New Notes May 2011 by Mel Libre

NEW NOTES TawagAwit Newsletter

May 2011

TAUPO CHAPTER IN FIRST MASS, TO JOIN FEAST TawagAwit-St Patrick‟s Taupo chapter makes its first offering as a group on the first of May 2011 during the 9:00am mass. Led by Bro Edwin Silerio, the group has been gathering regularly to practice the songs selected by pianist/organist Kaylene Carson and members. Among the songs are “New Hope”, “Sa „yo Lamang”, “Give Thanks” and “Lift Up Your Hands”. They have also rehearsed the new missal songs composed by Douglas Mews. Including family members and supporters, the group is expected to swell to more than 30 participants complete with a cantor and guitarist.

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 chapter has also committed to participate in the Food & Music FEAST on May 15, 12pm in St Mary’s Social Hall, Northcote, Auckland. Bro Edwin said, “We want to show our solidarity with the other chapters that in one way or another have helped us form TawagAwit that in turn has contributed to further strengthening of the Filipino community in Taupo.” Most of the TawagAwit chapters are now busy preparing for their respective presentations in Food & Music FEAST, with some selecting award winning songs in the recent DOVE Gospel Music Awards. Anna de Guzman, jazz musician, performer and teacher, will conduct the “Vocal Technique Workshop”, while a servant leader from each of the chapters will share their best practices as well as count their blessings. It should inspire us that brethren from Taupo will travel 560 kilometers (back-and-forth) to join the FEAST. Come to our FEAST. Join the FEAST for the Lord.

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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.

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

Speakers during the first Teaching Night on Teachers in Sandals.

Quick Notes: TawagAwit-Good Shepherd, Balmoral

(East Auckland) chapter sang the missal songs during the Feast of the Lady of Manaog on April 10, 11:15am at the Balmoral parish. After the mass, the group joined in the lunch prepared by the organizers… TawagAwit-

St Thomas More, Glenfield had its Alay Laya Parish Reach Out in Good Shepherd, Balmoral in the English mass at 9:00am on April 17…TawagAwit-Our Lady of Lourdes, Glen Eden conducted its Alay Laya Parish Reach Out in Massey University, Albany on April 24 (Easter Sunday) upon the invitation of Fr Sam Pulanco, who said that the masses in the area will soon be transferred to a bigger space and he proposed that it be called “Pope John Paul II chapel”…A farewell party for Bro

Arne Go, one of the pioneer members of TawagAwit-Our Lady of Lourdes, was held on April 17 in his household. Bro Mel B Libre, Lead Servant, said that the group would miss Bro Arne for his contagious sense of humor and mastery of Visayan missal songs…A new ministry, “Teachers in Sandals” was organized by Bro Mel B Libre as an offshoot of the Teaching Nights that were conducted during the first two years of TawagAwit. The mission of the ministry is “Spreading God’s Word through teachings and other acts of love”. The group had its first Teaching Night on April 8, 6pm at the Newman Hall in Auckland...Winning songs in the Dove Gospel Music

Awards 2011 will be performed by some of the chapters during the FEAST on May 15. Among the songs are “Beautiful, Beautiful” by Francesca Battistelli and “Our God is Greater” by Chris Tomlin.

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Vatican Notes: General Intention: That those who work in the media may always respect truth, solidarity and the dignity of each person. Missionary Intention: That the Lord may grant the Church in China the capacity to persevere in fidelity to the Gospel and to grow in unityâ&#x20AC;ŚChristians are called to bring hope, happiness and life to

a world marked by despair, sadness and death, Pope Benedict XVI said. Believing in Christ and his resurrection means bringing new life to others and "dedicating oneself without reserve to the most urgent and just causes" with God's grace and his logic of love, the pope said April 27 at his weekly general audience. More than 20,000 people packed into St. Peter's Square, many of them young Italian students who were still off from school for the Easter holidays. For his catechesis, Pope Benedict looked at the meaning of Easter and Christ's resurrection for the Christian community. "Faith in the Risen Christ transforms existence, working in us a continuous resurrection" in which Christians are called to renew themselves every day by putting the values Christ taught into action, he said. Easter can be lived every day "by putting to death the things of this earth and setting our hearts on the things that are on high," he saidâ&#x20AC;ŚIn an Easter blessing to the world, Pope Benedict XVI

prayed that Christ's resurrection may open paths of "freedom, justice and peace" for troubled populations of the Middle East and Africa. The pope urged an end to violence in Libya and Ivory Coast, assistance to refugees flooding out of North Africa and consolation for the victims of the Japanese earthquake. He prayed for those persecuted for their Christian faith, and praised their courage. He spoke from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica April 24 in his blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city of Rome and to the world), after celebrating Mass for nearly 100,000 people in St. Peter's Square....Celebrating Palm Sunday Mass at the Vatican,

Pope Benedict XVI warned that technological progress must not lead people to think they can "become God." About 50,000

Counting the Blessings

faithful waved olive branches and palm fronds in St. Peter's Square April 17 at the start of the liturgy that commemorated Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem five days before his crucifixion. The German pontiff, who celebrated his 84th birthday the day before, joined a procession that led to the Egyptian obelisk in the center of the square. He asked listeners to continue to prepare for Easter through penitence and acts of charity. In his homily, Pope Benedict said the Palm Sunday procession must be understood as more than a "quaint custom." It represents the spiritual ascent that all Christians are called to make, a journey "along the high road that leads to the living God," he said. Such an ascent is impossible without God's help, he said, although men and women have long attempted to "attain the heights of God by their own powers." All the inventions of the human spirit are ultimately an effort to become independent and completely free -- but without God, this effort is doomed to failure, he said. The pope said that despite progress, human limitations have been evident in recent disasters that "have caused so much suffering for humanity...Pope

Benedict XVI on April 1 urged young people not to abandon their faith in God because of the "attacks of evil" within the church. "Carry intact the fire of your love in this church every time that men have obscured her face," he said in a foreword to a new catechism edited specifically for young people. The new "Youth Catechism," also called "YouCat," will be included in each pilgrim backpack for World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid.

NEW NOT ES Page 4 So Laff :-) One of the ways to prevent cardiac arrest is to sing your heart out. Mass Offerings in New Zealand May 1 09:00am St Patrick’s, Taupo May 8 10:30am St Mary’s, Northcote May 15 10:00am St Thomas More , Glenfield May 15 10:30am Our Lady of Lourdes, Glen Eden 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

+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: TawagAwit-Our Lady of Lourdes with friends rehearsing.

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