03 November 2012

ICTHUS PASTORAL FUND APPEAL

The Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan is calling for an intensive annual fund appeal for all the pastoral and apostolic programs of the Church in pursuit of our archdiocesan vision to be a community of Christ’s disciples called to Christian witnessing living out the spirit of ICTHUS under the inspiration of Mary, Our Lady of Manaoag.

This annual fund appeal is called ICTHUS Pastoral Fund Appeal to be held during the whole month of November every year starting this year 2012. This ICTHUS Pastoral Fund will be used for our Caritas Lingayen-Dagupan programs for the poor as well as for the other faith formation programs for the children, youth and adult leaders being provided by the different archdiocesan apostolates, ministries and commissions. This fund will be used exclusively for pastoral programs and not for administration.

For the whole month of November, there will be a second collection in all Sunday Masses for the ICTHUS PASTORAL FUND APPEAL.

Kindly read the Circular Letter of Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas regarding the ICTHUS PASTORAL FUND APPEAL

A Mass in One of the Cenacle Communities

533496_455954447780253_1876924375_n3 November 2012 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. A  Holy Mass was celebrated in one of the more than 70 cenacle communities in the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr last 2 November 2012. A cenacle is small Catholic Community composed of 10 or more neighborhood families with a devotion to the Divine Mercy, who come together weekly for prayer and bible sharing.

The community is newly formed. It is in Aringayan, Bolasi, San Fabian, Pangasinan. The place is called “Aringayan” since the original families come from Aringay, La Union; thus they speak  Ilocano and Pangasinan.

Their main source of livelihood is fishing.

This is the first time that a mass was celebrated in their place which is near the beach of San Fabian. It is also an opportunity for the blessing of all their homes, and their fishing boats.

A mass is scheduled to all the cenacle communities of the Divine Mercy every week . It takes about five months to complete a one cycle of visitation to all the communities.

 

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Photos courtesy of Bro. Bernie Solis, one of the lay leaders of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, working with the cenacle communities of the Divine Mercy.

02 November 2012

November 2012: Jubilee of Government Officials

dayew tan pisasalamat 2 (small)2 November 2012 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. The Archdiocese is celebrating the Jubilee of Government Officials this November 2012 as part of the preparation for the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan on 2013. The opening celebration will be on 8 November 2012, Thursday at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Manaoag, Pangasinan. After the opening celebration, the image of our Lady of Manaoag will visit the different LGU Offices. Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, will preside the Mass at 9:00 AM to be attended by the clergy of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan and the provincial and local government officials.

TABINAN

The TABINAN is a Partnership Program between the Archdiocese of  , represented by the Parish and the Local Government Unit (LGU).  The TABINAN Partnership Program is set to be launced on 19 November 2012 at the Capitol, Lingayen, Pangasinan as part of the celebration of the Jubilee of Government Officials.

“Dalaw na Birhen”

The Jubilee activity will center on the visitation of our Lady of Manaoag (Dalaw na Birhen) to the different Local Government Unit Offices starting 8 November 2012. The “Dalaw na Birhen” will last until 25 November 2012, the Solemnity of Christ the King, in San Carlos City, the host of this year’s celebration.

According to the Committee on the Jubilee of Government Officials, the image of our Lady of Manaoag will have an overnight stay at the town plaza, or if deemed necessary in the Municipal Hall or in the Parish Church. The image of our Lady of Manaoag will leave the town at 9:00 AM the following day to be transferred to the next LGU.

The Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr and the Municipality of San Fabian will welcome the image of Our Lady of Manaoag on 12 November 2012, Monday.

“Dalaw na Birhen” Route

    • November 8: Manaoag
    • November 9: Laoac
    • November 10: San Jacinto
    • November 11: Mangaldan
    • November 12: SAN FABIAN
    • November 13: Mapandan
    • November 14: Sta. Barbara
    • November 15: Calasiao
    • November 16: Dagupan City
    • November 17: Binmaley
    • November 18: Lingayen
    • November 19: Capitol
    • November 20: Malasiqui
    • November 21: Bautista
    • November 22: Bayambang
    • November 23: Basista
    • November 24 Urbiztondo
    • November 25: San Carlos City

The highlight of the Jubilee will be the visit of our Lady of Manaoag in the Capitol, the seat of Provincial Government, in Lingayen, Pangasinan on 19 November 2012. The mayors and Vice-Mayors of the different LGU’s within the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, together with the clergy are invited to have a fellowship dinner. A talk about “TABINAN: A Social Action through Church-LGU Partnership” will precede the fellowship.

