Stirrings and Echoes
Sharing you some thoughts, stories, anecdotes, quotations, encounters, which have helped me look into myself, enter into prayer, and venture into action. Some are my personal reflections - stirrings of the Holy Spirit. Some are echoes - the Holy Spirit stirring other people - which have sent me echoes of grace. May these be for you too, stirrings of the Lord and Giver of Life, and echoes of his dynamism and vitality at work in our everyday story.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Requiem: Fr. Proceso Barroga
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
ANS, Reshuffle 2012
Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines 2700
ASSIGNMENTS FOR RESHUFFLE 2012
Parochial Assignments:
San Nicolas Tolentino, SINAIT: Fr. Ferdinand Ragasa, parish priest; Fr. Amador Cabaluna, vicar; Fr. Leobardo Inofinada, attached priest
San Markos Ebanghelista, CABUGAO: Fr. Felix Costales, parish priest; Fr. Sherwin Aquino, vicar
San Juan Bautista, SAN JUAN: Fr. Albert Rabe, parish priest
San Guillermo, MAGSINGAL: Fr. Gerry Antolin, parish priest; Fr. Magdaleno Ruelos, vicar
San Isidro Labrador: Fr. Ernesto Juarez, Jr., parish priest
PURO, MAGSINGAL: Fr. Manuel Galimba, parish priest
Sto. Domingo, STO. DOMINGO: Fr. Lovell Soller, parish priest; Fr. Peter Dagsi, vicar
San Ildefonso, SAN ILDEFONSO: Fr. Flor Rebebes, parish priest
San Agustin, BANTAY: Fr. Jack Cabatu, parish priest; Fr. Amancio Garcia, vicar
San Vicente Ferrer, SAN VICENTE: Fr. Roque Reyes, parish priest
Santa Catalina, STA. CATALINA: Fr. Victorio Rabacca, parish priest
Our Lady of Hope, CAOAYAN: Fr. Felicisimo Ferrer, parish priest
Conversion of St. Paul, VIGAN: Fr. Vicente Avila, parish priest; Fr. Ronald Doña and Fr. Carlito Feria, vicars, Fr. Avelino Sipin, attached priest
Christ the King, PAING, BANTAY: Fr. Alex Malcaba, parish priest
Sta. Catalina, SANTA: Fr. Virgilio Cabaccang, parish priest
San Francisco Javier, LUNGOG, NARVACAN: Fr. Anselmo Samson, parish priest
Santa Lucia, NARVACAN: Fr. Cosmenio Rosimo, parish priest; Rev. Rosmell Cairel, vicar
San Jose, NAGBUKEL, Fr. Mar Barroga, parish priest
Assumption of Our Lady, STA. MARIA: Fr. Jerry Avisa, parish priest; Fr. Arnel Ramos, vicar
Holy Name of Jesus, BURGOS: Fr. Flor Escalona, parish priest
San Esteban, SAN ESTEBAN: Fr. Robert Somera, parish priest
St. James the Greater, SANTIAGO: Fr. Reginald Paul Pira, parish priest
Our Lady of Lourdes, BANAYOYO: Fr. Danilo Martinez, parish priest
Our Lady of Lourdes, LIDLIDDA: Fr. Reynaldo Rebebes, parish priest
San Miguel Arkanghel, SAN EMILIO: Fr. Rufo Abaya, parish priest
San Juan Sahagun, CANDON: Bp. David William Antonio, parish priest; Fr. Marcelo Cantorna and Rev. Feliciano Bugtong, vicars
Mary, Help of Christians, TALOGTOG, CANDON: Fr. George Tabangcura, parish priest
Sacred Heart, GALIMUYOD: Fr. Rex Rilveria, parish priest
San Jose, SALCEDO: Fr. Constantino Atinaja, Jr., parish priest
Our Lady of Lourdes, DEL PILAR: Fr. Raymond Ancheta, parish priest
San Jose Labrador, SIGAY: Fr. Juan Taqueban, parish priest
Immaculate Conception, STA. CRUZ: Fr. Ethel Agamata, parish priest; Fr. Proceso Barroga and Fr. Michael Tanacio, vicars
Sta. Lucia, STA. LUCIA: Fr. Rene Leo Rosabia, parish priest; Rev. Angelito Degracia, vicar
San Jose, SAN JOSE, STA. CRUZ: Fr. Arwin Rebollido, parish priest
Our Lady of Guadalupe, SEVILLA, STA. CRUZ: Fr. Gaudelio Donato, parish priest
