carmel lightourladyofmountcarmelparish.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/...anecdotes and jokes in their...

CARMEL lightIssue No. 6 Official Newsletter of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Project 6 * Diocese of Cubao JANUARY 2015

Whenever Pope Francis spoke, it was with wisdom and

sincerity of heart -- comforting and reassuring, inspiring,

counseling, cheering up and strengthening, urging, and at

times admonishing. Listening to his homilies and speeches

was like listening to Jesus doing his public ministry. He is

truly the Vicar of Christ on earth! His awesome presence

has undeniably intensified the faith of Filipino Catholics

from all walks of life.

Now that the Pope has left after 5 days of grace and

blessings, the challenge for us begins. The spirit of the

papal visit should move us into action -- to have a renewed

personal encounter with Jesus everyday that should lead us

towards conversion and reconciliation, towards showing

mercy and compassion to the least of our brothers and

sisters. Let us take to heart and live out the Pope's

message: "As Christians, you are called to make a home

for Jesus. Make a home for Him in your hearts, your

families, your parishes and your communities." Let us

then go forth and tell the world of His love!

everywhere he went with his radiant face, his warm

smile, his tireless wave, his loving touch and comforting

embrace, his gentleness, simplicity and humility. And in the

days that followed, it was the sincerity and depth of his

message of mercy and compassion, hope, inspiration, faith

and God's love that created such a tremendous and lasting

impact in the hearts and minds of the Filipinos.

His itinerary enabled him to have various encounters and

Holy Masses with people from almost every sector of

society -- beginning with the President, government

officials and diplomats, the Catholic clergy and religious

men and women, urban families, survivors of Typhoon

Yolanda who defied tropical storm Amang for a Mass with

him, inter-religious groups, students and the youth,

abandoned children in an orphanage, street children, fellow

Jesuits and the 6 million Filipino faithful who braved the

rain to attend his concluding mass at the Rizal Park. To

each one and on each occasion, the Pope had a special

message - a message that moved them to an examination of

conscience, silent reflection and even to tears.

BAGONG TAON,

BAGONG KOTSE RAFFLE:

AAnndd tthhee wwiinnnneerrss aarree...... continued on page 2...

As the third largest Catholic country in

the world (next to Brazil and Mexico)

with 80 million Filipino Catholics, our

nation anticipated the coming of His

Holiness Pope Francis with genuine

excitement and jubilation.

From the moment he stepped down

from the plane that brought him to

Philippine soil for a 5-day (Jan. 15-19,

2015) apostolic visit, he took the

country by storm - literally! Church

bells pealed all over the country to

herald his arrival.

Pope Francis instantly captured the

hearts of thousands of Filipinos

The rescheduled draw of Bagong Taon, Bagong Kotse Rafflewas successfully held on Saturday, January 24 at 7:30 PM inside the church. Under the supervision of a technical committee and in the presence of parishioners, the following ticket numbers and names were drawn and officially declared as winners:

22 CCAARRMMEELL lliigghhtt JJaannuuaarryy 22001155

PRIZE NAME OF WINNER ADDRESS TICKET NO.

Consolation Prize:One Thousand Pesos Cash

(P1,000.00)

Egay Jalla

Maria Tubid

Perfecto Marquez

Tristan Libiran

Romeo M. Garcia

Janina Rhearlou V.

Cesar A. Santos

Bishop Ness Ongtioco

Raymond Diño

Ma. Luisa S. Sacramento

OLMC Parish Office

Office of the Ombudsman

Tandang Sora

Morning Star, Sanville

Culiat, Tandang Sora

Visayas Ave.

Alley 7, Project 6

Lantana St., Cubao, Q.C.

Alley 5, Project 6

Alley 2, Project 6

18088

19434

14913

12418

07192

03744

03816

13448

09381

06847

Samsung Galaxy V cell phone

Elizabeth A. Andres

Fr. Vic Torres

Christian Franco

Joe Lucero

Road 3, Project 6

St. Vincent Seminary

Sanviile Subd., Q.C.

OLMCP

16602

16506

11694

16660

Beats Studio Headphone Nina Tuazon

Reynaldo Damaso

- -

Sitio Mabilog, Culiat

18788

11348

iPad Mini Retina Margarita G. Garcia Office of the Ombudsman 0433

Canon EOS 1100D SLR camera Rolando Bayoga Barangay Vasra 2854

LG Full HD LED TV 42" Gemma Samson Batasan, Q.C. 1913

Samsung Galaxy S5 cell phone Rosa Mystica Cruz Teacher's Village, Q.C. 17823

BAGONG TAON, BAGONG KOTSE:

And the winners are...

Fr. Marvin hands over to lucky GRAND PRIZE WINNER Laarni Vita the key to her brand new Mitsubishi Mirage on Sunday, January 25, 2015.

Congratulations to all the winners!Thank you for supporting our project!

Grand Prize:

MITSUBISHI MIRAGEOffice of the Ombudsman 19379

...from page 1

LAARNI T. VITA 19379

JJaannuuaarryy 22001155 CCAARRMMEELL lliigghhtt 33

Thanks to the cooperation and support of the entire parish community, the major construction of the parish office and convent is now underway. Day One of the construction commenced on Monday, December 01, 2014. The groundbreaking ceremony was held the day before, that is, Sunday, November 30, the First Sunday of Advent, led byBishop Honesto F. Ongtioco, D.D..

Back in early October 2014, the parish announced through the mass an Open Invitation to Bid to all construction companies interested in the proposed project. Applicants were evaluated by a screening committee created for this purpose and only four bidding companies qualified: 1) ABDA Construction, Inc.; 2) Shelmark Builders &Development Corp.; 3) Amalgamated Construction &Trading Co. (AMCON); and 4) ITAC Industrial Products & General Services. These qualified bidders participated inthe Pre-bid conference held on October 22 at the St. Therese Hall to discuss the project and bid requirements. By October 29, all bid proposals were submitted to the committee for evaluation. After much deliberation, the project was finally awarded to ABDA Construction, Inc. who offered the most acceptable bid cost and terms of payment.

