Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Mahitungod sa Santos nga Pagkalawat

Kapila naman kita nakadungog nga “we become what we eat.” Kon baboy ang kanunay nato nga kan-on, mahimo pud tang murag baboy. Kon buwad ang permi nato kan-on, mahimo pud tang murag buwad. Kita nga kanunay nagkalawatan sa lawas ug dugo ni Cristo, nahimo na ba kitang sama ni Cristo? Ngano man kaha nga daw wala may epekto sa atong kinabuhi ang atong pagkalawat? Basin tingali tungod kay wala nato maamgo ang pagkamakahuluganon sa atong pagkalawat matag simba nato.

Dili unsa apan kinsa ang gikalawat. Oo, gamay ug nipis nga biskwit ang atong gidawat apan ang atong pagtoo nagtudlo kanato nga kining gamay ug nipis nga puti ug lingin nga biskwit mao ang lawas, dugo, kalag, ug pagka-Dios—ang kinatibuk-an sa pagkatawo ug pagka-Dios—sa atong Ginoong JesuCristo. Naamgo ba nato unsa ka katingalahan niini? Ang gamhanan nga Dios nahimong gamay nga biskwit handumanan sa iyang way sukod nga gugma nga giulaan sa iyang kinabuhi didto sa krus. Dili ka ba manglipaghong sa kaulaw tungod sa kakulang sa imong balus sa paghigugma? Dili ba mangurog ang imong tuhod, mohapa ikaw, ug mosimba sa Dios nga nahigugma kanimo? Maka-ako ba ikaw pagdawat niya sa imong mga kamot?

Kinsa man kita nga mangalawat? Kon ingon niini ang Dios, kinsa man kita nga mangalawat kaniya? Mga uyamot nga binuhat niya. Mga alaut nga makasasala. Mahuyang ug maluibon. Apan iyang gipili, gitawag, ug gihimong takos ug angayan! Iya kitang gipakamatyan. Iya kitang giangkon nga iyaha pinaagi sa Sakramento sa Bunyag ug iyang gilig-on pinaagi sa Sakramento sa Kumpirma. Ug kon pili-on gihapon nato nga mahibulag kaniya, nagpaabot siya sa atong pagbalik sa Sakramento sa Kumpisal.

Ang pulong “pagkalawat” sa Latin kay “communio” (sa Inglis, “communion”) tungod kay gihiusa (cum-unio) kita sa Dios sa iyang kaugalingon. Gani sa daghang mga Eucharistic miracles, ang hostiya nahimong tinuod nga unod, unod nga gikan sa kinauyukan sa kasingkasing. Pagpadayag nga sa matag kalawat nato hugot kita nga gigakos sa Dios. Ug gihiusa usab kita niya sa tanan nga iyang gipili, gitawag, ug giangkon nga iyaha. Nahimo kitang hiniusang Simbahan!

Dili kini pantasya. Mao kini ang atong Cristohanon ug Catolikong pagtoo. Ang mga Eucharistic miracles nagpamatuod niini. Ang mga santos nagpamatuod niini ug sila motabang kanato. Sangpiton nato sila ug ang atong Anghel nga Magbalantay sa sunod nato pagkalawat. Hangyoon nato sila nga tabangan kita pag-amgo kinsa Siya nga atong gikalawat ug kinsa kita nga mangalawat kaniya. Pangayoon nato ang tukmang disposisyon aron mahimong makahuluganon ug may epekto sa atong kinabuhi ang atong pagkalawat.

St. Pedro Bautista and Companions

St. Pedro Bautista and Companions

Not many of us may pay attention to the memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions every February 6. But it would be a surprise for many us that these martyrs were condemned for being “men . . . from the Philippines under the guise of ambassadors.” Indeed there were six men who for some years lived and worked in the Philippines.

Padre Pedro Bautista was born in Avila, Spain, in 1542. He joined the Franciscans and became a famous preacher in Toledo, Spain. He arrived in the Philippines in 1584 and worked in Manila and Laguna. In 1586, he was elected superior of the Franciscans; his frequent pastoral visits brought him to Laguna, Bulacan, Quezon, Sorsogon, and Camarines. After his term, he was made superior of the convent in Manila, where he developed a reputation for his prayerfulness and kindness. He later resigned from being the superior but continued as preacher. He was also sensitive to and actively involved in the burning issues of the day. He advocated justice, charity, and freedom for the innocent. He fearlessly criticized government officials who were abusive to the natives. 

