Last March 11, barely a few days into the Lenten Season, the Parish Pastoral Council and the Parish Youth Ministry, together with about 40 members of the youth and some parish elders, gathered around a bonfire for an evening of open discussion revolving mainly on the aspirations of the young people of the parish.
The Youth Forum, as it was called, was an offshoot of post-mortem evaluation of the participation of the youth in parish activities and projects. As an important and growing segment of the parish, the youth in the recent past had been involved in a number of activities and projects where their participation is needed. This has given rise to conflicting commitments and priorities among the different youth groups.
With this year as the Year of the Youth, this forum is a timely response to the Youth's clamor to give focus to their needs as a group and as a vital arm of the parish. With the joint efforts of the PPC, our parish priest and the youth leaders, this youth forum became a reality. The youth were given their day to be heard. They eagerly and candidly expressed their concerns, needs and aspirations which the parish elders appreciatively listened to.
After a long evening of open discussions, the gathering ended at close to midnight with a prayer of hope for the youth and their future in the parish continue to prosper.
In SLRP, the celebration of Lent began with the yearly Area Way of the Cross on March 12, the first Saturday immediately following Ash Wednesday. It is the parish's way of inviting all parishioners to participate in this season of sacrifice and prayer. Fourteen homes in Cruz Compound and Dona Faustina Village 1 were chosen to host each of the 14 stations in a symbolic re-enactment of Jesus passion, death and resurrection. In each station, there are prayers recited and a short narrative of the particular station is read to the congregation and after which Fr. Luke blesses the people. The parishioners journeyed on to the next station until all fourteen stations were visited. The Area Way of the Cross ends with the celebration of the Holy Mass followed by simple fellowship.
This continues on every Saturday of Lent as it is repeated in the other areas of the parish. The following areas followed after: St Dominic 4 last March 19 and UP Professors Subd last March 26. On April 2, it will be Tierra Verde 1 & 2 and finally, it will be the Friends of Sanlo's turn on April 16.
February 20, 2011 was a special Sunday for 17 Sunday School students.
For more than two years, 9 boys and 8 girls, ages ranging from 9 to 11 years old, prepared to receive their First Communion attending Sunday School classes on Catholic beliefs and basic prayers, moral s, and Christian behaviour from volunteer Sunday School catechists.
Hurdling Sunday School classes was not the only requirement. Each one had to submit their baptismal certificate to the parish office allowing them to receive two Sacraments: the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession and the Sacrament of First Communion. For those not yet baptized at the time of their First Communion, they were required to submit their birth certificate and a ‘no report certificate” from nearby parishes to allow them to receive three Sacraments: Baptism, First Confession and First Communion. All the first Communicants complied but a few Level 2 students could not and thus their First Communion was deferred.
The young boys came in white shirts and dark pants while the young girls wore white dresses and white veils crowned with white flowers. They led the procession at the start of the Holy Mass officiated by Fr. Luke, carrying lighted candles, and walking slowly towards their assigned pews as parents and parishioners clicked cameras to record the special event. At the time of Communion, each one came up the altar and individually knelt on a special pew flanked by lighted candles to receive for the first time the Holy Eucharist. It was a solemn event.
Parents beamed proudly at the sight of their children receiving the Holy Eucharist. Younger children in attendance envied their ates and kuyas. “Gusto ko rin mag-suot ng belo,” said one girl.
Weeks prior to this Sunday, catechists Ate Virgie, Ate Christy, and Ate Susan patiently prepared the young children for their first Confession and the rites of the Holy Eucharist. Extra Saturday classes were held to ensure the children were prepared spiritually. No less than Fr. Luke practiced the young Communicants on the rites a day before receiving the Sacrament. He also heard all their First Confessions a week before, each one ending their Confession silently, praying their penance at the Adoration Chapel.
At the same time the children were saying their first Confession, parents attended a short Recollection under Sr. Pilar, SRA and Sr. Ding, DM who instructed them on the significance of their children’s First Communion. Ate Virgie talked briefly on natural family planning and why the Church rejects the RH bill.
Parishioners are invited to send their children to SLRP’s Sunday School if attending non-sectarian schools. Sunday School classes this school year wind up on March 13.
February, known as the “Month of Hearts”, was indeed a perfect time as SLRP gave tribute to married couples of the parish who have celebrated forty years (Ruby) of married life and beyond.
