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Blessed Angela Truszkowska
(1825-1899)


Today we honor a woman who submitted to God's will throughout her lifeâ€"a life filled with pain and suffering.

Born in 1825 in central Poland and baptized Sophia, she contracted tuberculosis as a young girl. The forced period of convalescence gave her ample time for reflection. Sophia felt called to serve God by working with the poor, including street children and the elderly homeless in Warsaw's slums. In time, her cousin joined her in the work.

In 1855, the two women made private vows and consecrated themselves to the Blessed Mother. New followers joined them. Within two years they formed a new congregation, which came to be known as the Felician Sisters. As their numbers grew, so did their work, and so did the pressures on Mother Angela (the new name Sophia took in religious life).

Mother Angela served as superior for many years until ill health forced her to resign at the age of 44. She watched the order grow and expand, including missions to the United States among the sons and daughters of Polish immigrants.

Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1993.

Bond of Love     

O Blessed Rosary of Mary, sweet chain which unites us to God, bond of love which unites us to the angels, tower of salvation against the assaults of Hell, safe port in our universal shipwreck, we will never abandon you.

St. Francis Borgia
(1510-1572)

Today's saint grew up in an important family in 16th-century Spain, serving in the imperial court and quickly advancing in his career. But a series of eventsâ€"including the death of his beloved wifeâ€"made Francis Borgia rethink his priorities. He gave up public life, gave away his possessions and joined the new and little-known Society of Jesus.

Religious life proved to be the right choice. He felt drawn to spend time in seclusion and prayer, but his administrative talents also made him a natural for other tasks. He helped in the establishment of what is now the Gregorian University in Rome. Not long after his ordination he served as political and spiritual adviser to the emperor. In Spain, he founded a dozen colleges.

At 55, Francis was elected head of the Jesuits. He focused on the growth of the Society of Jesus, the spiritual preparation of its new members and spreading the faith in many parts of Europe. He was responsible for the founding of Jesuit missions in Florida, Mexico and Peru.

Francis Borgia is often regarded as the second founder of the Jesuits. He died in 1572 and was canonized 100 years later.


Patron Saint of:

Earthquakes

The Role of Mary     

Mary, your life and your calling are almost beyond my comprehension. How blessed and holy you are! Faithless no longer, I want to find him through you.

A spooky spectre looms out of the fog in the Tatra mountains in Poland -- but it isn't a ghost. It's an example of a rare optic phenomenon which occurs when an observer standing at a higher altitude sees his own shadow cast onto cloud below him. As here, the shadow is often encircled with colored rings caused by diffraction of light by water droplets. The phenomenon is called a 'Brocken spectre' after a peak in the Harz mountains in Germany, where the first recorded sighting occured in 1780. According to an old mountain climbers' superstition, whoever sees a Brocken spectre will one day die in the mountains.

St. Denis and Companions
(d. 258?)

This martyr and patron of France is regarded as the first bishop of Paris. His popularity is due to a series of legends, especially those connecting him with the great abbey church of St. Denis in Paris. He was for a time confused with the writer now called Pseudo-Dionysius.

The best hypothesis contends that Denis was sent to Gaul from Rome in the third century and beheaded in the persecution under Valerius in 258.

According to one of the legends, after he was martyred on Montmartre (literally, "mountain of martyrs") in Paris, he carried his head to a village northeast of the city. St. Genevieve built a basilica over his tomb at the beginning of the sixth century.


Comment:

Again we have the case of a saint about whom almost nothing is known, yet one whose cult has been a vigorous part of the Church's history for centuries. We can only conclude that the deep impression the saint made on the people of his day reflected a life of unusual holiness. In all such cases, there are two fundamental facts: A great man gave his life for Christ, and the Church has never forgotten himâ€"a human symbol of God's eternal mindfulness.

Quote:

"Martyrdom is part of the Church's nature since it manifests Christian death in its pure form, as the death of unrestrained faith, which is otherwise hidden in the ambivalence of all human events. Through martyrdom the Church's holiness, instead of remaining purely subjective, achieves by God's grace the visible expression it needs. As early as the second century one who accepted death for the sake of Christian faith or Christian morals was looked on and revered as a 'martus' (witness). The term is scriptural in that Jesus Christ is the 'faithful witness' absolutely (Revelations 1:5; 3:14)" (Karl Rahner, Theological Dictionary).

Mary's Intervention     

You are so inextricably tied to Christ, Blessed Mother, that we cannot help but beg and desire your prayers and to thank you profusely for hastening them to your Son's throne.

sakto na uy, akong awaton kana ugma!

