A TELEVISION program aimed at evangelizing the family on the power of the Word of God to transform a person’s life is currently on broadcast in two major TV stations, NBN Channel 4 and RPN 9.
“Power to Unite,” as the program title suggests, also aims to unite people of different persuasions through common understanding of the Bible.
“We are all one, we have the same God, why should we fight?” asked Elvira Go, host of the program.
Go who is also the chairperson of the National Catholic Family Bible Quiz (NCFBQ), says the show is the fruit of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Conceptualized by the NCFBQ Secretariat, the program made its maiden debut on NBN Channel 4 September of this year with a weekly episode aired every Tuesday evening at 7:00-7:30.
Meanwhile, RPN 9 is airing the program with two episodes each the whole month of December three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at 4:30-5:30 PM.
In magazine format, the program tackles relevant topics that concern family life and
social issues based on Chapter 13 of St. Paul’s letter on the Corinthians, which is love.
The show features different bishops who expound on the theme of each episode. Families who won the NCFBQ also appear as guests not only to showcase their singing prowess but also to give testimony to God’s providential love as they experience it in their lives.
Go admits having no background at all in production and broadcasting, nonetheless, she accepted the challenge of producing a TV show as a ministry inspired by God.
And indeed, despite the lack of material resources, the good will was never lacking. Go said friends just came forward and offered their services for free.
A deeply religious woman, Go sees the hand of God in every decision she made. She conceptualized the bible quiz and ventured to produce a TV show later on to make families become aware of the power of the Word.
Family Bible Quiz
The idea of organizing a bible quiz came from a friend who encouraged Go to pursue the project. Wanting to put her idea to the test Go presented her project to different bishops asking their opinion and guidance.
She said she was able to come out with the bible quiz because “the Holy Spirit used these people to guide me,” Go said, referring to the bishops.
Forty-four dioceses joined the first national bible quiz in 2004. The 2007 quiz had 67 dioceses with 384 families.
“Why is my advocacy the family? Because I always believe everything starts with the family,” explained Go, when asked why she specifically thought of involving the family in the bible quiz.
NFBQC is in close partnership with the Episcopal Commission on Biblical Apostolate (ECBA) in organizing the families of champions to become deeply rooted in the Bible.
The goal is to organize 20 families of champions who will later on become evangelizers of the Word to other families.
To date, eight families of champions have already undergone a retreat facilitated by ECBA Executive Secretary Fr. Oscar Alunday, SVD.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
CBCP head: Put God at the heart of Christmas
JESUS should be at the core of our Advent and Christmas celebration, a high-ranking Church official said.
Jaro Archbishop and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Most Rev. Angel Lagdameo stressed it is important to put Jesus at the center of our festivities during the Christmas season.
The Advent season, although a time of waiting for the coming of the Lord is being celebrated as if it is already Christmas, observed Lagdameo.
But he lamented saying that in the midst of frenetic activities people tend to forget the reason for the celebration.
“Jesus seems no longer a part of our Christmas parties during the Advent and Christmas season,” Lagdameo noted. “And yet without Jesus, all our festivities, gift-giving, decorations, Christmas carols are without meaning,” he added.
We celebrate Christmas every year, the prelate said, to remind us of God who decided to be with us (Emmanuel).
He said Jesus had embraced the nitty-gritty of human existence, so that man may learn from him how it is to become fully human.
“He lived among us, laughed and cried like us, showing us how it is to be truly human yet totally attuned to God,” said Lagdameo.
Glimpse of hope
In the face of natural calamities and social ills people have to endure nowadays, the season of Advent and Christmas nonetheless instills hope in the hearts of the faithful.
The Advent season―four weeks of preparation before Christmas—is a period of waiting for the coming of the Lord.
“We always ask God to come and change the world… to free our world from poverty, violence and war…to make us more concerned of other people, our environment and country,” Lagdameo said
“Our prayer for the season of advent is come Lord Jesus, be with us… heal our land,” he added.
Materialistic mentality
Not a few Church leaders have called on the faithful not to lose sight of the reason for the season.
Without understanding the reason of the celebration, then it become shallow and materialistic, Lagdameo said.
Kalookan bishop Deogracias Iniguez earlier noted how commercialized the celebration of Christmas has become.
Just recently the Holy Father made the same observation in his address to the pilgrims gathered at St. Peter’s Square on December 9.
He urged them to open their hearts to welcome God and not allow the materialistic mentality to dominate their hearts. Reflecting on the day’s gospel, he said: “Through the Gospel, John the Baptist continues to speak through the centuries, to each generation.”
