VOL. IX NO. I I HINULUGAN TAKTAK ROAD, FAIRMOUNT HILLS SUBD. ANTIPOLO CITY SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2013

cont. on page 5

PULSO NG PIHMThe Antipolo Diocese at 30!Church Construction UpdatesProudly PIHM9 fun facts, 9 Blessed years!101 Ways (Part 2)The Marikina Watershed (Part 2)Time for Creation

Nangarap ka na rin ba? Ang lahat ng iku-kuwento ko sa inyo ay sadyang

pangarap lang na nauwi sa katotohanan. Pinan-garap ko lang ang makasama sa World Youth Day (WYD) at dahil sa pagkakataon na ibinigay sa akin ngayong taon, ako ay mapalad na mapabilang sa mga delegado na kumatawan sa Pilipinas. Hayaan ninyong ibahagi ko ang aking paglalakbay sa

WYD 2013 sa Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Go.Do not be afraidServe.written by Quet Rafallo

In this issue:

From the Editor:

Napawi ang pagod namin sa mahigit isang araw na pag-

babyahe dahil sa mainit na pagtanggap sa amin ng Parokya ng Nossa Senhora Aparecida de Piabeta, para sa aming Semana Missionaria (Missionary Week). Mas

lalo kong naramdaman ang presensya ni Lord sa mga Brazillian na nag silbing magu-lang ko, sina Flabio at Cleide Souza de Rocha, habang kami

ay nasa Piabeta.

Kami rin ay sumay-aw gabi-gabi ng “sam-ba”, nag-laro ng “foot-ball”, at naki-isa sa kanilang “lively Mass” araw-araw. Ibinahagi din nila sa amin ang ka-saysayan ng Brazil, ang kanilang Capoeira, native Brazilian martial arts, at ang kanilang national dish , ang Feijoada (Brazilian black beans). Ang maku-lay nilang kultura ay hindi malilimutan ng aking pu-song Pinoy. “Faith is when you encounter God in your life”, ika nila sa katekismong aming nadaluhan sa Petropolis. Kami

Ask PadzSan BartolomeNurturing and Developing your FaithArchangelsAs the DeerGullible no more!TechTime

We always fear the unknown. The fear to climb the mountain. The fear to ride that rollercoaster.”I might fall”. “I might break my back”. “I might not make it to the top.” But to know the mountain (the terrain,the risks, what to bring and how to get there) gives one courage to over-come the fear. The reward is incomparable. You get to the top and the view is exhilarating. Such is our faith. Go study your faith and climb its mountain of challenges. Go and practice it like you don’t care what others think. The view will never want to make you leave. So go! Go and be free from the shackles of fear.

2 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

Pulso ng PIHM

• Last June 2, PIHM celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi together with the Catholic Churches all over the world.

• The Solemnity of Corpus Christi is a celebration of the Real Pres-ence of Christ in the consecrated bread and wine. The Catholic Faith teaches that the bread and wine become the real body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Sacra-ment of the Eucharist.

• The ceremony was synchronized with the 5 o’clock afternoon Eucharistic Adoration led by Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City.

• The Feast started at 11 o’clock in the evening with the Eucharis-tic Adoration. Our parish joined Pope Francis and the rest of the Catholic congregation in a holy hour of Adora-tion before the Blessed Sacrament.

• It was the first time in history that the Church-es worldwide joined the Holy Father in a Eucha-ristic Adoration.

The Antipolo Diocese at Thirty

Church Construction Updates

When our community grows, our church follows. Our journey as a church continues as we build our home as one community. Let us take these steps to-gether by keeping ourselves informed with our church construction updates! In just 4 months, since April, we have already finished the following:• Center glass roofing of Archbishop’s

walk• Etched glass stations of the cross• Trellis for the archway

While the following are our tasks in progress:• Irrigation system for garden (only

needs storage tanks and pumping system)

• Way of Mary walkway located around our church (around 50% done)

Although we have already ac-complished so much, and continue to do

The Diocese of Antipolo celebrated its 30th anniversary with a thanksgiving mass led by the Archbishop of Manila, Luis Antonio Cardinal G. Tagle, on the morning of June 25, 2013 at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo City. His Most Reverend Cardinal Tagle officiated the mass with the Bishop of Antipolo Most Reverend Gabriel V.

Reyes, Auxiliary Bishop Most Rever-end Francis de Leon, the bishops of the ecclesiastical province of Manila, priests, religious men and women, and the lay faithful of the Diocese. The theme of the event was “The Diocese of Antipolo: Celebrating 30 Years of Journey-ing in Faith with Mary.”

so with our ongoing projects, there is still much to be done for the development of our church:• Sides glass roofing of Archbishop’s

walk• Ceramic tiling for the Archbishop’s

walk• Construction of the Sacristy• Construction of restrooms • Tree planting at the back of the parish church.• Construction of Convent• Construction of Parish Ministry offices, clinics and classrooms. Again, we continue to ask for your generosity. In any way you can, join us hand in hand, in building our church. Please call 696-4387 for more details or drop by our parish office.

by Jose Montes

by Angela Paguio Carina Salvador

Construction Financial Report

One in Prayerwith our Pope!