The formal signing of the contract for the project, estimated to cost P6 Million, was executed by and between OLMCP, represented by our parish priest, Fr. Larry Garces, OAR, and ABDA Construction, Inc., represented by Engr. Abel Pangilinan, on November 28, 2014, Friday, at the Gintong Bulwagan in the presence of the UniCouncil and some RRIB officers.

With the construction now in progress, the parish concerns itself with continuing to raise the much-needed funds. The initial capital came from the July 16, 2014 Fiesta fund (from novena mass sponsors and other donations) in the sum ofP951,607.55 which the UniCouncil has decided to allocate for the project. To date, the various sources for the General Fund for the construction plus the fundraising activities that have been carried out have generated commendable returns, but we are way too far from the target amount.

To cite actual figures: Total second collections (from August 10, 2014 to January 25, 2015) - 696,240.85; A Dinner for A Cause - 65,925.00; Concert gross proceeds -878,000.00; Second collection on December 24, Christmas Eve mass - 13,707.25; Love offerings (Misa de Gallo: Dec. 15, 8:30PM to Dec. 24, 4:00AM) - 102,569.00; Hang A Christmas Ball - 12,900.00; Bagong Taon, Bagong Kotse raffle - 1,225,070 (as of Feb. 01, pending final accounting);Other donations as of the previous month - 320,855.55.

The parish trusts in the generous support of parishioners and benefactors for its forthcoming fundraising activities to keep the construction going on schedule. May the Lord who began the good work in us help bring this project to its fullcompletion.

A peek at the ongoing construction ( January 28, 2015)

Groundbreaking ceremony (November 30, 2014)

Signing of the Contract with ABDA (November 29, 2014)


AA MMeessssaaggee ffrroomm FFrr.. LLaarrrryy

RReevv.. FFrr.. LLaarrrryy JJ.. GGaarrcceess,, OOAARR

Still feeling the ambience of love hovering over us, we were witnesses to an event that hopefully, in due course, will bring concrete changes in our lives as a nation, as a race of believers: the historic visit of the Holy Father, Pope Francis!

From the time that his coming was announced, preparations were made with utmost thoroughness and the fever of excitement spread and gradually escalated. Each Filipino Catholic was urged to pray, to prepare, to be eager, to await with welcoming arms the Vicar of Christ on earth. Pope Francis, even before setting foot on Philippine soil, had sent us messages of hope and urged us to show mercy and compassion most especially to the needy � the least, the lost, the last � to dare to become heroes! He urged us not to remain only in our faith experiences, but also share these in concrete ways to others. In our parish, we made an effort to heed the Pope's call: we gratefully acknowledgedour experience of love in the Christmas season by projecting it to others through the Pasko Na, Ipadama where we shared to our less fortunate parishioners some provisions.

In his encyclical Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis exhorts Catholics to have an experience of Christ from the Gospels, to have an encounter with Him through the Gospels. And that this faith experience must be shared with others.

Unfortunately though, most Filipino Catholics are quite �� We love to listen to good preachers, preachers who share anecdotes and jokes in their homilies, we love to spend hours in the hundreds of adoration chapels in the country, and we love to attend seminars and retreats in order to elevate our level of spirituality... but sadly, we rarely lift a finger to combat corruption, or to address the widening gap of inequality, or to work to change the society! If we have an encounter with Christ, then our faith should spur us to do what Christ did! But how come our nation is still not progressing? How come the urban poor are multiplying? How come criminality is still very high? And there is still the growing need for organizations or Catholic movements who would consistently engage in works of mercy, reach out to the poor, the hungry, and the homeless. Maybe we are not yet ready to follow Jesus. Maybe our encounter with Him is not yet enough.

Just last month, we saw the millions of Filipinos who were willing to risk their lives and limbs just to be able to touch or see the image of the Nazarene. This is the kind of faith

that we have in the Philippines - almost bordering on fanaticism. We do not doubt the sincerity of the devotees but what we are simply pointing out is that charity, concern for others, should result from these devotions. In other words, our faith should fire us up! It should not only remain in that one-day devotion but it should flow to works of mercy, to charitable actions, to acts of mercy and compassion!

This was the message that Pope Francis carried to the Philippines: the mercy and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ! This Pope exudes Christ! And we all saw how he touched the hearts of the Filipino Catholics and inspired them with his message of mercy and compassion. Our country has long been struggling to survive attacks on our families; the dwindling integrity of our government officials; questions on the sovereignty of the nation; infiltration of consumerism even to the portals of the ministers of the Church; climate change and natural disasters. They are almost too much to handle.

I have faith in Pope Francis! Just like Christ � the face he is carrying, the person he is representing � Pope Francis has rallied Filipinos to a heightened faith where actions will result and the love of Christ will be diffused far and wide,

Happy New Year to all! With the celebration of the Christmas season over, I think there is much to be grateful for. For one, Christmas has put everyone into a charitable mood. It is truly the season of giving! We take it from Christ who has given us the most perfect gift of all � the gift of life, the gift of his presence, the gift of himself � far more valuable than any other gift we can think of! Thank you, Jesus, for becoming one like us!

contaminating each individual to love the other as Christ loves his Church.

"Let us show our love and mercy with true kindness and humility. For God loves the weak and the needy just like you and me. �� mend their broken hearts. Choose to be brave, fight for their rights. Give them back their honor and their pride... please do not be blind and just leave them behind. To struggle in darkness or give them empty promises...

�� calling us by name to help the poor and lame. And learn �� Lord..."

I believe that the Pope will effect change in us. In the end, love will prevail!


