Parish Remembers Ondoy One Year After

As a fitting remembrance of the fateful event one year ago, the Ministry of Mass Media, through the pastoral guidance of its parish priest, Fr. Luke, prepared a 5-minute audio-video presentation on Ondoy and its impact on our parish. The video captured the helplessness of the parish as flood waters inundated the church and its surroundings. Amidst the devastation wrought by Ondoy, it did not dampen the spirits of the people as they slowly cleaned up the damage caused by the typhoon.

One year after the fury of Ondoy, it was a different fiesta atmosphere that pervaded the parish as it celebrated God's bountiful blessings under clear skies and a festive atmosphere of songs, dances and prayers in thanksgiving. Throughout all masses on September 25 and 26, the video was played in commemoration of a people's resilience, courage and communitarian spirit as they rose from the ruins of the flood to rebuild the SLRP church, God's altar of thanksgiving and togetherness. In Fr. Luke's message in last Sunday's masses, he said and I paraphrase him, "Ondoy brought out the community spirit of the parishioners. Today, we have a new parish, with its ministries and organizations, working to continually build itself, a community helping one another in fraternal brotherhood."

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Bishop Tobias Officiates Novena Mass

By Ate Lina Feliciano

SLRP MBG Coordinator

As part of the 22nd Feast Day Celebration of our Patron Saint, SAN LORENZO RUIZ, a nine-day Novena mass was held in commemoration of his sufferings and martyrdom together with his companions. The 10:00 am Novena Mass started last July 25 and every Sunday thereafter with different ministries, sub-divisions and/or areas assigned as sponsors.

Last September 19, the ninth and final Novena Mass was sponsored by the MOTHER BUTLER GUILD together with some members of the Barangay Council of Culiat. It was officiated by Most Rev. Bishop Antonio Tobias and Rev. Fr. Luke Dobles as co-celebrant.

After the mass, the MBG members had lunch with the good Bishop and Fr. Luke at the Union Village residence of Kuya Tony and Ate Lina Feliciano. The lunch was the through the joint efforts of the host family and some officers of the MBG. Light and lively conversation centered on the coming barangay elections and the importance of the having a unified Catholic vote, though not necessarily through block voting, nor direct endorsement of any particular candidate. They also discussed the value of family relationships, especially the children. The Bishop expressed his desire to see them and had pictures taken with them and the host family.

The MOTHER BUTLER GUILD’s Officers and members together with PPC Coordinators Kuya Cesar and Ate Mayette Tiongson had souvenir photos taken with Bishop Tobias and Fr. Luke.

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SLRP Youth Camp - A Success

Last August 21, the 2010 Youth Camp of SLRP was held amidst a gloomy and overcast day. There were more than 60 participants, both from the parish and facilitators (faccies)from the Diocese of Novaliches and the parish of San Isidro Labrador who attended the one day affair. The camp began with the early morning trek from SLRP parish church to the camp ground at the Servants of Charity covered court in Centerville Subdivision, about two kilometers away.

Upon arrival, the participants were divided into small groups for the morning fun games (polvoron eating, amazing race) and teamworking activity (banner making). These served to put the youth at ease before the serious affairs later on. This took the first two hours of the morning after which breakfast of lugaw and juice was served the participants.

At about 9:30AM, the official Youth Camp began with the opening remarks of our parish priest, Fr. Luke and the inspirational message of PPC Chaircouple Kuya Cesar and Ate Mayette Tiongson. The rest of the morning was a chance for the youth groups to polish their cheers and present these to the body. The morning session ended with the announcement of the winners for the Best Banner and Best Cheer.

Nearing lunchtime, Kuya Al Yap, PYM adviser, gave his talk of encouragement for the participants. He mentioned the plans that were being lined up for the remainder of the year, particularly on the Youth Night for the coming fiesta celebration. This was followed after lunch by Kuya July, a member of the Diocesan Youth Ministry, who gave a talk on the plans and directions for the youth of the diocese.

In the afternoon, there were bonding activities spearheaded by the iLead teams from the vicariate and the diocese levels. Culminating the afternoon activities was the Holy Mass officiated by Fr. Luke. ending the formal session was the closing talk of Ate Mavic Montanez, another PYM adviser. Capping the event, all the participants, facilitators and organizers relaxed through singing songs of praise and dancing the night away with music provided by SLRP's own youth band, led by Kuya Mon Montanez.

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PPC Hosts Dinner for Father Luke on Parish Priest Day

Last Saturday, August 7, amidst the cold and wet evening of torrential rains from typhoon Ester, the PPC hosted dinner for Father Luke in celebration of Parish Priest Day. It was a novel dinner that warmed the hearts of everyone in attendance as the group ate at Mang Jimmy's, an offbeat eatery inside Balara's recreational park at the back of UP Diliman campus. According to word-of-mouth stories, the place serves delicious home-cooked food at very affordable prices and a regular hang-out of varsity basketball players, students, daily wage earners and the hoi polloi.