3S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

FIESTA FlashBACK!Last June 8, the parish fiesta weekend started with the special mass for the National Consecration of the Philippines to the Immaculate Heart of Mary fol-lowed by Palarong Pinoy. Fiesta activities continued the next day with a procession that started at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, from Franciscan Missionaries of the Infant Jesus convent (FMIJ) to the PIHM grounds. It was attended by the members of the communities of the parish. After the evening mass, a salu-salo dinner was prepared, with parishioners eating “ka-mayan” style as the food served was the traditional”binalot” (food wrapped and served in banana leaves).The highlights

photo credit: Angela Michelle Paguio and Sarah Mendoza

JUN

E 8

photo credit: Charlotte Rafallo

Our Parish Youth delegates for the local World Youth Day celebration

from brazil to manila!Members of our Parish Youth Ministry joined in the overnight local celebration of the World Youth Day at Don Bosco Makati last July 27-28- simultaneous with World Youth Day at Rio de Janeiro Brazil. :) Cardinal Tagle was a special guest of the local youth celebration that brought together around 4,000 Pinoy youth. The event was truly a festival of faith, fun and worship!

JUL

Y 2

7-2

8

The parish fiesta ended with a closing prayer led

by our parish priest, Fr. Sandy Enhaynes

Proudly PIHM!

of the fiesta activities included a “Year of Faith” exhibit wherein the different communities under the parish depicted the lives of their respective patron saints through illustrations, videos, and various other media. Another popular event was

the Dance Contest held the evening of June 9th, during which the members of the parish communities showed off their dancing skills in two categories: Modern Dance and Folk Dance.

More than 4,000 youth delegates attended!

Our community hall (lower level) gets packed with people and activities!

The image of the Blessed Virgin Mother during the

Fiesta Procession

Our parish is very proud that two of the original song entries by instrumen-

talist and composer, Roi Cervania, from the HANDOG ng Beverly Hills Choir, and a member of our Parish Sacred Music Min-istry, made it to the top 18 finalists in the very first “Awit sa Diyos New Mass Hymns Competition”. Out of a total of 118 entries submitted from all over the country, “Tayong Lahat”, dedicated to our Blessed Mother, is vying for the top spot under the Recessional Hymn sub-category. The lyrics of the song was written by Tugon contributor, Bing Montes. Meanwhile, our

new version of “The Lord’s Prayer”, regularly sung every 1st and 2nd Sunday during the 5:30pm mass, is one out of two final-ists under the Pater Noster sub-category. The Grand Finals Night concert and award-ing ceremony is scheduled on October 25, 2013 at Christ the King Parish, Quezon City. Ticket price is P100. For more info, please call (02) 531-1182 and 477-6318.

by Karina Mendoza-Rosal

Tu-gon was

formed by former Parish priest, Fr. Joel

Victorino

one of our

writers is a cool, “marvel”/action-suspense movie-

loving octogenar-ian grandmom.

fun factsBlessed years!9

We have

approx. spent a total

of P224,000 all these years for

printing

it takes 3

rounds of proofreading & more than a month to come up with an

issue

Tu-

gon was

once riso

printed on just

a 1-page folded

long bond

paper

Tugon

is a 2-time

finalist at the

Catholic

Mass Media

Awards

The name “Tugon” was suggested by parishioner, Mona Valencia

There was once

a segment in our newsletter entitled “Sardinas at Tenderloin” written by JojoPatalinjug

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TUGON !

200436 issues have been published since the beginning of Tugon 2004

2008

2011

Pulso ng PIHM

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 34

Main Ministry ProjectsHealth Services Programs:BloodlettingParish Medical & Dental ClinicOperation TuliCommunity ImmersionsEducation Programs:Batang Parokya Parish Education ScholarshipSaturday Tutorials for GranteesLivelihood Program:Unan Making, MassageSub-Ministries:EducationLivelihood

“ SHD celebrates the ongoingYear of Faith by conducting our SHD

Annual Recollection and our So-cial Action activities with love and

devotion. We plan to continue to observe God’s presence as we join hand in hand with our benefactors

in sharing our time, effort and all our blessings through our vari-ous social action programs and

projects.”

