The CBCP-initiated Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Life starts this Advent Season 2018. In simple terms the bishops wish us all to focus our prayer, reflection and celebration on the diocesan priests and on vowed men, women religious and seculars so that their life...
Our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal once wrote, “Those who do not know where they came from would not know where they are going.” The original in Tagalog is, “Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.” Clearly, the social, economic, political,...
What do they have in common? The feast of Christ the King is always celebrated on the last Sunday of October. This year it falls on the 26th of November. The 2017 Mindanao Week of Peace always begins on the last Thursday of November which is...
In the last paragraph of the November 5 Shalom I wrote that Oneness with God or Union with God is the result of hard work in personal transformation in contemplative life. This statement needs some initial explanation for a start. We start by answering the questions,...
As we prepare for the feast of All Souls on November 2, it might help our spiritual life to deepen our understanding of the soul. In 2nd Corinthians 4:16b-5:1 St. Paul says: “That is why we do not waver, indeed, though this outer human nature of...
The recently concluded MSPC XVI was impressive not only in terms of the efficient management by the host Archdiocese of Davao but also in terms of the strongly worded resolutions by the respective delegates of the participating dioceses, prelature and apostolic vicariate. Remarkably efficient were the...
Yes, there is a great deal of difference. Knowing Jesus directly is what they call contemplation. Knowing Jesus indirectly is what is called information. Contemplation is a gazing at, looking at and beholding Jesus face to face, so to say. The mystics call this the personal...
There is a story told of a Catholic missionary who asked the famous Mahatma Gandhi for advice on how to be a missionary in India. His answer was simple: Just be like a fragrant rose. The rose does not need to talk about its nature...
The holy relic of the holy Carmelite Blessed Father Mariè-Eugène of the Child Jesus who was beatified last November 19, 2016 in Avignon, France will arrive in the Carmelites Monastery in Bajada. I will be the presider of a concelebrated Mass in honor of Blessed...
So happily announced by Dr. Roa, one of the four assisting physicians trying to control the spread of malaria which I contacted in Nigeria in September this year. The doctors had to confine me in ICU so they can monitor everything without being disturbed or...
