Quiapo Church elevated as ‘Archdiocesan Shrine of the Black Nazarene’
The St. John the Baptist Parish or Quiapo Church has been elevated to the status of an archdiocesan shrine.
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By deceiving others, we deceive ourselves
Candidly speaking We have to be most careful in handling the truth. We already have been amply warned that when we play around with it, it will also make its sweet revenge on us in ways that…
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February 27, 2017
Gospel MK 10:17-27 As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.” He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men it is impossible, but not for God.
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Humility is the first step to unity, Pope tells Catholics, Anglicans
And he carries out this service, this ministry according to the mercy shown him,” he said, adding that this ministry is done “not on the basis of his ability, nor by relying on his own strength, but by trusting that God is watching over him and sustaining his weakness with mercy.” To become humble, he said, “means drawing attention away from oneself, recognizing one’s dependence on God as a beggar of mercy: this is the starting point so that God may work in us.” Francis then quoted a former president of the World Council of Churches, who described Christian evangelization as “a beggar telling another beggar where he can find bread.” “I believe Saint Paul would approve,” he said, because “he grasped the fact that he was fed by mercy and that his priority was to share his bread with others: the joy of being loved by the Lord, and of loving him.” Pope Francis spoke to a crowd of both Catholic and Anglican faithful during his Feb. The visit, he said, “is a grace and also a responsibility: the responsibility of strengthening our ties, to the praise of Christ, in service of the Gospel and of this city.” Francis closed his homily encouraging both Catholics and Anglicans to work together “to become ever more faithful disciples of Jesus, always more liberated from our respective prejudices from the past and ever more desirous to pray for and with others.” After his homily, Pope Francis took three questions from the congregation on the state of Catholic-Anglican relations today, his approach to relations versus that of his direct predecessor Benedict XVI and what Catholics and Anglicans can learn from the “creativity” of Churches in the global south, specifically Africa and Asia. Theological questions are important, he said, noting that there are “many things in which we still don’t agree.” But having this discussion “can’t be done in a laboratory, it has to be done walking,” he said, explaining that “we are on a journey.” It’s important to have these theological discussions, “but in the meantime we help each other” though acts of charity such as serving the poor, migrants and refugees, he said, adding that “you can’t have ecumenical dialogue that is stopped…you have to do it walking.” When responding to the third question, Pope Francis noted that “young Churches” in Africa and Asia do have “a different vitality because they are different and they look for ways to express themselves differently.” However, the “older Churches” in European countries, also have their own benefits, he said, noting that they have had time to “mature” and deepen in many things, including theological and ecumenical questions.
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February 26, 2017 – MT 6:24-34
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 IS 49:14-15 Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; my LORD has forgotten me.” Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgment on myself; I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord. Therefore do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.
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Marriage prep should be more than just a few courses, Pope tells priests
“For each person and each situation,” he said, “you are called to be travel companions in order to bear witness and to support.” The Pope stressed that a priest’s first concern is that of “bearing witness to the grace of the sacrament of marriage and the primordial good of the family” by proclaiming that “marriage between a man and a woman is a sign of the spousal union between Christ and the Church.” This witness is also shown when accompanying young couples on their journey “with care,” showing them how to live in times of “light and darkness, in moments of joy and those in fatigue,” always showing the beauty of marriage. Francis told the priests that while bearing witness to the beauty of marriage, they must also care for and support “those who realize the fact that their marriage is not a true sacramental marriage and want to leave this situation.” Because of the “delicate” nature of this type work, the Pope said priests must do it “in such a way that your faithful recognize you not so much as experts in bureaucratic actions or judicial norms, but as brothers who place themselves in an attitude of listening and understanding.” He told them to imitate “the style” of the Gospel by meeting with and listening not only to engaged or married couples, but also youth who prefer to cohabitate rather than getting married. “Even these people are loved by the heart of Christ,” he said, telling priests to “have a gaze of tenderness and compassion toward them.” This type of care and attention “is an essential part of your work in promoting and defending the sacrament of marriage,” the Pope said, adding that the parish is the place “par excellence” for the “salus animarum (salvation of souls).” Pope Francis then pointed to a recent speech he gave to the Rota in which he told them to implement “a true catechumenate” of future spouses which covers all stages of the sacramental path, from the time of marriage preparation, the celebration of the sacrament and the first years immediately after.
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Nominees sought for 11th Cardinal Sin Catholic Book Awards
According to the secretariat of the awards these are “(b)ooks that serve and deepen prayer life, edify spiritual growth and give guidance and light to a real Christian life, including works in prayers, meditations, lives of saints and the likes.” Ministry. Aside from being perfect for younger readers, entries should have “appealing visuals that give values formation to children ages 12 and below including stories of faith, virtues, morals, heroic deeds, and special children’s documented activities.” Youth. Nominees to this category are “(b)ooks that give values formation to young individuals ages 13 and above including stories of faith, virtues, morals, heroic deeds, and special youth documented activities.” E-Books (Electronic Books).
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The challenge to put our trust in the Lord
8th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A), Matthew 6:24-34 February 26, 2017 By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB AN excessive yearning for material things and comfort has been a constant temptation for all human beings. T…
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Bishop condemns killing of Church worker
The prelate deplored the killing of Wilerme Agorde, a 64-year-old peasant leader and worked as project coordinator of the agrarian reform program of the CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action (Nassa). “We condemn the many extrajudicial killings happening today which have become so common,” Bagaforo said. The recent murder of Wilerme “Ka Wiling” Agorde, according to him, is causing fear and insecurity among civilians particularly among the human rights and peace advocates in the area. Agorde, 64, was stabbed and gunned down in the presence of his grandchildren by unidentified assailants in Brgy. He has been at the forefront of a campaign with his fellow farmers who have been struggling for decades for ownership of the unused agricultural land-reservation in Arakan town. About 5,000-hectare property is owned by University of Southern Mindanao but the 1,000-hectare portion was allocated to the Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology. According to Nassa, the disputed land had been occupied by the farmers for several decades. Last Feb 9, the Department of Agrarian Reform voiced support for the the distribution of land reservation for the 2,110 potential beneficiaries during the dialogue conducted with the Commission on Higher Education. The Nassa said this recent development indicates that the farmers “are winning in the agrarian campaign”. “However, the killing of Ka Wiling is interpreted by the community as a way to silence the leaders in defending their land rights,” it said. “The land conflict is escalating as the farmer groups are momentum in pursuing their land rights,” the Nassa added. The killing of Agorde was reportedly the third farmer-leader slain in North Cotabato this February alone. Church leaders are appealing to the authorities to stop the escalation of killings among farmers and their leaders. “Other farmer leaders in Arakan are now in hiding for fear of their lives. He was also a member of the Arakan parish team since the time of Italian priest Father Fausto Tentorio who was brutally killed in 2011 and whose case remains unsolved until now. “We do not know of their deaths can ever obtain justice since Fr.
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Anti-death penalty advocate cries railroading
Rodolfo Diamante of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (Photo: (CBCP-ECPPC)) MANILA – A lay prison ministry official of the Catholic Church scored the undue haste of the House leadership to pass a measure seeking to revive the death penalty by next week. Diamante said this happened after seven session days and with only seven of the 50 agreed lawmakers who wanted to interpellate the bill’s sponsor were given the floor. 29 and March 1 are “crucial dates” as the majority “will most likely exert its will on the Congressmen and call for party vote on the matter”.
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Where were you during EDSA I?
…and that’s the truth Especially around this time of the year, I get to be asked that question: “Where were you during EDSA I?” For the life of me I could not tell anyone, all these years, w…
