Lenten Recollection 2014

Austerity and simplicity characterized this year’s thematic celebration of the Lent. This is a clear break from the dramatic and pageant-like interpretation of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ of the past.

Last March 28, 2014, Rev. Fr. Noel Azupardo, the recollection speaker, impressed in his talk the new direction of the Diocese where participation of the faithful, rather than just being observers, in the Lenten activities should be the norm. He continued to explain the different activities and rituals in the observance of Lent, from the imposition of the ashes on Ash Wednesday to the blessings of the palms on Palm Sunday to the washing of the feet, the veneration of the Cross and Great Easter Vigil of the Paschal Triduum.

According to Fr. Noel, when we have the ashes imposed on us, we commit ourselves to follow Christ through his suffering, death and eventual resurrection. When we have our palms blessed and enter the church on Palm Sunday, we make a solemn commitment that we shall be with Christ every step of the way. That is the reason why the new emphasis is on participation where we sacrifice with him through the heat of summer as we recall his great love for us.

In closing, he said that the Lenten celebrations must be rooted in the truthful adherence to the liturgical teachings sans drama and pageantry.

Year of the Laity Launched in SLRP

Last Sunday, March 23, 2014, the parish formally launched the Year of the Laity (YOL) during the 10:00AM mass by Father JB Abellana together with the PPC EXECOM. FJB read the Bishop’s promulgation after which the PPC Chaircouple, Kuya Tony and Ate Lina Feliciano, unveiled the YOL banner in front of the congregation. PPC Asst Chaircouple Kuya Peter and Ate Lina Tamayo then read the explanation of the YOL.

FJB, in his homily, exhorted the laity on their role as active participants in the spiritual life of the parish and that without them, no matter how good the parish priest may be, the parish will not thrive. He emphasized that it is the active and communal participation of the laity that will make the parish a vibrant community serving and building one another as it journeys towards building God’s kingdom.

After the homily, FJB then proceeded to install the PPC EXECOM, the Heads of the different Commissions and the  Ministry Heads. They then professed their commitment to serve the parish in their capacity as lay leaders and promote Gospel evangelization throughout the parish. After Communion, Kuya Tony Feliciano led the Litany of Gratitude while Ate Lina Feliciano delivered their message for the occasion. A simple meal at the St. Joseph Hall followed. 

Visita Iglesia 2014

This year’s Visita Iglesia took SLRP parioshioners to a spiritual journey through Pampanga’s old and historic churches. It was on March 22, 2014 that two buses of pilgrims took on this spiritual journey in preparation for Lent and a meaningful reflection of Christ’s passion and death.

There were six churches ( San Guillermo in Bacolor, Santiago Apostol in Betis, Sta Lucia in Sasmuan, San Agustin in Lubao, San Fernando Metropolitan Cathedral in San Fernando and Holy Rosary in Angeles) and a chapel (Chapel of Poor Clares in Betis) that made up this 2014 pilgrimage. Each church had its own history and appeal to the participants.

San Guillermo’s massive structure was half-covered with lahar during the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the 1990s. As one enters (the main entrance which was once the choir loft on the second floor), he is at once brought into nature’s awesome power. As our guide told us, the church was buried in 6 meters (or almost 19 feet) of lahar. And yet, through the sheer perseverance and faith of the people, they were able to restore the church and continue to provide for the spiritual needs of its parishioners.

The next church was Santiago Apostol in Betis which has been compared to the Sistine Chapel in Rome because of its wall-to-ceiling-to-wall murals and paintings providing a rich tableau of biblical events. Its wooden floor also gave that special atmosphere of being ancient yet homey feeling for prayer and meditation. A church representative also provided some highlights into the church’s colorful past.

The Chapel of Poor Clares, home of the reclusive nuns of St. Clare, provides a quiet, serene yet richly spiritual atmosphere away from the noise of main street. It’s well maintained gardens also provided a nice meditative atmosphere. It was at this chapel that prayer intentions were given by the participants to the nuns for intercession through a special room where one can drop them into a slot in the wall without direct contact with the nuns.

