NEW NOTES TawagAwit Newsletter
September 2010
Fr Bernard’s 70th B-day Fr Bernard Dennehy, parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Glen Eden, Waitakere City, celebrated his 70 th birthday with parishioners, including members of TawagAwit, on August 29, 2010. Nearly a hundred well-wishers shared food as well as contributed entertainment numbers to the delight of the celebrant. The program began with an opening prayer led by Fr Reno Alima, assistant parish priest. The full-packed social hall had tables set with an array of food and delicacies reflective of the multi-ethnic composition of the well-wishers. After the meal, volunteers rearranged the tables to the sides to provide the stage for the performers. The youth group rendered two numbers – the boys performed a haka, while the girls danced to a Bollywood tune. Two elderly members of the audience swung to a rock n’ roll number out the 50s, that brought Fr Bernard to demonstrate his boogie-woogie moves. The final number had Fr Reno joined by Bro Mel B Libre of TawagAwit, singing Cat Steven’s “Father and Son” followed by everyone joining in a song dedicated to Fr Bernard, “You’ve Got a Friend”. Two birthday cakes –one with several candles (but not 70) – were presented to Fr Bernard, as the hall echoed voices of people singing of “Happy Birthday”. The 70-year old minister of God made his wish, and blew the candles. Fr Bernard thanked everyone who shared their time and gave extra effort to celebrate a milestone in his life.
We Need You TawagAwit invites you to help in spreadingPLACE God’s PHOTO Word through HERE, music 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.
Fr Bernard is a Diocesan priest, who ordained by Bishop Liston in 1964. He previous served as parish priest in Panguru, Dargaville, Otara, Ponsonby and Owairaka. His priestly ministry has taken him to Peru where he served for eight years with the Columban Fathers. A keen student, Fr. Dennnehy has studied his Master of Theology and is also a Master of Arts in Maori Studies. Languages are his forté, being fluent in Spanish and Maori. In his younger days, Fr Bernard played golf and squash and used to be an intrepid sailor. A true Kiwi, he is an ardent supporter of the All Blacks.
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.
1-19 Danube Lane, Glen Eden, Waitakere City Auckland, New Zealand P 09 813 1616 F 09 813 1616 www.tawagawit.host56.com
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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
Fr Reno Alima and Bro Mel Libre sing “Father and Son” during Fr Bernard’s birthday celebration Quick Notes: Bro Peter Gayaman, coordinator of TawagAwit-St Thomas More chapter, attended the August meeting of the Music Ministry of St Thomas More called by music coordinators Margaret
Russell and Paula Brannigan. The activity was aimed at giving the different music groups relevant information to make the liturgical music offerings more meaningful. Discussions included technical aspects as well as the permission to sing original music, as raised by youth participants. Fr Francis Benedict, parish priest, enlightened the participants on the changes in the mass to be implemented later this year…TawagAwit is supporting the Mayors’ Forum to be held on September 5, 2010 at the Fr David Nolan Auditorium, St Joseph’s Parish, Takapuna, North Shore City. Organized by the Tahanang Pilipino Aotearoa Trust, the forum will have Auckland City Mayor John Banks, Manukau City Mayor Len Brown and North Shore City Mayor Andrew Williams, all seeking the mayorship of the Auckland Super City, speak about their plans for the different ethnic communities should they be elected. TawagAwit Youth (TaYo) members featuring Sis Kimberly Guido as vocalist will sing during the event….TawagAwit-St Thomas More chapter continues to lead in the Alay Laya Parish Reach Out program by accepting invitations to sing in masses in Maria Assumpta Parish, Beach Haven (August 1) and Good Shepherd Parish, Balmoral (August 29)…TawagAwit-Good Shepherd chapter (South Auckland) offered its songs during the mass at Good Shepherd Parish on August 1, 2010 at 11:15am. The growing chapter was joined by new recruit, Bro Richard Tabar, an accomplished guitarist and grand-prize winner in the Bisdak Orig Songwriting Competition in Cebu… As part of its effort to recruit members other
than Filipinos from the parish to join TawagAwit-St Mary’s chapter, Bro Cyril Bas announced that the group will be known in the parish as Salve Regina Choir…Sow & Harvest, the annual spring backyard gardening project of TawagAwit, starts on September 1, 2010. Members are encouraged to plant vegetables to be shared to family and friends…Bro Mel B Libre’s Songwriting Workship will be held on October 17. The five-hour session will conclude with the interpretation of the new songs composed during the Spirit-filled activity. Registration for the 30 slots is now accepted
