Thursday, December 5, 2019
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Friday, August 3, 2018
Saturday, July 21, 2018
SLRP Has New Parish Priest
After almost five months of waiting, SLRP has a new parish priest in the person of Rev. Fr. Nino B. Etulle, SCJ. He was installed by the Most Reverend Antonio R. Tobias, the Bishop of Novaliches in simple ceremonies during the 5PM mass today. Fr. Nino is the 10th parish priest in the 30-year old San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish.
Formal Installation Rites of Rev. Fr. Nino B. Etulle, SCJ as Parish Priest of SLRP
FNE receives the Keys to the Tabernacle from Bp. Tobias |
FNE presides his first mass as Parish Priest |
After the mass, Fr. Nino welcomed everyone to an evening salo-salo where a short program of "Getting To Know Fr. Nino" transpired. It was the PPC's way of introducing Fr. Nino to his flock.
FNE with Bp Tobias and fellow SCJ Priest |
Simple dinner sponsored by the PPC
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For more on the Installation rites, please visit the San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/SanLorenzoRuizParish)
Friday, July 13, 2018
CBCP Pastoral Exhortation: Rejoice And Be Glad!
CBCP Pastoral Exhortation: Rejoice And Be Glad!
“Blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called sons and daughters of God.” (Mt 5:9)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, do we not all aspire for the grace to be called “sons and daughters of God?” If we do so, then we must constantly strive to be peacemakers in these troubled times in our country. And that means to always strive to bring love where there is hatred, pardon where there is injury, faith where there is doubt, hope where there’s despair, light where there is darkness, and joy where there is sadness (from the prayer for peace attributed to St. Francis of Assisi).
PEACE: OUR COMMON VOCATION AND MISSION
Our enemies in this world are not fellow human beings, not “flesh and blood” (Eph 6:12). We do not fight our battles with guns and bullets. We do not seek protection from those who might wish to harm us by wearing bullet-proof vests, because the battles that we fight are spiritual. In these times of darkness, when there’s so much hatred and violence, when murder has become an almost daily occurrence, when people have gotten so used to exchanging insults and hurting words in the social media, we admonish the faithful to remain steadfast in our common vocation and mission to actively work for peace.
But make no mistake about it; even the master said, “Not as the world gives peace do I give you peace.” (Jn 14:27). His peace is never the peace of compromise or capitulation to evil; it is also not about the absence of conflict and turmoil. Was he not rejected by his own townsfolk in Nazareth? (Lk 4:16-30) Was he not called crazy by his own relatives? (Mk 3:20-22). Was he not called a “prince of demons”? (Mk 3:22-30). Was he not called a drunkard and a lover of tax collectors and sinners? (Mt 11:19)
Did he not show us how to deal with adversities when he slept in the boat, or walked on water even in the midst of a storm? (Mk 4:35-40; Mk 6:45-52) But like the apostles, we are often so easily overcome by fear and panic. Even when we’re already making baby steps on troubled waters like St. Peter, we find ourselves sinking because of our “little faith” (Mt14:31). There is nothing that can calm us down in these turbulent times except the quiet recognition of him who assured us of his abiding presence — “Be not afraid; it is I!” (Mt 14:27)
THE COST OF WITNESSING TO CHRIST
What is new about priests being murdered for witnessing to Christ? What is new about modern prophets being silenced by the treacherous bullets of assassins? What is new about servant leaders who are maligned because they have carried out their duties as shepherds configured to the person of their Chief Shepherd? Have you forgotten that “the blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians”? (Tertullian) It is what has kept the Church alive after two thousand years. Be not afraid! Did not our master say, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul into Gehenna” (Mt 10:28)?
We are no strangers to ridicule and persecution. What we are going through is no different from what the Psalmist describes in Psalm 64: “They sharpen their tongues like swords; they aim bitter words like arrows to shoot at the innocent from ambush, shooting suddenly and recklessly.” But what does the Lord tell his disciples when they are persecuted or humiliated for his sake? He tells them to “rejoice and be glad” (Mat 5:12). These are the very words with which Pope Francis opens his apostolic exhortation “Gaudete et Exsultate”. They are the Lord’s words to those persecuted and humiliated for his sake. With the intention of calling us all to strive for a life of holiness, Pope Francis says the Lord does not want us “to settle for a bland and mediocre existence” (GE 1). How have we been taught to deal with persecution? Listen to what the apostle, St Paul, says, “When we are insulted, we respond with a blessing; when we are persecuted, we bear it patiently; when slandered, we respond gently. We have become the world’s refuse, the scum of all; that is the present state of affairs” (1 Cor 4:12-13).