Then we proceeded to Sta Lucia church in Sasmuan where the church was the beautiful juxtapositioning of the old and modern in architecture construction for all to marvel at. It was here where a miraculous relic of the saint is kept and where, on her feast day in December, masses are said almost on a 24-hour basis starting on the eve of the feast due to large number of devotees.

A short hop and we were at the cavernous San Agustin church in Lubao. It was here where the pilgrims broke for lunch. After a hearty meal, prayers were said inside the church and many went to pay reverence to the relics of St. Augustine of Hippo  and that of his mother, St. Monica, located in a special sanctuary.

The next stop was  the Metropolitan Cathedral in San Fernando which  is the bishopric seat of the Diocese of San Fernando. The cathedral had just finished its renovation of its main altar. A deacon was gracious enough to give the pilgrims a brief overview of the cathedral and the activities of the diocese. 

The last stop on this pilgrimage was the Holy Rosary church in Angeles City. With its iconic twin spires, the church showcases its Gothic influence in this part of the country. Its interior is of a rich historical and cultural mix of tableaus and ornate design.

Each church provide the pilgrims with its own unique experience, rich in history, culture and spirituality that shows one the grandeur of God’s magnificence and splendor.

It was unfortunate that Fr. JB, our parish priest, was not able to join as he was indisposed. However, through God’s benevolence, a priest by the same name,Fr. John Bosco, who comes from China, and joined the pilgrimage, was there to say mass and give his blessings to all after prayers in each church.

SLRP has visited most of the churches in the provinces around Metro Manila. Where then will it be next year……Bohol, any one?

SLRP Celebrates Parish Night

Parish Night 2013 was different this year for many reasons. For one, it was the first under the term of Father JB. For another, it was held for the first time at the SLRP Formation Center, and lastly, this was the first time that Parish Night fell right on the feast day of our patron saint. And what a way to end all the fiesta activities than with the parish workers giving their all in a night of talent and good ole fun as SLRP’s Got Talent got underway.

 Parish Night lived up to expectations as the young and old, religious and laity, gave all they got. From the invocation, through the song and dance numbers of the Religious and the different ministries and organizations, Parish Night proved that indeed SLRP’s got loads of talent. Even FJB gave an impromptu rendition of “Ikaw” and accompanied himself on the keyboards for “Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak”. Everyone was so entertained that they stayed until the close of the program, and in fact the program which ended at 10PM seemed too short.

 Those who performed that evening included the Sunday School Kids and the Junior Legionaires; the Religious Sisters of the SRA, ASC and DM and the seminarians of the SCJ; the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion; the Knights of Columbus; the BRC/LoM/Catechetical Ministry; the Ministry of Altar Servers; the MBG; the MMM and Parish Youth Ministry; the SSDM;  and the Music Ministry. Surprise numbers were rendered by Fr. JB, the Singles for Christ and Ate Cora Pangyarihan. Kuya Peter Tamayo gave the opening remarks while Ate Bel Geronimo gave the closing remarks. Ate Nova Villa and Kuya Anton Mamawag served as emcees.

 

Bishop Bacani Presides Over The Fiesta High Mass

As the parish woke up on September 22, its fiesta day, it was greeted by dark clouds and incessant rains which continued from the previous day. At about 7AM, just when the Caracol procession was about to start, thick clouds still covered the heavens and the rains continued to pour. The procession was cancelled and the Caracol was moved to the Formation Center. Guest dancers from Bulacan, in their bright yellow Maria Clara costumes, gamely danced to the beat while FJB and the different ministries and organizations took turns in dancing around the image of San Lorenzo Ruiz.  Those who were not dancing were treated to free food prepared and donated by the different ministries and organizations.

At 10:30 AM, with Bishop Ted Bacani as the main celebrant, the fiesta high mass got underway. Concelebrating with him were FJB and Fr. Apol Arpala, OFM. In his homily, the bishop imparted his message on our responsibility towards one another, on our responsibility for the gifts and talents God has given to us, and on our responsibility as stewards of God’s resources.

