NEW NOTES July 2011 by Mel Libre

NEW NOTES TawagAwit Newsletter

July 2011

TAWAGAWIT YOUTH ROCKS After its debut performance during the Food & Music FEAST, TaYo: TawagAwit Youth of West Auckland rocked the Philippine Independence Day celebration held on June 11 in West Lake Boys, North Shore. While most of the presentations took the traditional route, TaYo opted to give a rock treatment to one of the popular Filipino Christmas carols, “Sa Araw ng Pasko.” The performance was well received. Arranged by Daryl Guido (lead guitar), the song allowed guest vocalists, Kayth Ycong, Ina Esclamado and Shaine Belleza (of KIS) to harmonize with Kim Guido. The band consisted of Cheenee Mandawe (guitar), JV Arenas (bass), Glen Albinto (guitar) and John Mandawe (drums).

We Need You TawagAwit invites you to help in spreading God’s Word through music and other acts of love. You can be a: (1) member; (2) supporter or (3) organizer A member is one who can attend to the regular activities of the Ministry. The minimum participation are: attendance during practice sessions of songs, usually once a week or once every two weeks AND singing with the group during the assigned mass usually once a month or once every two months. A supporter is one who can donate services or resources to the Ministry. There are special events that TawagAwit organizes and the events need finances or helping hands. An organizer is one who initiates the formation of a chapter in a parish. The Ministry will provide all the assistance within its means to help in the vital task.

The group was invited to perform during the Annual General Meeting of Katilingbang Bisaya sa New Zealand on June 25 held in the Henderson Intermediate School, and once more the band thrilled the crowd. Fr Sam Pulanco, Auckland Catholic Tertiary Chaplain, has invited TaYo to sing in the Students’ Mass in St Patrick’s Cathedral on August 14, 2011 at 7pm. One of the objectives of TawagAwit in 2011 is for more active involvement of the youth members in the pursuit of the mission “spreading God’s Word through music and other acts of love.” “God willing,” says Bro Mel B Libre, Lead Servant, “I hope to see TaYo perform in next year’s “Parachute Festival” in Hamilton. Nothing is impossible, so long as they are focused in their music and keep their faith in God.” The Parachute Festival is the biggest Christian music festival in the Southern Hemisphere, and attracts some of the world’s most popular Christian music artists. This year the performers included Chris Tomlin (“How Great is Our God” and “Our God is Greater”) and Stan Walker (“Black Box”).

NEW NOT ES Page 2

Our Vision: Harmony in the World

Our Mission: To spread God’s Word through music and other acts of love.

Our Values: Godliness We believe in God and live His Word. Offering We share our talents, time and resources for God’s greater glory. Devotion We commit ourselves to the mission of the Ministry. Love We love God with all of our heart will all our soul, with all our minds and with all our strength. Originality We promote artistry and creativity to express our faith. Victory over Sin We fight Satan in each and every moment of our lives. Evangelization We bring the Light of God to those who are in the dark. Sustainability We contribute and manage our resources effectively. Unity We are one with the Lord, one with the Church, one with the community, and one with the Ministry.

For more information about TawagAwit, please contact Bro Mel Libre sl at tawagawit@gmail.com

TawagAwit delegation sending-off Bro Junnes at the Auckland International Airport

Quick Notes: Sis Bella Fatima “Mimi” Gamboa (of St Thomas More chapter) and her family were given their Permanent Resident Visas after more than four years of hard work, patience and prayers. In his message to Sis Mimi, Bro Mel wrote, “I am sure that most of us, your TawagAwit brothers and sisters, included you in their prayers through all these years. And yes, together we must say thank you to our Great and Caring God. Sis Debbie and I continue to pray that Toby will join you and Pai in your continuing pursuit of a better life in New Zealand” Also notified of the approval of her permanent residency status was Cecil Muhal (Good Shepherd-Balmoral chapter) who likewise waited patiently for positive outcome…Bro Junnes Danganan departed Auckland on June 18 for New York where he will pursue a new chapter in his life with his fiancée. Bro Junnes is among the pioneers of TawagAwit-St Thomas More, Glenfield. The TawagAwit family prays for the best for Bro Junnes and hopes that he will plant the seed of TawagAwit in the Big Apple…TawagAwit-St Thomas More chapter conducted its Alay Laya Parish Reach Out in Maria Assumpta Parish, Beach Haven, Auckland on June 19. Fr Ruben Elago, celebrant of the Filipino mass, commended the group for its meaningful selection of songs…TawagAwit-St Patrick’s Taupo has opened a Facebook page for its members. It is the first chapter to do so, and this will be helpful in bringing information to its members...TawagAwit-Blessed John Paul II Mass CentreAlbany sang as a music group without assistance from other chapters for the first time on June 26. One of the mass attendees said that he was very much moved by the rendition of songs that he shed tears.

