NEW NOTES TawagAwit Newsletter
March 2010
First Offering for New Group Fifteen inspired voices of members of the newly established TawagAwit chapter based in West Auckland led in the singing of songs in the 9:30am mass on February 28, 2010 at the Good Shepherd Parish, Balmoral, Auckland City. It was the first mass offering of the group. With members all coming from the Katilingbang Bisaya sa New Zealand (KBNZ), the group showcased most of the songs with harmonies accompanied by acoustic guitars and a lone bass guitar. From the gathering song, “Power of Your Love” to the finale, “Be Not Afraid”, the singers in white attire confidently delivered the songs in the Eucharistic celebration attended by parishioners of different ethnicities. Other songs sung included: “One Bread, One Body”, “Amazing Grace” and “Lift up Your Hands.”
We Need You TawagAwit invites you to help in PHOTO HERE,music spreading PLACE God’s Word through and other acts of love. OTHERWISE DELETE BOX 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.
Original TawagAwit missal songs (Memorial Acclamation, Holy, Holy, Great Amen and Lamb of God) had a fresh treatment with the male singers providing harmony. At the end of the mass, the congregation applauded the singers. Dicdic del Castillo, Liturgical Music Coordinator of the parish, was impressed with the rendition of songs that she invited the group to sing in the Filipino mass in the parish in June. Fr Gilbert Ramos celebrated the mass. The members, parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes ParishGlen Eden, come from the following families: Albinto (1) Amiscua (5), Menchavez (2), Mandawe (2), Guido (3) and Libre (2). The following hosted the gatherings for rehearsals: NaniChing Mandawe, Boy-Pat Amiscua and Sendo-Claudia Menchavez. 1-19 Danube Lane, Glen Eden, Waitakere City Auckland, New Zealand P 09 813 1616 F 09 813 1616 www.tawagawit.host56.com
NEW NOTES 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
Ph Quick Notes: On February 21, 2010, Outogether, the annual joint summer outing of the members of TawagAwit, was held at Long PLACE PH OTO HERE,(37) brethren gathered Bay Regional Park, Auckland. Thirty-seven in the social event of family, food and fun. The group shared lunch, and thereafter, some went swimming, while others explored the environment. While most of the female members had a talkfest, the gents strummed their guitars and sang popular songs. Two group games were played one of which was won by Bro Bob/Sis Cecil Nacario. The prizes consisted of harvests from the Sow&Harvest program. The gathering closed with a group picture taking. Thanks to Bro Jerome Ortiz who served as Chef of the Day, Sis Julie Valencia the game master and Bro Sendo/Sis Claudia Menchavez for their calendar giveaways, Bro Cyril/Sis Rose Bas and Bro Peter/Sis Jamelle Gayaman led their respective chapters in organizing the event…TawagAwit-St Thomas More chapter regrouped for its first regular gathering for 2010 on February 26 at the parish. Bro Peter Gayaman invited Margaret Russell, parish music coordinator, to help in the arrangement of the songs for the Lenten season…During the mass on February 14, 2010 TawagAwit-St Mary’s chapter added a new element in its music offerings with the violin accompaniment compliment of Eleonor Adviento, daughter of Bro Bert/Sis Rosana. The contribution enhanced the performance of the group whose members were overwhelmed by the beautiful music…Bro Mel B Libre in a letter addressed to the chapter coordinators called for a return to basic for the chapters. He encouraged members to concentrate their efforts in improving their singing in their assigned masses. He also said that in 2010 the major community event for TawagAwit is the Open Gathering in December, hopefully to be supported by the Auckland Chaplaincy of the Filipino Community. He asked the chapter coordinators to encourage members to pray the Rosary with their families at least once a week and to participate in the Teaching Night.