” philip du, head, Social & human

devt. ministry

We’re almost three quarters into the year of Faith al-

ready. Have you found your calling or purpose for this

year? Some of the (PPC) Parish pastoral council min-

istry heads were asked questions on how their minis-

try will celebrate the year of Faith and their planned

projects for the year. These ministries might be just for

you. Read on about the Ministry of Social & Human De-

velopment (SHD) and the Family Life Apostolate (FLA) :

1001 Ways

Main Ministry ProjectsLive Christ, Share Christ seminarKasalang BayanPre-Cana seminarNatural Family Planning seminar

“ Our main focus this year of Faith is promoting the Live Christ, Share Christ

Seminar(LCSC) at our parish. LCSC offers new evangelization to Catholics whose

faith is lost due to secularism, doubt and confusion. The spiritual journey is toward

the great Jubilee of our faith this 2021Thelma Cheng,

head, Family & Life apostolate

By Gabz Montes

and Maki Solomon

This could be a call for you to join any one of

these ministries during

this Year of Faith!

FAMILY & LIFEAPOSTOLATE0906-2230305

SOCIAL & HUMAN DEVT.MINISTRY0920-9242140

Part 2 of 2

faith. fellowship. arts & music .worship.Watch out for details on our 10th year celebration as a parish this November 2013! Abangan! 10

PIHM DEKADA UPDATE

years as a Parish!

Salamat ng Marami!The Social and Human Development Ministry would like to thank Dr. Malvar and his medical and dental staff for supporting the Medical and Dental out-reach project of our parish last August 10, 2013 for our brothers and sisters in Singkalan, Masangkay, Mabato, and other parish communities. The team was able to serve 70 dental patients and 65 EENT patients. Mabuhay po kayo!

5S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

Semana Missionaria

pangarap na akala ko sa panaginip ko lang mararanasan! Hinding hindi mai-aalis sa aking gunita ang ikalawang pagkakataong makita ko si Santo Papa nang malapitan, na halos abot-kamay ko na ang Papal Mobile. Hindi nga kami binigo ni Lord at tama nga ang sabi ni Fr. Sandy Enhaynes, “The best wine is sometimes served last!” “Go, do not be afraid, and serve” ang mga katagang tumatak sa aking isipan sa pagkabanggit ng Santo Papa. Ang salitang “Go” para sa akin ay isang hamon na ituloy ko kung ano ang meron ako ngayon sa ating Parokya, pag-igtingin pa at manghikayat pa ng kabataan na mapalapit kay Lord. “Do not be afraid”, bilang mga disipulo ni Lord, huwag tayo matakot sapagkat hindi tayo ang pumili na mag-ing disipulo Niya kundi Siya ang pumili sa atin. Ito ang dahilan kung kaya’t ang loob natin ay panatag sa lahat ng Kan-yang mga plano para sa atin. “Serve”, ang pagsilbi sa ating kapwa. Hindi basta tao lang ang pinag-sisilbihan natin, kundi ay si Lord. Sa

pag uwi namin sa aming mga parokya, isang malaking responsibilidad ang aming pinanghahawakan at nais rin naming ihamon sa ating lahat: “Go and make disciples of all the nations.” Mat 28:19. Amen!

Catedral de Sao Pedro de Alcantara

Isang tradisyon sa Brazil tuwing may prusisyon ng Nuestra Señora de Apare-cida. Nasa gitna ang imahen tapos suma-sayaw habang naglalakad at nagdadasal.

si Charm at isang madreng taga-Brazil

Kami ay nakapaglaro ng football kasama ang mga kabataan na taga Venezuela at Brazil

Lahat ng kabataan ay nagtipon sa Copacabana Beach para sa closing mass

ng World Youth Day

World Youth

Day Proper

Camp out sa Copacabana

beach para sa Vigil.

ay pinaalahanan na hindi dapat ikahiya si Lord sapagkat hindi N’ya tayo ikina-hiya at nararapat lamang na atin S’yang ipagmalaki.Ito ay mas lalo pang napa-intig ng hamong iniwan nila sa amin: “God is waiting for you”. Kabilang na sa mga pagsubok na naranasan namin sa Rio de Janeiro ay ang paglakad ng matagal, ang pagka-ranas ng gutom dahil sa hindi tamang oras ng pagkain, ang pigilan ang an-tok, at ang hirap dulot ng pagkakaiba ng mga wika. Pero lahat nang ito ay napawi ng mga masasayang karanasan namin kasama si Lord at ang kanyang simbahan. Isa sa mga hindi ko makaka-limutang karanasan ay ang makahawak sa WYD Cross at ang imahe ng Virgin Mary, hindi lahat ng kabataan ay na-ranasan ito. Ang makalapit sa krus ay “suntok sa buwan” ika nga nila, ngunit sobrang bait ni Lord dahil ito ay nara-nasan ko at ng ibang pilgrim mula sa Diocese of Antipolo. Hindi ko rin malilimutan ang pagkakita ko kay Santo Papa Francisco. Unang pagtanaw pa lamang sa Santo Papa, kahit na malayo pa s’ya, sobrang

saya ko na--’yung pakiram-dam na natupad ang isang

si Charm at ako kasama ang nag-ging pamilya nila sa Brazil na sina Flabio at Cleide Souza de Rocha

Days in the Diocese

(mula page 1)

Go.Do not be afraidServe.