OLMCP volunteers join the

Diocesan delegation at Pope

Francis' Rizal Park Mass

A number of volunteer OLMCP ministry members were included in delegation of the Diocese of Cubao to Pope Francis' Concluding Mass on January 18 at the Rizal Park Among them were:

Thirty four (34) lay ministers or members of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) who joined thousands of other lay ministers from different dioceses to assist in giving communion to the millions who attended the Papal mass;

Twenty five (25) members of the Parish Youth Ministry

(PYM) who served as Communion Ushers; Twenty (20) members of the Music Ministry from various

OLMCP choir groups who joined the 1,000-voice grand choir chosen from 10 dioceses, leading the mass songs with the accompaniment of a 100-member orchestra;

Four (4) members of the Mother Butler Guild (MBG); and, One (1) member of the Ministry of Altar Servers.

Our 9-day Simbang Gabi was capped by the celebration

of the Christmas Eve Mass presided by Fr. Larry Garces,

OAR with Frs. Marvin Pajarillaga and Ulysses Cacho, as

concelebrants.

Before the start of the Eucharistic Celebration, the

members of the talent-packed Parish Youth Ministry

(PYM) performed a play called Panunuluyan, which

�� Bethlehem for Jesus Christ's birth.

For nine consecutive novena days, the different parish

choirs serenaded the parishioners with joyful Christmas

carols that contributed to an even more joyous

anticipation of Christmas day.

The Christmas Eve mass was made more memorable

when our three pastors surprised everyone with their

solo rendition of Christmas songs as their way of

expressing their gratitude to all the parishioners,

donors, sponsors, guests, and the PPC.

A memorableChristmas Eve Mass

A Prayer for Pope Francis(in response to his request that we pray for him)

O God, the Shepherd and Ruler of all Your faithful people, mercifully look upon Your servant, Pope Francis, whom You have chosen as the chief Shepherd to preside over Your Church. We beg You to help him edify, both by word and example, those over whom he has charge, that he may reach everlasting life together with the flock entrusted to him. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


The Joy of Giving:PASKO NA, IPADAMA 2014

On December 29, Monday, from 8:00 - 11:00 AM,

around 1,200 families from the destitute zones of the

parish flocked to the church patio and were each given

a pack of 3kgs of rice from the rice donations of

parishioners in our "Christmas Kariton;" the children

received an assortment of stuffed toys, clothes,

storybooks and foot wear donated by kind parishioners

and by relatives of our parish priest residing abroad.

Pasko Na, Ipadama is an annual outreach program of

the parish during the Christmas season which aims to

bring Christ's love and compassion to the marginalized

in our community and has been going on for more than

10 years now.

We are very thankful to all our big-hearted

parishioners and donors who continually support this

social service program. Indeed, there is nothing more

joyful in celebrating the Christmas season than by

sharing our blessings with the less fortunate to make

them feel that they belong to a parish that cares.

As always, the Social Service and Development

Ministry (SSDM) headed by Kuya Noel Santos led the

outreach program.

"Be kind and compassionate to one another."

Ephesians 4:32

written by FR. ULYSSES CACHO

(Editor's note: On December 13, 2014, Saturday, an Advent Recollection was held in the parish, with our resident guest priest, Fr.

Ulysses Cacho, as speaker. A lot of those who attended the recollection were unanimous in saying that it was probably one of the

best talks they have listened to - that they have been enlightened, deeply touched and have pondered about everything that Fr. Uly

shared that evening. So we have decided to feature the full text of his talk, especially for those who missed the recollection, so that

everyone may gain meaningful insights from the words and reflections of Fr. Uly.)


The Core of Advent and Christmas:

How do I prepare for the coming of Jesus?

With all the external preparations, the wrappings and decorations, the numerous parties, gatherings and activities, it is quite easy to get lost and lose sight of the real Reason for the seasons of Advent and Christmas. It is good to remind ourselves right away that Christmas is a Spiritual event and not just a Social event; and so is the season of Advent. We cannot really enter into their beauty and richness if we do not enter into them through the eyes of faith, prayer and communion with God.

Advent literally means "coming" and that's exactly what the season of Advent really is all about. It is a time to prepare for the coming of Jesus. During this four-week season, we are preparing for Jesus' three comings --- we remember his first coming in the past as child, we anticipate his second coming in the future as King, and we train our hearts to see his third coming in the present in daily, hidden and often silent ways. That being said, Advent is not just a Liturgical season in the Church, it is really a never-ending season in our Christian life because every day is a day to prepare for Jesus who comes to us in every present moment until finally He comes in the most definite moment. Life is a never-ending season of Advent!

And so, let us go through this season always bearing in mind this fundamental question:HOW DO I PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF JESUS?

In the four Sundays of Advent, the Scriptural readings usher us to four steps by which we can meaningfully prepare for the coming of Jesus. Somehow, every week of the Advent season has a certain theme that follows the thread of our Advent question, "how do we prepare for the coming of Jesus."

Week 1 � WATCH! (Mag-abang)

In the 1st week, the Readings invite us to be watchful. In Filipino, "Mag-abang." To be watchful is to wait with alertness and with eagerness because the one who comes is someone we know and someone who will surely come. At the season of Advent, we know who will come, it is Jesus! He will surely come. And because the One who comes loves us immensely, every waiting becomes a moment of joy!

But how does one become watchful? The first coming of Jesus is not something to watch for anymore because ithappened already. What seems to be the coming that the readings invite us to be watchful for are Jesus' coming in the future and in the present --- His definite coming at the hour of our death and His coming in the ordinary and needy neighbor. On the first Sunday of Advent, Jesus reminds his ��!�� Be alert! You do not know when the ��"

We have to be vigilant and watchful for his daily coming, up until that time, when at the hour of our death, He comes to be our Savior and King. Thus being watchful does not mean sitting idly by, it concretely means preparing for a happy death by living a life of love and service to others. This is particularly heightened in the first week of Advent with the weekday readings showing Jesus being compassionate with the sick and the needy.

