parishworks! 1Vol. 6 No. 47 February 26, 2011

Pastor’s MessageTo Live, to Loveby: Rev. Msgr. Dennis Odiver

Sunday GoSpeL

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A film entitled “Jerry Mcguire” tells of a man obsessed with success. At the outset he treated people as a commodity with a price tag over their heads. Every athlete he manages is a value for himself --- as long as they remain popular, healthy and playing well. Until one day, a talent of his figured in an accident. The athlete’s family has no one to blame but Jerry. This eventually led him to a conversion to conduct his business through moral and humane principles. However, the system is simply opposed to the new ethics he worked on. He began to slide down the ladder of success.

There was however a woman who believed in him. Together they put up their own company which slowly progressed through their labors. They eventually married and became a family. It was

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ppC meets with Msgr. dennis odiver with a Talk on the parish System

Last February 15, our new parish priest, Msgr. Dennis Odiver met with the Parish Pastoral Council members with a discussion on “Change” and “Viewing the Parish as a System”.

A cordial dinner was first served at the Jubilee Hall, prepared for by Mrs. Corie Gomez. Msgr. Dennis thanked everyone for the warm welcome the group extended during the last PPC meeting with Msgr Sunga, where he was also present. He once again thanked the PPC for heeding to his call for the first official meeting with him. Fr. Allan Dichoso and Fr Jeffrey Jamias were also present for the said meeting.

After dinner we all went down to the board room, where the presentation on “Viewing the Parish as a System” awaits the PPC members.

There were 10 principles in the system that were discussed.

Bake Sale for Family & Life Ministry activities

On Sunday February 13, 2011, the members of the Family & Life Ministry (FLM) held a Bake Sale at the Old Parish Center to raise funds for its programs for 2011. To draw crowds from the Sunday morning mass goers, free brewed coffee and juice were served. These refreshments complemented the various food offerings, like the hot ham and cheese pandesals, various cakes, muffins, cookies, pastries, and sandwiches solicited from friends like Maryrose Damaso and Liza Salgado of Cake Avenue, Mary Grace Dimacali of Mary Grace, Juda Liu of Costa Brava, Amelita Daez of Povar, Jimmy Trota of

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ppC meets with Msgr. dennis from page 1...

1. Whole is more than the parts. He discussed that the church being one system exists, has a life of its own and anyone who works in the system should fit in the way things are done in the system. Not in the way a person calls for but what the systems calls for.

2. Changing Parts Changes Whole. In a system where people work for the common good, if say one person especially a leader decided to take some rest and slow down in the delivery of service, its members will eventually get affected and will also slow down and take time following the same. The response to such is simply start changing with oneself and changing ones perceptions will eventually change the whole system.

3. Changes Take Time. For any change to take effect in the whole system takes time. There will be parts that can easily adopt and there will be other parts that will take longer to adopt. So long as the energy for change is present , eventually the whole system will get affected.

4. Each Part Reflects Whole. The parish system itself dictates how the sub parts operate. If the parish has a reputation for friendliness, every group or organization in the parish reflects this friendliness. The way people dedicate their time for work and how decisions are executed by the members, these are reflected and imitated by the whole.

5. Good Systems have Interdependent Parts. In a church system each ministry , organization or sub parish must work hand in hand, each person must be able to work with another as a whole to put the system to good use. One having its own identity, but each correlating in the system.

6. Tension Between Whole and Parts. Tension between members and the whole with regards to goals and directions is but healthy. There will always

be indifference between ideas and implementation, and hearing them individually and taking them into consideration allows each one to be more confident to voice out their views thereby keeping balance in the system.

7. Manage Process. It is better to manage the process than the people in the system. Don’t concentrate on the personality when it comes to executing rules, concentrate on the system that all may abide.

8. Attend to the Underlying Culture. The system will be most effective if traditions, assumptions, and unspoken values are taken into consideration and being applied to the system. The culture becomes a common goal and following the system will just flow freely.

9. Keeping Boundaries Open. For say a ministry to grow, it should not limit its members to a certain degree, instead it should open up and discover new possibilities, thereby making the group more dynamic and progressive.

And last,

10. Triangles can dominate. In a system with conflict there could be the oppressor, the victim and the rescuer or mediator. It is good to know who is who in the conflict. And in such a case that a conflict can’t be settled, let all the ones involved step out of the triangle and discuss the matters objectively. Not concentrating again on the personality but on how to move on in a positive manner.

Msgr. Dennis gave everyone a copy of the parish system to further study and evaluate, he further added another item that all will have to evaluate, and that is the proposed changes in the mass schedule. After some short discussion the group decided on implementing the new schedule before departing for the night.

- Viewing the Parish as a System by: Fr. Thomas Sweetser SJ

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pastor’s Messasge from page 1...

not long when Jerry was caught anew in the web of success. He neglected his responsibilities to his wife and his family. Soon, they parted ways. He lived life alone. But despite the euphoria of his success, he experienced extreme emptiness. Jerry made a firm resolve to find his wife. Upon finding her, he said: “You complete me.”