Love is indeed a "decision".. . Not just a feeling. You'll not just go away with your relationship just because the feeling is gone. In the Bible, love is a command. You make it happen.

I like this line, when I met my present boyfriend it was last 2007, it took me sometime to decide, we worked on our relationship everday, and it functions.

St. John Leonardi
(1541?-1609)

"I am only one person! Why should I do anything? What good would it do?" Today, as in any age, people seem plagued with the dilemma of getting involved. In his own way John Leonardi answered these questions. He chose to become a priest.

After his ordination, he became very active in the works of the ministry, especially in hospitals and prisons. The example and dedication of his work attracted several young laymen who began to assist him. They later became priests themselves.

John lived after the Protestant Reformation and the Council of Trent. He and his followers projected a new congregation of diocesan priests. For some reason the plan, which was ultimately approved, provoked great political opposition. John was exiled from his home town of Lucca, Italy, for almost the entire remainder of his life. He received encouragement and help from St. Philip Neri [whose feast is May 26], who gave him his lodgingsâ€"along with the care of his cat!

In 1579, John formed the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, and published a compendium of Christian doctrine that remained in use until the 19th century.

Father Leonardi and his priests became a great power for good in Italy, and their congregation was confirmed by Pope Clement in 1595. He died at the age of 68 from a disease caught when tending those stricken by the plague.

By the deliberate policy of the founder, the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God have never had more than 15 churches and today form only a very small congregation.


Comment:

What can one person do? If you ever glanced through a Christopher Notes pamphlet you knowâ€"plenty! In the life of each saint one thing stands clear: God and one person are a majority! What one individual, following God's will and plan for his or her life, can do is more than our mind could ever hope for or imagine. Each of us, like John Leonardi, has a mission to fulfill in God's plan for the world. Each one of us is unique and has been given talent to use for the service of our brothers and sisters for the building up of God's kingdom.

Quote:

"Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy" (Luke 12:32-33).

The Church is the Family of God     

We live in a family, the family of God, which is the Church. It has given us everything that we need for our inner journey.  Let us ask the lord to heal us if there is something that prevents us from being happy people of God.

Two thrill-seekers take a leap of faith from the 421-meter-high Kuala Lumpur Tower seconds before releasing their parachutes on Thursday. Base jumping is an extreme sport where parachutists jump from tall buildings or cliffs instead of from aeroplanes. B.A.S.E stands for Building, Antenna, Span and Earth which are the categories of fixed objects from which such adrenalin junkies leap. Around 120 professional base jumpers from 22 countries around the world took part today in the annual KL Tower International Jump in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The KL tower is the sixth tallest TV tower in the world, the largest being the Canton Tower in Guangzhou, China at 610 meters.

Dah oroy, kinsa bay magpalandong nga adunay Monreal dinhe nga lonsod! , Duol ra jud sa amo, kay protected area kini, aku kaayo ang lake angay para sa mga hikers Kining atong Koddi kay adunay secret love dia sa Stuttgart, ambot anus-man kana siya magminjo. Virgin pa ka Doy? Kinahanglan ang mga lalaki virgen bag-o magminjo!


Monreal castle


this town is rich in old timber houses which was luckily spared from WWII war.( Lion Bridge)

statue of Holy Nepomuk


Altar Monreal Church

how to rejuvenate;


The body's gradual decline stems not from the passing
of years but from the combined effects of inactivity and
poor nutrition. So no matter what your present health status
or your chronological age - regular exercise and improved
eating habits will lower your biological age.
It's not difficult to do. For one thing, many foods cover many
bases. For instance, most foods that are good for the heart
are good for the brain and eyes.
A low fat, high-fiber diet, combined with regular exercise will
cut your diabetic risk
To keep your blood pressure in check. Stay slim, don't
smoke, get regular exercise and limit your consumption of
fat, salt and alcohol. If these steps fail, pressure lowering
drugs may be necessary.
Recent studies have shown that consumption of pomeg-
ranate juice can lower blood pressure in hypertensive people.
Those with highest blood pressure had twice the risk of
alzheimer's disease and dementia in later life. It also appears
that pomegranate juice might be helpful in preventing certain
types of hearing loss, as it has been found to stimulate vaso-
dilation (widening of the blood vessels, which leads to increased
blood flow). Reduced blood flow in the cochlea ( an important
hearing center) appears  to play a role in hearing loss, as it does
in age-related macular degeneration (diminishing eyesight).
Pomegranates are also phytochemical powerhouses- they have
two or three times the antioxidant power of green tea and red
wine and also possess potent anti-inflammatory chemicals,
which is one reason they have beeb shown to reduce risk of
cardiovascular disease and cancer. Last but not the least, it
helps improve sex life in men.
As we age, our skeletons become weaker and more brittle.
Eat foods rich in calcium and do weight -bearing exercise such
as walking, running or cycling.
If we want a richer later life, we have to take resposibility for
achieving it.
It is in fact the sense of preciousness of time that we acquire
as we get older which should fill our later years with a new rich-
ness and intensity. We must learn to appreciate and give thanks
for the many gifts that aging brings us.
Although we continue to need the nourishment of other human
beings of all ages in our lives, we also need quiet solitude to
explore the inner self.
The attitude you take towards your physical aging is extremely
important. Deal with physical limitations and needs, to care for
yourself. Then move past them and focus on the many satisfac-
tions that are possible out there and enjoy life much more.