01 November 2012

PYD: “We’re all in this Together!”

1 November 2012 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. More than 300 youth of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, celebrated the  annual “Parish Youth Day” last 30-31 October 2012. The theme of the celebration was “We’re All in this Together!”

The Parish Center was the venue of the overnight celebration which began at 4 o’clock in the afternoon with the enthronement of the bible led Bro. Randolph Romero as they danced the “Pilgrim Dance”.

Bro. Jordan Nabua, the Parish Youth coordinator and the 8-man team of the Parish Youth Ministry headed by Bro. Char Imbornal, the Parish Youth Leader.

The night was filled with prayer, reflection, songs and dances. The life of San Pedro Calungsod was reflected upon during the night. 

Mass presided by Msgr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the Team Moderator of the San Fabian, was the culminating activity of the two day celebration.

 

Photos courtesy of Bro. Xavier Narvas

27 October 2012

Toilet and Bath for Sitio Biew

27 October 2012 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. The residents of Sitio Biew, Brgy. Palapad in San Fabian, Pangasinan will soon have what they have been dreaming of: a toilet and bath for their community. These are being built with the financial aid coming from International Bazaar Foundation, Inc. and the support of the members of the Knights of Columbus, council 5739 of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr.

Sitio Biew, Brgy. Palapad

The community of Sitio Biew, Brgy. Tocok, San Fabian, Pangsinan is home to about twenty-five families. Most of them have migrated to Sitio Biew hoping to find a place to build their dreams and aspirations. kc.9Opportunities for education and livelihood skills have eluded them for the years they have been in Sitio Biew. Poverty has become their way of life.

The members of the Knights of Columbus Council 5739 have been conducting regular meetings with the residents. They have been providing opportunities for growth and development through formation for community development and cooperation, providing avenues for spiritual formation as well as livelihood skills training.

Potable Drinking water

Through the support of the members of the Knights of Columbus, Council 5739, the potable water source was built for the community. The water pump will certainly provide a long term benefit for the community who for the past years have to get water from a water source quite far from their community.

Representatives of International Bazaar Foundation, Inc., giving the check to Bro. Antonio Supremido, parish BEC coordinator with Bro. Bernie Solis and Bro. Severino Solis, Sr.

Photos Courtesy of Bro. Bernie Solis

Potable Drinking Water for Sitio Biew

Photos courtesy of Bro. Bernie Solis

Pilgrimage to St. John Cathedral, Dagupan City

27  October 2012 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. The Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr held a pilgrimage to the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Dagupan City, as part of the preparation for the golden jubilee celebration of the archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan. The pilgrimage was held last 20 October 2012.

Spiritual Affinity

The Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist was granted a special bond of spiritual affinity with the Papal Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls.

His Eminence, Francesco Cardinal Monterisi, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, has bestowed upon the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint stjohncathedralJohn the Evangelist in the City of Dagupan a special bond of spiritual affinity with the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls by virtue of decree from the Rome dated February 15, 2012, the eve of the forty ninth anniversary of the elevation of Lingayen Dagupan to the rank of a Metropolitan See. In the papal basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls may be found the stone coffin containing the bones of the Saint Paul the Apostle.

Furthermore, the Apostolic Penitentiary through the Major Penitentiary His Excellency Most Reverend Emmanuel Monteiro de Castro, has also granted all pilgrims visiting the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in Dagupan City papal blessings and plenary indulgence under the usual conditions laid down by Church laws.

This means that all the Catholic faithful who visit and pray in the Cathedral of Saint John gain the spiritual benefits of the Church as if they actually visited in the papal basilica in Rome.

St. Fabian at the St. John the Evangelist Cathedral

A short procession was held by the parishioners of the parish of St. Fabian, Pope and martyr. It started at the main gate of the cathedral. The people carrying the statue of St. Fabian, patron of the parish, passed through the Jubilee Door, while singing the Hymn to San Fabian.

