O wonderful St. Anthony, glorious on account of the fame of your miracles, and through the condescension of Jesus in coming in the form of a little child to rest in your arms, obtain for me of His bounty the grace which I ardently desire from the depths of my heart . (State your intention)
You who were so compassionate toward miserable sinners, regard not the unworthiness of those who pray to you, but the glory of God that it may once again be magnified by the granting of the particular request (State your intention) which I now ask for with persevering earnestness. Amen
Pray one Our Father,
one Hail Mary, and
Glory Be to the Father, in honor of Saint Anthony.
Saint Anthony, pray for us!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Chastity is possible among youth By BERNARDO M. VILLEGAS
MANILA, Philippines — The obsession with the promotion of artificial contraceptives among those pushing the so-called RH Bill is partly based on the assumption that we have to prevent unwanted pregnancies among adolescents who find it impossible to avoid premarital sex.
This presupposition is based on the empirical observation that in many countries in the Western world, the majority of teenage girls have had sex before they get married. Those in favor of the RH Bill claim that they are just being “realists.” To them chastity is an impossible ideal. Well, I claim that they are defeatists.
They are assuming that the youth in the Philippines cannot rise above their purely animal instincts. Before they even try, these lawmakers have given up on values and character education of the youth and the spiritual formation that can come from religious faith, whatever the creed.
It was very refreshing for me to read a blog of sports and media celebrity, Chris Tiu. This famous basketball star wrote a commentary on an event he attended at the SMX of Mall of Asia where he joined some 8,000 people, most of them young women and men, to listen to Jason Evert, an American “Chastity” speaker.
Mr. Evert was in the Philippines during the last days of February, 2011, and spoke to various audiences in Metro Manila and Iloilo about the importance of fostering the virtue of chastity among the young people of the Philippines. Let us listen to what Chris Tiu said about the talk of Jason Evert.
“I never could have imagined myself attending a chastity talk although I am a believer of chastity and purity... Honestly, my understanding was that it was going to be a talk about love and relationships, not about chastity... The program started with a Holy Mass, after which I was introduced to Jason by a friend... Jason must have read what was going on in my mind and so he picked me as a volunteer at the beginning of his talk
He wanted to start his talk with the question, ‘How far is too far in a relationship.’ And to illustrate his point he made me put on a ‘Lady Gaga’ wig and acted out as if we were on a date. And in an instant, he lifted me upon his shoulders! One hand supporting me, and the other holding the mic! Deep inside, I was thinking, Wow! This guy is strong! I stand 5’ 11” and Jason was just about 5’ 7.” He was probably 30 lbs lighter than I. Then he lifted me towards the end of the stage and asked me if he should still go on. Of course, I said NO! And he took me down and thanked me for volunteering!
“So, what’s his point? The point is not to put our loved ones in danger. We said that asking ‘How far can I go with a girl without sinning?’ can be put more positively into ‘How far can I go with a girl in protecting her innocence?’
Think of it this way.
He invited us to think of our future wife who may be dating another guy right now. How far do we want that guy to go with her? It is like Stephen Covey’s ‘thinking with the end in mind,’ the end here being marriage. Then he said, ‘Girls, do not allow a guy to lift the veil of your body before he lifts the veil on your head – in marriage.’
“To illustrate his point further, he cited statistics in the US which show that those who married as virgins had a divorce rate 70% less than those who were not. This was taken from a 700-page book compiling the results of a research that had the largest survey respondents.
What made me think deeper was his analogy of our love for our future wife with the love of Christ for the Church. He quoted St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. I couldn’t help but think of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ where he described how Jesus suffered for us, His Church, His Bride.
He said that that’s how much we have to be willing to suffer for our future wife. And part of that sacrifice is to live a chaste life now. We need to free ourselves so that we can love!”
Chris Tiu was especially impressed with the candor with which Jason spoke about his own personal experience. The eloquent speaker from the US was addressing especially the girls in the audience. He wanted to disabuse them of the idea that by giving in to the lustful desire of a boyfriend, they would be loved more. On the contrary, that would be the best way to lose his respect. To demonstrate this point, he told the story of a lady named Cristalina:
“When she allowed her boyfriend to have sex with her, he started mistreating her and calling her names. After a while, the usual excitement of being together was gone. Love had been confused with lust. Until her mom insisted and dragged her to attend a chastity talk.