At the onset of December, one immediately gets that !� ��"� �� celebration. The evenings brighten up with Christmas lights.The surroundings blush up with colourful decors. Even malls are so dressed up for the season.

!�� sana mas madama ito sa malasakit sa kapwa tao. Sana hindi lang trapik sa daan at pila sa cashier ang humaba pag Christmas. Sana humaba-haba din ang pasensya at pang-�� -luwag ang mga puso at bumilis-bilis sa pakikiramay at pagbibigay. Sana dumali-dali ang pagpapatawad at paghingi nito. Sana bumagal-bagal �� "If this is the kind of watchfulness that we do, then we are truly preparing for the coming of Jesus; and this coming should not be a reason to be fearful but to be hopeful because He who comes, comes in love, mercy and compassion.

Week 2 � REPENT! (Magsisi)

In the 2nd week of Advent, the figure of John the Baptist is introduced. We know very well that John the Baptist is the precursor of Jesus; the prophet who prepared the way of the

continued on page 8...



How do I prepare for the coming of Jesus? ...from page 7


of the Lord is none other than to turn away from sin --- to repent. �� $�� !� �� (nd

��$��#

Repent? But why do this in a Season of Joy and Celebration?We are probably accustomed to thinking that Repentance is more appropriate for the Lenten Season and Holy Week. ��!��"� ��$�� for the coming of Jesus? ��$�� our homes and places but also our hearts and our lives for His coming? And what better way to do this than to repent of our sins and be reconciled to God and to one another! The sacrament of Reconciliation is especially beautiful because at Christmastime forgiveness is given by God who comes as a child! I know this sounds a little romantic and naive but even the readings of the week boldly tell us how %�� "� �� compass��#& Is He not the Good Shepherd who will leave the ninety-nine in order to search one lost worthless sheep?

Has it ever occurred to us that probably, the best and most unique gift we can give the Lord this Christmas is our sins? Everything else we have and we hold are given by God except for one ' our sins. They came from us. How beautiful it will be if what we can offer God is something that really belongs to us! And how peaceful Christmas will be to celebrate it with a clean heart and mind!

But is�$�� reconciliation not only with God but also with one another? Let us not let the Christmas season pass without reconciling with God. But also, let us not let Christmas go by without forgiving the hurts and reconciling with people we have hurt or have hurt us.

Thus, the Advent journey on the 2nd week is a journey of repentance and mercy with Jesus who comes to forgive and �� %�� #&

Week 3 � REJOICE! (Magalak)

In the 3rd week of Advent we light the pink candle in the wreath, a symbol that this week is a week to rejoice. Hence the 3rd Sunday is traditionally called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete ��%�� #&� And so the invitation for us to prepare for the coming of Jesus is to rejoice! The readings on this Sunday are marked with joy and anticipation. It is also in this week that we begin the joyful tradition that we, Filipinos, cherish --- the Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo.

But what does it mean to rejoice? What quality of rejoicing are we invited into during this season? I am not a linguist but when one tinkers a little bit �� %�� & and

its Filipino equivalent, we can pick up some wisdom from them. Can it be possible that to rejoice is to have twice the equivalent of joy (re-joice!) or to be joyful over and over again?

But there is a more important question that we need to ask.Why do we rejoice? What gives us cause for rejoicing? I think we need to ask this question especially in a world and at a time where there is so much to be sad about. In a world and at a time of so much violence, corruption, poverty, disaster and many forms of oppression, sometimes it is hard to find a reason for rejoicing. Oftentimes, there is more reason to despair than to rejoice. That is why, in the season of Advent, we need to ask this question seriously not only because of the sad realities we face everyday but also because the cause for rejoicing this season can become so hazy, so hidden, so elusive and mysterious.

It is quite easy to say that Jesus is the reason for the season.But this is precisely the question of those who suffer terribly. �� Hesus nung tinangay ng hangin ang aking tanging

�� For them, there is more reason to doubt than to rejoice.

But somehow, in some mysterious ways, some sparks of hope glimmer amidst the darkness. And just like John the Baptist, who continues to speak on the 3rd Sunday of Advent, they may not be the light, but they testify to the Light. Even if the world can be very dark at times, a little light can make a lot of difference. A victory on a boxing match by Manny Pacquiao even if it will not solve misery, can give some hope. A kilo of rice received even if it does not feed five hungry �� !� �� $�� #� A bag of relief goods, a makeshift tent and karton to rest a tired body, a small videoke in the slums, a piece of queso de

bola, a few Christmas lights and decors from Divisoria...they make a lot of difference! Somehow, they testify, that there is light. They testify that after all, it will not always be dark; and no matter how long and black and cold the night can be, the sun will rise again to conquer it all!

Thus, the invitation of the 3rd week of Advent is not simply to rejoice and to find the Reason for rejoicing. The deeper invitation is to become the reason for rejoicing! It is not just finding the Light but testifying to the Light and eventually becoming that light which gives hope and joy!

Week 4 � BE SILENT! (Manahimik)

On the 4th week of Advent, which is a few days before


Up closeand

personal

1. Tell me about your family. Chidlhood?

Tatlo kaming boys at pangalawa ako. Ang Kuya ko

may pamilya na at may sariling business. Ang pangatlo ay

nurse pero hindi namin pinayagan na mag abroad dahil

may sakit ang tatay ko. (His Father has just recently suffered a heart attack.) Hindi masyadong nagkakalayo ang aming

edad, 2 years ang agwat kaya close kami noon. Ang tatay

ay 62 at nanay ko ay 59, bata pa daw sila. May family

business na pinagkaka-abalahan ang parents ko sa Nueva

Ecija. Doon ako lumaki at nag-aaral hanggang high school.