Our Lady of Lourdes, ALILEM: Fr. Michael Tolentino, parish priest
San Antonio de Padua, SUGPON: Fr. Melchor Reonal, parish priest
San Agustin, TAGUDIN: Fr. Bernardo Gonzales, parish priest; Fr. Cristeto Cortez, vicar
Immaculate Conception, QUIRINO: Fr. Alen Villareal, parish priest
Holy Child of Prague, CERVANTES: Fr. Divinus Sanctus Rabang, parish priest
St. Andrew the Apostle, SUYO: Fr. Moises Andrada, parish priest
Non-parochial Assignments:
Msgr. Gary Noel Formoso: Oeconome, Matrimonial Tribunal, Vicar for the Religious
Fr. Olivete Rojas: Station Manager, DZNS
Fr. Segundino Cortez: Rector, Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary
Fr. Amador Foz: Spiritual Director, ICMS
Fr. Jeric Jaramillo: ICMS
Fr. Garret Ulanimo: ICMS
Fr. Lester Joseph Plana, Formation Director, SFY, Immaculate Conception School of Theology
Fr. Erwin Echalas, Spiritual Director, SFY, ICST
Fr. Willie Jones Ducusin: Chancellor, Professor at ICST, Superintendent of Archdiocesan Schools
Outside of the Archdiocese:
Missionaries to the Diocese of Honolulu: Fr. Antonio Reclusado, Fr. Ronilo Ernesto Villa, Fr. German Somera
Study Leave: Fr. Nick Vaquilar, Fr. Marlon Belmonte, Fr. Ramelle Rigunay
Military Ordinariate: Fr. Randy Val Dizon
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Marriage, Family and Society
The Pope noted:
It is in fact increasingly evident that a weakened appreciation of the indissolubility of the marriage covenant, and the widespread rejection of a responsible, mature sexual ethic grounded in the practice of chastity, have led to grave societal problems bearing an immense human and economic cost.Yet, as Blessed John Paul II observed, the future of humanity passes by way of the family (cf. Familiaris Consortio, 85). Indeed, "the good that the Church and society as a whole expect from marriage and from the family founded on marriage is so great as to call for full pastoral commitment to this particular area. Marriage and the family are institutions that must be promoted and defended from every possible misrepresentation of their true nature, since whatever is injurious to them is injurious to society itself" (Sacramentum Caritatis, 29).
I hope we in the Philippines learn from the experience of "progressive" and "liberal" nations who have embraced "liberal" ideas which are now manifesting their consequences not only in the life of the Church and Christians, but even, in the society at large.
God bless us. Kyrie eleison.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Second Sunday of Lent
From the First Sunday of Lent's desert, the readings of the Second Sunday bring us to the mountains. In our figures of speech we speak of mountains as obstacles, something we have to rise above, overcome, or flatten. In the Scriptures, mountains are a privileged place of encounter with God. Mountains are a privileged place of God’s revelation.
In the first reading, we could be horrified with the test God gives Abraham – he asked Abraham to offer his son as a holocaust, as a burnt offering. I remember from our class in Old Testament Historical Books, how the story unfolds in drama and intensity. Only a part of the story is read to us, but still, we could have a feel of the intensity. God called Abraham to test him. At one shout, Abraham responds immediately, “Here I am.” Abraham was always attentive to God, and he responds quickly. Maybe we should also ask ourselves, how quick we are to respond to God.