 After the mass, the bishop had lunch with the PPC Officers at the parish convent and reminisced on the early days of the Diocese of Novaliches which he headed for a time. Bishop Ted Bacani is the Bishop Emeritus and the first bishop of the diocese. He last visited the parish in November 2002 when he presided at the installation mass of then parish priest Fr. Pong del Rosario.

A Night to Remember

By Ate Cora Pangyarihan

September 13, 2013 was a Friday - Friday the 13th, bad luck for the superstitious.  But not for the Parish of San Lorenzo. For weeks everyone involved in the Dinner Dance for a Cause Fund Raising project headed by our very own Think Tank Group was busy with the preparations - from the selling of tickets to the decoration of the venue, to the food, music and the program itself. Everyone got busy for one goal, to raise funds for the Parish Fiesta activities. The bonus was, it was so much fun to dance the night away!

 Filled with eager dancers young and old, the Formation Center was booming with music from the 60s, 70s and 80s courtesy of Stage Elements Sounds and Lights and decorated by the creative team of the Youth Ministry headed by Nico Garcia.  Serving the plated dinner were the courteous waiters from Sanghaya Catering. The event was hosted by Kuya Peter Tamayo, Ate Josie Cruz, and Angela Bautista.

It was so much fun seeing everyone groove to the music, enjoying every song played by the DJ, with Fr. JB dancing with all of us . Adding  to the excitement were the prizes for the best dancers of the night:  two couples who were invited guests of fellow parishioners, one from MBG, and of course, Fr. Matthew of the SCJ!

It was really a night to remember, with everyone contributing to its success!

Fr Aris Talks on the Church Community

Last March 2, the Vicariate of San Isidro Labrador, where SLRP belongs, held its first general assembly for 2012 hosted by the Parish of Our Lady of Consolation.

The main speaker for this assembly was Fr. Aris de Leon, parish priest of the Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in Camarin. His talk was about the church community and its hierarchy. According to Fr. Aris, each of us as an individual belongs to a family and to a larger community. Similarly, the same is true for us Catholics. A family of parishes make up a vicariate and is under the authority of the Vicar Forane. A family of vicariates make up a diocese, under the authority of the bishop. Finally, we have the Universal Church, headed by the pope.

He emphasized that the life of the catholic community is centered on the parish and the vicariate and that it is necessary for a well-functioning community to have its members know one another, work together well and help each other grow. He then ended his talk by asking each and every one present to go to each and every participant and greet each one and get their names.

During the second half of the assembly, the participants were asked to group themselves by ministries and discuss one or two projects they would like to accomplish for this year.

SLRP PREX Weekend Seminar Moving On

By Ate Bel Geronimo, PREX Secretariat

If we really let God take over, with faith through obedience and piety, everything will proceed even beyond our expectations. After the sponsoring class, PREX 94 dwindled to but a handful, the prospects for the succeeding class at first did not seem too encouraging. But armed with a lot of prayers and God’s grace, in the presence of the ever-reliable and hardworking auxiliaries, Fr. Luke and the people who continue to support it, PREX No. 95 went on successfully as scheduled on February 24 – 26, 2012.

Kuya Ed and Ate Hermie Chua acted as Lead Couple, Kuya Joi and Ate Cecil Lumba as Asst. Lead and Kuya Toto and Ate Cel as Understudy Asst. Lead with the rest of the Prex Secretariat overseeing the smooth flow of the activities.

PREX No. 95 yielded a harvest of 23 graduates, the highest since PREX resumed in November 2011. Hopefully and by faith this batch would mean more workers in the Lord’s vineyard. The PREX Secretariat would like to thank everyone who contributed their Time, Talent and Treasure to make PREX 95 truly a success.

For those who are wondering what PREX is all about, we are inviting you to attend PREX No. 96 scheduled in May 24- 26, 2012. “Let’s keep the promise of God’s word before our eyes and that will keep our hope up and we will see our desire to pass.”

Parish Launches Silver Jubilee Slogan

With the start of the Advent season, the parish formally began its preparations for its Silver Jubilee anniversary this coming September 2012 with the launching of the Slogan-writing contest. The slogan will be the unifying theme for all activities related to the jubilee year.

Over 50 entries were received by the organizers and the committee had a difficult time assessing the most appropriate slogan that captures the mission and vision for the parish.