Msgr. Oliver E. Mendoza celebrated the mass.

 

Photos courtesy of Sis. Violeta Omiles

Pilgrimage to the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist

Photos courtesy Sis. Violy Omiles and Bro. Bernie Solis

15 September 2012

CEAP and the New Evangelization

Speech delivered by Archbishop Socrates B Villegas at the National Convention of the CEAP held last August 29, 2012 at the SMX Mall of Asia

File Picture of Archbishop Socrates B. VillegasThe importance of March 16, 1521 has been taught to us even when we were children in grade school. The standard statement to be memorized at class recitations was Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese sailor, discovered the Philippines on March 16, 1521; but something more important happened on that fateful day. Magellan is the not the most important character in the event of March 16, 1521. That blessed day saw the celebration of the first Mass in the Philippines. Ten days later, the first Filipinos were baptized and the image of the Santo Nino was given to the first Filipino Christians. March 16, 1521 celebrates indeed the arrival of Christianity in our holy shores and its gracious acceptance by our ancestors in the faith as proven by their baptism.

When the year 2021 comes, Christianity would be five hundred years in the Philippines. We will celebrate half a millennium of blessings looking forward to the next five hundred as a challenge for a new evangelization.

Like any big fiesta, the 2021 Jubilee will be preceded by a novena very much like the simbang gabi novena before Christmas. It will be launched on October 21 this year on the same day that our countryman Pedro Calungsod will be canonized by Pope Benedict XVI.

The nine year novena leading to the 2021 Jubilee will be an era of new evangelization.

What is evangelization?

Evangelization is the proclamation, witness and implanting of the Gospel given to humanity by our Lord Jesus Christ and the opening up of people’s lives, society, culture and history to the Person of Jesus Christ and to His living community, the Church, says the CBCP Pastoral Letter Live Christ, Share Christ.

Evangelization is Jesus in my heart, reaching out to your heart, said Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

Evangelization is not about telling people what to do but telling people what God has done for them, said Father Raniero Cantalamessa.

Evangelization is the life and mandate of Christ Jesus himself, “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you” (John 20:21) and “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, until the end of time” (Mt 28: 19-20).

Why do we call it new evangelization?

The first evangelization so to speak is dedicated to the proclamation of the Good News to persons and peoples who, until now, have not known the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The ongoing evangelization is the pastoral care of those already baptized who need to understand better and deepen their grasp of the faith and to live it more genuinely and more fully in all dimensions of life, private and public.

New evangelization is primarily addressed to those who have drifted from the Faith and from the Church or to those who have accepted the faith but have not sufficiently allowed the Christian message to transform their personal and social lives.

In the context of the Philippines, to whom will be the mission of new evangelization be addressed?

Let us look for Jesus among the poor, among the youth and among former Catholics who have drifted from the Church due to scandals, hurts, unresolved confusions and doubts.

Jesus is in them. We cannot love Jesus and ignore them. How Jesus dealt with them is how we must reach out to them.

How?

The poor are voiceless. The poor are ignored. The poor are a nuisance. How was Jesus to the poor? Jesus made the poor our teachers. He gave the poor a voice so that they may be heard.

Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Lk 6:20

Has not God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that God has promised to those who love Him? James 2:5

How was Jesus to the youth and children? Jesus just loved them. He gave them his gaze of love and tenderness. He looked at the rich young man with love.  Mark 10:21

And taking a child, He set him in their midst. And when He had embraced him, He said to them: Whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me. And whoever receives Me, receives not Me, but Him who sent Me. Mk 9:36

How was Jesus to the confused and the hurting and the marginalized? How did he deal with Zaccheus (Lk 19:2-7), with the woman by the well (Jn 4:7-30), with the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11), with Peter after the denial?(Mk 14:66-72) He just listened to them. He did not rebuke; he did not debate. He just listened to them because to listen is to love. Listening heals. Listening soothes.

Then Jesus, raising Himself up said to her, “Woman, where are those who accused you? Has no one condemned you?” And she said, “No one, Lord.” Then Jesus said, “Neither will I condemn you. Go, and now do not choose to sin anymore.” (John 8:10-11).

Where are the youth? In our schools and colleges and universities but also in the streets and dark alleys, in our malls and parks, seldom home yet everywhere.