2. Who influenced you in your chosen vocation?

Pag binabalikan ko ang pagpapari, sa kuya ko lahat

nag-start. Noong nakita ko na nag-sacristan ang kuya ko,

after 1 year pumasok na din ako bilang sakristan, tapos

noong allowed na ang bunso namin sumunod din siya.

Kaya tatlo kaming naging sacristan. Nahiligan ko na rin na

�� muna. Pero, in terms of prayer life... Lola ko. Ang Lola ko,

every afternoon mahilig pumunta sa simbahan... naglalakad

lang siya. Feeling ko dahil matanda na, aalalayan ko... mga

grade 1 or 2 lang ako noon. Pag sinasamahan ko siya

�� lumuhod siya luhod din ako, pag nagdasal siya, nagdadasal

din ako. Lalo na ang novena prayer ng Perpetual Help

every Wednesday... nakabisado ko yan... doon nag-start.

Sa gabi naman, ang nanay namin pupunta sa kwarto

naming tatlo, ang kama namin tabi-tabi pa. Magdadasal

kaming sabay sabay, nakaluhod kaming tatlo, kung ano ang

sasabihin niya gagayahin namin. �� ninyo kaming maging mabuting bata; huwag kaming magkakasakit, bigyan mo kami ng mahabang buhay, malusog na katawan at kaisipan. �� Ganon yong

prayer... alam ko pa yan hanggang ngayon, hindi ko

nakakalimutan.

3. What convinced you in deciding to become a priest?

Noong grade 2 ako, sabi ng teacher namin � -drawing n'yo kung ano ang gusto n'yo maging pag laki � �� Eh, hindi ako marunong mag drawing... so, kumuha

ako ng libro, kumuha ako ng bond paper, hanap hanap sa

libro ng picture, ipinatong ko ang bond paper, binakat ko.

And then ang nakita ko paring nagse-sermon...so kinopya

ko. Tapos sabi ng teacher, � �� magulang ninyo para alam nila kung ano ang gusto niyo �� Ginawa ko yong sabi ng teacher. Nung nakita

4. How did you know you were called? What were the

manifestations?

Noong nasa 3rd

year ako, may mga nagre-recruit sa

school para sa seminaryo. �� "gusto mo sa seminaryo?" Sabi ko, "ayoko." Much later, bumalik ulit sa

isip ko na magseminaryo, lalo na nung tinanong ako ng Tita

ko na nandito sa Proj 6 kung gusto ko ba. Sabi niya kung

nasa Manila na ako kinakailangan mag-aaral ng mabuti,

kinakailangan hindi magbarkada. Yan ang itinuro sa amin

noon... na dapat mag-aral ng mabuti. Dahil may position

ako noong nag- graduate ako... may mga discount naman

na makukuha kasi may honor din ako. Nag-exam ako sa

San Carlos Seminary at yon lang ang kinuha kong exam.

�� -exam ako. Hindi

ko alam na may deadline pala. Two days mo kukunin ang

exam - 1st

day IQ, tapos 2nd

day psychological test.

Mahaba ang psychological test... isang araw halos. Kulang

na ang isang araw kasi last day na ako kumuha pero na-

��p... ako pa

yong huli. So sabi ko, "baka ito na talaga."

ng nanay at tatay ko,

sabi nila, "ahhh, gustonito magpari." Kaya

noong nag-sakristan

ako, allowed ako. Pag

nagpapaalam ako na

pupunta sa simbahan,

dahil may playground

doon para maglaro,

allowed ako... dahil

natanim sa isip ng mga

magulang ko na gusto

kong magpari. Pero sa

�� hanggang sa dumating

na ako sa Grade 6.

There is more to FR. MARVIN PAJARILLAGA than meets the eye. Two months shy of his 1st sacerdotal anniversary on March 1, I was fortunate to have a glimpse of who he is by posing 10 questions corresponding to his number of months in the priesthood.This encounter proved to be a far cry from my initial impression of him. So how well do you know our parochial vicar? Take a peek into our conversation.

Walang manifestation... kaya nga ang biro ko talaga pag nagkukwento �� -ring ang telepono ng bahay namin."


... from page 9


Walang manifestation... kaya nga ang biro ko talaga pag �� "Paano ka tinawag?" "Nag-ring ang

telepono ng bahay namin." Yon ang Tita ko na tumawag ��mag-aral sa seminaryo.. sinagot na lang namin.

5. What are your hobbies? Are you adventurous? (e.g.,

spelunking, deep sea diving, mountain climbing, bunjee

jumping)

Hindi ako adventurous. Ang hilig ko lang mag-bowling. Unang-una, hate ko ng mahabang byahe at pangalawa hate ko magbyahe mag-isa. Hindi madali kumuha ng kasama. Hilig ko more na mag-ayos ng room.

6. How do you pray?

Ohh... vocal. Nagdadasal ako ng may boses talaga. Hindi ako sanay na magdasal na walang naririnig. Sa adoration chapel... hihintayin ko na walang tao. Sa loob ng chapel... dapat walang tao. sa umaga o sa hapon... kasi vocal. Never akong nagdasal ng tahimik. Pag vocal, nararamdaman ko spontaneous... para ka lang nakikipag-usap na ganito. Ganon ang prayer para sa akin... wala tipong structured. Paano ako magdasal? Yong words muna noong bata ako, andoon pa din. 'Yong tinuro ng nanay �� papasok lahat.

Noong naging pari ako, during the offertory lahat ng prayer intentions na itinawag, nai-text sa akin, ino-offer ko after raising the �� the time na ino-offer ko

lahat ng nagpadasal sa akin. �� na na-itext sa akin, lahat ng mga kaibigan, kamag-anak na

nanghingi ng prayer ay inaalay ko sa altar na ito at lahat ng

�� Hindi man specific pero para sigurado ako na lahat ng tao na nanghingi ng prayer naipagdasal ko.

Naging ugali ko din na kung may matanggap ako na prayer request.. pinagdadasal ko na agad. Tapos later, lahat yan inaalay ko sa misa.