Finally, she decided to break off with the guy. Instead of engaging in sexual acts, what she did was she started writing love letters for her future husband whom she had not yet met. The letters indicated that ‘I did not give in to temptation tonight, because I am saving myself for you!’
After a few years, on her wedding day, she gave them all to her husband, who happened to be Jason himself! She also gave him a white candle with a fresh wick (as a symbol of preserving her body up to the time of marriage from her conversion).
I am sure there are numerous young women and men reading this article who can think as Chris Tiu does about the importance of chastity before marriage. They can distinguish between love and lust. They can have enough strength of character, reinforced by the grace from prayer and the Sacraments, so that chastity before marriage is not an impossible ideal for them.
They can give the lie to the insulting presupposition of those pushing for artificial contraceptives that chastity before marriage is an impossible ideal. For comments, my email address is bvillegas@uap.edu.ph.
This presupposition is based on the empirical observation that in many countries in the Western world, the majority of teenage girls have had sex before they get married. Those in favor of the RH Bill claim that they are just being “realists.” To them chastity is an impossible ideal. Well, I claim that they are defeatists.
They are assuming that the youth in the Philippines cannot rise above their purely animal instincts. Before they even try, these lawmakers have given up on values and character education of the youth and the spiritual formation that can come from religious faith, whatever the creed.
It was very refreshing for me to read a blog of sports and media celebrity, Chris Tiu. This famous basketball star wrote a commentary on an event he attended at the SMX of Mall of Asia where he joined some 8,000 people, most of them young women and men, to listen to Jason Evert, an American “Chastity” speaker.
Mr. Evert was in the Philippines during the last days of February, 2011, and spoke to various audiences in Metro Manila and Iloilo about the importance of fostering the virtue of chastity among the young people of the Philippines. Let us listen to what Chris Tiu said about the talk of Jason Evert.
“I never could have imagined myself attending a chastity talk although I am a believer of chastity and purity... Honestly, my understanding was that it was going to be a talk about love and relationships, not about chastity... The program started with a Holy Mass, after which I was introduced to Jason by a friend... Jason must have read what was going on in my mind and so he picked me as a volunteer at the beginning of his talk
He wanted to start his talk with the question, ‘How far is too far in a relationship.’ And to illustrate his point he made me put on a ‘Lady Gaga’ wig and acted out as if we were on a date. And in an instant, he lifted me upon his shoulders! One hand supporting me, and the other holding the mic! Deep inside, I was thinking, Wow! This guy is strong! I stand 5’ 11” and Jason was just about 5’ 7.” He was probably 30 lbs lighter than I. Then he lifted me towards the end of the stage and asked me if he should still go on. Of course, I said NO! And he took me down and thanked me for volunteering!
“So, what’s his point? The point is not to put our loved ones in danger. We said that asking ‘How far can I go with a girl without sinning?’ can be put more positively into ‘How far can I go with a girl in protecting her innocence?’
Think of it this way.
He invited us to think of our future wife who may be dating another guy right now. How far do we want that guy to go with her? It is like Stephen Covey’s ‘thinking with the end in mind,’ the end here being marriage. Then he said, ‘Girls, do not allow a guy to lift the veil of your body before he lifts the veil on your head – in marriage.’
“To illustrate his point further, he cited statistics in the US which show that those who married as virgins had a divorce rate 70% less than those who were not. This was taken from a 700-page book compiling the results of a research that had the largest survey respondents.
What made me think deeper was his analogy of our love for our future wife with the love of Christ for the Church. He quoted St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. I couldn’t help but think of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ where he described how Jesus suffered for us, His Church, His Bride.
He said that that’s how much we have to be willing to suffer for our future wife. And part of that sacrifice is to live a chaste life now. We need to free ourselves so that we can love!”