The announcement of the final slogan was made at the Christmas Eve mass. Although there was no single entry selected, the committee decided to award those who participated, in recognition of their efforts, as many of the entries were submitted anonymously. They were given certificates of appreciation during the same mass.

The committee finally came up with the theme for our jubilee year helped greatly by all the entries received. It goes:

San Lorenzo Ruiz: Sanlibong buhay...minsa'y ini-alay, hangaring isabuhay!

Fr. Luke Installs New Parish Leaders

Last November 20, 2011, on the Feast of Christ the King, the new set of parish leaders were installed by Fr. Luke at the 10AM mass. The following PPC EXECOM members were commissioned:

PPC Chaircouple—Kuya Tony & Ate Lina Feliciano
PPC Asst Chaircouple—Kuya Peter & Ate Lina Tamayo
PPC Secretary—Ate Bel Geronimo
PPC Auditor—Kuya Vic Vianzon

Ate Tess Virata, the PPC Treasurer, could not make it due to a previous commitment.

Members and head of special committees on Contructions and Renovation and the Events Coordination (in preparation for the 25th Jubilee anniversary of the parish next year), were also installed. The members of the Construction and Renovation Committee are Kuya Cesar Tiongson— Administrator, Kuya Laya Victoria—Technical and Kuya Al Yap— Finance. Ate Josie Cruz heads the Special Events.

The newly appointed leaders signed their appointment papers at the altar.

Before the end of the mass, the outgoing PPC Chaircouple, Kuya Cesar and Ate Mayette Tiongson and the incoming Chaircouple, gave a few words to the parishioners.

Pilgrimage to Regina RICA in Tanay

Last Saturday, October 22, 2011 was another memorable day for SLRP. After a couple of weeks of preparation, back-and-forth meetings and an ocular visit, the pilgrimage to Regina RICA (Regina Rosarii Institute for Contemplation in Asia) in the hills of Tanay, Rizal pushed through. About 100 parishioners filling two tourist buses joined the trip which included visits to the St. Jerome Parish Church in Morong and the St. Joseph Parish church in Baras, both old churches in Rizal province.

The pilgrims left SLRP a little after six in the morning and arrived at the pilgrimage site about 3 hours later due to the slow climb up picturesque Marcos Highway and a wrong turn at a town in Sampaloc, Tanay. With more than an hour's delay, the organizers made hurried adjustments in the schedule.

At Regina RICA, one was immediately drawn to the huge 71-foot statue of Our Lady on Top of the Hill which dominated the 13.5-hectare property. The Dominican Sisters had just celebrated the first anniversary of its completion a couple of weeks before. It was in fact the first structure that was built on the property.

Upon arrival at Regina RICA, the group couldn’t wait to go up and get close to Our Lady. To make the group more manageable, it was divided into four smaller groups. Each small group recited the rosary as it ascended via the S-Trail which snaked all the way to the top. At the top, Sister Matthew welcomed everyone and gave a brief introduction to the place. A joyful celebration of the Eucharist followed under the mantle of Our Lady with Fr. Luke presiding.

After the mass, everyone went up to the Blessed Sacrament at the Adoration Chapel inside the mantle of Our Lady followed by some souvenir photos around the place. Others went to the Handuman souvenir shop while still others had a hearty snack at the Pasilungan restaurant.

The next stop after Regina were the old churches of Morong and Baras, two churches in the southern part of Rizal. St. Jerome Church in Morong was built during the early Spanish colonization and showcases its towering facade (about 7 storeys high) of baroque architecture. On the other hand, St. Joseph Church in Baras, although relocated from the original site in Boso Boso, Rizal and which was then just a chapel, had a beautiful and ornate altar. One can still see the original wooden trusses that supported its roof.

In Morong, a pastoral worker of the parish played gracious host and offered one of their meeting rooms for the pilgrims to have their lunch. After lunch, it was off to Baras Church where a representative gave the group a brief history of the Church of St. Joseph. This was the last stop of the pilgrimage before heading for home.

