caleruega is located). He became a canon priest of the cathedral, did house-to-house visits and celebrated Masses at neighboring towns that did not have priests. During his priesthood, St. Dominic mixed
education and prayer and preached the Divine Truth with determination. He regarded the bishop of Osma, Diego D’Azevedo, as one of his role models. Bishop D’Azevedo and St. Dominic went to the district of Tolouse, in the south of France, where the latter discovered inhabitants renouncing their catholic faith and sacraments, known as Albigensian Heresy. It was at this moment that St. Dominic experienced the challenges of being a preacher but nonetheless adhered to his faith of converting the heretics. Gradually through his missions, he converted people to the Catholic faith. Through his public sermons, the number of listeners increased and grew to love God through his evangelizations. In the course of his mission to neighboring towns and countries in Europe, St. Dominic identified the challenges in his religion as universal. With other six religious members, he founded the order of preachers in 1216-1221, also
Announcements a) The Holy Spirit Parish may receive your financial donations to the fund drive to help build the Kristong Hari Shrine for the Youth. b) You may now sign up for the Community Adoration every Saturday for the hourly slots beginning 8:00 A.M. up to 7:00 P.M. c) PREX Seminar No. 37 will be held on October 4 and 5, 2014. For details, you may contact the Parish Office at 931-39-95 and 430-63-11.
known as the order of Dominicans. The Dominicans were devoted to education, prayer and penance, approaching God through the intellect. At present, the Order of Preachers is known around the world as a builder of religious institutions and academics. St. Dominic was known to be one of the instruments of propagation of the Rosary because of his devotion to the Blessed Mother. It was believed that the Blessed Mother had appeared before St. Dominic when he was having challenges preaching the good news of salvation. The apparition of the Blessed Mother, telling St. Dominic to pray the rosary, was a head start for the saint. He set apart the 15 mysteries of the rosary and grouped them into three sets of five decades now known as the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries. St. Dominic died at the age of 51 on August 6, 1221. He was canonized by Gregory IX in 1234 and to date remains the patron saint of astronomers. TP
theParaclete Official Newsletter published bimonthly by the Parish Pastoral Council, Parish of the Holy Spirit, Nepomuceno Street, BF Homes, Quezon City Tels. 931-3995; 430-6311 Editor-in-Chief Contributors Adviser
Abraham M. de la Torre Angeli Francis S. Rivera Aleli Francis S. Rivera Rev. Fr. Bobot Clemen
september 2014
Ev-Angeli-um
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The Paraclete
Angeli Francis S. Rivera
Which Kind of Faith Do You Belong To? FAITH IS EXPLAINED as one’s response to God’s invitation to friendship or revelation. Through Jesus Christ, eternal death or eternal separation from God has been vanquished by His death on the cross. To have an eternal life is now possible! The Lord is now extending His invitation for us to be with Him eternally. Acceptance of that invitation is what we call Faith. There are many ways in which our faith can be expressed. Some would consistently attend Mass on Sundays. Others would rather read up on the Bible and Church doctrines rather than hear the homilies of the priests. There are also those who believe that loving the Lord implies good works towards others but would refuse to read the Bible and Church doctrines or attend Mass. From among these, which faith do you identify yourself with? As Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI asks in his encyclical entitled, Spe Salvi: “Is Faith for Christians today “a life-changing and life-sustaining hope? Is it ‘performative’ for us – is it a message which shapes our lives in a new way, or is it just ‘information’ which, in the meantime, we have set aside…?” (SS 10) (James Kroeger, MM. “Faith: Three Essential Elements,” http://www.cbcpnews.com/cbcpnews/?p=14806 (accessed 17 August 2014) In other words, the pope emeritus tries to tell us that one’s faith may be susceptible to two extremes: faith as only performative or intellectual. Either way, it’s dangerous for one’s faith to stand alone. For example, attending Mass but pushing away beggars at church door steps are not only unpleasant but a violation of Jesus’ commandments of loving your God and loving your neighbor simultaneously. Another is reading the Church doctrines and the Bible but taking pride in not attending Masses because he or she believes that he or she knows better than the priests. This is clearly disrespectful of those ordained or commissioned by Christ. Moreover, a dissuasion that the Church is founded by Christ! But the most alarming is the high increase in the rate of those who are morally sound but would refuse to attend Mass or read the Bible and Church doctrines. Not only their faith becomes individualistic but also lacks concrete foundation. There are three essential elements demanded of faith: 1) knowledge and acceptance of Church teaching; 2) entrusting oneself to God and; 3) a vigorous commitment to spread the faith (Ibid).To simplify, faith should be genuinely expressed as 1) doctrinal 2) worship and 3) moral. These three are inseparable and form an unshakeable expression of our faith. There are ways in which these three expressions of faith can be easily done: Doctrinal 1) Reading the Bible 2) Reading Church doctrines 3) Sharing with others what you’ve learned from reading the Bible and Church doctrines (focus group discussions, teaching, etc.)