In Manila, Padre Pedro met Gonzalo Garcia, a half Portuguese and half Indian who lived and worked for many years in Japan. He later joined the Franciscan Order in 1587. His knowledge of the Japanese language would prove to be useful for their later mission to Japan. It was also in Manila that Padre Pedro met three other Spanish Franciscans Padre Francisco Blanco, Fra Martin dela Ascension, and Fra Francisco de San Miguel. In 1590, Felipe de Jesus, a Mexican joined the Franciscans. He had once been a Franciscan in Mexico but left after only a year. He came to the Philippines as a merchant.    

In 1590, news came that there were no more missionaries in Japan after the expulsion and persecution of the Jesuits in 1587. Padre Pedro wrote to the king of Spain asking him to convince the Pope to allow missionaries to go to Japan. The opportunity came in 1592 when the Japanese military dictator Hideyoshi threatened to invade the Philippines, and Padre Pedro was chosen to negotiate for peace. He brought with him Fra Gonzalo Garcia and Fra Francisco de San Miguel. They set sail for Japan on May 30, 1593, and arrived at the end of June. He succeeded in winning a peace treaty and even obtained permission to spread Christianity without interference. Padre Francisco and Fra Martin later joined them in Japan.

The Franciscans set about founding several convents, building or rebuilding churches and hospitals, and converting hundreds of pagans to Christianity. They were helped by Japanese converts, who would later be martyred with them: Paul Suzuki, Thomas Dangi, and Gabriel, catechists; Francis and Michael Kozaki, carpenters; his son Thomas Kozaki; Paul Ibaraki, a brewer; his younger brother Leo Karasumaru; their nephew 12-year-old Louis Ibaraki; Cosmas Takeya, a sword maker; John Kinuya, a silk weaver; 13-year-old Anthony; Joachim Sakakibara, their cook; another Francis, a physician and preacher; and Bonaventure.

On Oct. 20, 1596, a Spanish galleon bound for Mexico was blown by a storm to the shores of Japan. On board was Fra Felipe who was supposed to go to Mexico for his priestly ordination. The captain of the ship was foolish enough to praise the Spanish king and to say that the missionaries had been sent to prepare for the conquest of Japan. Enraged, Hideyoshi ordered his soldier to imprison the Franciscan missionaries and their helpers, which they did in December 1596. A certain Matthias, a fall guy, and and Peter Sukejiro were added to the group as well as the Jesuit Paul Miki, James Kisai, and John of Goto.

On Jan. 3, 1597, they were all led out of their prison to the public square at Miyako (now Kyoto) where they were informed that they were to be crucified, and as a mark of dishonor, a portion of their left ear was cut off. Then they were driven through the city, where the crowds were given free hand to ill-treat and insult them. The next day, they commenced their death march to Nagasaki, a journey that lasted four weeks. They arrived at Nagasaki on the morning of Feb. 5. The crosses had been prepared on a hill outside of town. The martyrs were immediately taken there, and each one was bound to his cross. With loud voices, they thanked God for the grace of being permitted to die like Christ their Lord, and they praised Him with psalms and hymns. As the martyrs hung crucified, executioners pierced the body of each one with two spears. Padre Pedro was the last to be executed. Witnesses reported that Padre Pedro was motionless, ecstatic, and absorbed in prayer while his companions were being executed. Their bodies were left on the cross for months to frighten other Christians. In 1598, an envoy from the Philippines was authorized by Hideyoshi to gather the last remains of the martyrs and their crosses. But the place soon became a place of pilgrimage and became known as Martyrs Hill.

On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14, 1627, Pope Urban VIII declared the Franciscan martyrs blessed. The Jesuits were later beatified in 1629. They were canonized in June 1862 by Blessed Pope Pius IX.

Even though most of the martyrs were Franciscans (six Franciscan friars and seventeen collaborators), it was Paul Miki, the Japanese Jesuit, who has chosen as the leading figure to highlight that he is the first Japanese saint. But perhaps it would be better for us here in the Philippines to have this memorial as St. Pedro Bautista and Companions. Hopefully from now on, now that we know, we will have a renewed appreciation of significance of the memorial every February 6. In Quezon City, the Santuario de San Pedro Bautista stands on the foundations of the church and convent built by St. Pedro Bautista.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Himno kang San Juan Apostol

Alang sa Gethsemane Parish, Mandaue City, Cebu
Huni ug Letra ni Msgr. Rudy Villanueva* (2010)


Sa kalantip sa Imong panan-aw,
Gikan sa nagdilaab nga pagtoo
Nabasa mo ug nasabtan mo
Ang mga tulokibon sa gugma sa Ginoo
Ug sama'g agila nagduawan ka
Sa kapunawpunawan latas sa ugma, luyo ning kalibutan.
Sa tanang Apostoles gihikawan sa dugo-ong katapusan
Aron sa ingon uba'g Diosnong gahum
Nag-iwag sa katawhan hangtod ning panahon.
Ug kaming nakadawat sa maong sulat
Sarang maiwagan s'among padulngan,
Ang langitnon mo nga puloy-anan.
Agakon mo kami pagka-Diosnong katilingban
Patuboon mo kami sa grasya ug kinaadman.
Pinalangga ni Jesus nga wa mobiya sa tiilan sa krus
Gam-a kami nga makanunayon
Iyaha hangtod sa kamatayon.
Espirituhanon namong amahan
Bantugang Apostol, Senyor San Juan.
Espirtuhanon namong amahan
Bantugang Apostol ug langitnon namong sumbanan.
Amen.


