Saturday, November 24, 2007

Talks on Christian formation series slated

A LECTURE aimed to deepen the faith formation of Catholics on the aspects of devotion and worship is slated on December 5 and 6 to be held at San Carlos Pastoral Formation Complex of the San Carlos Seminary and San Beda College, Alabang, respectively.

Now on its third series, the lecture will have Advent Recollection as topic, in time for the Church’s new liturgical season about to begin.

Resource speakers for the lecture are Fr. Angelo S. Legal, OSB, Director of General Administrative and Services of San Beda College, Alabang and Dr. Josefina Manabat, SLD, Dean of Graduate School of Liturgy of San Beda College, Mendiola.

The speakers will discuss the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany cycle and expound on popular practices like the lighting of the Advent wreath and mounting of a Belen.

Organizers hope to draw participants to understand more deeply “how the celebration of the Christmas mystery can be a transforming experience of Christ’s presence and action in our present history as it was in the past.”

The seminar will conclude with a short advent prayer service.

The lecture is organized by San Beda College, through its Office of Christian Formation, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Liturgical Affairs of the Archdiocese of Manila.

Started in September this year the first lecture tackled the topic on the Blessed Virgin Mary. The second dwelt on the celebration of “Todos Los Santos.” Both lectures were given by Father Genaro Diwa of the Ministry of Liturgical Affairs of the Archdiocese of Manila and Fr. Anscar Chupungco, OSB, Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Liturgy (CBCP).

San Beda College Office of Christian Formation says the lecture series will go on till 2008. Already scheduled in its calendar are lectures on Sto. Niño slated in January and another one for the Lenten season.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

CBCP office confers awards to prison volunteers

THE Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) conferred Gawad Paglilingkod Award to outstanding volunteer workers who have distinguished themselves in prison ministry.

The awarding ceremony was held last October 27 at Christ the King Parish in Greenmeadows, Quezon City during the Eucharistic celebration presided by Bishop Pedro Arigo, ECPPC chair, in observance of Prison Awareness Sunday.

This year’s awardees led by Novaliches Bishop-emeritus Teodoro Bacani, included 103 individuals and organizations from 18 arch/dioceses in the country.

Bishop Bacani was cited for his meritorious service rendered to the Commission, especially in celebrating masses for the prisoners and hearing their confessions.

ECPPC also posthumously conferred awards to Joven Velasco and Rakel Naval, who have helped the Commission in its campaign to abolish the death penalty.

Likewise, Mercee Rodriguez had been cited for her 30 years of unqualified service to the Commission.

ECPPC Executive Secretary Rudy Diamante said the award is given not merely to extol the meritorious services rendered by volunteers but more to highlight the spirit that moves them to do so.

He pointed out that it is important to stress that a sense of idealism and mission still do exist even as we live in a highly cutthroat and materialistic society.

“…In a world that has become increasingly competitive, idealism and sense of mission still exist… that [still] prevail despite the materialistic context of the workplace,” said Diamante in a statement.

“This is something which cannot be measured,” he further said.

Diamante likewise named two essential factors, the sense of mission and vision; that spur on volunteers to spend time and resources helping improve the conditions of prisoners in the country.

Envisioning a society where love, peace and harmony prevail, according to Diamante obliges everyone to carry a mission—“a mission of healing the wounded, as well as the wound caused by relationships that have broken down.”

ECPPC advocates restorative justice, the kind of justice that upholds and restores the human dignity of both victim and offender.

The award, which was first given in 1992, serves as a challenge to all to pursue the vision and mission for which it was begun.

“May those who are chosen to represent us serve as inspiration and models,” Diamante concluded.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Peace exhibit brings inspiring message of hope

A ‘TRAVELING EXHIBIT’ dubbed ‘Dear Peace’ will tour different schools and Church venues in Cebu and Mindanao on November 12-19, in an effort to promote hope and build cultural understanding between Christians and Muslims.

The exhibit, conveying an inspiring message of hope from the perspective of Christian and Muslim high school students shows paintings done by young students, as well as photographs and writings.

An essential part of the exhibit is a video documentary, an output of 29 Christian and Muslim students who participated in a Peace Camp organized by Communications Foundations for Asia (CFA) in Taytay, Rizal sometime in May 2006.

CFA organized the Peace Camp in collaboration with the Bishop-Ulama Conference, CBCP Episcopal Commission on Inter-religious Dialogue, National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Young Moro Professionals’ Network and the Ramon Avanceña High School (RAHS).

RAHS in Quiapo, is one of few public high schools in Metro Manila that has a significant number of Christian and Muslim students.

The documentary had its first screening at the RAHS conference room last September 21, during the celebration of International Day of Peace.

CFA President Fr. Filoteo Pelingon, MSC, praised the efforts being done by the students, saying that the nation’s current problems would be easier to solve if only people can see and understand through young people’s eyes.

He also emphasized the need “to discover one’s own light in order to be able to relate with one another in compassion, understanding and peace.”

CFA Executive director Teresita Hermano said forums and workshops that followed after the Peace Camp strengthened the positive outcome of the gathering.
She also said they hope to continue the interfaith project to promote peace and understanding.

CFA has opened the exhibit in public middle of October at Robinson’s Galleria in Ortigas. Likewise, it has also been shown at Titus Brandsma Centre in Cubao, at Focolare Mariapolis Peace in Tagaytay and at CFA in Sta. Mesa.

The exhibit aimed to create greater awareness on how young people of different faiths can come together and work for peace.