Then God tells Abraham, “Take your son, Isaac.” We could just imagine Abraham light up with joy at the mention of his son. Then God adds, “Isaac, your only son, whom you love.” We could just imagine Abraham’s love and affection for his son show up in his face. I always see this in my father’s face when he talks about us his children, all nine of us. But then there is more to God’s message: “Take you son, Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.” We could just imagine Abraham’s face drop in anguish. But he does not complain. Early the next day, he sets everything up, and as commanded, he obeys. It is not included in today’s selection, but at one point, while they going to the mountain, there was a conversation between Isaac and Abraham. “Father,” Isaac began. Affectionately, Abraham answered, “Yes, my son?” Isaac innocently asks, “I see that you have the coals and wood, but where is the lamb for sacrifice?” We could only imagine, this breaks Abraham’s heart, but not his faith, and he responds, “God himself will provide one.” And we know the rest of the story. God did not intend to have Isaac sacrificed. He was asking Abraham to sacrifice himself totally. Abraham obeyed, and for this he becomes the source of blessing for all nations.
Abraham here is a figure of God the Father who, as the Gospel of John tells us, “so loved the world that he sent his only Son so that all who will believe in him will have life.” At the same time, Abraham too is a figure of Jesus, who obeyed God’s will, even if it meant giving up what is most precious as Paul’s letter to the Philippians attest to: “Though he was in the form of God, Jesus did not deem equality with God, something to grasped at. Rather, he emptied himself, took the form of a slave, and accepted even death, death on the cross.”
Jesus accepted the will of God, not without human struggle. Remember that in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed, “Father, if possible, let this cup pass me.” But in the end, he submitted and obeyed, as he prayed, “But not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus knew what he was facing and so he intimated this to his disciples, who were of course incredulous, shocked and confused. “How can this man, whom we have followed and whom we think will lead us to defeat our oppressors talk about being arrested, tortured and killed? What is this all about? Where can we pin our hopes now?” These and many others could have been the confused questions of the disciples. And so Jesus brings three of them to a mountain. There, he transfigures before them. He shows them a glimpse of his glory. This was a revelation of who he is – that he is divine. It is thus an encouragement to the disciples that even though he will suffer and die, it will not be the end. Rather, there is glory that will come with it. Having revealed the glory of the Son, the Father speaks – “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”
Peter would have wanted that they stay in glory. But then, Jesus tells him that they have to go down the mountain, and face the command of the Father. They were to go down the mountain and obey the command of God, which will entail much difficulty, even persecution and death, but not without hope.
Today, we too are faced with the command of God – to turn to Jesus and to listen to him. There are many other voices. Often they are loud, forceful and dominant. There are voices telling us that this or that is what life is about, that this or that is what love is about, that this or that is what marriage is about, that this or that is what freedom is about, that this or that is the new and better way, that this or that is what consists of happiness, that this or that is what we should be and do. But there is only one voice that matters – Jesus. And this is what the Church echoes. It may be drowned, muffled, jammed, ridiculed by some, or even by many, but it still does not change the imperative. Jesus is God’s beloved Son. It is to him alone that we should listen. It is him alone whom we should obey.
As we continue with our Lenten journey, we pray for the gift of obedience – that we may listen to Jesus and obey only God’s will – even when unpopular, even when marginalized, even when ridiculed or labeled as outmoded, even when threatened by powers that be. We may be disdained by those whose values are of the world, but we know that true blessing can come only with obedience to God. Those who hold to the values of the world may consider us out of touch with trends, but what matters is that we are in touch with God’s will, and in the forthcoming, which is eternal, we will be justified.
The words of Paul in the second reading encourages us – “If God is with us, who can be against us? Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? Jesus, who is at the right hand of God intercedes for us.”
Have a holy Lent.