Msgr. Romy Ranada Talks on Servant Leadership

Annually towards the end of the Liturgical year, SLRP begins its renewal activities for its parish workers. One of its activities is the parish recollection. Last October 14, the PPC invited the Rev. Msgr. Romulo-Jesus C. Rañada, the parish priest of Our Lady of the Annuciation, to talk on Servant Leadership.

It was a refreshing and informative discussion on the code of conduct of parish workers. He explained the important role of parish workers and leaders emphasizing that serving in the church should and must follow the example of Jesus, the paramount servant leader. If one wants to be a leader, s/he must first be the servant of all.

Msgr. Ranada’s talk was centered on the Gospels with particular focus on the Washing of Feet narrative in John 13:1-17. It is only in the Gospel of John that this particular episode in the passion of Jesus is found. In all the other gospels, it is the Last Supper that is presented.

He explained that the first thing the Lord did, after getting a basin of water, was to remove His outer garment and wrap it around His waist. By taking off His outer garment, Jesus shed His divine persona and became one with us. It symbolizes His complete humility and obedience to the Father.

After the washing, Jesus left this commandment for His disciples “I have washed your feet, so too must you do to each other. If you call me Lord and Master, then you must follow the example I have shown you. For no servant is greater than his master, nor a messenger greater than the one who sent the message.”

Cardinal Sanchez Presides Fiesta 2011 High Mass

This year’s fiesta celebrations marked another milestone for the parish. Ever since the parish was formally consecrated by the late Jaime L. Cardinal Sin in 1987, this was the first time that another cardinal, His Eminence Jose T. Cardinal Sanchez, officiated Holy Mass, but more specifically the fiesta High Mass last September 25, 2011.

Extensive preparations were made to make the cardinal’s visit pleasant due to his advanced age. He was given a dignitary’s welcome, complete with the Knights of Columbus providing him with Honor Guards.

A short caracol procession by some of the parish youth ushered the entrance of the statue of San Lorenzo Ruiz borne on the shoulders of some KoC. This was followed by the mass.

In his homily, the good cardinal, who just recently retired as Prefect of the Clergy in Rome, espoused the virtues of brotherhood in the Lord when he said “If God is our Father, then we are all brothers and sisters...and we should take care of one another.”

After the mass, the cardinal was treated to some local cuisine from his native Bicol province. Fr. Luke and the PPC officers hosted the lunch.

Kontra-GaPi SLRP’s Parish Night Was Different This Year

The Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino or Kontra-GaPi, the resident ethnic music and dance ensemble of the College of Arts and Letters of the University of the Philippines in Diliman was a special guest at the SLRP’s Parish Night. Using ethnic instruments of drums, gongs and xylophones, they wowed the audience with music it rarely heard, music that someone said he associated with nature. Originally set to play two pieces of music, the band ended up playing four numbers to satisfy the audience’s request for more. Their last number delighted the audience even more when the female members danced to the beat of the instruments played by their fellow members.

The presence of the Kontra-GaPi during the Parish Night was made possible through Anjo Santiago, who is one of its members and who also happens to be the musical director of the SLRP Gospel Choir.

PYM Holds Amazing Race 2011

What could dark clouds, an overcast sky and a bunch of determined and charged youngsters come to? You guessed it— a perfect day for an amazing race of speed, accuracy, spirituality, inteliggence, strong stomachs and team work.

Last September 24, four teams of 5 members each, participated in the race and tried to outdo each other. Scattered all over the five areas of the parish were six different challenges that each team had to go through on their way to the finish line. The race was not solely based on the fastest team but on how well they performed the tasks at each of the control points. There were challenges that tested their speed, their intelligence, their stomachs, their knowledge of the Catholic faith and their fears.

The overall winner was the team of Abigail Panajon, Chrissel Tamayo, Danielle Beldeniza and Rogel Quintero. They won two large boxes of pizza and the Grand Prize trophy for their efforts.

Spearheaded by the Parish Youth Ministry, the amazing race ended with everyone taking home some prizes, not to mention the fun and camaraderie. This fun race could not have been successful without the full support of all those who donated the prizes and helped in the procurement and preparation of the various game paraphernalia.