*Msgr. Rudy Villanueva, the Father of Cebuano Liturgical Music, is very much a part of Gethsemane Parish, having been a constant source of support to his friend, classmate, and ordination batch mate, Msgr. Virgilio Yap, Gethsemane Parish's founding parish priest. Msgr. Rudy continues his involvement in the parish through the training of choirs in particular the CPC-Marian Choir. Msgr. Rudy, ad multos annos!

The picture of St. John that appears here is that of an oil painting from the collections of Sir Louie Nacorda. Thank you, Sir Louie.

St. John Apostle and Evangelist, Our Patron Saint

O St. John, shining star of the Church,
you who reflect the Father's light
by revealing to us the mystery of the Word, eternal fruit of his bosom,
the source of all life and of all truth.
O beloved disciple of the Word made flesh,
who at the Last Supper rested your head upon His heart.
Drawing all the secrets of the Father's beloved Son and of the Savior of men,
O beloved Son of Mary, who at the foot of the cross received the treasure of the Heart of Jesus crucified,
thus becoming the witness of his wounded heart, we beseech you, 
despite our unworthiness, our weakness, our infidelities,
be our father that we may be true sons of the Father, living by his light
and by the ardor of the wounded Heart of the Agapetos,
under the life-giving guidance of the Spirit-Paraclete,
in Mary Mother of Jesus and our Mother. Amen.


***


O San Juan, masidlak nga bitoon sa Simbahan,
ikaw nga maoy nagpa-aninag sa kahayag sa Amahan
pinaagi sa pagbutyag nganhi kanamo sa tanghaga sa Pulong,
ang walay kinutubang bunga sa iyang sabakan,
tuburan sa tnang kinabuhi ug sa tanang kamatuoran.
O pinalanggang tinun-an sa Pulong-nga-Nahimong-Tawo,
kinsa didto sa Katapusang Panihapon
nagpa-uraray sa imong ulo diha gayud sa luklokanan sa Iyang kasingkasing.
Tinimba ang tanang mga tinago-an sa pinalanggang Anak sa Amahan ug sa Manunubos sa katawhan,
O pinalanggang anak ni Maria, nga didto sa tiilan sa krus, 
midawat sa bahandi sa Kasingkasing ni Jesus nga gilansang sa krus,
sa ingon nahimo ikaw nga saksi sa Iyang samaran nga kasingkasing,
nangamuyo kami kanimo, bisan pa sa among pagka-dili takus, sa among kahuyang, sa among pagkamaluibon,
nga maamong amahan aron kami mamahimong tinuod nga mga anak sa Amahan,
magapuyo diha sa iyang kahayag, ug pinaagi sa nagdilaab nga samarang kasingkasing sa Pinalangga,
ubos sa mabuhiong pangama sa Espiritu nga Maglilipay, diha kang Maria nga Inahan ni Jesus ug amo usab nga Inahan. Amen. 

Gethsemane Parish Schedule

Holy Mass
Monday to Friday         
6:00 AM (English)
5:30 PM (Cebuano)
Saturday                       
6:00 AM (Cebuano)
5:30 PM (Sunday Anticipated Mass-English)
Sunday
6:30 AM (Cebuano)
8:00 AM (Cebuano)
9:30 AM (High Mass-English)
4:00 PM (Cebuano)
5:30 PM (English)
7:00 PM (English)


Baptism
Every Sunday
Registration starts at 9:00 AM
Pre-Jordan Seminar starts after 9:30 AM Mass
Baptism may also be arranged at other times. Just contact parish office.


Marriage/Weddings
Regular schedule: Every Saturday 6:00 AM
Special (Monday to Saturday): 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 3:30 PM
Pre-Cana Seminar: Every second Sunday of the month 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM


Anointing of the Sick (Viaticum)
By appointment through parish office.