Worship 1) Attending Mass 2) Actively participating in approved Church ministries 3) Joining in paraliturgical activities 4) Praying!
Moral 1) Doing corporal and spiritual works of mercy. In this way, one is witnessing Christ to the world! 2) Properly discerning and choosing ‘values’ and ‘goals’ that prioritize moral absolutes over relative truths (i.e. prioritizing life and dignity over honor, wealth, etc.).
These are just suggestions that can be improved as one goes along with his or her faith journey. TP
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September 2014
Of Saints and Saintliness Lilia F. Antonio
Sino si Kristo
PAGTUNTONG KO NG edad sisenta 2. Jesus (An Interview Across Time) ni pahayag at ipinangako, mga y singko (65), nagbago ang aking talumpati, at mga parabula. Isa Andrew G. Hodges. Great Britain: priyoridad. Sa halip na sa mga librong itong mabisang gabay sa mga Monarch Books, 2004. Kahangapang-akademiko, natuon ang aking pangunahing tanong kaugnay sa hanga ang paggamit ni Dr. Hodges, maalab na interes sa pagnanais na identidad ni Kristo. isang psychiatrist, sa kanyang higit pang makilala si Kristo. Habang mayamang imahinasyon at 5. Heaven is for Real (A Little Boy’s matiyagang iniisa-isa ang mga librong Story of His Trip to Heaven and malawak na kaalaman sa Bibliya sa pang-ispiritwal sa book sale, dinarasal Back). Sinulat ni Todd Burpo isang “pakikipanayam” kay Kristo. ko na gabayan ako ng Espiritu Santo sa kasama si Lynn Vincent. Nashville, Dahil sa librong ito, nagkaroon pagpili sa mga aklat na makatutugon Tennessee: W Publishing Group, ako ng ideya sa lingid na buhay sa aking pangangailangan. At waring 2010. Sa pamamagitan ng mga ni Hesus bilang tunay na tao. At himala, nakabili ako ng mga librong simpleng salita ng isang apat-nalalong lumalim ang pagpapahalaga, lalo pang nagpalalim sa aking pagdakila taong-gulang na batang lalaking paghanga at pagmamahal ko sa kay Kristo bilang tunay na tao at tunay nanganib ang buhay sa isang Kanya bilang aking kapatid at na Diyos. Bukod dito, para sa aking operasyon, masisilip natin ang Diyos. kaarawan, nakatanggap din ako ng 3. Meetings with Jesus (Men and isang kawili-wiling buhay sa langit mga librong angkop na angkop sa na naghihintay sa ating lahat. Women from the Gospels come pang-araw-araw na pagninilay at gabay face to face with the Son of God). 6. Praying Our Good-byes ni Joyce para sa isang ganap na buhay sa piling Rupp. Quezon City: Claretian Inedit ni Patrick Whitworth. ng Diyos. Kaya, ngayo’y nais kong Publications, 2000. Una kong Great Britain: The Cromwell Press, ibahagi sa mga mambabasa ang pahapnabasa ang aklat na ito noong 2001. Inilarawan sa librong ito yaw na nilalaman ng mga librong ito 1998 sa isang retreat sa Sacred ang kapangyarihan ni Kristo na na sana’y maibigan nyo at makatulong Heart Novitiate, Novaliches. Mula mabago at mabiyayaan ang mga din sa inyo sa pagpapatotoo ng buhaynoon hanggang ngayon, binabaliktaong nakatagpo Niya sapul sa pagKristiyano. balikan ko ang librong ito sa aalay sa Kanya sa templo hanggang mga panahon ng kalungkutan at sa Kanyang muling pagkabuhay. 1. Walking in the Light (30 days with matitinding hamon sa buhay. At sa Napakabisa at makahulugan Pope John Paul II).Manila: Logos aking pagreretiro sa trabaho nitong ang maiikling dasal sa hulihan Publications, Inc. 2004. Naglalaman Hulyo 2014, isang nagmamalasakit ng bawat kabanata na umaakay ang kaakit-akit na aklat na ito ng na kaibigan ang muling nagkaloob sa mambabasa sa isang higit na mga gintong butil ng karunungan sa akin ng isang bagong kopya. personal at malalim na pakikiugnay ni Pope John Paul na karamihan Tunay, tinutugunan ng Diyos ang sa Diyos at sa kapwa. ay sinipi mula sa kanyang 4. More Than a Carpenter (new aking mga pangangailangan bago mga talumpati. Nakatuon ang ko pa man hilingin sa Kanya. Taostestament). A companion to the repleksyon sa bawat araw sa isang pusong pasasalamat at papuri sa best-selling book by Josh Mcdowell maka-kristiyanong kabanalan Kanya! and Sean Mcdowell. Illinois: gaya ng katapatan, katapangan, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. katarungan, kababaang-loob at Ang mga librong nakatala dito ay si2009. Mababasa sa indeks ang iba pa. May kalakip din itong sipi mahahalagang teksto sa Bagong nulat ng mga taong nabubuhay sa kasamula sa Bibliya, panalangin at mga Tipan tungkol sa buhay ni Kristo. lukuyang panahon. Gaya natin, mulat patnubay na gawain para sa isang Kronolohikal na isinaayos ang din sila sa malulubhang suliraning pamumuhay na banal. ginawa niyang mga himala, mga panlipunan gaya ng kawalang-kata-