7. As a secular priest, what have you invested on?

Kasali ako sa Bahay Pari Cooperative. Kung may natatanggap... doon pumapasok. As a newly ordained, hindi ako masyadong focused sa money. Hindi yan ang priority ko. Up to now kasi hindi ako sanay na humawak ng malaking pera. Noong bata kasi kami, kung ano ang kailangan mo hingin mo lang. Noong nasa seminary na ako ang allowance ko ay 1,000 a month. Pag-umuwi ako sa Nueva Ecija at the end of the month, inuuwi ko ang sobra pagtapos bibigyan lang ulit ako ng 1000. Dahil ibinabalik na lang ang 1,000. In the end, naisip ko sana nakaka-save na din pala ako.

Noong naging pari ako, natuto akong mag- return. Ang natatanggap ko, hati kami ng family ko. Kasi naisip ko na para silang naputulan ng tutulong sa kanila noong magpari ako. Pakiramdam ko kung hindi ako nag pari baka mas malaki ang maitutulong ko in terms of earnings kung sakaling nag-business ako. Kaya sinabi ko sa sarili ko... gusto ko mag return.

8. Do you feel fortunate that after your ordination you

were given an assignment as a parochial vicar?

I expected that. Kasi yun naman talaga ang ibibigay na assignment after ordination - ang maging assistant parish priest or parochial vicar. Pero mas naging masaya nung sinabi na sa Mt. Carmel, Project 6 ako.

9. You were counted among the clergy who were

�� been fortunate to get close to him, what would you tell

him?

"Holy Father, ako po ay bagong pari, basbasan ninyo

ako at gabayan upang ako ay maging isang mabuting

pastol."

10. If in the future you become the Pope, what Papal

name will you adopt, and why?

Francis din... because I would like to emulate his humility and simplicity. As a priest, gusto ko na ako ang maging bridge between the rich and the poor. Pareho ko silang ilalapit sa Diyos.

Up close and

personal



How do I prepare for the coming of

Jesus? ...from page 8

Christmas, the gospels speak about the immediate events

surrounding the birth of Jesus --- the Annunciation, the

visitation of Mary �� in her Magnificat, the birth of John the Baptist, and the prayer

of praise of Zechariah.

Since on the 4th week, we are at the threshold of the birth of

Jesus, it is but fitting that we approach the nearness of this

event in loving awe, in silent prayer, and in quiet adoration.

When one experiences something wonderful and amazing,

one usually becomes speechless and reduced to silence either

because the experience is just so ineffable or so profound.

Thus, the invitation for us in this week is to make some space

to be silent. Manahimik. But the quality of silence we are

invited into is not the silence borne out of passivity and

slumber. It is a silence arising from awe and wonder at the

mystery we are celebrating --- our God who became man and

was born as a child.

This invitation to make some space for silence is quite fitting

for the season especially so because the Christmas season is

one of the noisiest and busiest seasons of the year. We can

easily lose sight of the true spirit of the season when we are

occupied with so much noise and so many activities. But

when we make a decision to be quiet and to pray, we can

easily enter into the beauty and richness of the season.

When one looks at the great mysteries of Christmas, they

were all silent and simple. Incarnation happened in the silent

��!� �� Jesus was

conceived silently by the Holy Spirit and grew silently in the

womb of Mary. Joseph for his part was a righteous and silent

man who never spoke a word in the gospels but who silently

followed the will of God. Elizabeth and Zechariah were

simple and silent people. In fact, Zechariah was lite in

silence! Let us not let the seasons of Advent and Christmas

pass by without pausing for a while in silent adoration of God

who comes to us in littleness, in simplicity and in silence!

ally reduced to silence and became mute because of his

�� Jesus, the promised Messiah, was born in the silence of a cold

night, in the little town of Bethlehem, in a lowly manger,

among the silent and sleepy animals, and with the humble

shepherds coming to adore the newborn King!

A lot of great things are wrought in simplicity, in silence and

in prayer. �� that God works his wonders in littleness, in simplicity, and in

silence! Let us not let the seasons of Advent and Christmas

pass by without pausing for a while in silent adoration of God

who comes to us in littleness, in simplicity and in silence!

5-Minute catechesis marks its first anniversary

It had its first session on December 01, 2013, First

Sunday of Advent, which was also the beginning of the

new liturgical year for the Universal Church. A short

Catholic instruction series intended to explain the basic

teachings of the Catholic Church in the simplest terms

possible aided by a slide presentation on the LCD screen,

the weekly 5-minute catechesis has turned a year old.

This means that there being 52 weeks in one year, more

than 52 choice topics about Church teachings have

already been shared. To this day, it continues to educate

parishioners before the start of each mass during Sundays

and before the 6PM Saturday anticipated masses.

Each topic/module for the catechesis gets prior approval

from Fr. Larry before the text/content is prepared (by Sis.

Maye Puno). Once the full text is done, it is submitted to

Fr. Larry for comments, corrections and final approval.

Then it gets a final editing (simplified and shortened, as

needed, by Dik Sajona) before it is emailed to the pool

of catechists/speakers assigned for each mass. A Power

Point presentation is also prepared (by Sis. A Garong)

and shown as visual aid during the catechesis session.

The 5-minute catechesis was adopted by the parish to

provide constant nourishment to our spiritual life through

a deeper understanding of the teachings of the Church.

May it help us attain the fullness of Christian life.


2015 is the Year of the Poor in the Philippine Church

On November 30, 2014, the First Sunday of Advent and beginning of the new liturgical year, the Church in the Philippines called on the faithful to celebrate 2015 as the Year of the Poor. This is in the context of the nine-year preparation for the 500th anniversary of the Christianization of the Philippines, which commenced in 2013 with the Year of Faith (2014 was the Year of the Laity) and will culminate in the Great Jubilee of 2021 with the Year of the Mission.