Where are the poor? Can they afford our Catholic schools and colleges? Only the blind will say the poor are not with us. They are with us but we have managed to make them invisible so they will not prick our consciences and disturb us in our comforts.

Where are the confused and hurting Catholics? Is there anyone here who does not know any former Catholic now born again Christian, agnostic or free thinker? Right in our schools, our youth write essays in language classes calling the Church leaders ancient, archaic and out of touch.

Believe it or not, accept it or not, the Catholic schools and colleges and universities must be at the front lines of the new evangelization. The poor, the youth and the confused former Catholics are ALL in our campuses as pupils, as teachers, as janitors and carpenters and electricians, as cooks and drivers. They are all with us. To ignore them and not do something for them is to betray our mission as Catholic schools.

How do we start?

Before we begin our common apostolic action for new evangelization, it will be advisable to first examine our ecclesial and personal and corporate consciences and ask “Why is there a strong wave of secularization, a storm of antipathy or plain cold indifference towards the Church in some parts of the world necessitating a new wave of evangelization programs?” What can our Catholic colleges and universities contribute to the new evangelization of the Philippines and consequently of the rest of Asia?

The Catholic school must be a school of humility.

The gospel cannot thrive in pride. When pride seeps into the heart of the Church, the gospel proclamation is harmed. The task of new evangelization must begin with a deep sense of awe and reverence for humanity and her culture. Humility is truth. Humility is seeing ourselves the way God sees us; and we are sinners in His sight. Humility is solidarity with the rest of wounded humanity. Simplicity of life and humility of heart are indispensable tools for evangelization. Evangelization has been hurt and continues to be impeded by the arrogance of its messengers.

Unfortunately, our centres of learning can easily become centres of intellectual arrogance and conceit too. The Catholic school must be a school of the heart such that every theory we learn; every diagram we draw; every conclusion we make from our researches, increase our love and lessen our pride. The catholic school must be a cradle of truth and the greatest of all truths is that God is God and we are not He.

Sometimes, pride can disguise itself as academic freedom. In the name of liberal education, we disregard and consider as archaic the doctrine of the Church on basic teachings like the divinity of Christ and the virginity of the Blessed Mary. The unity of the Church is wounded not only by doctrinal heresies but also by heresies of morality. There is no such a thing as absolute freedom. Freedom is always subject to the parameters of law. Without humble obedience, freedom becomes arrogant autonomy.

The Catholic school that promotes academic freedom without respect for the divine law is not living up to its mission to be teachers on behalf of Christ.

The Catholic school must be a school of saints.

The great poverty of the world now is the poverty of saints. Whether we come from the uplands of Region 1 or the national capital region, everybody is looking for models to inspire and emulate. Our youth need models to inspire them. They need living heroes to ignite their hearts and excite them to know Jesus and love Him more. And we are so poor in this regard. Evangelization is not about something we do but something we are. Evangelization is not about projects and programs and plans but allowing God to work in the lives of people. Letting God be. Contrary to the popular dictum that we cannot preach to empty stomachs, our experience in the rural Pangasinan tells me that the gospel can be preached to empty stomachs but only if the stomach of the preacher is as empty as his parishioners. May we check our school vision mission statements please? Globally competitive, world class students who change the course of world events? Only holy men and women can change the destinies of nations, only saints. Do our vision statements clearly say we want to contribute saints to society?

The product of a good school is a good person. The product of a Catholic school must be another Christ. The “production and sale” of “other Christ’s” must be the sole business of every Catholic school.

Catholic education must be constantly nurtured by prayer. The first and only power of the Catholic school is the Lord and our first and only way to the Lord is love. The best lessons in the Catholic school are learned not from the classrooms but from the chapel. We must pray in school but it is not enough to pray. Our prayer must make us think and talk and listen and act and be like Jesus—that is education that we need for the new evangelization. Catholic education that does not come from prayer is a betrayal of our mission. Any prayer that does not lead us to apostolic charity will wither. Love without service is mere sentimentalism. Service without prayer is social activism. The transmission of the faith is our primary mission. Mathematics and science, literature and social studies become more interesting if studied from the Gospel perspective.