The Mariki na Wa tershedThis is the 2nd part of an article that focuses on the need of the community to respond to the continued destruction of the Marikina Watershed. This part makes us aware of the causes of the destruction and ways by which we can save the watershed.See Tugon’s Arise issue last Mar-Apr 2013 to review PART I.

What is causing the destruction of the Wa-tershed and reducing its area? First and foremost is the “slash and burn” of trees method which is used by ir-responsible farmers to produce charcoal or to clear land filled with trees. Next is illegal logging. This terrible practice has two effects. Firstly, it denudes for-ests, thus causing an imbalance in the ecosystem. The second, as we are already familiar with, wide-scale cutting of trees that causes flooding in the lowland areas. The forests absorb the water from the rain, thereby preventing the flow of water downhill. Last but not least is the indiscriminate leveling of forested areas to be converted to housing projects.

By Tito Mapa

(Part 2 of 2)

So what can we do to preserve the watershed, the source of our wa-ter? One way is to join the various environment groups that are planting trees along the slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountains. One such group who is at the forefront of this

effort is the Kalingap Marikina Watershed Natural Farming Systems,

situated in the St. Joseph community in Boso-Boso. This center’s goal is to propagate

a community-based organic farming system, including vegetable farming, compost-making, hedgegrowing of leguminous (nitrogen-fixing) shrubs and trees, and training and formation

(natural farming training). Their long-term goal is to widen the scope of their farming system as large as they can to cover the Sierra Madre Mountains. They accept individual and volunteer groups. Another way is to learn the ways of organic gar-dening even in the backyard. An organic garden is the first phase next to tree-planting of preserving the soil because the garden can retain moisture and thus contribute to keeping the water in the soil, just like in a forest. Antipolo is a part of the Sierra Madre Mountains. What we do to our land affects the watershed protection effort. A corollary activity and an important process in gardening is our waste management practice in the home. Ideally, we need to learn how to segregate our biodegrad-able and non-biodegradable waste. The biodegradable materials (kitchen waste, accumulated leaves that fall from our trees, plant cuttings) can be forked back to our gardens. The non-biodegradable stuff can be sold (e.g. plastics, bottles, cans, etc.) or be set aside and picked up by the local government’s garbage collection truck. In the end, what are we doing when we take part in the above practices? We begin to reorient our think-ing and hopefully, our habits regarding the environment. We need to look at what we do to the environment and

TREE-via!

cont. on page 12

Alibangbang is more than a popular childhood song. It actually is a local term for the native tree, Bauhinia Malabarica or Orchid Tree, commonly found in wooded areas of the Tagalog. It is used as pampaasim for sinigang. It is said that in WWII, the Death March prisoners lived off plants they could find along the way, Alibangbang tree helped nourish them. It can be used as buffer in urban areas

TIP! Plant NATIVE trees like the Tipolo tree and Alibangbang instead of

alien flora (plants that origi-nate from other countries)

Native trees blend naturally with the local environment- the soil, other organisms, and microbial life. :)

RESOURCE:Patr ick Andrew E. Gozon www.pinoytrees.b logspot.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 36

Al id

a Le

jan

o

Our World Today There are countless planets in our galaxy, but there is only one Earth

– the only planet, by far, where human life is known to thrive. But why does it seem like we are taking great pain to destroy it? As of early 2013, there have been numerous articles written about environmental issues that warrant our attention. These issues range from deforestations, to waste treatment to air, land, and water pollution. These issues have long been haunting us, and with the passage of time, they have only gotten worse. Many are unaware or apa-thetic of the grim state our planet is in and how it will affect us and the future generations. While there is a small portion of our global population who are concerned enough to have undertaken efforts to address the problem, nothing substantial can re-ally happen unless a worldwide –or at least, a community-wide, movement be enacted. This need for a concerted and unified effort is what Time for Creation (TFC) is all about.

September 1 to October 10 in order to give praise to God’s creation. While TFC is an optional season and can be celebrated almost any time in the year, it is typically celebrated between September 1 and October 4, Creation Day and the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, respectively. St. Francis of Assisi is of particular importance because his acts inspired the beginnings of the TFC.

The Call“Today I offer you a choice of life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life and then you and your descen-dants will live.” (Dt. 30:19-20) God has commanded us to be stewards of His creation. We are all inhabitants of this one planet, and we all share the responsibility of caring for it. In the destruction of the Earth, we also destroy ourselves. Now is the time to step up and start saving and healing what we have destroyed. We must all do our part in making this movement successful, and encourage others to do so as well.