"Poverty is a scandal," declares Pope Francis. He has posed a moral challenge for the Church, calling not only "for structural reform but also for personal conversion and for a deeper realization of how people have allowed the patterns of materialism to captivate their lives and became culturally indifferent to the plight of the poor."

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, through CBCP President Bishop Soc Villegas, invites the poor to "come to Jesus, look into the eyes of the crucified Lord and you'll find rest." He urges them to seek Christ for help in every dire situation - in their hunger, poverty, sickness and helplessness - "because Christ is God with you."

The Year of the Poor is also a call for the rich not to live selfish lives but to be more sensitive to the plight of the underprivileged and heed the voice ofJesus saying, "Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you did for me."

We do not have to be rich to be charitable. At OLMCP, we, parishioners, have an opportunity to heed the voice of Jesus and help the poor through the church. The money that we donate to the parish enables it to continually carry out social services and programs to help alleviate the plight of the poorin our community. These include: free medical and dental services at the KKK Parish Clinic, educational assistance, scholarship program coursed through Caritas Manila, Pastoral Care for Children (feeding) program, administering of free sacraments through the Kasalang Parokya, Binyagang Parokya and Kumpilang Parokya, among others.

In this Year of the Poor, let us keep in mind Pope �� Catholic Church as the Church of Mercy -- the Church of the Poor, serving the poor with mercy and compassion, moving beyond its own walls and �� exists.

In the Catholic Church worldwide,

2015 is the Year for Consecrated

Life His Holiness Pope Francis dedicated 2015 as the Year for Consecrated Life in the Catholic Church worldwide. Itbegan on Nov. 30, the first Sunday of Advent, and will conclude on Feb. 2, 2016.

The Pope issued a challenge to consecrated men and women of the whole Church to give light and warmth to all of God's people by their lives of courage, communion and joy: by being joyful always, showing everyone that following Christ and living out His Gospel fills their hearts with happiness, so that people may seek this joy and share in it; by being courageous and placing full confidence in the Lord and His love; and by being deeply rooted in personal communion with the Lord.

According to the Holy Father, the

Year for Consecrated Life concerns

not only consecrated persons, but

the entire Church, because "the

history of Christianity would be far

different without the works of

consecrated persons." They are

today's heirs of the great saints who

have written the history of

Christianity: St. Benedict, St.

Augustine, St. Francis, St. Ignatius

of Loyola, Saint Teresa of Avila and

Saint Vincent de Paul.

Let us thank the Lord for the gift of consecrated men and women whose lives of poverty, chastity and obedience make us feel that God lives among His people.

CANCER

�� 2 Timothy 4:7January

Yesterdays are something we tend to look back to. It is a place where nothing can be changed and our old vulnerable self

can be seen % a past that changed the future.

I am one of the many youth of the world. I am me. I, myself, me % something I always worry about. And now, looking

back to yesterday, I see my old self and pat myself on the back for being the strong person I am now.

It was dark times. I was young, not yet in my teens. It was a dark September night when I was exposed to all the fear,

watching cartoons on the television. My siblings and I were shocked when my mom banged open the door, paid no attention to

us and hurriedly went up the stairs. Who would have known that families can be separated? Who said that love conquered

everything? Who would have thought that it was then that a young woman, mature than most of her age, was someone to

experience life? All these questions were the start of something, a fight, perhaps? It was an entrance to the world many have

feared.

Sicknesses such as cancer are feared. ��"�� $��#It is indeed a scary world. But guess what? ��$�� "��#��"�then. �� $�� #� She was our mom, and at a young age, I thought she was dying. Who would have

known that God has always been there? Did someone tell the poor little girl that God actually does miracles as long as you

believe? When did she know that prayer was the answer for all?

Slowly, I matured, taking care of both my mom and my younger brother. Finding

God was a nice thing for me. It helped me put my feelings together, face the world, and

scream that I fear nothing but Him. My mom pushed me, as well. She leaned on to God

and I followed suit. She is someone to look up to, and I am proud. I served for her and

God. Who would have known that the girl could change? When did she realize that God is

everything she needs? Why is it that she only knew when she was in need?

The mature girl turned into a woman. She was still the same, but pain was

catching on to her. I was seventeen when the scariest news, most painful one, to date,

too, was given to me. � ��$�� # Its cells were spreading more than

what the doctor thought. �� $�� overflowing and pain was seeping into her core slowly. Who thought that things were

about to end? � � ��$�� $�� spreading? �� $�� "�� "��!

And now the present, preferably the future, too. The girl % I, myself, me % is in pain and sorrow. ��$�� feeling. Who am I to grumble ��$��! �� $�� #�No more questions are needed, I believe in the Lord. �� $��#� All I need is His love, a little faith,

a cup of tea and my story will go on.

I will keep on believing.

Genie O. Villanueva

Parish Youth Ministry/Carmelite choir member


(Editor's Note: Genie is the only daughter of the late Yumyum Villanueva who had faithfully served in the parish as a lector for more than 30 years.)

THE ESSENCE OF LIVING A PRIESTLY LIFE (Excerpts from Bishop Soc Villegas' PDI article)

In a circular addressed to the clergy in this Year of the Poor, 2015, Bishop Socrates Villegas, Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop, reminds priests and pastors of the two important priestly virtues: simplicity and poverty, which Pope Francis is lovingly effecting the

Universal Church.

�� e list is the simplification of priestly life�� to learn to decline sponsored travels abroad and be more sensitive to the poor; to avoid expensive vehicles as this disillusions the poor from the Church; to return to the clerical attire or clerical cross in public places as a form of witnessing to the poverty of Christ; to help the poor whether for health, education or livelihood; to practice prudence in spending personal money; to keep only what is basic and fundamental in a priest's room; and many more. He urges the priests to return to their original reason for desiring to become one. He believes that the renewal of the Church begins with the renewal of the priests, with them taking the lead in ��

As parishioners of OLMCP, aside from praying for our pastors to be holy and true to their mission, it is even more important that we

protect and shield them from the lures of this world and help them be effective disciples of Jesus Christ. Our

Lady of Mount Carmel, please guide us!