And how are we to deal with divisions among ourselves? How are we to deal with fellow “Christians” who see nothing wrong about the killings, who just laugh when our God is blasphemed, and who take part in passing on fake news? Did not the Lord himself warn us that part of the exigencies of working for peace is having to go through the crucible of conflicts? (Lk 12:51-53) There will always be those among us who profess the faith in Christ but are so easily seduced by the empty promises of Satan. Remember him who once sold the master for 30 pieces of silver because he had allowed himself to be mastered by Satan? St. Paul is right in saying, “…there have to be divisions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may become known.” (ESV 1 Cor 11:19)
THE SUFFERINGS OF THE POOR
Our sufferings as Church leaders are nothing compared to the sufferings of the poor in our country. Do we not hear the cry of poor slum-dwellers being jailed for “loitering”? Have they forgotten that for the homeless urban poor — the little alleys between their flimsy homes also serve as kitchens, bathrooms, recreation spaces, and playgrounds for their children? Have they forgotten that they live in tiny dwellings that are razed quickly to the ground when fire strikes, because they do not have proper roads? Do we not feel the sufferings of drug addicts who are labelled as “non-humans”, and are stigmatized as criminals when their names end up in the dreaded “drug watch lists”? Yes, we are aware of the sufferings of those who have been victimized by substance abusers, but can we not see them also as sick people who are struggling with a disease? Should we not rather look at them also as victims who are crying out for help? Are we to remain as bystanders when we hear of people being killed in cold blood by ruthless murderers who dispose of human lives like trash? Do we not realize that for every drug suspect killed, there is a widowed wife and there are orphaned children left behind — who could hardly even afford a decent burial for their loved ones? Do we not care when poor people’s homes are searched without warrants, or when drug suspects are arrested without warrants, or detained without charges?
Do we not care about the misery of people charged of drug-related offenses and packed like sardines in extremely congested jails? Can we even bear the thought of seeing most of them languishing in jail, knowing that rehabilitation is what many of them need? Do we not hear of the sufferings of indigenous peoples who are displaced from their ancestral lands in order to give way to mining companies and dams? And how do we feel about communities that are forced to leave their homes for fear of being caught in the crossfire of conflicts between government troops and insurgents? How are we affected when our own troops die because of unceasing hostilities that have not been adequately addressed through peaceful dialogue? We have a saying in Tagalog, “Ang sakit ng kalingkingan ay ramdam ng buong katawan.” (The pain of one part of the body is felt by the whole body.) Alas, this is not always true! There is no way we can feel each other’s pains when some parts of the body are numbed by sheer indifference.
To those in this world who boast of their own wisdom, those who arrogantly regard themselves as wise in their own estimation and the Christian faith as nonsense, those who blaspheme our God as stupid, St. Paul’s words are to the point: “For the stupidity of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (1 Cor 1:25) And to those who ridicule our faith, we say with St. Paul, “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God.”(1 Cor 1:27-29).
THE WAY OF JESUS
We wish to remind those who have been angered by the insulting statements of people in authority; remember what the Lord had taught his disciples. He said, “But to you who hear I say… bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well…” (Lk 6:27-29). Vengeance is never the way of Christ. It is not the way of Jesus to return evil for evil; no, we can conquer evil only with good (Rom 12:21). Up to the last moment of his breath, he had nothing but words of mercy towards his tormentors, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do” (Lk 23:34).
There are those who accuse us of getting involved in political moves to destabilize the government. Nothing can be farthest from the truth. Our concern is never the establishment of any earthly kingdoms. Worldly kingdoms come and go. We work only for God’s kingdom which is beyond this world — so that we can start learning to live life “on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10). For the times in our history when we fell into the temptation of working for political power, we can only bow in shame and say, never again! We do not proclaim a false image of God, such as one who is just watching from heaven like a ruthless deity who threatens us of damnation in hell all the time. Ours is the God revealed to us in Jesus Christ — the God who saves, a God “rich in mercy and compassion”, a God involved in our history, a God who — for love of us — emptied himself totally, and “became poor, so that by his poverty we might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9).
CHURCH AND GOVERNMENT
The Church respects the political authority, especially of democratically-elected government officials, as long as they do not contradict the basic spiritual and moral principles we hold dear, such as respect for the sacredness of life, the integrity of creation, and the inherent dignity of the human person. We are not political leaders, and certainly not political opponents of government. The Church has, throughout history, coexisted with countless forms of government. The Church has always been and will always be a partner of government (especially in the LGUs and barangays) in countless endeavours for the common good, especially in addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged sectors of society. Sometimes we qualify the collaboration as “critical”, mainly to distinguish our differences in terms of ultimate goals, even as we partner in some shared endeavours. Needless to say, on some specific issues, collaboration might not be possible because of our spiritual and moral beliefs, which we persistently propose, but never impose on the unwilling. In such instances, we can only invoke our right to conscientious objection. We do recognise the constitutional provision of the separation of church and state, mainly in the sense of distinction of roles in society. When we speak out on certain issues, it is always from the perspective of faith and morals, especially the principles of social justice, never with any political or ideological agenda in mind.