Last February 13, 2011, a special mass was held honoring fifteen wonderful couples followed by a simple reception and program at the SLRP’s multi-purpose hall. They were treated to a nice buffet lunch and were serenaded by the CFC Choir which played the theme songs of these couples. The honorees were introduced and their secrets on how they were able to make their marriage last were revealed for all to learn from. They also reenacted their wedding day by signing the renewal of marriage vows followed by the ceremonial giving to each other a slice of the wedding cake. The day was remarkably a memorable one and ended with everyone in ecstatic mood. We salute these couples whose marriages had grown and deepened over time and have triumphantly overcome trials and hardships along the way.
At the same time, all married couples were blessed by Fr. Luke in all of the masses last Feb 12-13 and renewed their marriage vows in a simple ceremony.
This special event was spearheaded by Kuya Peter and Ate Lina Tamayo, Family Life Ministry Coordinators, with the support of the Community of Couples for Christ (CFC-FFL) which sponsored this event. The Pastoral Parish Council officers including the Ministry of Ushers and Greeters also contributed and extended their support to the success of the event. Being able to bring joy to the honorees gave us a sense of elation and delight and allowed us to give back glory to HIM who made all these possible.
January 19, 2011 was a blessed day for San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish. The parish church was again chosen for the ordination of the two Vietnamese deacons, Rev. Phong Tran and Rev. Quang Tran both from the Order of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (SCJ). This is the first sacerdotal ordination in the history of the young parish of San Lorenzo Ruiz.
The two deacons were ordained in solemn rites and ceremony officiated by His Most Reverend Antonio R. Tobias, D.D., Bishop of Novaliches. Joining in the celebration were 33 priests of different nationalities of the SCJ order, including our own parish priest, Fr. Luke Dobles, who prepared and assisted in the liturgy.
The families of the deacons came all the way from Vietnam to witness and participate in this special occasion. Seminarians were assigned as altar servers and one as a lector. An SLRP lay lector, Kuya Firms Gagute, served that day together with a psalmist from the invited choir, Bagong Silang San Roque choir.
Everyone was invited to join the lunch sponsored by the SCJ through the coordination of Ate Josie Cruz as requested by Fr. Vincent Herimanto, SCJ superior and Fr. Nonong Cabaluna,SCJ.
Many thanks to the Mother Butler Guild and to the Ministry of Ushers and Greeters for their assistance.
God bless Rev. Fr. Phong Tran, SCJ and Rev. Fr. Quang Tran, SCJ as we from SANLO pray for their continued dedication and love for their chosen vocation. They will be assigned to do missionary work back in Vietnam.
Now on its third year, the procession in honor of the Sto. Nino is the parish's thanksgiving to God for giving us the Christ child. Just like a newborn baby, this annual procession allows the Sto Nino to venture out of the confines of the church for a short walk around the parish and get some sunshine, according to Father Luke.
Amidst gray skies, a pleasantly cool breeze of January air and the rhythmic ati-atihan sound from a portable sound system, the procession wend its way through more areas of the parish this time around. This was the first time that parishioners of Cruz Compound and Dona Faustina I were blessed with the presence of the Sto Nino as it went through their areas. Marchers, especially the children, were given candies and cold drinks by homeowners along the route of the procession. It is nice to see that the number of Sto Nino images continues to grow every year.
Last Sunday, January 9 was a very special day in the life of San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish. After more than two decades of existence, this is the first time that the octogenarians, fondly called the Octogens, were honored in a very special way by the parish. This was conceptualized by Father Luke and executed by the PPC and the Worship Ministry as a simple yet meaningful expression of thanksgiving to those 80-year olds and above for all the sacrifices, hardwork and contributions to making the parish what it is today.
The day began with a special 10:00am mass for the octogenarians. There was a special prayer for them and, in a departure from traditional practice, they were given communion in their reserved seats. After the mass, they were treated to a special merienda ( of pancitfor a longer life) served by the altar servers, MBG and the SSDM. Ate Cora Pangyarihan, Ate Kate Geronimo, Kuya Nico Garcia and Kuya Anjo Santiago (on keyboards) serenaded the honorees with the songs the old folks were familiar with. They all went home with their individual souvenir of a mug containing a small San Lorenzo figurine and Enervon energy drink.
Long live the Octogens and may we see you in one of the parish's special activities in the future....a Centenarians' Day perhaps?