By Abigail Mae Lee & Josefina Marie Medina

CreationTime forSEPT. 1 -OCT.4

Get CRAFTY! Once and for all designate a container for your paper trash-transform an old box into your bin for your used paper trash!Support our USED PAPER DRIVE!

Avoid fastfood drive thru-s!Park your car and order at the counter. Reduce your gas consumption!

Reduce your Carbon Footprint. Eat less meat! If you’re already a vegetarian, you save at least 3,000 pounds of CO2 per year compared to meat eaters.

Don’t waste food!Much time and effort goes into getting food on your plate. Get only what you can finish. Appreciate it, and enjoy this gift from Mother nature!

Give Mother Earth some lovin’’Disconnect to connect with Nature!Stay WIFI or INTERNET-free for a day.Jog around your neighborhood, go on a family picnic; read a book under a tree, do some backyard gardening-plant a seed!

Walk or bike to the parish for Sunday Mass! Enjoy strolling through one of Antipolo’s most scenic roads!

7S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

What is TFC? More than simply being cre-ated by and in the image of God, we must also remember that we have been entrusted to be the stewards of the Earth and that, in spite of this, we have been the catalysts to its dete-rioration. In light of this, we should encourage one another and join in the promotion of the TFC movement, inspired by Christ, who restores all things. According to Let All Creation Praise (Letallcreationpraise.org), an online site dedicated to news and information about Time for Creation, the season was inaugurated in the mid-nineties in the Episcopal Church of the United States. As time went by, TFC has also been observed mostly among Episcopal congregations. Last September 1, 2003, the CBCP (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines) issued a Pastoral State-ment with the theme of “Celebrat-ing Creation Day and Creation Time” which introduced and encouraged the Filipino Catholics to celebrate Creation Day and Creation Time from

8 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

Ang bawat komunidad sa PIHM ay ipinangalan sa mga apostol. Ang komunidad ng San Bartolome ay nasasakop ng Ashford, Singkalan 1-5,

PACOMA at BLCA. Sila ang isa sa mga Hermana para sa taong ito.

Ngayon ay ating silipin ang buhay ni San Bartolome. bartolome

How do we safeguard our faith from the influence of other beliefs?Fr. Joel: It’s not about safe guarding. Because in the first place, Catholics should live up to the faith that we profess. You profess your faith and that calls for deepening it so nothing would be able to rock it. Di ba? Secondly, mahalaga ‘yung relationship natin with others, even those without faith. Not only with those who have other doctrines but also with people with other sets of belief—respect them, even to those who don’t believe in God. So it’s not about safe guarding your faith against them. Kasi may tendency na lalayo

ka, kasi you want to protect your faith, and you don’t want them to influ-ence you in any way. Pero I think that’s wrong kung ganun kasi parang di ka na nagrerelate with them. It’s more of having a deep profession of faith so you may be able to witness also to them. You remain strong in your faith, and at the same time, you give witness to that faith you have received.

So what are the sure ways to make your faith stronger?Fr. Joel: First, study your faith. Deepen it. See the meaning of the faith that

you have received. ‘Di pu-puwedeng you presume na since nabinyagan kang Catholic, hanggang sa end okay na yan, wala nang problem. Kinaki-alangan talaga that Catholics study their faith para mas lumalim sila dun. Secondly, live it [Faith] out well and also to live it out with joy, di yung parang napilitan ka lang. Live out your faith with joy. Yun bang tipong “I will hold on to my faith because I know that it is what is right, and it is a gift that was given to me by God.”

Illustration source (APA):Abeln, K. Dec, 2012. Give me something I can believe in [Illustration]. Retrieved on Aug 2, 2013, from http://rookiemag.com/2012/12/

By Aix MontesGuest Priest: Fr. Joel Victorino

Ang kapistahan ni San Barto-lome ay ipinagdiriwang tuwing ika-24 ng Agosto. Si San Bartolome o Nathan-iel ay inanyayahan ni San Felipe upang sumama kay Hesus. Nagdalawang isip siya dahil ayon sa kanyang pagsisiyasat, walang mabuting guro ang nagmumula sa Nazaret. Ngunit nang siya’s makita ni Hesus, siya ay kinilala nito bilang isang Israelita na tapat at walang pag-iimbot. Tinanong ni Nathaniel si Kristo, “Kailan niyo po ako nakilala?” Sinasabi ko sa iyo, “bago ka pa tinawag ni Felipe ay nakita na kita sa