CHURCH OF SINNERS, CALLED TO HOLINESS
We admit humbly that we are a Church made of members who are “wretched but chosen” (Miserando atque Eligendo, Pope Francis’ episcopal motto). We are a Church of sinners called to conversion and holiness at the same time. We bow in shame when we hear of abuses being committed by some of our fellow Church leaders — especially those ordained to “act in the person of Christ”. We hold ourselves accountable for their actions, and accept our duty to correct them — as duly mandated by our own higher authorities in the universal Church. We humbly admit that we have many weaknesses and shortcomings, human as we are. We have no reason to justify our weaknesses on the basis of our participation in the human condition, because we profess faith in the God who embraced the human condition, precisely to set a new template of humanity in his son Jesus Christ. We draw a lot of strength from St. Paul, who desperately begged the Lord to remove his weakness but only got these words as assurance, “My grace is enough for you; for in weakness power reaches perfection. It is when I am weak that I am strong” (2 Cor 12:9).
CALL TO PRAYER AND FASTING
On July 16, 2018 on the feast of the Blessed Mother of Mt. Carmel, the mountain associated with the bold challenge of the prophet Elijah in defense of God (2 Kings 18), let us spend a day of prayer and penance, invoking God’s mercy and justice on those who have blasphemed God’s Holy Name, those who slander and bear false witness, and those who commit murder or justify murder as a means for fighting criminality in our country. We invite you to join us, your bishops, in three days of fasting, prayer and almsgiving from July 17 to 19, 2018.
We commend you, our dear people of God, to the maternal care of the woman to whom Jesus entrusted his “Beloved Disciple” and said, “Behold your son!” (Jn 19:26) We, for our part, behold her — our mother in faith — with filial love. Mary, mother of the Church, be near to us especially when we tend to despair and run out of the wine of faith, hope and charity (Jn 2:1-11). Teach us to do only what your Son asks of us. And when we lose heart in the face of persecution, may we stand by you at the foot of the cross and regain our strength from the blood and water that flowed from the wounded side of your Beloved Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines,
Most Rev. Romulo Valles, DD
Archbishop of Davao
President, CBCP
July 9, 2018
Archbishop of Davao
President, CBCP
July 9, 2018
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Here is a Tagalog version of the same pastoral letter in video format.
Saturday, December 2, 2017
SLRP Ushers in the Season of Advent and the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated People
Dateline: Dec 2: On the eve of Advent, SLRP opened this new season with the launching of the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated People. Representatives from two of the five religious congregations in the parish, the Adorers of the Blood of Christ and the Sisters of Mary, Queen of the Apostles, were on hand to unveil the new logo. Our parish priest, Fr. Al, then blessed the logo signifying SLRP's embrace of its clergy and consecrated persons as partners in building up God's kingdom here in Tandang Sora.
After the unveiling, the opening of the Advent season was formally began with the blessing of the Advent wreath and candle. A short prayer, led by Fr. Al, was recited.
"Lord our God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ: he is
Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples, he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us,
he is the Savior of every nation.
Lord God, let your blessing come upon us as we light the
candles of this wreath. May the wreath and its light be a sign of Christ’s
promise to bring us salvation, May he come quickly and not delay. We ask this
through Christ our Lord."
Here are the different religious congregations represented in our parish: Fr Al, our Parish Priest, from the Priests of the Sacred Heart. Then we have the Mercedarian Sisters (in white habits on the left) led by Sr. Emilia, the Sisters of Mary, Queen of Apostles (in light blue habit) led by Sr. Pilar, the Adorers of the Blood of Christ (in dark blue and white habit) led by Sr. Linlee and the Daughters of Mary (in white habit at the right) led by Sr. Salve.
Together with them, we pray for more vocations in this Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Peoples.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
SLRP Nagdaos ng Ika-30 taong Anibersaryo
30-taon na! Ngayong Setyembre, taong 2017, ay ipinadiwang ng Parokya ng San Lorenzo Ruiz ang ika-30 taon anibersaryo ng pagkatatag ng parokya. Ito rin ang ika-30 taon pagiging santo ni San Lorenzo Ruiz kung saan lubos ang saya at pasasalamat ng ating parokya.
Nagumpisa ang kasiyahan noong Setyembre 16, kung saan itinanghal ang SLRP Parish Night, isang gabi ng sayawan at pagpupugay sa Diyos sa biyayang ipinagkaloob sa parokya nitong nakalipas na 30-taon. Tampok dito ang Coronation Night ng Perlas ng San Lorenzo, ang matagumpay na fund-raising project na pinangunahan ng ating mga pinagpipitagang mga lola.