Despite the rainy weather, the bright and warm atmosphere among the teams and the organization could not dampen the enthusiasm of the youngsters from enjoying the day.

SLRP Kids Join Family Day Games

Saturday, September 24, was a day of fun and games for the younger children in the parish. The drizzle did not stop them from enjoying a few hours of games. There were traditional Pinoy games lined up for them, including Pukpok-Palayok and Pabitin. This was also organized by the PYM. Lots of candies and toys were there for the taking. Even the not-so-young joined in with their own Pukpok-Palayok and Pabitins. No one went home empty-handed.

There was also a Karaoke singing contest for those who dared to belt out their favorite songs. For those that won, there were prizes to reward their efforts. In the end, was anyone crowned the Karaoke King or Queen? Well…...

PYM Presents JOMEI—A Drama Play

Another play was mounted by the Parish Youth Ministry for this year’s feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz. Entitled “Jomei at ang Lalaki sa Likod ng Liwanag”, the play presented the life and conversion of Jomei, the chief of the Samurai assigned to guard the martyrs—the Dominican friars together with San Lorenzo Ruiz.

Originally researched by Ate Lina Feliciano, the play lifts from her work the salient events in the life of Jomei directly surrounding his conversion after his encounter with San Lorenzo Ruiz.

At the heart of the play was the fortuitous crossing of paths between Jomei and the humble escribano from Binondo. As head of the Samurai guards, Jomei was given the big responsibility of converting the “heathens” to Shinto, the religion of Japan. But by the grace of God, Lorenzo’s steadfast faith had a troubling and lasting impact on his oppressor that eventually led to his conversion. Towards the end of his life, Jomei could be seen having frequent conversations with an unseen visitor, the man he says “is behind the light”. Their conversations were chronicled by Jomei’s granddaughter who turned these over to the proper religious authorities. These provided the documentary evidence of San Lorenzo’s “first miracle”. At the last hour of his life, Jomei called his granddaughter, asked her to pour water over his forehead symbolic of the rights of Christian baptism.

The PYM every effort to come up with a quality presentation in this their first “big budget” production. One saw from the sets, the costumes, the make-up, the sounds and the lighting, the creative efforts of the PYM to come up with a play they could really be proud of and which the audience appreciated. The actors and actresses too gave their best , particularly those who played the role of the samurai and tortured martyrs. The audience seemed to feel the punches, the kicks, the moans and groans as if they were there.

Through these weeks of preparation, from conceptualization to the night of their performance, the PYM showed how far they have grown as a ministry.

SLRP Holds Successful Munting Lakan at Lakambini ng Sanlo

In a project that was started in late June 2011, Fr. Luke and the PPC began the fund-raising drive to rehabilitate the storage room at the back of the church. As part of the this year’s parish fiesta celebration, the Munting Lakan at Lakambini project was launched to rally the different ministries and organizations to support this communitarian effort to raise funds for the construction of safe and secure storage facility for the church. As an offshoot of this project, a larger portion of the area will house a meeting room which is badly needed by the growing parish.

And so on Parish Night, the main highlight of the program was the announcement by Fr. Luke of the total funds raised. The project generated over P177,000.00 in donations with the AP, MBG and Music Ministry, as a team, generating the largest share. As a result, their muses, Lakan Karl Sebastian Tan Ng Gui and Lakambini Ladan Andales, were crowned Munting Lakan at Lakambini ng Sanlo.

Fr. Luke and actress and MBG member Ms. Nova Villa awarded the sash and crowns. The project exceeded its target of raising P100,000 through the bayanihan efforts of all ministries and organizations as well as the parents and guardians of the munting lakans and lakambinis and the rest of SLRP.

While it was a friendly competition among the different teams (made up of groups of ministries and organization), it was clear that the winner was the parish of San Lorenzo Ruiz. Very soon it shall boast a new and secured storage facility with a spacious meeting room to ease the congestion of the current parish hall which can no longer accommodate all the meetings and functions of its ministries and organizations. This is San Lorenzo Ruiz’ precious gift to his parishioners on the occasion of his feast.

Munting Lakan At Lakambini ng SLRP

The search is on!