ilalim ng puno ng igos”, tugon ni Kristo.Ang sagot ni Nathaniel dito ay malaking pagbabago sa una niyang sinabi sa mga taga-Nazaret: “Guro, ikaw ang Anak ng Diyos, ikaw ang hari ng Israel!”Si San Bartolome ay nagdala ng Kris-tianismo sa India at Armeny. Dahil sa pagpapalaganap niya ng mga turo ni Kristo, siya ay pinahirapan sa pama-magitan ng pag-lapnos ng kanyang balat bago ipako sa Krus. Natung-hayan natin sa buhay ni Nathaniel ang kahalagahan ng pagtuklas at pag-aaral tungkol sa ating kaligtasan, upang

pag-dumating ang panahon na makaharap natin ang Pangi-noon, siya ay makilala natin. Abangan sa susunod na isyu ang isa pang Hermana sa taong ito, ang St. John com-munity na binubuo ng Franciscan Missionaries of the Infant Jesus, Benzonan, upper & lower Pantayanin, upper & lower Pinagmisahan, Flores de Mayo, Summer-ville Blk.1&2, White Cross at upper Tak-tak.

san

‘Di pu-puwedeng you presume na since nabinyagan kang Catholic, hanggang sa end okay na yan, wala nang problem.

ni B ing Montes

A l i d a L e j a n o

9S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3 9

By Min Arellano

Q- So if faith can move mountains, it seems that with prayer, they can be made to swing and dance! Nothing is impossible with God; however, let me hasten to add: God feeds the birds but does not throw worms and seeds into their nests. “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2 Th 3:10) We are not to extend our arms in begging and wait; we must also act and not allow ourselves to be paralyzed by fear, pain, or self-pity in our affliction. If temptation to sin is strong in our workplace, for example, we ought to seek a better environment. We cannot just pray for some miracle in

TECHtimeDaily Bible (Android OS) by Joansoft (FREE)

expectationIt’s a portable Bible application that can be used to quickly search bible verses and pas-sages on any Bible version.

REALITYIt ’s a portable Bible application and more. It has a widget for Daily Verses and Daily Prayer Plans. It also has an option to share the material over linked social networking accounts on your phone. My personal favorite feature of this applica-tion is the Devotions feature- it has a

collection of links to various devotional podcasts from known inspirational speak-ers such as Chuck Swindoll, Joyce Meyer, and Rick Warren, to name a few, which can be easily accessed through your device via the internet.

RATING: Outstanding (4/5)This one is yet another great and free app. You can have easy access to any Bible verse, the ability to share it on-line or via SMS to your beloved ones, and easy access to popular devotional

Tech reviews for the contemporary Catholic

talks via the internet. The only thing that could have made this better would have been offline access for the devotional talks so that you can access it without Internet connection.

Nurturing

y o u r

andDeveloping

FAITH

In our April issue, we said that knowledge of

the content of our faith is essential to develop and nurture it. We need to realize that second-hand or stock knowledge about our faith in God is not enough. Learning more of Jesus, His way, truths and life, we strive to follow Him to build and keep a deep-ening relationship with Him. This is what we need to face life’s chal-lenges. The more we live and practice our faith, the stronger and firmer it becomes. Prayer is one of the ways faith can grow and be protected.

Q- I know prayer is good; but can you deny that in spite of prayer, people continue to suffer & to stray? Faith and prayer are in-separable – for faith to mature and stay robust, we pray with sincere confidence in God’s love, mercy and power. Half-hearted, careless prayer cannot please Him. Jesus has said, “Go. Your faith has healed/saved you.” Blind Bartimaeus, the hemor-rhaging woman, the leprous Sa-maritan and many others were made whole because they truly believed. The prayers of the righteous

are most welcome to God. (Pr 15:8) No matter how much we pray, if we continue in our sin, we insult God; and we plead in vain. Faith is sustained when we pray persistently, unceasingly, in good times and bad times, daily and as often as possible, not only when disaster strikes. Boldness and constancy are proper dispositions in good prayer, which in turn enlivens faith.

Q- I know of a woman who prayed almost non-stop many rounds of the rosary every day. It seemed to me like a monologue. One-sided prayer is far from ideal. We speak to God in prayer; in the Bible, God speaks to us. It is quite important that we read scriptures every day to know God and what He wants of us. When we listen to Him attentively, we become more aware of the things that waylay us. Be-ing always full of ourselves and our troubles, we are likely to miss God’s guidance and loving ministry. Listen-ing also means reading and obeying His teachings regularly;which draws us closer to God. cont. on page 12

APP screen shots

By Luigi Lejano

10 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

No. 35 September 2013

Written by Bing MontesIllustration by Alida Lejano

Watching how the media brings to us our father, Pope Francis, can help make our

own faith grow in this Year of Faith.