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Pope’s Intentions for September 2010. General Intention: For all teachers, that they may convey love in truth and educate in authentic moral and spiritual values. Missionary Intention: That the Christian communities spread throughout the Asian continent may proclaim the Gospel with fervor, bearing witness to beauty with the joy of the faith…People today have a duty to leave the earth in a state in which future generations "can live in dignity and safeguard it further," said Pope Benedict XVI. Expressing his support for the Sept. 1 Day for Safeguarding Creation, the pope told people gathered in the courtyard of his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo Aug. 29, "There can be no peace in the world without respecting the environment." The Day for Safeguarding Creation is celebrated by the Catholic Church in Italy and the Greek Orthodox Church, which also makes the occasion "important on an ecumenical level," the pope said(CNS)… Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (see photo below) is "an exemplary model of Christian virtue" who showed the world that an authentic love for others opens the door to knowing and being with God, Pope Benedict XVI said. Marking the 100th anniversary of her birth, the pope sent a message to Sister Mary Prema, the superior general of the Missionaries of Charity, the congregation Mother Teresa founded in 1950. The Vatican released the message Aug. 26 after it was read in Calcutta, India, at the end of a special Mass commemorating the 100th anniversary of Mother Teresa's birth. In his message, Pope Benedict said celebrating Mother Teresa's birth centenary "will be for the church and the world an occasion of joyful gratitude to God for the inestimable gift that Mother Teresa was in her lifetime, and continues to be through the affectionate and tireless work of you, her spiritual children." The pope said Mother Teresa was a living example of St. John's words: "Beloved, if God so loved us, we must also love one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection." (CNS)…The Virgin Mary is the "perfect example" of how God honors the humble, and humbles the proud. The Pope said on August 22 before praying the midday Angelus with the faithful gathered at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. "The simple little girl of Nazareth has become the Queen of the world," the Holy Father stated. "This is one of the marvels that reveal the heart of God." "Naturally," he explained, "Mary's royalty is completely dependent on Christ's: He is the Lord, who, after the humiliation of death on the cross, the Father exalted above every creature in heaven, on earth and under the earth. "Through a design of grace, the Immaculate Mother was completely bound to the mystery of the Son: to his Incarnation; to his earthly life, at first hidden in Nazareth and then manifested in the messianic mystery; to his passion and death; and finally to the resurrection and ascension in heaven." (zenit.org)…A martyr is free before worldly power, a free person who in one definitive act gives his whole life to God, says Benedict XVI. The Pope offered this explanation Aug. 11, before a general audience, held in Castel Gandolfo. During the audience, the Holy Father reflected on the grace of martyrdom. He said that martyrdom is based on Christ's own sacrifice on the cross. "A martyr follows the Lord to the end, freely accepting to die for the salvation of the world, in a supreme test of faith and love," the pontiff reflected. The strength to give one's life comes from "profound and intimate union with Christ," Benedict XVI clarified, "because martyrdom and the vocation to martyrdom are not the result of human effort, but the response to an initiative and a call from God, they are a gift of his grace, which makes one capable of offering one's life for love of Christ and of the Church, and thus of the world." (zenit.org)
Vatican Notes:
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NEW NOTES Page 4 So Laff :-) Shouting is delightful, if meant to praise. Next Events: Sep 12 10:30am St Mary’s Parish, Northcote Sep 19 10:00am St Thomas More Parish, Glenfield Sep 19 10:30am Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Glen Eden 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 (2) St Thomas More Church, Glenfield meets every other Friday 7:30pm at St Thomas More Church in Glenfield (3) Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Glen Eden meets every other Sunday afternoon (4) Good Shepherd Parish, Balmoral (South Auckland) chapter meets every other Saturday +Should you be in another area in New Zealand or other parts of the world, TawagAwit will help organize a chapter. Photo at right: TawagAwit-St Mary’s Northcote Chapter renders a song during the Food & Music FEAST 2010
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