Quote from: dina jala on September 29, 2010, 02:04:52 PM
The question is....Why is the Philippine Catholic Church Against Family Planning?

No, the Philippine Catholic Church is not against Family Planning. The Catholic Church is promoting the Natural Family Planning. I said no because I am one of the lecturers about Natural Family Planning in our Parish.

Actually, not only the Catholic Church is against the artificial family planning but all other Christian Communities.

this is a very intelligent posting, salamat!

What has 16 passengers, pedals, a bar and loud music? Answer: a bierbike, a pedal-and-alcohol-fuelled contraption which can often be seen swerving along the streets of German cities. But now a court has banned the party wagons amid fears that inebriated passengers could tumble onto the road.

The beer is flowing, the pedals are turning and the mood aboard the bierbike, or beer bike, is euphoric. But the passengers' high spirits aren't shared by nearby car drivers, stuck behind the six-kilometer-per-hour vehicle on Dusseldorf's main drag, the Königsalle.

Favored by stag parties or fans of an environmentally-friendly city tour, more and more German cities now have beer bikes. But now a court in the western German city of Düsseldorf has banned the 16-seat contraptions. They are not allowed to travel without a special permit -- and they are not going to grant any, the court said, in a decision which could set a precedent in Germany.

Those renting beer bikes argued that their multi-wheeled cycles had as much right to the streets as any other bike. But Judge Ute Fischer stepped on the brakes, arguing that travel was clearly not the main aim of the "rolling party bars."

Sightseeing or Binge Tour?

For the owners of the â,¬20,000 ($28,000) vehicles, the ruling hurts. "More than 100 jobs are at stake," said a spokesman for the Cologne-based Bierbike GmbH, which runs tours in more than 36 cities. The bar-on-wheels costs â,¬120 per hour to rent, making it a lucrative business.

During the court case, the rental firm tried to play down the image of binge tours, saying the tours were popular among companies trying to boost workers' morale or senior citizens wanting to see the sights. They stressed that the quantity of alcohol is limited and the person behind the steering wheel remains sober throughout.

But the city of Düsseldorf eyes one big risk: It based its ruling on the threat of "falling guests" as well as beer glasses dropping into the road. "Beer bikes have proved themselves to be bothersome," it added.

jas

Yehey, daghang nailad!!

Faith in Christ's Power

The Sacrament of the Sick is not just for people who are dying. It’s for people who are alive. As with every encounter with Christ, we need to have a living, expectant faith in the power of Jesus to heal us.

Our Lady of the Rosary




Pope St. Pius V established this feast in 1573. The purpose was to thank God for the victory of Christians over the Turks at Lepantoâ€"a victory attributed to the praying of the rosary. Clement XI extended the feast to the universal Church in 1716.

The development of the rosary has a long history. First, a practice developed of praying 150 Our Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms. Then there was a parallel practice of praying 150 Hail Marys. Soon a mystery of Jesus' life was attached to each Hail Mary. Though Mary's giving the rosary to St. Dominic is recognized as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the followers of St. Dominic. One of them, Alan de la Roche, was known as "the apostle of the rosary." He founded the first Confraternity of the Rosary in the 15th century. In the 16th century the rosary was developed to its present formâ€"with the 15 mysteries (joyful, sorrowful and glorious). In 2002, Pope John Paul II added the Mysteries of Light to this devotion.


Comment:

The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel. The main focus is on Jesusâ€"his birth, life, death and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus' Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The Glorys remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.