september 2014
rungan, kahirapan, krimen, digmaan, pagkawasak ng kalikasan at marami pang ibang sanhi ng pagdurusa ng mga tao sa lahat ng panig ng daigdig. Subalit ang mga manunulat na ito’y hindi
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The Paraclete pinanghinaan ng loob at patuloy na tumutugon sa hamon ng Espiritu Santo. Lubos din ang kanilang paniniwala na ang Diyos ay hindi kailanman magpapabaya sa Kanyang mga nilikha. Sana,
gaya nila, tayo ma’y lubos na manalig sa pagmamahal ng Diyos sa atin. Upang pagdating ng araw, sama-sama rin tayong makabalik sa Kanyang kaharian na inihanda Niya para sa atin. TP
Fr. Bobot Clemen (left photo) delivers a lecture on Jesus in the first of a series of activities of our Faith and Formation Ministry. The night culminated in a film showing of “The Story of Jesus”. The next activities will be held on September 20, October 18, November 15, all at 7:30 P.M. Fr. Peter Coching (right photo) delivers a lecture on Stewardship, one among many under the auspices of our Stewardship Ministry.
Our YOUTH get busy. In this series of photos, the youth, led by the Junior Legion of Mary and the Legion of Mary’s Tower of Ivory Praesidium, offer flowers to the Virgin Mother during the advance celebration of her birthday on September 7. This was followed by a film showing of “Mary of Nazareth”. Later, the attendees were treated to a sumptuous brunch buffet by the Parish Pastoral Council.
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How to Simplify Life
September 2014
(The Editor received a forward from friend Lilia. The original had 20 suggestions, halved here for brevity’s sake. Her plea was to share it. Please partake.) 1. Get up 20 minutes earlier, be early for meetings, smooth out your thoughts and save time for things you usually forget or take for granted. 2. Do one thing at a time, only Superman can accomplish multiple tasks with speed and success. Your reward will come from realizing how fast and efficient you are when you take it slowly and surely. 3. Stop from time to time and ask if you are complicating things rather than simplifying them. We miss simple solutions when we don’t pause to look
“Stewardship is also a call to share time and talent.” Fr. Bobot Clemen, in one of the Stewardship seminars
“How many of you still keep clothes that you no longer wear? How many of you still have keys that have no equivalent locks?” Fr. Mario Sobrejuanite, addressing the audience on wordly attachments
“Nung maliit pa ako, lalakad ako ng limang daang metro para bigyan ng sabaw ang tiyahin ko.” Ate Euffrey, on GIVING (inculcated by her mother)
around us. Like, ask if the mountain you are facing is not really a molehill. 4. Don’t trust your memory, write down everything and appreciate the leaks that would have escaped your mind had you not written them. 5. Live simply, don’t clutter your house by odds and ends you don’t really need. It is easier to breathe and think in a clean and tidy environment. 6. Spend time with simple folk, those whose calm and slow pace might rub off on your harried and rushed lifestyle. 7. Seek the advice of others, espe-
Quotes “The Cross is a symbol of suffering. Jesus emptied Himself of Godness to be man that He may suffer for us and save us from sin. When we suffer like Christ, we are purified. Then, like Him, we can also save, we can also realize the symbol of Resurrection.” Fr. Robert Victor Raj, on his homily on the Exaltation of the Cross
cially those who have been there and done that. Nothing is new that they have not encountered in their past. 8. Take a breather, discard the tasks that weigh you down and make a list of fun things to ease your mind, body and soul. Go back refreshed and ready to give it a go again. 9. Be kind to others, especially those who have less than most. Give from the heart with no account for cost and return. 10. Be humble. Accept that being better or less than others or is never the gauge of goodness. TP
“Live simply so others may simply live.” Fr. Alan Abuan, on living within one’s means