New Notes March 2013 by Mel Libre

NEW NOTES TawagAwit Newsletter z

March 2013

TAWAGAWIT NORTHCOTE GROWS A musical family joined TawagAwit-St Mary's Northcote in their first mass offering for 2013 on February 10 at 10:30am. The Tarrosa family composed of Rico, Venus, Anna, Andrea and Althea not only sang but also played musical instruments like violin, guitar, and flute. Prior to the mass, Fr Craig Dunford, parish priest, complimented the group as they rehearsed beautifully the songs that were delivered during the Eucharistic celebration. Joining the mass was Fr. Elric Jorquia, a Filipino priest from Bukidnon, Mindanao, who replaced Fr Larry Rustia, as assistant parish priest. After the mass, the group conducted its Outogether activity at Browns Bay Park where members partook of shared lunch, and enjoyed each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company in a sunny Auckland weather.

We Need You TawagAwit invites you to help in spreading Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 PHOTO chapter in a parish. The PLACE HERE, Ministry will provide all the assistance within OTHERWISE its means to help in theDELETE vital task. BOX

The chapter sings every second Sunday of the month at 10:30am mass. To prepare themselves for the mass, the members led by servant leader Bro Cyril Bas, practice the hymns every week, except the Sunday following their assigned mass. Jenny Fox serves as the group's accompanist. The current members of the chapter are: Cyril Bas, Rose Bas, KC Bas, Bert Adviento, Rose Adviento, Eleanor Adviento, Jerry Matiga, Jo Matiga, Aya Roca, Ian Roca, Ogie Bonilla, Rico Tarrosa, Venus Tarrosa, Anna Tarrosa, Andrea Tarrosa, Althea Tarrosa, Kate Martinez and Jenny Fox. In another development, Bro Cyril Bas and Bro Peter Gayaman, lead servant of TawagAwit-St Thomas More Glenfield are joining the Ride to Conquer Cancer a 200 kilometer bike marathon to raise funds for the Auckland Cancer Society. TawagAwit members are encouraged to support the humanitarian efforts of Bros Cyril and Peter.

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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.

The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI struck like lightning not just on St. Peter’s Cathedral but surged like electricity that sent shock waves throughout the world. No one saw it coming. But surely, the pontiff thought about it a thousand times, and more importantly sought Divine Intervention. There is no need for analysis, no ground for conspiracy theories, as the Pope made it clear that: “After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry…in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.” When he was chosen to lead the Catholic Church, it was unexpected as the soft-spoken Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was labeled as an ultra-conservative bookish theologian. His predecessor, Pope John Paul II, was a venerable figure whose reign brought the papacy to the faithful in many countries and reached out to the youth for them to become disciples of the Lord. The question then was, “Could he fill the travel-worn shoes left by Pope John Paul II?” His reign was not easy, as the Catholic Church got a media flogging for the wrongs done by some of its priests; as secularism threatened basic teachings of Christianity; as liberals pushed governments to recognize gay marriages and legalize euthanasia and abortion. The Pope remained strong in the faith as he defended traditional Catholic doctrine and values. While politicians and policymakers have been persuaded to take the side of the noisy minority who scream “bias and discrimination” if they are not given their “rights,” Pope Benedict became the beacon of those who stood for decency, for morality, for the teachings of Christ.

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

If we think that modernity means acceptance of sinful acts, immoral practices and even murdering the unborn, the Bible tells us of more evil deeds that humanity engaged in Sodom and Gomorra. God punished sinners in biblical times. The pope as successor of St. Peter is the rock that shepherds us away from sin that continues to contaminate the world. As a new pope will be elected during the Lenten season, let us pray for Pope Benedict XVI as he “serve(s) the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer. (Bro Mel B Libre)

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Vatican Notes: Papal Intentions March 2013. General: That respect for nature may grow with the awareness that all creation is God's work entrusted to human responsibility Mission: That bishops, priests, and deacons may be tireless messengers of the Gospel to the ends of the earth....... Benedict XVI, who began his

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papacy describing himself as a "humble servant in the Lord's vineyard," described his retirement as a time of being a "simple pilgrim, who begins the last stage of his pilgrimage on this earth." The 85-year-old pope arrived in Castel Gandolfo Feb. 28 about two-anda-half hours before the end of his pontificate. In his address, he said, "Dear friends, I am happy to be with you, surrounded by the beauty of creation and by your friendship, which does me such good…I am a simple pilgrim who begins the last stage of his pilgrimage on this earth. But with all my heart, with all my love, with my prayers, with my reflection, with all my interior strength, I still want to work for the common good and the good of the church and humanity." Pope Benedict thanked the people for their support and asked them to continue to pray and work for the good of the church, too. "With all my heart, I impart my blessing," he told them, before giving a simple blessing, in Italian, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit… After Pope Benedict XVI officially became pope emeritus, he ate dinner, watched the television news and strolled through the lakeview rooms of the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said he spoke March 1 with Archbishop Georg Ganswein, the retired pope's secretary, who said the mood in the villa after the pontificate ended was "relaxed" and his boss slept well. After watching two news programs, Pope Benedict expressed his gratitude to the media, because he said the coverage of his last day as pope helped people participate in the event, Father Lombardi said…. Chanting the Litany of the Saints, asking a host of holy men and women to help them, the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel in procession, aware of their enormous responsibility to elect a new pope. Less than half of the 117 cardinals eligible to vote for a successor to Pope Benedict XVI were in the 2005 conclave that elected him. Two of those that were -- Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa and South African Cardinal Wilfrid Napier -- described the scene as being one of deep prayer and some trembling. Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga told Catholic News Service that, during the conclave, the cardinals spend most of their time in the Sistine Chapel, even though they cast ballots only four times a day. The time in the chapel includes prayer, writing names on ballots and counting them. But when casting each vote, each cardinal must stand and publicly swear, in Latin, that he is voting according to his conscience. "In front of the crucifix and in front of the 'Final Judgment' painting, we say, 'I call Jesus as a witness, and he will judge me that I have elected according to my conscience,' so you can imagine ... why it takes so long. And in the meantime, when everybody is casting their votes, we are praying, so it is like a big cenacle of prayer." (All items taken from Catholic News Service)

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Invitation: +TawagAwit invites everyone to join the ministry: (1) St Mary’s Church, Northcote (2) St Thomas More Church, Glenfield (3) Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Glen Eden (4) St Mark’s Church, Pakuranga (5) St Patrick’s Church, Taupo (6) Blessed John Paul II Mass Centre, Albany (7) Mount Saint Mary Church Titirangi +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: Members of TawagAwit-Our Lady of Lourdes led the Filipino community in the Way of the Cross Prayer on February 22, 2013 in Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Glen Eden.

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