The rosary appeals to many. It is simple. The constant repetition of words helps create an atmosphere in which to contemplate the mysteries of God. We sense that Jesus and Mary are with us in the joys and sorrows of life. We grow in hope that God will bring us to share in the glory of Jesus and Mary forever.


Quote:

“The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at a heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel messge in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb...It can be said that the rosary is, in some sense, a prayer-commentary on the final chapter of the Vatican II Constitution Lumen Gentium, a chapter that discusses the wondrous presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and the Church" (Pope John Paul II, apostolic letter The Rosary of the Virgin Mary).

WDR features some beautiful towns in Germany and this one was the topic, naka huna huna ko dayon sa atong mga mag-igsoon nga Monreal.

St. Bruno
(1030?-1101)


This saint has the honor of having founded a religious order which, as the saying goes, has never had to be reformed because it was never deformed. No doubt both the founder and the members would reject such high praise, but it is an indication of the saint's intense love of a penitential life in solitude.

He was born in Cologne, Germany, became a famous teacher at Rheims and was appointed chancellor of the archdiocese at the age of 45. He supported Pope Gregory VII (May 25) in his fight against the decadence of the clergy and took part in the removal of his own scandalous archbishop, Manasses. Bruno suffered the plundering of his house for his pains.

He had a dream of living in solitude and prayer, and persuaded a few friends to join him in a hermitage. After a while he felt the place unsuitable and, through a friend, was given some land which was to become famous for his foundation "in the Chartreuse" (from which comes the word Carthusians). The climate, desert, mountainous terrain and inaccessibility guaranteed silence, poverty and small numbers.

Bruno and his friends built an oratory with small individual cells at a distance from each other. They met for Matins and Vespers each day, and spent the rest of the time in solitude, eating together only on great feasts. Their chief work was copying manuscripts.

The pope, hearing of Bruno's holiness, called for his assistance in Rome. When the pope had to flee Rome, Bruno pulled up stakes again, and spent his last years (after refusing a bishopric) in the wilderness of Calabria.

He was never formally canonized, because the Carthusians were averse to all occasions of publicity. Pope Clement extended his feast to the whole Church in 1674.


Comment:

If there is always a certain uneasy questioning of the contemplative life, there is an even greater puzzlement about the extremely penitential combination of community and hermit life lived by the Carthusians.

Quote:

“Members of those communities which are totally dedicated to contemplation give themselves to God alone in solitude and silence and through constant prayer and ready penance. No matter how urgent may be the needs of the active apostolate, such communities will always have a distinguished part to play in Christ's Mystical Body...” (Decree on the Renewal of Religious Life, 7).

Overcoming Sin    

Christ heals us and gives us the strength we need to go out and fight sin in the world. The Eucharist gives us this strength.

One of the famous  view in Monreal.  Monreal is a municipality in the district of Mayen-Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Wikipedia

This is a very beautiful town famous for its beautiful timber houses.

St. Maria Faustina Kowalska
(1905-1938)



St. Mary Faustina's name is forever linked to the annual feast of the Divine Mercy (celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter), the divine mercy chaplet and the divine mercy prayer recited each day by many people at 3 p.m.

Born in what is now west-central Poland (part of Germany before World War I), Helena was the third of 10 children. She worked as a housekeeper in three cities before joining the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1925. She worked as a cook, gardener and porter in three of their houses.

In addition to carrying out her work faithfully, generously serving the needs of the sisters and the local people, she also had a deep interior life. This included receiving revelations from the Lord Jesus, messages that she recorded in her diary at the request of Christ and of her confessors.

At a time when some Catholics had an image of God as such a strict judge that they might be tempted to despair about the possibility of being forgiven, Jesus chose to emphasize his mercy and forgiveness for sins acknowledged and confessed. “I do not want to punish aching mankind,” he once told St. Maria Faustina, “but I desire to heal it, pressing it to my merciful heart” (Diary 1588). The two rays emanating from Christ's heart, she said, represent the blood and water poured out after Jesus' death (Gospel of John 19:34)

Because Sister Maria Faustina knew that the revelations she had already received did not constitute holiness itself, she wrote in her diary: “Neither graces, nor revelations, nor raptures, nor gifts granted to a soul make it perfect, but rather the intimate union of the soul with God. These gifts are merely ornaments of the soul, but constitute neither its essence nor its perfection. My sanctity and perfection consist in the close union of my will with the will of God” (Diary 1107).

Sister Maria Faustina died of tuberculosis in Krakow, Poland, on October 5, 1938. Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1993 and canonized her seven years later.