The story obviously reveals the truth about relationships. In life we hear people say: “Ganito naman talaga sa mundo …. Gamitan lang!” It simply equates the significance of relationships on what the “Thou” can give to the “I.”

Jerry’s statement confirms his radical belief in that particular moment. He regarded his wife now not merely as an object of his love. Nor simply a partner or a companion who is so loyal, supportive, understanding ….She is rather considered the “Thou” who makes himself, the “I.”

I am reminded of a real couple who were engaging in a lively exchange words. The Lady asked

her husband: “Kapag namatay ako, mag-aasawa ka pa ba? To which the man jestingly replied: “Wala ka na doong pakialam.” “Alam mo kung mag-aasawa kang muli, lolokohin ka na lang! Matanda ka na!” The man interjected: “Bahala na ako doon.” The wife immediately countered: “Sige ka! Kapag nagpakasal ka. Gabi-gabi kitang dadalawin at hihilahin ang mga paa mo!” It ended with the two laughing loudly.

This may be a typical scene for many. But you would be surprised to know that the couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary a few years back. Recently, the woman was diagnosed with bone cancer, stage 4, it has metastasized... In the midst of impending death, they never gave up professing their love for each other. A love they committed to live, ín sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, until death do they part.”

Two stories. First, fiction. Second, real. A fundamental lesson relearned: The very principle of life is love. The very purpose of living is to love.

LC Meets for the month of February

Last February 19 the Lector and Commentator Sub ministry met for their monthly formation. Msgr. Dennis Odiver was there to observe and to meet with them.

Ms. Cristy Vasquez, head of the LC sub ministry, moderated on the discussions following through the agenda. Among the agenda were listed members of the sub ministry, and the changes in the mass duties.

Since Msgr. Dennis was around, everyone present introduced themselves with their corresponding mass duties. After everyone was done, Monsi had his time sharing his thoughts about the ministry.

He mentioned about how some of the commentator on duty with him during mass would ask when to say some of the prayers. Then he pointed out that in order for things to be simpler, we should follow a norm, a standard set forth for us to follow by the church. Not by a person but by a system like the church. In doing so, all our actions will be based on a standard and where ever we go it will be the same as the rest and it will be less confusing. This includes the prayers, the movement of the lector and commentator in the altar, the things that’s expected from lectors and commentators. In this regard he gave out some guidelines that we all can study and see which ones we might have to correct. These guidelines were issued by the Archdiocese of Manila.

And since Ms. Cristy touched on the new schedule of mass duties, Msgr. Dennis added the explanation to the new mass schedule. He mentioned that , its not just for change that we implement this, it came about after hearing and listening to some observations of the parishioners that we decided to propose the new schedule. This is to provide better observation of silence before and after each mass, thereby allowing the parishioners to concentrate and meditate well on their prayers. This of course will ease up the traffic problem and the ease of going in and out of the parking area as there is more allowance from mass till next.

The meeting ended with a mirienda prepared by the February bday celebrants, EJ Carlos, Matthew Lizares and Armin Demetillo.

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Parish Office Hours

Tuesday-Saturday 9:00 a.m.-Noon; 2:00-7:00 p.m.Sunday 7:00 a.m.-Noon; 2:00-7:00 p.m.

announcement

Bake Sale from page 1...

Ria Salvaña Matthew LizaresParish Works StaffEllie Medina, Angelina Poe,Emilio Medina, Rochelle Pineda Announcements CoordinatorsPia SanedrinBulletin Board EditorEJ CarlosPowerpoint CoordinatorGing Santos, JayR PaduaContributor: Wina de Vera

Spiritual AdvisorRev. Msgr. Dennis Odiver

PublisherSt. Andrew the Apostle ParishN. Garcia St. cor. Kalayaan Ave.Bel-Air II, Makati CityPhones: (632) 890-1796 / 890-1743 media@saaparish.com

Parish Works is the official weekly newsletter of Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish. Media and Communications Ministry Co-coordinators

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Sunday Mass Schedule effective March 2011

6:30am - Filipino 8:00am - English 9:30am - English 11:00am - English 12:15n.n - English

3:30pm - Filipino 5:00pm - English 6:30pm - English 8:00pm - English

Max, and from parishioners like Cris Buenaventura, Linda Floro, Lia Imperial, Ope Lopez, Lita Mayuga, Tracy Tuazon, and Christy Vazquez. It was only through these donors’ generosity that the Bake Sale was made possible.

All in all this FLM fund-raising activity was a success as it also demonstrated fellowship and a collective spirit wherein all worked towards a common goal, that is, to make the FLM programs benefit more individuals and families in our parish community.

An upcoming FLM activity is the Marriage Encounter Weekend Seminar scheduled in April. Other FLM programs are the Family Encounter Weekend Seminar, Solo Parenting, Pre-Cana, Counseling, Natural Family Planning in cooperation with the Commission of Family Life of the Archdiocese, and Pro-life related activities and advocacies.

• Please bring your old palms that were blest in last year’s Palm Sunday to the parish office. These will be used for the imposition of ashes, on

A Chess Tournament sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, was held last February 20, 2010 at the St. Andrew the Aposlte Parish.