Last August 13, the PPC, through its Committee on Non-Liturgical activities and upon the direction of Fr. Luke, launched the search for the Munting Lakan at Lakambini ng Sanlo, a fund-raising campaign to raise needed financial support for the renovation of the church storeroom and the construction of a new meeting hall for the growing community of SLRP.

Five pairs of boys and girls aged 5-12 years old, were fielded by different ministries as Lakan and Lakambini candidates, and were presented to the parishioners in selected masses last August 28. To raise funds, these candidates together with the ministries assigned to support them, are to sell tickets costing P20 each. The more tickets sold, the more funds raised. The pair that raises the most amount will be crowned Munting Lakan and Lakambini during Parish Night. There will be trophies and other prizes for the winners. The real winner however would be our own parish which will soon sport a newly renovated “Simbodega”. The pairs are:

Tandem 1
Ladan Andales & Karl Sebastian Tan Ng Gui
(Sponsored by the AP, MBG and Music Ministry)

Tandem 2
Sarah Nicole Yadao & Vladimir Beldeniza
(Sponsored by the SSDM and CFC)

Tandem 3
Audrey Anne Vianzon & Ernesto Jesus Angelo Bautista V
(Sponsored by the EMHC, LECOM and MAS)

Tandem 4
Anne Cuadra & Gabriel Paolo Antonio
(Sponsored by the MMM, PYM and Knights of Columbus)

Tandem 5
Michelle Berylle Santos & Ruiz Kassel Mapanoo
(Sponsored by the Catechists, BRC and LOM)

The PPC and the Organizing Committee under Fr. Luke fervently hope that the community of San Lorenzo will, as usual, come together and join this fun and worthy exercise.

The Philippines - Preserving A Culture of Life

As debate over the anti-life Reproductive Health (RH) Bill heats up in the Philippine legislature, a new documentary highlighting the fight for life in the Philippines is set to air on Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN).
The short documentary film “The Philippines: Preserving a Culture of Life,” produced by Human Life International (HLI), underscores one of the most dramatic social and political struggles for life and family in the world. The film is already in heavy rotation on EWTN in the Philippines, and will debut in the United States and Canada on Tuesday, August 23.

This powerful pro-life documentary airs on EWTN in America and Canada on August 23 at 3:30 AM, then runs again on August 25 at 1:30 PM and August 26 at 9:00 PM. All times EST.

The program, shot in cinematic widescreen format, captures stunning scenes and heartfelt interviews with Filipino pro-lifers leading the charge against the RH Bill including Archbishop of Cebu Jose Palma, Philippine Congressman Dr. Anthony Golez, HLI Philippines Director Dr. Rene Bullecer and Dr. Ligaya Acosta, a former pro-abortion Philippine Department of Health manager who is now HLI’s Regional Director for Asia and Oceania.

“Right now, proponents of the anti-life RH Bill are still a few votes short of achieving their deadly goal,” said Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carambula, interim president of HLI. “Our wish is that this documentary will inspire not only Filipinos, but pro-lifers around the world, to stand with our brothers and sisters in the Philippines against the culture of death.”

“It is profoundly inspiring to hear everyday Filipinos, as well as leaders from the political realm and the Catholic Church talk about how they have fought off this intrusive, anti-life and anti-family bill in its different forms for twelve years,” said Stephen Phelan, executive producer of the documentary and director of communications for HLI.

“It is in some ways reminiscent of the struggle over health care in [the United States] – a detached political elite continues to force through a bill that the people have said time and again that they don’t want,” said Phelan. “The bill’s backers use deceptive language, they are funded by hundreds of millions of dollars from outside the Philippines, and they are attempting to attack and divide the Catholic Church.”

“Everyone must understand what is going on in the Philippines, and how we are all bound in the struggle for life and family,” Phelan added.

HLI is currently working with Filipino pro-life organizations such as CBCP for Life and Filipinos for Life to spread the word about opposition to the RH Bill, and to promote the new documentary.

HLI is also hosting a contest on Facebook where pro-lifers are invited to leave a brief prayer for the Philippines or a note of encouragement for a chance to win a free DVD copy of the documentary.

Lifted from an email