Comment:

Devotion to God's Divine Mercy bears some resemblance to devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In both cases, sinners are encouraged not to despair, not to doubt God's willingness to forgive them if they repent. As Psalm 136 says in each of its 26 verses, “God's love [mercy] endures forever.”

Quote:

Four years after Faustina's beatification, Pope John Paul II visited the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy at Lagiewniki (near Krakow) and addressed members of her congregation. He said: “The message of divine mercy has always been very close and precious to me. It is as though history has written it in the tragic experience of World War II. In those difficult years, this message was a particular support and an inexhaustible source of hope, not only for those living in Krakow, but for the entire nation. This was also my personal experience, which I carried with me to the See of Peter and which, in a certain sense, forms the image of this pontificate. I thank divine providence because I was able to contribute personally to carrying out Christ's will, by instituting the feast of Divine Mercy. Here, close to the remains of Blessed Faustina, I thank God for the gift of her beatification. I pray unceasingly that God may have 'mercy on us and on the whole world' (Quote from the Chaplet of Divine Mercy).”

Father, We Adore You! 

Loving Father, we thank you, we praise you, and we adore you for your love shown to us in Jesus our Savior. We thank you for the many beautiful ways you call us to come to you, the source of life.

ni-oli man kaha ni sa Leyte? Happy Birthday Doy, belated birthday greetings.

St. Francis of Assisi
(1182-1226)


Francis of Assisi was a poor little man who astounded and inspired the Church by taking the gospel literallyâ€"not in a narrow fundamentalist sense, but by actually following all that Jesus said and did, joyfully, without limit and without a sense of self-importance.

Serious illness brought the young Francis to see the emptiness of his frolicking life as leader of Assisi's youth. Prayerâ€"lengthy and difficultâ€"led him to a self-emptying like that of Christ, climaxed by embracing a leper he met on the road. It symbolized his complete obedience to what he had heard in prayer: "Francis! Everything you have loved and desired in the flesh it is your duty to despise and hate, if you wish to know my will. And when you have begun this, all that now seems sweet and lovely to you will become intolerable and bitter, but all that you used to avoid will turn itself to great sweetness and exceeding joy."

From the cross in the neglected field-chapel of San Damiano, Christ told him, "Francis, go out and build up my house, for it is nearly falling down." Francis became the totally poor and humble workman.

He must have suspected a deeper meaning to "build up my house." But he would have been content to be for the rest of his life the poor "nothing" man actually putting brick on brick in abandoned chapels. He gave up all his possessions, piling even his clothes before his earthly father (who was demanding restitution for Francis' "gifts" to the poor) so that he would be totally free to say, "Our Father in heaven." He was, for a time, considered to be a religious fanatic, begging from door to door when he could not get money for his work, evokng sadness or disgust to the hearts of his former friends, ridicule from the unthinking.

But genuineness will tell. A few people began to realize that this man was actually trying to be Christian. He really believed what Jesus said: "Announce the kingdom! Possess no gold or silver or copper in your purses, no traveling bag, no sandals, no staff" (see Luke 9:1-3).

Francis' first rule for his followers was a collection of texts from the Gospels. He had no idea of founding an order, but once it began he protected it and accepted all the legal structures needed to support it. His devotion and loyalty to the Church were absolute and highly exemplary at a time when various movements of reform tended to break the Church's unity.

He was torn between a life devoted entirely to prayer and a life of active preaching of the Good News. He decided in favor of the latter, but always returned to solitude when he could. He wanted to be a missionary in Syria or in Africa, but was prevented by shipwreck and illness in both cases. He did try to convert the sultan of Egypt during the Fifth Crusade.

During the last years of his relatively short life (he died at 44), he was half blind and seriously ill. Two years before his death, he received the stigmata, the real and painful wounds of Christ in his hands, feet and side.

On his deathbed, he said over and over again the last addition to his Canticle of the Sun, "Be praised, O Lord, for our Sister Death." He sang Psalm 141, and at the end asked his superior to have his clothes removed when the last hour came and for permission to expire lying naked on the earth, in imitation of his Lord.


Comment:

Francis of Assisi was poor only that he might be Christ-like. He recognized creation as another manifestation of the beauty of God. In 1979, he was named aptron of ecology. He did great penance (apologizing to "Brother Body" later in life) that he might be totally disciplined for the will of God. His poverty had a sister, humility, by which he meant total dependence on the good God. But all this was, as it were, preliminary to the heart of his spirituality: living the gospel life, summed up in the charity of Jesus and perfectly expressed in the Eucharist.