Take for example this headline that went around the social media last May 2013: ‘Pope Francis Says Atheists Who Do Good Are Redeemed, Not Just Catho-lics’

Many who would seldom share news about the Pope quickly shared this one to all their contacts. It seemed ‘juicy’ enough to fit the spaces of so-cial media. From the primary sources, here are excerpts from the homily of Pope Francis:

“The Lord created us in His image and likeness, and we are the image of the Lord, and He does good and all of us have this commandment at heart: do good and do not do evil. All of us. ‘But, Father, this is not Catholic! He cannot

do good.’ Yes, he can. He must. Not can: must! Because he has this com-mandment within him. Instead, this ‘closing off’ that imagines that those outside cannot do good is a wall that leads to war and also to what some people throughout history have con-ceived of: that we can kill in the name of God. And to say that you can kill in the name of God is blasphemy.”

“Instead,” the Pope continued, “the Lord has created us in His image and likeness, and has given us this com-

mandment in the depths of our heart: do good and do not do evil… The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the athe-ists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! And this blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this com-mandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another in doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ (That may be so), but (still) do good: we will meet one another there.”Text from page http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/05/22/pope_at_mass:_culture_of_encounter_is_the_foundation_of_peace/

en1-694445 of the Vatican Radio website

FAITH will make us understand.

Jacky Chan dead? Nancy Binay defeated by her 8-year old son in

a debate? Various (sms)short mes-saging service or emails informing you that you’ve won some prize when you don’t remember joining? At some point in our digital lives, we’ve all had our share of a few of those; and those are just a few samples of news that stir our emotions and cause us to act out of our usual selves. We end up sharing them within our network im-pulsively. We fail to validate the truth in the statements somehow.

Here are three simple tips to help you determine which one is fact and which one is fiction.

IF IT’S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY ISN’TInternet rumors are spread quickly through social me-dia sites most of the time.

So before you let your emotions do the deciding over the internet, think; if this thing really is plausible, maybe it won’t hurt to do more sniffing around before spreading the word.

continued on page 12

Gull i ble no more! by Luigi Lejano

“Lord has created us in His image and likeness, and has given us this commandment in the depths of our heart: do good and do not do evil”

1

THINK BEFORE YOU CLICKWith

the ease of shar-ing data through social media via the internet, most of the time, we just click “Share” without even thinking of the damage it could possibly do. So before you click that

“Share” or “Send” button, it would 2

By Tess Mapa

Sept. 29, 2012 - Four years ago, I was es-corted by a celestial host of angels back to my house following the Mass celebrating the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. That was in October 2008 when I was still wallowing in the throes of depres-sion. During the Mass, I asked the Lord to help me get out of the hole. I implored Him to help me not to go back to bed and face the wall which was my wont whenever I entered the house. When I opened the door and en-tered, I noticed that I had amassed a collec-tion of angel figurines and I saw how dusty and abandoned they looked. I took pity on them, went down the kitchen and got a palanggana (basin) and filled it with water and detergent. I started picking up the figurines, mostly gifts, giving them a scented bath. That morning, I was suffused with so much energy that carried me through the day. It was the beginning of a New Life for me. I had finally resur-rected from the Living Dead. As the days and weeks went by, I began noticing images of angels more everywhere I went – materializing in cards, even in the lining of my closet. I realized I had an affinity with angels but this was forgotten, completely ignored as I became catatonic – reduced to a petrified mo-torhead stricken with insomnia.

Angels EverywhereFr. Butz, OAR, mentioned once in his homily that San Miguel was the angel who fought Satan (Diablo) in the heavens and kicked him out into hell. He shared how he was still mystified that our local beer is called San Miguel, stating that this is an irony because when people drink beer and get intoxicated, families are broken by conflicts created and misdeeds are committed. He also mentioned that there is a town called San Miguel in Bulacan, and that San Miguel is the patron of seafarers. And then there is St. Raphael. He was the one who aided Tobit in the Old Testament when Tobit was turning blind. St. Raphael accompanied him as he traveled dis-tances. I have an image of him, this patron of the blind and

Michael, Gabriel and RaphaelArchangels

of nurses, holding up a fish that Gracia (bless her dearly departed soul) gave each one of us last year. Then there is the angel we all know, St. Ga-briel, who Fr. Butz says is the most popular since it was he who appeared to Mary and announced that she would be the mother of God. He said, “Hail Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus!” St. Gabriel is also the patron of the media. Fr. Butz even wondered amusingly if he could also be the patron of the Internet! It gave me an

idea when he said that. I shall appeal to St. Gabriel about a recurring problem in my life connected to cyber space. Even now, as I sit here by my window with a soft wind wafting through my curtains, I feel the glorious pres-

cont. on page 12

SolemnitiesA Solemnity is the highest rank of celebrations. These observe an event in the life of Jesus, Mary and the Saints such as

FeastFeasts are of second impor-tance in our liturgical calendar. They honor a mystery or title of Jesus or our Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as Saints such as

MemorialsA memorial is a simple remembrance of a Saint on his or her spiritual birthday such as

Nov. 24

Sept. 14

Oct. 4

*Particular countries may also celebrate

the memorials of other saints of

“special significance “ with their special

devotions.