Chris Tiu was especially impressed with the candor with which Jason spoke about his own personal experience. The eloquent speaker from the US was addressing especially the girls in the audience. He wanted to disabuse them of the idea that by giving in to the lustful desire of a boyfriend, they would be loved more. On the contrary, that would be the best way to lose his respect. To demonstrate this point, he told the story of a lady named Cristalina:
“When she allowed her boyfriend to have sex with her, he started mistreating her and calling her names. After a while, the usual excitement of being together was gone. Love had been confused with lust. Until her mom insisted and dragged her to attend a chastity talk.
Finally, she decided to break off with the guy. Instead of engaging in sexual acts, what she did was she started writing love letters for her future husband whom she had not yet met. The letters indicated that ‘I did not give in to temptation tonight, because I am saving myself for you!’
After a few years, on her wedding day, she gave them all to her husband, who happened to be Jason himself! She also gave him a white candle with a fresh wick (as a symbol of preserving her body up to the time of marriage from her conversion).
I am sure there are numerous young women and men reading this article who can think as Chris Tiu does about the importance of chastity before marriage. They can distinguish between love and lust. They can have enough strength of character, reinforced by the grace from prayer and the Sacraments, so that chastity before marriage is not an impossible ideal for them.
They can give the lie to the insulting presupposition of those pushing for artificial contraceptives that chastity before marriage is an impossible ideal. For comments, my email address is bvillegas@uap.edu.ph.
Friday, May 6, 2011
PANALANGIN PARA SA ARAW NG MGA INA
Diyos na pinagmumulan ng Buhay
Diyos ng mga babaeng banal tulad nina Sara, Ruth, at Rebecca.
Diyos ni Elisabet na ina ni Juan Bautista
Diyos ng Mahal na Birheng Maria na ina ng iyong Anak na si Hesu-Kristo,
dinggin po ninyo ang aming panalangin, at pagkalooban ng pagbabasbas
ang lahat ng mga ina at lolang natitipon sa lugar na ito.
Basbasan mo po sila ng lakas na nagmumula sa iyong Banal na Espiritu
sapagkat sa pamamagitan nila natutunan ng mga anak at apo
kung paanong tumayo at lumakad,
kung paanong magsalita at maglaro,
at kung paanong makalapit sa Iyong banal na harapan
sa pamamagitan ng tapat na pananalangin.
Pagkalooban mo po sila ng biyayang makiisa sa Iyong Banal na Hapag
at matanggap ang Pagkaing nagbibigay buhay
sapagkat sila ang mga nagtaguyod at nagpakain sa amin
at sila din ang nagturo sa amin kung paanong itaguyod ang aming mga sarili
at ang aming mga pamilya.
Pagkalooban mo po sila ng kalusugan at kapayapaan,
ng galak at kaligayahan,
at ng pagkakataong kami’y kanilang maipagmalaki bilang mga anak.
Pagkalooban mo din po sila ng mga kaibigang mananatiling tapat
upang kanilang patuloy na madama ang Iyong pagkalinga’t pagmamahal.
Gayundin aming isinasama sa panalangin ang mga babaeng walang nakakaalaala
lalo na ang mga tahimik na itinataguyod ang kanilang pamilya,
naglilingkod ng may kababaang-loob, at nagtitiis ng hirap sa buhay para sa kapakanan ng kanilang asawa’t mga anak.
Kaya ang aming hiling, O Diyos ng kadalisayan,
na ika’y manahan sa aming lahat na naririto,
sa ngalan ng Ama, at ng Anak, at ng Espiritu Santo. Amen.
Diyos ng mga babaeng banal tulad nina Sara, Ruth, at Rebecca.
Diyos ni Elisabet na ina ni Juan Bautista
Diyos ng Mahal na Birheng Maria na ina ng iyong Anak na si Hesu-Kristo,
dinggin po ninyo ang aming panalangin, at pagkalooban ng pagbabasbas
ang lahat ng mga ina at lolang natitipon sa lugar na ito.
Basbasan mo po sila ng lakas na nagmumula sa iyong Banal na Espiritu
sapagkat sa pamamagitan nila natutunan ng mga anak at apo
kung paanong tumayo at lumakad,
kung paanong magsalita at maglaro,
at kung paanong makalapit sa Iyong banal na harapan
sa pamamagitan ng tapat na pananalangin.