The group arrived at the venue almost 9pm already and dinner was served immediately, thanks to Ate Josie who went early that day and had the venue reserved. Food fare for the evening consisted of bulalo, grilled marlin (in butter sauce), inihaw na pusit, beefsteak, grilled pork chop, sauteed vegetables and leche flan for desert. But what was most enjoyable were the carefree and free-flowing conversations, stories, jokes and laughter about many topics that had nothing to do with parish work. One of the most hilarious discussions centered on a puzzle about beef and pork. The question was "Bakit ang sabaw ng bulalo ay mas masebo kaysa sa baboy na ang damo naman ang kinakain ng baka 'di gaya ng baboy na lahat kinakain?" The debate went on for a while with no definite conclusion. No one cared for the answer as long as each went home fully satiated.

The dinner ended with the group giving Father Luke a small token gift of a t-shirt, a paperweight and a small pillow.

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Senior Citizens Hold Special Day

By Aida Arines

Last July 31, Fr, Luke initiated a Senior Citizens Day which started with a Holy Mass at 6:30 am. There were about 30-40 senior citizens who attended the mass together with the regular church goers. Fr. Luke blessed everyone with holy water after the mass as he went around the massgoers.

A hearty breakfast meal of delicious macaroni soup, pandesal and coffee courtesy of Fr. Luke, was served by Fr. Luke himself. Ate Thelsa Tongol brought lugaw and Ate Lulu Visaya brought bananas too. Some of the pastoral workers helped serve the food as the elders enjoyed their meal.

For their entertainment, Ate Cora Pangyarihan serenaded them with songs of yesteryears accompanied by Anjo Santiago on keyboards. Both are from the Gospel choir. The senior citizens loved the music as they themselves joined in the singing of our popular Filipino love song “Dahil Sa ‘Yo.

The activity included bible/faith sharing facilitated by Ate Lulu Visaya, a senior citizen herself. There was also a film showing of the works/paintings of the late artist, Joey Velasco, with Fr. Luke explaining the meaning and relevance of his works.

Towards the end, Ate Fe Abarado shared her time by taking blood pressure readings of those who wished. She also distributed pedometers to the participants for healthy walking purposes.

This activity is just the start for them to enjoy their senior years as they eagerly await Fr. Luke's announcement of their next scheduled get together.

It's so good to see them all smile and enjoy one another's company!!!!

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Aug 15 - Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her earthly life is a defined dogma of the Catholic Church. The Feast of the Assumption, celebrated every year on August 15, is a very old feast of the Church, celebrated universally by the sixth century. It commemorates the death of Mary and her bodily assumption into Heaven, before her body could begin to decay--a foretaste of our own bodily resurrection at the end of time. Because it signifies the Blessed Virgin's passing into eternal life, it is the most important of all Marian feasts and a holy day of obligation.

The feast was originally celebrated in the East, where it is known as the Feast of the Dormition, a word which means "the falling asleep." The earliest printed reference to the belief that Mary's body was assumed into Heaven dates from the fourth century, in a document entitled "The Falling Asleep of the Holy Mother of God." The document recounts, in the words of the Apostle John, to whom Christ on the Cross had entrusted the care of His mother, the death, laying in the tomb, and assumption of the Blessed Virgin. Tradition places Mary's death at Jerusalem or at Ephesus, where John was living.

On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII, exercising papal infallibility, declared in "Munificentissimus Deus" that it is a dogma of the Church "that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory." As a dogma, the Assumption is a required belief of all Catholics; anyone who publicly dissents from the dogma, Pope Pius declared, "has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith."

While the Eastern Orthodox believe in the Dormition, they object to the papal definition of the dogma, seeing it as unnecessary, since belief in Mary's bodily assumption, tradition holds, goes back to apostolic times.

Scott P. Richert

Catholicism Guide

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SLRP Attends Vicariate Orientation

by Kuya Al Yap

Last Thursday, July 29, amidst strong rains and flash floods, the Vicariate of San Isidro Labrador held its vicariate orientation as part of the overall diocesan initiative to streamline the organization and communication within the diocese, its vicariates and parishes.

The orientation was conducted by Rev. Fr. Tony Labiao, the Vicar General for Pastoral Affairs of the Diocese of Novaliches. He gave an overview of what a parish is and its interrelation with the larger communities such as the vicariate and the diocese itself. He also expounded on the direction of the diocese in creating and fostering more effective and parish-attuned pastoral teams. Foremost in Fr. Tony's presentation was the focus of the diocesan pastoral setup on the creation and sustenance of Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) throughout the diocese. He also emphasized the diocesan direction-setting role in guiding the pastoral projects and activities of the parishes. He then presented the various recommended organizational setup (ministries and organizations) for the vicariate and pastoral teams.

A workshop immediately followed after Fr. Tony's presentation. Breaking up the participants from the different parishes in the vicariate into eight groups ( the Worship Ministry, Educational Ministry, Youth Ministry, Family Life Ministry, Temporalities, Social Services Ministry, BEC and PPC Leaders), they were asked to look at their particular ministry, discuss its current status and identify programs and projects that can be jointly pursued in line with the vicariate pastoral objectives. A representative from each ministry was asked to present these to the body after which they were submitted to the diocese for consolidation and reporting.

It was a successful and productive meeting for all representatives of the different parishes in the vicariate, especially with the full support and presence of all of the parish priests. PPC officers and ministry representatives from the parishes of Our Lady of the Annunciation, Jesus Lord of Divine Mercy, San Isidro Labrador, San Lorenzo Ruiz and the host, Our Lady of Consolation were in attendance.

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