“His clear and harsh words, I agree, are much healthier for us, men and women of our time, where the way of life and frequent perception of Christmas unfortunately suffers from a materialistic mentality,” the pope said.
Jaro Archbishop and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Most Rev. Angel Lagdameo stressed it is important to put Jesus at the center of our festivities during the Christmas season.
The Advent season, although a time of waiting for the coming of the Lord is being celebrated as if it is already Christmas, observed Lagdameo.
But he lamented saying that in the midst of frenetic activities people tend to forget the reason for the celebration.
“Jesus seems no longer a part of our Christmas parties during the Advent and Christmas season,” Lagdameo noted. “And yet without Jesus, all our festivities, gift-giving, decorations, Christmas carols are without meaning,” he added.
We celebrate Christmas every year, the prelate said, to remind us of God who decided to be with us (Emmanuel).
He said Jesus had embraced the nitty-gritty of human existence, so that man may learn from him how it is to become fully human.
“He lived among us, laughed and cried like us, showing us how it is to be truly human yet totally attuned to God,” said Lagdameo.
Glimpse of hope
In the face of natural calamities and social ills people have to endure nowadays, the season of Advent and Christmas nonetheless instills hope in the hearts of the faithful.
The Advent season―four weeks of preparation before Christmas—is a period of waiting for the coming of the Lord.
“We always ask God to come and change the world… to free our world from poverty, violence and war…to make us more concerned of other people, our environment and country,” Lagdameo said
“Our prayer for the season of advent is come Lord Jesus, be with us… heal our land,” he added.
Materialistic mentality
Not a few Church leaders have called on the faithful not to lose sight of the reason for the season.
Without understanding the reason of the celebration, then it become shallow and materialistic, Lagdameo said.
Kalookan bishop Deogracias Iniguez earlier noted how commercialized the celebration of Christmas has become.
Just recently the Holy Father made the same observation in his address to the pilgrims gathered at St. Peter’s Square on December 9.
He urged them to open their hearts to welcome God and not allow the materialistic mentality to dominate their hearts. Reflecting on the day’s gospel, he said: “Through the Gospel, John the Baptist continues to speak through the centuries, to each generation.”
“His clear and harsh words, I agree, are much healthier for us, men and women of our time, where the way of life and frequent perception of Christmas unfortunately suffers from a materialistic mentality,” the pope said.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Claretians launch Hope Center
CLARETIAN Missionaries opened today its first Hope Center at Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City in a simple but meaningful ceremony led by Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams.
The Hope Center, a communication center that caters to various spiritual and pastoral needs of people through spiritual books and other means, has a specific thrust—to be a place where hope is nurtured and shared.
Fr. Benedict Dilag, CMF, CHCFI Executive Director explained the Center’s mission, saying it aims to be a place where young people can come together and feel accepted and cared for.
“We desire to make it possible for them to feel that they belong in our center’s community, which does all things at all times in a loving, dignified, Christ-like manner,” said Fr. Dilag.
According to Fr. Dilag, people today especially the youth have this desire to deepen their spirituality, strengthen their relationship with God, and find solutions to their problems.
“Our heart is for the center to be a blessing on the secular marketplace, to infuse the lives of young people and their generation with hope, and to help them realize that our love-in-action approach is a reflection of God’s life-changing love,” he added.
In the Hope Center, young people both Catholic and non-Catholic can have the opportunities to explore various means available for receiving and communicating the Word of God. Spiritual books, magazines, periodicals, audio-visual materials, software and the internet are available to satisfy one’s quest for wisdom and knowledge.
The Center also has an audio-visual display, coffee lounge, an internet café, e-loading counter, and religious giftshop. It has a private corner for counseling and a prayer room where one can pray and meditate.
With the launching of the Hope Center, the Claretians are not merely opening a new bookstore but going beyond the usual way of proclaiming the Good News, Fr. Dilag said.
Present during the launching were the CMF Provincial, Fr. Renato Manubag, the Provincial Council, the Board of Directors of Claretian Communication Foundation Inc. (CCFI) and Claretian Hope Center Foundation Inc. (CHCFI), and Religious Men and Women, friends and collaborators of Claretian Missionaries.
The Hope Center, a communication center that caters to various spiritual and pastoral needs of people through spiritual books and other means, has a specific thrust—to be a place where hope is nurtured and shared.
Fr. Benedict Dilag, CMF, CHCFI Executive Director explained the Center’s mission, saying it aims to be a place where young people can come together and feel accepted and cared for.