(This article was featured in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI )on Sunday, January 4, 2015, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Jesus Christ.)


THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY"Queen conceived without original sin,pray for us who have recourse to thee."

Many people mistakenly believe that the term Immaculate Conception refers to

�� It actually honors Mary's unique position of being

conceived without original sin and filled with sanctifying grace in the womb

of her mother, St. Anne.

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, celebrated on December 8, is a Holy Day of

obligation. There are six (6) Holy Days of obligation of the Church, and three (3) of them are feasts of Mary:

1. Mary, Mother of God - January 1

2. Assumption of Mary � August 15

3. Immaculate Conception � December 8

The dogma (doctrine/belief) on the Immaculate Conception of Mary was defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854.


a varied selection of songs that undoubtedly showcased their outstanding musical prowess, enthralling the audience and turning the concert into a spectacular show.

A stand-up comedy act was presented by Candy Pangilinan, a showbiz celebrity who is also a member of the Living Word Prayer Group. Her hilarious gags hadeveryone rolling in laughter and delight. Celebrity guests Gino Padilla and the 3-man band of Kelly Badon (former member of the Side A band) performed popular songs that added more excitement to the evening. Likewise, our home-grown talents - OLMCP choir members led by Arlene Decolongan, Maye Puno and Lyn Grande with some members of the Living Word Prayer Group, and the PYM - had their chance to take the limelight and entertain the crowd in their own special musical and dance numbers.

The finale, the upbeat song "Celebration," had all the performers on stage singing and dancing their hearts out. The audience, too, got up on their feet and joined in the dancing, clapping and cheering, obviously having a good time, not wanting the night to end.

Clearly, the concert carried with it two significant purposes - to highlight and celebrate the 53 glorious years of the parish and to raise funds for the proposed construction project. These goals were successfully accomplished and everyone who came certainly had a great Feel Good, Feel GOD, Feel Blessed musical experience. Everybody left the auditorium visibly ecstatic and didn't mind at all that the show ran for three (3) hours.

We sincerely thank The Lord's Flock Community and everyone - sponsors, parishioners, friends and guests for their support. The success of the concert definitely proved that when we unite for a noble purpose, with God on our side, nothing is impossible.

A REVIEW: "Feel Good, Feel GOD, Feel Blessed..." ...from page 16

Did you know...that our priests, Frs. Larry (1965), Uly (1975) and Marvin (1985) were born ten years apart? Yes, it's true, and what an amusing coincidence!

On May 28, Fr. Marvin will be 30 years old, Fr. Uly will turn 40 on October 17, and Fr. Larry will be a real golden boy, turning 50 on October 20! Mirror, mirror on the wall, who among them betrays his age by his looks?

� February 18 is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the 40-day season of Lent.

� A night of ballroom dancing will be held on February 20, Friday at the Gintong Bulwagan..

� Holy Week starts on March 29, Palm Sunday, until April 5, Easter Sunday.

� A Concert, Part 2 is being planned for April 18.� Fr. Marvin's 1st presbyteral anniversary is on Mar. 01,

Sunday; his special masses will be at 8:30 AM and 6:00 PM.

Parish Calendar Parish Trivia


A REVIEW: "Feel Good, Feel GOD, Feel Blessed" The Concert

The concert "Feel Good, Feel GOD, Feel Blessed," held on Saturday, November 22, 2014 at 7:00PM at The Lord's Flock Heritage Sanctuary, was initially intended as a simple musical event within the confines of the parish, a fund-raising activity to help finance the proposed construction of the parish office and convent. But with the magnanimous offer of the leaders of The Lord's Flock Community to use their auditorium as the venue for the event, the venture turned into a full-blown concert. Consequently, the concept of the musical event evolved into something beautiful and inspiring, and that was -- to tell about the story of the amazing journey of the OLMC Parish community with songs that bring nostalgia and joy, with songs that celebrate love, unity, and gratitude -- a genuine celebration of God's faithfulness through the years.

The concert was presented in three (3) parts, each with a short video presentation preceding the musical performances to revive those sentiments and set the mood for every segment of the concert: Part I: Feel Good - Reminiscing the humble beginnings of the parish when it began an amazing journey 53 years ago; Part II: Feel GOD - Reflecting on the spiritual growth of the parish through the years that followed; Part III: Feel Blessed -Thanksgiving for the remarkable structural development and all the graces.

Our musically-gifted parish clergy - Frs. Larry, Marvin and Uly took the center stage, along with fellow singing priests: Fr. Steve Zabala (Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy, Sikatuna Village, QC), Fr. Raul "Polloi" Pura, CM (Congregation of the Mission - Vincentian Priests and Brothers, Tandang Sora, QC) and Fr. Victor William "Choy" Garcia (Holy Family Parish, Kamias, Q.C.).

The first big surprise of the evening was Fr. Larry doing a solo rendition of the 1960's rock and roll song, "Twist and Shout,"literally twisting his body as he danced with members of the Parish Youth Ministry. At one point, he naughtily took off his polo shirt to reveal fake "toned abs." He also charmed the crowd imitating the suave crooner Michael Buble, singing "Cuando, Cuando, Cuando." Frs. Uly and Polloi joined him in the Jason Mraz hit song "I'm Yours," and in three other well-applauded performances.

The trio of Frs. Marvin, Steve and Choy were also a wonderful revelation with their soulful medley of songs from some of the best Broadway hit musicals and with another stirring medley of all-time ballads which the crowd loved.

The internationally-renowned and multi-awarded choral group UPSA (University of the Philippines Singing Ambassadors), withworld-class conductor Mr. Ed Manguiat at the helm, performed


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