reflections for the solemnity of all saints

The Father, not sparing His Only-Begotten Son, sent Him to dwell among us to enable us to live with Him forever. Through Jesus, He has given His Word, so that by that Word, we may grow into the countenance of His Son and give us an access to His kingdom. Through Jesus, He has given us a model and an example by which we must shape and transform our very own lives, with the help of His grace, into the very life of Jesus Himself.

The Beatitudes that Jesus has given us in the Gospels are the surest way to the Father's kingdom. And the beautiful thing about them is that Jesus Himself lived each and every one of them, authenticating the way set by the Father for us all. Of course, they are the exact opposite of what the world entices us to aspire to and live by. Those who understand better and have the wealth of experience will readily tell us that everything the world tempts us with is mortal, finite and short-lived as anything that is created. Only God, the Creator, lives forever and those He has gifted with the wisdom to follow the way of the Beatitudes, the way of Jesus Himself.

If, this year, there is one thing that we must learn from the Feast we are celebrating this Sunday, let it be this one simple reality - that the Way of God
is different from the way of the world,and the way of the world different from God's way.

All the people who have gone before us and who in their lifetime had lived God's Way instead of the world's, realizing the insignificance of life severed from the will of the Father, are now in the glorious reign of Heaven. For us, they are reminders of what we too should be - staunch followers f God's will in an attempt to be true to our name - Christian in the real sense of the word, devoted and unswerving to the example of Jesus, Who is our Way, our Truth, and our Life.


Fr Jess A. Enciso

confirmations at olfp

Pantomina music blared from across the street at 2pm on October 30, as Msgr Gerry presided at Mass and administered the sacrament of confirmation on 38 young parishioners.

oct 29, msgr rene explains BEC to the emhcs

oct 26, fr arwyn lectures on liturgical music

pictures from the installation, oct 25

thanks, milo and katherine! glad to be working with you, henry and becky!

The parish, together with the priests, of Our Lady of Fatima thanks Milo and Katherine Lee Naval for their service as hermano and hermana mayor from 2008-2009. At the turn-over ceremonies, Katherine's brother Bobet Lee received the papal blessing presented by the parish in gratitude and appreciation. Many thanks to you both.

The parish is also very glad to welcome its new hermano and hermana mayor, Henry and Becky Duka. Here's looking forward to a very fruitful and happy collaboration!

at olfp: altar makeover

Henry and Becky Duka, the new hermano and hermana mayor of the parish, began their term by treating the parish to a makeover - of the altar: the altar table, ambo, lectern, presidential chair, candlestands. Yes, even an ambry. Fatima Parish is honored to be the first one in the diocese to install an ambry in the sanctuary. And the waters of the baptismal font are flowing again! Thanks Henry and Becky!

still at rehearsals

f voice + musica chiesa

F-Voice, our parish choir, enjoyed a rare experience, singing with Musica Chiesa, the Jesuit chamber music ensemble from the Ateneo de Manila University, invited over to Sorsogon for the weekend of October 24-25 to perform at the dinner-concert, a fund raise for the Commission for the Clergy. The nest morning, Chiesa accompanied the F Voice at the 10:00 am Mass for the Installation Ceemonies of Mr and Mrs Henry and Rebecca Duka as Hermano and Hermana Mayor of the Fatima Parish. On this page, the pictures at rehearsals at the Home for the Clergy and at Mass.

another busy day

Today was a busy day. It was the fiesta in Sampaloc. Fr Chrisly celebrated the Mass and did the baptisms. 9am was the funeral Mass for Melchor Tan, former hermano mayor. Msgr Laban was requested by the family to preside at the funeral Mass.

9:00 was the Mass in Gubat for the 25th anniversary of the presence of the Holy Family of Bordeaux sisters in the Philippines. I can't believe it's been twenty five years since we first saw the Sri Lankan sisters share our native proclivity for hot food, and how we wondered why the fairer Europeans (from England and Ireland) took their time biting into coconut mature enough for the copra sheds.

2:00 pm was the ordination of Rev Fr Noel Espaldon to the priesthood, delayed by four days, due to an unexpected bout with measles. 24 priests concelebrated, the number a bit unusual but understandable since Fr Noel moved his schedule to a Saturday, a busy day at any parish.

at 6:00, the lights dimmed at the OLPS auditorium for the Musica Chiesa presented by the diocean Commission for the Clergy. Verdict? success, success

kpc meeting cancelled

Due to the ordination to the priesthood of Rev Noel Espaldon at 2pm today at the Sts Peter and Paul Cathedral, and all the priests will be attending, the KPC assembly in Sulucan is cancelled. The next meeting will be the regular assembly for November. Venue will be announced later.

reflections for the30th sunday in ordinary time

Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, had only one wish: to be cured of his blindness. One day as he sat by the roadside, he learned that Jesus was passing by. He shouted to call his attention. When the people around tried to silence him, the louder Bartimaeus shouted: "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me."

The title "Son of David" is a messianic one. It has a long history in Jewish theology. It concerns the promise of God to David and his lineage, a promise of continuity, a promise that actually opens to the future. The king of the future will be the instrument of God in the work and realization of salvation. The new David will not just be a son of David. The new David will be possessed of the same brand of piety, justice and power, if not more, as enjoyed by David himself.

This is the first time that Mark, in the mouth of the blind beggar, uses the title in reference to Jesus, now on his steady march to Jerusalem to fulfill a divine purpose.

Two very important things are at play here. One is the divine purpose which we can safely say was Jesus' raison d'etre. The other one is the impassioned cry of need.

It was because of this divine purpose that Jesus repelled all temptations that came along his way. It was this divine purpose that made him leave Mary, his mother, and the little village of Nazareth. It was this divine purpose that Jesus would turn to Peter and tell him to back off because Peter was trying to dissuade him from going to Jerusalem.

An impassioned cry from a blind beggar made him stop. Because of Bartimaeus' cry for help, Jesus attended to him and gave him his sight. God always responds to such a cry, a cry that Jesus could not miss because it was characterized by determination, clarity and faith. The question that Jesus posed to Bartimaeus ("What do you want me to do for you?") seems at first glance uncalled for. It was for Bartimaeus to actually know what he needed more than just what he wanted. He needed to see and he got what he asked Jesus for.

God knows what we need before we even ask Him. But we need to know and be very clear about what that need is and where it will take us in the long run.

And Bartimaeus "started to follow him up the road".

Fr Jess A. Enciso

mpl2

The second of the monthly parish lectures (MPL) was supposed to focus on liturgical music, except that Fr Arwyn had misunderstood and thought he was due to talk on Monday, the 26th. Msgr Gerry reflected further on the different nuances of the Eucharistic celebration, focusing on the gathering, storytelling, prophetic, sacrificial, nurturing and apostolic movements in the structure of the eucharistic celebration.

Fr Arwyn will talk on liturgical music on Monday. See you at St Matt's.