Ang takdang araw ng piyesta naman ni San Lorenzo ay ginanap noong Setyembre 24 at ito ay inumpisahan sa isang Caracol, isang prusisyon ng pasasalamat at pagsasaya kung saan ang imahe ng patron ay inikot sa mga piling lugar ng parokya. Nagsamasama ang lahat - mga parokyano, mga parish workers, kinatawan ng barangay Culiat at ng pamahalaan ng Lungsod sa pagbibigay pugay sa Diyos sa tatlong dekadang biyaya na Kanyang ipinagkaloob. Kaugnay nito, nagpakitang gilas ang iba’t ibang ministry at organisasyon sa parokya sa isang munting street dancing challenge sa harap ng ating simbahan. Kasabay rin nito namahagi ng libreng street food ang mga ministry at sangay ng pamahalaang lokal para sa lahat.
Matapos ang caracol, siya namang sinundan ng Fiesta High Mass sa ika-10 at kalahati ng umaga. Ito ay pinangunahan ni Rev. Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD, sampu ng mga kaparian ng Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sa kanyang sermon, binigyan saysay ni Fr. Jerry ang katangian ni San Lorenzo na dapat tularan at isabuhay ng mga nagmamahal sa Diyos – ang ipaglaban ang pananampalataya kahit na ibuwis an isang libo mang buhay!!
Matapos ang misa, agad naman pinasiyaan ni Fr. Jerry, kasama ng Kura Paroko na si Fr. Al Back ang Hardin ni San Lorenzo, na siyang magsisilbing karagdagang lugar ng pagmumuni-muni at pagdarasal.
Sinundan ito ng isang salu-salo sa Parish Formation Center kung saan iginawad ang Perlas Ng San Lorenzo service awards sa mga parish workers na may edad 77 taong at may pitong taong serbisyo pataas. Sa paligid ng mga kaibigan, kamag-anak, mga religious, mga ministry at organisasyon sa parokya, pamunuan ng barangay, mga punong layko at punong kaparian ng parokya, sila ay binigyan pasasalamat at pagtanaw sa kanilang walang sawang pagtataguyod sa parokya.
Sa tulong tulong ng lahat, nagkatotoo ang inaasam-asam na panalangin ng lahat sa isang buhay, mulat at kumikilos ng parokya. Kay San Lorenzo Ruiz, huwaran ng pakikipag-isang buhay kay Kristo, nananalagin kami sa iyo na putuloy mong kaming gabayan.
Sa tulong tulong ng lahat, nagkatotoo ang inaasam-asam na panalangin ng lahat sa isang buhay, mulat at kumikilos ng parokya. Kay San Lorenzo Ruiz, huwaran ng pakikipag-isang buhay kay Kristo, nananalagin kami sa iyo na putuloy mong kaming gabayan.
Viva San Lorenzo at maligayang kapistahan sa lahat.
Friday, September 8, 2017
Happy Birthday, Mama Mary!
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hich a creature became the preferred dwelling place of God. In remembering her, we remember that God, in His grace, mystery, and love, has chosen to concern Himself with mankind so intimately as to "come to them and make our home with them" (John 14:23).
A reflection on the birth of Mary pulls the mystery and wonder of God's love into focus. How is it that this indescribable God of all creation, has not only chosen a little girl to be His temple, but also chose to become incarnate through her, "so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life" (John 3:16). It is such an understanding of God—a God who is so intimately concerned with mankind—that forms the distinguishing mark of the Christian faith.
Commemorating the Nativity of Mary leads us to ponder on the divine nature of Jesus Christ, and in pondering His divinity, we come to acknowledge the immensity and humility of God's love that is offered to every person.
While Blessed Mary had the special privilege to be the temple of the Lord both physically and spiritually, we are reminded that God also calls everyone to the same grace of being the dwelling place of God.
St John affirms in his letters to the early Church, "By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because he has given us of his Spirit" (1 John 4:13). On another occasion, St Paul tells the Corinthians, "we are the temple of the living God; as God said, 'I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people'." (2 Cor 6:16).
Beloved children
Reflecting on this special importance of the Nativity of our Mother helps to put into perspective that truly, every person is a precious child of God, a temple of the Holy Spirit.
When birthdays are celebrated, we celebrate the gift of a person, the life that he or she has, and the joy that they have brought to their loved ones. But as we celebrate the birthday of Mary, we discover that there is also a bigger reason we can rejoice—God dwells in this person.
In the Catholic devotion to Mary, we see that it is because of God that she is remembered, it is the grace of God that she was made holy. Her nativity is remembered because it is the dawn that points to the coming light of Christ. In a similar way, we see that every child is called to holiness in Christ, to be the light and salt of the earth. As we celebrate the earthly birthday of Blessed Mary, let us also celebrate the joy of our identity as the dwelling place of God, His chosen people.
Source: http://accs.sg/the-birth-of-
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