S O U R C E S : l i t u r g y. s y d n e y c a t h o l i c . o r g c a t h o l i c s t r a i g h t a n s w e r s . c o m O r d o P l a n n e r 2 0 1 3 o f t h e D O A

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3 11

Design by: Michel le GarciaResearch by: Lalee Mendoza

12 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PARISH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARYHinulugan Taktak, Fairmount Hills subd. Antipolo City Tel. no. 696-4387 PIHMTugon

Publisher Parish of the Immaculate Heart of MaryEditor in Chief Gabriel D. MontesAsst. Editors Delarie S. Almanzor Joey P. CuayoLayout & Design Natz V. MendozaIllustrators Alida D.P. Lejano Michelle R. Garcia Joao P. Mapa Contributors

Min C. ArellanoTito F. Mapa Tess P. MapaAix D. MontesJose D. MontesBing F. Montes

the face of financial difficulty; we must check our lifestyle, set our priorities right,

simplify. We continue to trust God and His promise: “All things come together for the good of those who love Him…” (Ro 8:28)

Q- One must really treasure this gift of faith to do all these things… We can also do spiritual read-ing to help monitor what enters our minds. If we fill our thoughts with God-ly things, honorable and noble ideas, for only 15-20 minutes every day, what a difference it could make in the direc-tion we want: towards a steadfast and deepening faith. The devout who spend time to pray and do vigil feel renewed, know-ing in their hearts that God delights in their growing, unshakeable faith. Pope John Paul II attests to this, and so have other countless men and women who flock to the churches on novena days.

(from page 6)

review our harmful habits. This self-reorientation is an investment to saving the environment, ensuring the future of the coming generation. And we need to do that NOW.

(from page 6)

The Mariki na Wa tershed

SOURCES: Catechism of the Cathol ic ChurchThe Only Necessary Thing , Henr i Nouwen

Word Among Us, Ju ly-August IssuesOctober, 2012

PARISH CHURCHMASS SCHEDULE

DATES TO REMEMBER

Get regular updates!PIHMantipolo

696-4387

M O N D AY - S AT U R D AY 7:00AM Tagalog/English MassS U N D AY10:30AM Tagalog Mass11:30AM Baptism5:30PM English Mass

Gullible no more!

SEPT 8 Birthday of Mother MarySEPT 14 Exaltation of the CrossSEPT 14-15 Basic Bible Seminar 2SEPT 1- OCT 4 Time for CreationSEPT 28 Feast of San Lorenzo RuizSEPT 29 Affordable Medical Diagnostic and Lab Exam Services at PIHMOCT 4 Feast of St. Francis of Assisi OCT 17 Blessing of the Rosary GardenOCT (date TBA) Immersion of SHD, Worship and Evangelization MinistriesOCT 23 Sacerdotal Anniversary of our parish priest, Fr. Sandy EnhaynesOCT 24 Birthday of our parish priest, Fr. Sandy Enhaynes

Advisers Rev. Fr. Alexander V. Enhaynes Parish Priest Jess F. Pampellona PPC President

www.

be good if you ask yourself; “is this information I’m about to release beneficial for the ones who could probably read it?” If the answer is yes, then by all means, share it for the world to see. Maybe it’ll even garner the hard-to-earn “Like”.

VERIFY There are various credible sites online where you can check the eligibility of the news like

Google and Snopes.com. For google, just type in the title or subject of the information you wish to check and for sure, the collective knowledge-base of the Internet will show you related reading material about what you’ve entered. Snopes.com, a per-sonal favorite, would be an online repository of urban legends, rumors, and misinformation. Ignorance is no longer an accepted excuse now that the internet is within the reach of

almost anyone.

So with those three simple steps I’ve shared, you can now say that you are better prepared to dive into the Internet and be able to sift through the lies to see the truth. And with that, I greet you a warm welcome and hope you enjoy your stay on the Internet.

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ence of God’s angelic messengers. I’m so glad that I went to Mass despite the strong rains as a tempest is in our midst, greatly affecting the northern part of the region.

I celebrate this day for the archangels lifted me out of my mental, emotional and physical stupor back in 2008. Now I am whole and functioning once more. Blessed be the Lord. Blessed be the Lord God forever!

Feast of the Archangels

DESIGNfor whoDESIGN

DESIGNEDfor who

you M E D I A M I N I S T R Y 0 9 1 7 . 8 4 5 . 8 9 5 7

(from page 10)

Nurturing

y o u r

andDeveloping

FAITH

Luigi D.P. LejanoAngela A. PaguioCarina P. SalvadorMaki E. SolomonAbigail Mae L. Lee Josefina Marie P. Medina

(from page 11)

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