Pagkalooban mo po sila ng biyayang makiisa sa Iyong Banal na Hapag
at matanggap ang Pagkaing nagbibigay buhay
sapagkat sila ang mga nagtaguyod at nagpakain sa amin
at sila din ang nagturo sa amin kung paanong itaguyod ang aming mga sarili
at ang aming mga pamilya.
Pagkalooban mo po sila ng kalusugan at kapayapaan,
ng galak at kaligayahan,
at ng pagkakataong kami’y kanilang maipagmalaki bilang mga anak.
Pagkalooban mo din po sila ng mga kaibigang mananatiling tapat
upang kanilang patuloy na madama ang Iyong pagkalinga’t pagmamahal.
Gayundin aming isinasama sa panalangin ang mga babaeng walang nakakaalaala
lalo na ang mga tahimik na itinataguyod ang kanilang pamilya,
naglilingkod ng may kababaang-loob, at nagtitiis ng hirap sa buhay para sa kapakanan ng kanilang asawa’t mga anak.
Kaya ang aming hiling, O Diyos ng kadalisayan,
na ika’y manahan sa aming lahat na naririto,
sa ngalan ng Ama, at ng Anak, at ng Espiritu Santo. Amen.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
pasasalamat sa biyaya-the mcgc's back to back milestones
MCGC Lenten Retreat
It's better to be late than never: Maraming Salamat Ate Alice Javier-Maunahan and Kuya Wency Maunahan for organizing the very first MCGC Lenten Retreat last March 31-April 1, 2011 at the Don Bosco Tabor House in Los Banos. It will not be possible without your unselfish and great dedication. May you be blessed always!
MCGC Summer Tulian
Thanks for all those who extended their assistance in the recent concluded MCGC Summer Tulian Project especially Dr. Sonny Barreto, my PNB Staff, Officemates and friends who always help me, Dominican Sisters of Sta. Catalina College Binan and most of all to our new friends from UST Medical School. At higit sa lahat sa ilang mga tao na ayaw magpabanggit ng kanilang mga pangalan, Maraming, Maraming Salamat po!
It's better to be late than never: Maraming Salamat Ate Alice Javier-Maunahan and Kuya Wency Maunahan for organizing the very first MCGC Lenten Retreat last March 31-April 1, 2011 at the Don Bosco Tabor House in Los Banos. It will not be possible without your unselfish and great dedication. May you be blessed always!
MCGC Summer Tulian
Thanks for all those who extended their assistance in the recent concluded MCGC Summer Tulian Project especially Dr. Sonny Barreto, my PNB Staff, Officemates and friends who always help me, Dominican Sisters of Sta. Catalina College Binan and most of all to our new friends from UST Medical School. At higit sa lahat sa ilang mga tao na ayaw magpabanggit ng kanilang mga pangalan, Maraming, Maraming Salamat po!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Friend and Lord Jesus Christ
Friend and Lord Jesus Christ,
How great You are!
With Your words and Works You have revealed to us
Who God is, Your Father and our Father,
and Who You are: our Savior.
You call us to be with You.
We wish to follow You wherever You go.
We thank You for Your Incarnation.
You are the Eternal Son of God,
but You humbled Yourself and became man.
We thank You for Your Death and Resurrection.
You obeyed the Father's will to the extreme
and for this reason You are the Lord of all persons and things.
We thank You for having remained amongst us
in the Eucharist.
Your Presence, Your Sacrifice, Your Banquet
Invite us to remain always united to You.
You Call us to work with You.
We wish to go wherever You send us:
to announce Your name, to heal in Your Name,
to bring all of our brothers to You.
Grant us Your Holy Spirit, to enlighten and strengthen us.
The Virgin Mary, the Mother You gave us on the cross,
always encourages us to do what You say.
You are our Life. May our thoughts,
our love and our actions
always be rooted in You!
You are our Rock. May our faith in You
always be the solid foundation
of our life!
We pray for Pope Benedict XVI,
for the Bishops and for all those who
are preparing the next World Youth Day
in Madrid.