NEW NOTES Page 3
Vatican Notes: Pope’s Intention for March 2010: General: That the nations
PLACE PHOTO HERE, OTHERWISE DELETE BOX
Papal Blessing: Pope Benedict XVI (above) Earthquake: Destruction in Chile PLACE PHOTO HERE, (below) OTHERWISE DELETE BOX
of Latin America may walk in fidelity to the Gospel and be bountiful in social justice and peace. Missionary: That the Holy Spirit may give light and strength to the Christian communities and the faithful who are persecuted or discriminated against because of the Gospel...Pope Benedict XVI prayed for the victims of the massive earthquake in Chile and pledged the assistance of Catholic relief organizations. The pope made the remarks at his noon blessing Feb. 28, the day after a magnitude 8.8 quake struck the South American country, triggering giant waves and leaving at least 700 dead. "My thoughts are with Chile and with the populations stricken by the earthquake, which caused great loss of life and terrible damage," the pope said from his apartment window above St. Peter's Square. "I am praying for the victims and am spiritually close to those affected by this serious catastrophe. For them, I ask God to grant relief of suffering and courage in this adversity. I am sure solidarity will be shown by many, in particular by church organizations," he said (CNS)...In order to realize their full potential, people need to listen to others and especially to God, Pope Benedict XVI said. "Man is not perfect in himself; man needs relationships, he is a being in relation" to others, he said Feb. 27 at the end of his annual Lenten retreat. At the end of the spiritual exercises, held in the Redemptoris Mater Chapel of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Benedict said people need the capacity to listen to others, especially to God. "Only in this way can one know oneself, only in this way does someone become himself," he said. A perfect example of how to listen fully to God with one's heart is Mary, who was immersed in God's word, reflected upon it and carried it safely in her heart, he said. By listening to God, "she conceived the eternal Word and gave her flesh to this Word," thereby showing what it means to have a heart that listens, he said (CNS)...Before beginning his annual Lenten retreat, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged Catholics around the world to practice prayer and penitence in the weeks leading up to Easter. The entire period of Lent should be like "a long 'retreat' during which people can return inside themselves and listen to the voice of God, in order to overcome the temptations of the Evil One," the pope said at his noon blessing Feb. 21. He described Lent as a time of spiritual training, undertaken not with an attitude of pride, but in an effort to live more closely with Jesus through prayerful reflection and penitential practices. The importance of spiritual fortification in order to resist temptation was illustrated by the Gospel account of Christ's own temptations by Satan in the desert, the pope said. "Christ came into the world to free us from sin and from the ambiguous fascination of designing our lives without God. He did so not with high-sounding proclamations, but by fighting personally against the tempter, right up to the cross," he said (CNS)...With love, faith comes alive, and without it, faith is dead, Pope Benedict XVI said. It is God's love that grants true spiritual knowledge and transforms people's lives, he said Feb. 10 at his weekly general audience. "Charity lies at the heart of faith and makes it come alive. Without love, faith dies," he said. The pope's audience talk focused on the life and teachings of St. Anthony of Padua, a 13th-century Franciscan friar who was a contemporary of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Anthony played a key role in developing Franciscan spirituality, the pope said, especially concerning the role and nature of prayer. Only through authentic prayer can a person experience spiritual progress and fight the temptations of greed, pride, and impurity and instead live a life marked by poverty, generosity, humility, obedience and chastity, he said. St. Anthony taught that prayer needs silence -not so much an absence of audible noise and sounds, but an inner silence in which all worries and mental distractions are quelled and the soul finds a sense of calm, said the pope (CNS)
NEW NOTES Page 4 So Laff :-) Open your heart to music, and be filled with the language of the angels. Next Events: TawagAwit will sing in St Mary’s Parish along Onewa Road, Northcote, North Shore City during the regular Sunday mass on March 14, 2010 at 10:30am. Invitation: +TawagAwit invites everyone to join the ministry: (1) The St Mary’s Church, Northcote meets every Sunday 11:30am at St Mary’s Church at Onewa Road (coordinators: Bro Cyril-Sis Rose Bas) (2) St Thomas More Church, Glenfield meets every other Friday 7:30pm at St Thomas More Church in Glenfield (coordinators: Bro Peter-Sis Jamelle Gayaman) (3) Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Glen Eden meets during appointed dates in the homes of members (coordinators: Bro Mel –Sis Debbie Libre) +Should you be in another area in New Zealand or other parts of the world, TawagAwit will help organize a chapter. Photo at right. Bro Mel and Sis Debbie Libre (centre) give prizes to Bro Bob and Sis Cecil Nacario, winners in one of the games in Outogether.
PLACE PHOTO HERE, OTHERWISE DELETE BOX
PLACE LOGO OR PHOT O HERE TAWAGAWIT
http://www.tawagawit.host56.com email: tawagawit@gmail.com