NEW NOT ES Page 3

Vatican Notes:

TEACHERS IN SANDALS FELLOWSHIP Vision: Dedicated volunteers spreading God’s Word through teachings and through example Mission: To carry on the command of Jesus Christ to spread the Gospel to all peoples of the world STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND TEACHING NIGHTS FEATURING INSPIRING SPEECHES PLUS GREAT MUSIC AND FOOD

July 2011 General Intention: That Christians may contribute to alleviating the material and spiritual suffering of AIDS patients, especially in the poorest countries. Missionary Intention: For the religious who work in mission territories, that they may be witnesses of the joy of the Gospel and living signs of the love of Christ. … Pope Benedict XVI used his apostolic journey to the Croatian capital to encourage nations to build their communities on Christian values and to support the traditional family and the sanctity of life. A culture guided by truth, reason and love not only will lead to peace, justice and solidarity, the community's very survival is dependent on such transcendent values, he said during his brief two-day pilgrimage June 4-5. If religion, ethics and a moral conscience are banished from informing the public realm, "then the crisis of the West has no remedy and Europe is destined to collapse in on itself" and risk falling prey to every form of tyranny, he said in an audience with Croatia's political, religious, cultural, business and academic representatives. Free and just democracies thrive when citizens' consciences have been formed by love and Christianity's "logic of gift" in which the good of the whole human family is sought after, not narrow self-interests, the pope said June 4 in Zagreb's ornate Croatian National Theater…Pope Benedict XVI said that a proper transmission of the faith to the young or the uninitiated depends on a solid grounding of the basics of Catholic formation -- baptism, first Communion and catechism. Pope Benedict XVI told participants of a diocesan conference in Rome June 13 to not be afraid of their duty as Christians to evangelize and to pass on the word of God "with courage, with conviction, with joy." Speaking from Rome's Basilica of St. John Lateran, the pope called for renewed efforts for evangelization, which he said, "is not the duty of a few, but of all the members of the church." It is the duty of Catholics today, he said, "to demonstrate the beauty and reason of faith"… Pope Benedict XVI said that the Book of Psalms from the Old Testament is a timeless and powerful "prayer book" that teaches Christians how to communicate with God. The 150 "inspired songs" were originally gathered by the Jewish people, but were prophetic of the coming of Jesus Christ, the pope said June 21 at the weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square. Indeed, he said, the prayers from the Book of Psalms were used by Jesus himself, "thus revealing their full and profound meaning." He said the prayers, or songs, manifested all the shades of human nature, emotions and faith, making them particularly relevant today for their ability to "teach us how to pray"…Celebrating Mass with archbishops from 25 countries, Pope Benedict XVI reflected on his 60 years as a priest, calling it a demanding and "awe-inspiring" ministry that brought him closer to God. The pope's unusually personal recollection came June 29, the anniversary of his priestly ordination in Bavaria in 1951 and the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the patron saints of Rome. During the three-hour-long Mass, he gave 41 archbishops the woolen pallium as a sign of their communion with the pope and their pastoral responsibility as shepherds. The liturgy in St. Peter's Basilica began with a fanfare of trumpets. The pope smiled as he processed toward an altar ringed with flowers, pausing to greet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. The pope devoted most of his homily to his 60 years of priestly ministry, and twice he excused himself for perhaps speaking too long about his recollections. He said he felt he had to look back on "the things that have left their mark." (From Catholic News Service)

NEW NOT ES Page 4 So Laff :-) You can’t stop anyone from singing, even the out of tune; but you can always cover your ears. Mass Offerings in New Zealand July 10 10:30am St Mary’s, Northcote July 17 10:00am St Thomas More Glenfield July 17 10:30am Our Lady of Lourdes Glen Eden July 24 10:30am Blessed John Paul II, Albany Invitation: +TawagAwit invites everyone to join the ministry: (1) The St Mary’s Church, Northcote (2) St Thomas More Church, Glenfield (3) Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Glen Eden (4) Good Shepherd Church Balmoral (East Auckland) (5) St Patrick’s Church, Taupo (6) Blessed John Paul II Mass Centre, Albany

+Should you be in another area in New Zealand or other parts of the world, TawagAwit will help organize a chapter. Existing music groups or choirs can also affiliate as a chapter. Email: librelaw@yahoo.com Photo at right: Brethren pose for the official ministry photo during the FEAST 2011.

TAWAGAWIT http://www.tawagawit.host56.com email: tawagawit@gmail.com