We pray for our family and friends
and especially for
all the young people who will get to know you
in this encounter, thanks to the firm and joyful
testimony of the faith.
How great You are!
With Your words and Works You have revealed to us
Who God is, Your Father and our Father,
and Who You are: our Savior.
You call us to be with You.
We wish to follow You wherever You go.
We thank You for Your Incarnation.
You are the Eternal Son of God,
but You humbled Yourself and became man.
We thank You for Your Death and Resurrection.
You obeyed the Father's will to the extreme
and for this reason You are the Lord of all persons and things.
We thank You for having remained amongst us
in the Eucharist.
Your Presence, Your Sacrifice, Your Banquet
Invite us to remain always united to You.
You Call us to work with You.
We wish to go wherever You send us:
to announce Your name, to heal in Your Name,
to bring all of our brothers to You.
Grant us Your Holy Spirit, to enlighten and strengthen us.
The Virgin Mary, the Mother You gave us on the cross,
always encourages us to do what You say.
You are our Life. May our thoughts,
our love and our actions
always be rooted in You!
You are our Rock. May our faith in You
always be the solid foundation
of our life!
We pray for Pope Benedict XVI,
for the Bishops and for all those who
are preparing the next World Youth Day
in Madrid.
We pray for our family and friends
and especially for
all the young people who will get to know you
in this encounter, thanks to the firm and joyful
testimony of the faith.
The 2011 Liturgical Conference Layforce, San Carlos Seminary EDSA,Makati City
Last March 05, 2011, selected officers of the Ministry of Church & Collectors (MCGC) attended the annual Liturgical Conference for all lay workers organized by the Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Manila held at the Layforce, San Carlos Seminary, Guadalupe, Makati City.
The Ministry of Church Greeters and Collectors (MCGC) of the parish was given the chance to attend and participate in the said event thru the established linkages between MCGC and Rev. Fr. Godwin Tatlonghari of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission (ALC) of the Archdiocese of Manila.
More than 1000 lay workers from the different parishes, shrines and chapels within the Archdiocese of Manila attended the event which started thru a Holy Mass that was led by the Priest Directors of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission (ALC) of the Archdiocese of Manila. The participants of the parish include the former head of MCGC and currently the head of MCGC’s Formation and Spiritual Development Group (FSDG), Dingdong D. Baban, MCGC’s new President, Nilo Almendrala, Jr., Rafael Co, MCGC Vice Chairman, Joachim Maravilla, Head of Collectors Group, Joana Delector, Deputy Head of Greeters Group and Joseph B. Argente.
The Ministry of Church Greeters and Collectors (MCGC) of the parish was given the chance to attend and participate in the said event thru the established linkages between MCGC and Rev. Fr. Godwin Tatlonghari of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission (ALC) of the Archdiocese of Manila.
More than 1000 lay workers from the different parishes, shrines and chapels within the Archdiocese of Manila attended the event which started thru a Holy Mass that was led by the Priest Directors of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission (ALC) of the Archdiocese of Manila. The participants of the parish include the former head of MCGC and currently the head of MCGC’s Formation and Spiritual Development Group (FSDG), Dingdong D. Baban, MCGC’s new President, Nilo Almendrala, Jr., Rafael Co, MCGC Vice Chairman, Joachim Maravilla, Head of Collectors Group, Joana Delector, Deputy Head of Greeters Group and Joseph B. Argente.
MCGC Milestones & Triumphs'
Lots of MCGC members these days are starting to create a name on various fields that they chose to take and thereby giving prestige and pride to the ministry and to the parish as well. One of them is MCGC’s very own Chairman and one of our Associate Editors, Kevin Henry A. Jamisola. Kevin as fondly called by his fellow MCGC is currently studying at the University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna as an HRM Student.
As one of his exposures in the said course, he participated in the recently concluded Bottlegrounds 2K11, a flairbartending competition organized by T.G.I Friday’s Mall of Asia and Asia Brewery. In the said event, he emerged 2nd place beating the other participants mostly from prestigious universities and established bars in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. In the same event, he also got the Pour Master Award, one of the special awards that were given to the contestants.
We are proud of you Kevin! Keep it up!
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