United by baptism, united in prayer, united through charity, we will become saints together in the Catholic school. To be holy is our one and only vision. Everything and anything that leads us astray from this path must be cast aside. We are called to sanctify, to lead and to teach. We are here as teachers not by worthiness of our graduate studies but by the favour of God who is the real owner of every school. We are a community of disciples not a non stock corporation. None of us is master; all of us are stewards in the school of holiness.

Every Catholic school must be a charity school.

We will be credible bringers of Gospel joy if the proclamation is accompanied by its twin messenger of charity. The proclaiming lips must be accompanied by outreaching hands for service.

The Catholic school must be a school of practical charity, not just charity as a theological virtue in the religion class but charity that is lived by reaching out to the poor. Evangelization is proclamation of grace and liberation from sin. The proclamation of the gospel of charity must be accompanied by lives of service. The call for new evangelization will become an exercise in hypocrisy without a sincere program to make Catholic education realistically available to the poor.

We must insist passionately that our Catholic schools retain our Catholic identity. In a secularized and pluralistic society, the Catholic school must be a lighthouse of Christ. In the Moslem community, the Catholic school must engage in a respectful dialogue with culture but be clear about what we truly stand for. We must know who we are, show who we are, stay as we are—as Catholic schools.

We dream of a world in love with God. We dream of a nation living Christ and sharing Christ. Through humility, through holy living, through practical charity-- this vision can come true with the Catholic school at the forefront. Let the CEAP be at the forefront of new evangelization. It is not an option. It is a duty.

Would that every school and parish, every family and community, every nation and continent reach out to the poor and give them a voice to teach;

and every child and teen would be given eyes and hearts of love;

and every confused and hurting and angry soul be given a time to be heard—

then the world would be beautiful again and the gospel of Christ alone would reign supreme.

We dream. Let us dream and make this dream come true. The CEAP can only have a bright and secure future under the shadow of the Catholic Church. Without the Catholic Church we would be only EAP! The C in CEAP is Catholic. It is not just a description. It is our soul as an association. Without C we would die. Thank you. Peace be with you!

02 September 2012

Knights of Columbus Council 5739 adopts a Community

1 September 2012- San Fabian, Pangasinan. “I came so that they might have life and have it abundantly. “(Jn 10,10). These kc.14words from the Gospel of John have inspired, motivated and moved the members of the Knight of Columbus Council 5739 of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, to adopt one community that “they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Sitio Biew, Brgy. Tocok

The community of Sitio Biew, Brgy. Tocok, San Fabian, Pangsinan is home to about twenty-five families. Most of them have migrated to Sitio Biew hoping to find a place to build their dreams and aspirations. kc.9Opportunities for education and livelihood skills have eluded them for the years they have been in Sitio Biew. Poverty has become their way of life.

The members of the Knights of Columbus Council 5739 have been conducting regular meetings with the residents. They have been providing opportunities for growth and development through formation for community development and cooperation, providing avenues for spiritual formation as well as livelihood skills training.

The Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Marty, through the Knights of Columbus and generous benefactors have committed itself in helping and providing support and opportunities for self-reliancy among the members of the community of Sitio Biew.kc.5

Mass and Baptisms

Rev. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza celebrated mass and the sacrament of baptism with the community last 10 August 2012. There were more than 30 children who received the Sacrament of Baptism.

The Knights of Columbus prepared a simple arroz caldo for the residents. Sis. Silvana M. de Vera provided delicious empanada as added menu for everybody.kc.6

The community has been processed and assessed with the following basic needs, like: potable drinking water, bathrooms and toilets for their basic personal needs, and livelihood opportunities, especially for the women of the community to augment the meager income of the menfolk.

Houses for Binday, Trees for the Theology Seminary

The Knights of Columbus of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, Council 5739 has been helping and lending their support to the twenty-five families of  Binday, San Fabian, Pangasinan in building their houses in the newly constructed Holy Family Village.  The flood waters of Typhoon Pepeng in 2009 have destroyed and washed away their houses and lands.

They have also been planting trees for the Theology Seminary in Brgy. Palapad, San Fabian, Pangasinan.

Knights of Columbus Council 5739 of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr is led by Grand Knight James Gutay

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Photos courtesy of Bro. Bernie Solis and Bro. Pompeyo Tercero of KC 5739