Confession/Reconciliation
Every first Thursday of the month after 5:30 PM Mass
Every first Friday of the month before 10:00 PM Communion of Reparation Mass
After daily Masses (just inform the sacristan mayor ahead of time)


Devotions
Mondays: Holy Souls in Purgatory
Wednesdays: Mother of Perpetual Help (novena before Masses)
Thursdays: St. John Apostle and Evangelist (veneration of relic after Masses)
First Thursday of the Month: Holy Hour (after 5:30 PM Mass)
Fridays: Santo NiƱo (novena before Masses)
First Friday of the Month: Sacred Heart of Jesus
First Friday of the Month: Communion of Reparation Vigil (9:00 PM to 4:00 AM)
Saturday: Blessed Virgin Mary
First Saturday of the Month: Immaculate Heart of Mary


For inquiries call (032) 346-9560.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Current Team of Pastors

Rev. Fr. Dennis Camomot Baricuatro
Team Moderator
Birth date: November 12, 1964
Parents: Ladislao and Remedios Baricuatro
Educational Background
St. Catherine's School (1977)
Pope John XXIII Seminary (1982)
San Carlos Seminary College (1988)
Seminario Mayor de San Carlos (1993)
Ordained to the Priesthood on June 10, 1994

Rev. Fr. Aloysius Sanchez Alojipan
Team Member
Birth date: June 16, 1967
Parents: Aloysius and Dulce Alojipan
Educational Background
St. Joseph's Academy (1973-1977)
Pope John XXIII Seminary (1979-1983)
San Carlos Seminary College (1983-1988)
Seminario Mayor de San Carlos (1988-1993)
Ordained to the Priesthood on June 10, 1994

Rev. Fr. Eduardo Piodos Marcellones
Team Member
Birth date: June 20, 1962
Parents: Pancrasio and Floriana Marcellones
Educational Background
Buanoy Central School (1973-1977)
Holy Trinity Academy (1979-1983)
San Carlos Seminary College (1983-1988)
Seminario Mayor de San Carlos (1988-1993)
Ordained to the Priesthood (June 10, 1994)

Pahibalo sa Petsa sa Adlaw sa Pagkabanhaw sa atong Ginoong JesuCristo

Ang Pahibalo sa Petsa sa Adlaw sa Pagkabanhaw nagsugod sa panahon nga nihit pa ang mga kalendaryo. Bisan tuod ug dili na nihit ang kalendaryo karon, makahuluganon gihapon kini kay nagpahinumdum kini kanato nga ang pagkabanhaw sa atong Ginoo mao ang sentro ug ang naghatag ug kahulugan sa liturhikanhong tuig sa Simbahan.

***

Mga igsuon, ang himaya sa Dios misidlak kanato, ug sa kanunay madayag dinhi kanato hangtud sa adlaw sa Iyang pagbalik. Pinaagi sa dagan sa mga takna ug mga panahon, saulugon ta ang mga misteryo sa kaluwasan.

Handumon ta ang kinatumyan sa tuig, ang Triduo sa Pagkabanhaw sa Ginoo: ang Iyang Katapusang Panihapon, ang Iyang kamatayon sa krus, ang Iyang paglubong, ug ang Iyang Pagkabanhaw nga saulugon sulod sa gabii sa ika-lima sa Abril (Abril 5) hangtud ug sa gabii sa ika-walo sa Abril (Abril 8).

Matag Pasko sa Pagkabanhaw—sama sa matag Domingo—ang Balaan nga Simbahan nagdala sa atong taliwala sa daku ug makaluwas nga buhat diin si Cristo sa kanunay mibuntog sa sala ug sa kamatayon.

Gikan sa Pagkabanhaw, atong gitimaan ang tanang mga adlaw nga atong gibalaan:

Ang Miyerkoles sa Abo, nga mao ang sinugdanan sa Kwaresma, mahitabo sa ika-kawhaan ug duha sa Pebrero (Pebrero 22).
Ang Pagkayab sa Ginoo sa langit atong handumon sa ika-kawhaan sa Mayo (Mayo 20).
Ang Pentekostes, ang pagkunsad sa Espiritu Santo, nga mao ang malipayong pagtak-um sa panahon sa Pasko sa Pagkabanhaw saulugon sa ika-kawhaan ug pito sa Mayo (Mayo 27).
Ug karong tuiga, ang unang Domingo sa Adbiyento mahitabo sa ikaduha sa Disyembre (Disyembre 2).

Sa maong paagi, ang nagpanaw nga Simbahan nagsangyaw sa Pasko sa Pagtabok sa Ginoo diha sa mga pangilin sa Santa nga Inahan sa Dios, sa mga pangilin sa mga apostol ug sa mga santos, uban kanila si Beato Pedro Calungsod, kansang pangilin karong tuiga saulugon sa ika-katloan ug usa sa Marso (Marso 31) ug diha usab sa paghandum sa mga magtutuo nga nangamatay.

Kang JesuCristo, kinsa mao ang kagahapon, karon, ug umaabot, Ginoo sa Panahon ug sa Kasaysayan, walay hunong nga pagdayeg hangtud sa kahangturan. Amen.