“We desire to make it possible for them to feel that they belong in our center’s community, which does all things at all times in a loving, dignified, Christ-like manner,” said Fr. Dilag.
According to Fr. Dilag, people today especially the youth have this desire to deepen their spirituality, strengthen their relationship with God, and find solutions to their problems.
“Our heart is for the center to be a blessing on the secular marketplace, to infuse the lives of young people and their generation with hope, and to help them realize that our love-in-action approach is a reflection of God’s life-changing love,” he added.
In the Hope Center, young people both Catholic and non-Catholic can have the opportunities to explore various means available for receiving and communicating the Word of God. Spiritual books, magazines, periodicals, audio-visual materials, software and the internet are available to satisfy one’s quest for wisdom and knowledge.
The Center also has an audio-visual display, coffee lounge, an internet café, e-loading counter, and religious giftshop. It has a private corner for counseling and a prayer room where one can pray and meditate.
With the launching of the Hope Center, the Claretians are not merely opening a new bookstore but going beyond the usual way of proclaiming the Good News, Fr. Dilag said.
Present during the launching were the CMF Provincial, Fr. Renato Manubag, the Provincial Council, the Board of Directors of Claretian Communication Foundation Inc. (CCFI) and Claretian Hope Center Foundation Inc. (CHCFI), and Religious Men and Women, friends and collaborators of Claretian Missionaries.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
South East Asia Major Superiors hold Congress in Tagaytay
THE South East Asia Major Superiors (SEAMS) representing six South East Asian countries held its XIII congress in St. Scholastica’s Center of Spirituality, Tagaytay City last November 19-25 reflecting on the theme “Religious Formation for Asia Today.”
The congress provided a venue for delegates to assess their own current formation programs and led them to a greater awareness on the challenges of religious formation in Asia today. Likewise, the congress gave participants the chance to find out various means available to formators to develop effective formation programs.
Most Rev. Luis Antonio Tagle of Imus diocese delivered the keynote address at the religious gathering. Other resource persons were Bro. Aidan Kilty, FSC who spoke on “Initial Formation: Inculturated Formation – an ‘affair of the heart’”, and Sr. Leticia Garcia, DC on “On-Going Formation: Accompanying Religious in Life’s Development Stages.”
Organized by the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP), the congress was attended by 111 participants, 31 of which were official delegates from the Major Superiors’ Conferences of South East Asia. Other participants were observers from major superiors and formators of member countries.
SEAMS is composed of seven Conferences that include Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, East Timor and the Philippines. Smaller countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei are grouped into one Conference.
The organization acts as a coordinating body of men and women major superiors of religious congregations in South East Asia. It serves as a support group for the major superiors of the region through sharing and updating, expression of common aspirations and finding effective means and ways to spread the Gospel of justice, peace and love to the people they are called to serve.
The one-week congress concluded with delegates expressing through a common statement their renewed commitment to their specific mission of “animating initial and on-going formation in the hope that the religious may reveal the Asian face of Jesus Christ today.”
SEAMS holds congress every three years to establish course of action for the fulfillment of its goals and objectives.
The congress provided a venue for delegates to assess their own current formation programs and led them to a greater awareness on the challenges of religious formation in Asia today. Likewise, the congress gave participants the chance to find out various means available to formators to develop effective formation programs.
Most Rev. Luis Antonio Tagle of Imus diocese delivered the keynote address at the religious gathering. Other resource persons were Bro. Aidan Kilty, FSC who spoke on “Initial Formation: Inculturated Formation – an ‘affair of the heart’”, and Sr. Leticia Garcia, DC on “On-Going Formation: Accompanying Religious in Life’s Development Stages.”
Organized by the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP), the congress was attended by 111 participants, 31 of which were official delegates from the Major Superiors’ Conferences of South East Asia. Other participants were observers from major superiors and formators of member countries.
SEAMS is composed of seven Conferences that include Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, East Timor and the Philippines. Smaller countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei are grouped into one Conference.
The organization acts as a coordinating body of men and women major superiors of religious congregations in South East Asia. It serves as a support group for the major superiors of the region through sharing and updating, expression of common aspirations and finding effective means and ways to spread the Gospel of justice, peace and love to the people they are called to serve.
The one-week congress concluded with delegates expressing through a common statement their renewed commitment to their specific mission of “animating initial and on-going formation in the hope that the religious may reveal the Asian face of Jesus Christ today.”
SEAMS holds congress every three years to establish course of action for the fulfillment of its goals and objectives.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)