OUR PARISH PRIEST

LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Each time we celebrate Mass, there is a truly special part of the celebration that we somehow find routine and therefore often ignore – the Prayers of the Faithful or the General Intercessions. For many, it is almost instinctive to respond, “Lord hear our prayer” to the lector’s words:   “Let us pray to the Lord.” How many of us really internalize every petition before we mindlessly utter those words?   How many of us truly listen to the petitions so that we can make them our own? What are we doing in this part of the Mass?   We are doing exactly the same thing that the characters in the gospel today have done in approaching Jesus with their requests.   Jairus, a synagogue leader, rushed to Jesus and even kneeling before Him, asked for the healing of his 12 year old daughter, who died before Jesus could reach their home.   We are repeating the gesture of the sick woman the doctors could not heal for a long time. Jairus and the s...

LETTER ON YEAR FOR PRIESTS "The Priesthood Is the Love of the Heart of Jesus"  Here is a Vatican translation of the letter Benedict XVI sent to the priests of the world on the occasion of the Year for Priests, which has been called to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney.  On Friday, the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and day of prayer for the sanctification of the clergy, Benedict XVI will inaugurate this Jubilee Year for Priests during Vespers in the Vatican Basilica. * * *  Dear Brother Priests,   On the forthcoming Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday 19 June 2009 - a day traditionally devoted to prayer for the sanctification of the clergy - I have decided to inaugurate a "Year for Priests" in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the "dies natalis" of John Mary Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests worldwide. This Year, meant to deepen the commitment of all priests to interior...

ENTER THE “YEAR FOR PRIESTS” On the Feast of the Sacred Heart this year 2009, the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI will proclaim the Year for Priests (June 19, 2009 - June 19, 2010).   His predecessor, Pope John Paul II recommended this feast day each year as the Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests.   He found a strong link between the Heart of Jesus and the life of service each priest renders to the Lord and His people.   This year also marks the 150 th death anniversary of St. John Mary Vianney, patron saint of parish priests, whom the present pope will declare “patron saint of all priests”.   A relevant quote is attributed to this saint also connecting the Sacred Heart and priestly life:   “The priesthood is the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” Let us pray for all our priests here and abroad, for religious priests and diocesan priests, for curia priests and missionaries, for old and young, for priests and their bishops and for the most a...

LET JESUS CALM “YOUR STORMS” 12 th Sunday in Ordinary Time I am not comfortable in bodies of water because I do not know how to swim. Though I enjoy the beach, the rivers and pools, I am afraid of going too far or staying too long.   On my first boat ride from a small island to a major city, I hardly slept the entire night of the voyage, my mind replaying scenes from the movie “Titanic”. I imagined myself a drowning Leonardo di Caprio look-alike. Even when we do not find ourselves on a boat, do we manage to sleep soundly at night?   Many people find the night an intolerable burden.   There are many distractions and disturbances.   All through the night, people consider what to do about their health problems, their economic hardships, the relationship strains, community concerns and the prospects for the future.   These are “storms” that disturb our sleep. The disciples were crossing the sea with Jesus and they could not sleep because of the violent “squall that blew up.”   T...

THE EUCHARIST: AN ENCOUNTER When people worship God, they make a fashion statement.   Look at the followers of Iglesia ni Kristo or Protestants who worship in formal dresses, barong or semi-formal attire. This is true for most of them, however poor they may be. Muslims also sport their best traditional costumes for their special feasts.   Now compare this with how most Catholics dress for Mass. There was a time when people looked “their Sunday best”.   When we saw a properly clothed person, we jokingly guessed that he was most probably on his way to church.   But today, Catholics appear in church in their most comfortable clothes - house clothes, street clothes, sports clothes. Not too long ago, the archdiocese issued guidelines for proper attire at Mass. I have nothing against wearing comfortable outfit when we worship.   And I’m sure the Lord looks more into the heart when we pray. But the guidelines of Manila remind us that for many, the essence of wor...

THE YEAR FOR PRIESTS As the celebration for the start of the 2009-2010 Year for Priests approaches, here are some fruitful readings for priests and lay people on the meaning of that event and the prayers of the Church for her beloved priests.   These were derived from zenit.org’s plenteous recent materials on the topic.   See also the official logo of the year-long celebration.   While we read and reflect, let us continue to pray for priests in their various struggles in the life of service to Jesus the Lord and to the Church they love with all their lives. Letter on Year for Priests "We Will Seek Together to Concentrate on the Identity of Christ the Son of God" Dear Priests! In only about two weeks’ time, on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday 19th June, we will experience an intense moment of faith, closely united with the Holy Father and amongst ourselves, when we shall begin the Year for Priests by celebrating First Vespers of the Feast in the...

FROM DEACON TO PRIEST...AT LAST! From the grateful and proud parishioners of St. Ignatius - Ususan, Taguig and Holy Family - Kapitolyo, Pasig:  CONGRATULATIONS TO REV. RAYMOND AMBAY ON HIS ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD - JUNE 9, 2009, Tandag, Surigao del Sur. We believe you will be truly another Christ to the people of your diocese and to the entire Church. Pray for us and invoke God's blessings on our lives.  Mabuhay ang bagong Pari ni Kristo!

THE TRINITY IN OUR LIFE How do we distinguish Christians from other believers among the great religions of the world?   The test of the Christian content of faith is primarily in the great mystery called the Trinity.   Do you believe that God is One?   Do you believe that in the One God, there are Three Persons – that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Then that makes your faith Christian faith. Today we celebrate this central mystery of our lives as believers.   And yet we know that every feast is a challenge to daily life.   How does the Trinity challenge us to offer our lives to the full, to excel and to soar as witnesses of our faith in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? It is more than making the Sign of the Cross, or receiving a blessing in the name of the Three Persons or just praying to the Trinity. So many people do these things routinely and yet, we wonder if their lives are really affected by the same Three Divine Persons they invoke...

MORE VOCATIONS FROM HOLY FAMILY PARISH!!! June 2 will be remembered as a milestone in the life of Holy Family Parish - Kapitolyo, Pasig, my former parish before my present assignment here in Tagaytay.  I left the Holy Apostles Senior Seminarians behind (for whom I am facilitating a retreat), to join 4 of my Knights of the Altar (3 graduates of our parochial school and 1 from Lourdes School) and their families at the Guadalupe Minor Seminary where the boys were accepted as first year high school seminarians.  4 more seminarians from our parish and our school, what a blessing from the Lord! I accompanied these boys when they were taking their entrance exams and now I witnessed their first day in the long journey to their vocation as Christians and hopefully, as future priests.  It was my promise that I would be there when they assume their new life as seminarians.  I'm so happy to be able to fulfill that promise, even as their "former" parish priest! Abov...