Quote:

"We adore you and we bless you, Lord Jesus Christ, here and in all the churches which are in the whole world, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world" (St. Francis).

Patron Saint of:

Animals
Ecology
Italy
Merchants

Centered Prayer

Prayer centered on relationship with Christ, the Word of God incarnate, cannot help but change the life of the believer and the way one lives.

So far those I've seen who got the injections, their complexion
really looks great. Usually they are prescribed by their Doctors.
For their safety, I think it depends how dependable and reliable
the manufacturers are.
Actually glutathione protect cells in different ways. It protects
not on the individual cells but also the tissuesof the arteries,
brain, heart, immune cells, kidneys, lenses of the eyes, liver,
skin, lungs, and skin against oxidant damage.. It plays a role
in preventing cancer especially liver cancer, and may actually
target carcinogens, make them water soluble, and then help
escort them from the body, It also has an anti-aging effect.
Find out from your friend what's the name of the manufacturer
and how we could get those injection. As we grow older, gluta-
thione levels drop, resulting in a decreased ability to deactivate
free radicals.
I want to have an injections too. It's given through the veins.

While I was in the Philippines, society matron were so crazy about
glutathione and they were quite expensive same here in the United
States. They take it because it improves their skin complexion, in
other words, it helps them look great. They are available in cosmetics,
may it be soap, creams and injections.
!st of all what is glutathone. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that
is produced in the liver. The lack of glutathione in turn accelerates the
aging process. A deficiency of glutathione affects the nervous system,
causing symptoms of lack of coordination, mental disorders, tremors
and difficulty maintaining balance. As we age glutathione levels dec-
reases.
Supplemental glutathione is expensive, and the effectiveness of oral
formula is questionable.There are products made in Japan with green
tea and placenta but am not quite sure of the efficacy but I know of
someone who is taking it.
Better supply your body with raw glutathione to raise levels in your
blood. Here are the foods rich in glutathione" Asparagus, watermelon,
avocados, walnuts, grapefruit, peanut butter, oatmeal, broccoli,
oranges and spinach.
Reservatrol has been recently discovered that it has  a potent
anti-oxidant activity ( which leads to decrease oxidative stress), and
aslo has the ability to inhibit platelets aggregation ( which means it
decreases the risk of blood clot formation and therefore decrease
the risk of stroke and heart attack). These actions may help prevent
free radical damage throughout the body and provide protective
support to the cardiovascular system. Reservatrol therefore causes
active alterations in the aging process by affecting anti-aging genes
in the body.
Foods that are high in reservatrol include : blueberries, peanuts
(especially the skin) purple grape skin, red wine, purple grape juices,
cranberries and cranberry juice.
These are other foods to be included in your diet to keep you young
and healthy. In one of Ophra's show as I could further recall a concoction
of red wine, apple cider vinegar and ketchup daily could make you look
younger and healthy. I tried it every now and then in a jigger, it doesn't taste
as bad as we thought. The proportion, I just play "matik matik". You will
like it but compliance and consistency isn't an easy thing to do.

St. Mother Theodore Guérin
(1798-1856)

Trust in God’s Providence enabled Mother Theodore to leave her homeland, sail halfway around the world and to found a new religious congregation.

Born in Etables, France, Anne-Thérèse’s life was shattered by her father’s murder when she was 15. For several years she cared for her mother and younger sister. She entered the Sisters of Providence in 1823, taking the name Sister St. Theodore. An illness during novitiate left her with lifelong fragile health; that did not keep her from becoming an accomplished teacher.

At the invitation of the bishop of Vincennes, she and five sisters were sent in 1840 to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, to teach and to care for the sick poor. She was to establish a motherhouse and novitiate. Only later did she learn that her French superiors had already decided the sisters in the United States should form a new religious congregation under her leadership.

She and her community persevered despite fires, crop failures, prejudice against Catholic women religious, misunderstandings and separation from their original religious congregation. She once told her sisters, “Have confidence in the Providence that so far has never failed us. The way is not yet clear. Grope along slowly. Do not press matters; be patient, be trustful.” Another time, she asked, “With Jesus, what shall we have to fear?”

She is buried in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, and was beatified in 1998. Eight years later she was canonized.


Comment:

God’s work gets done by people ready to take risks and to work hardâ€"always remembering what St. Paul told the Corinthians, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Every holy person has a strong sense of God’s Providence.

Quote:

During his homily at the beatification Mass, Pope John Paul II said that Blessed Mother Theodore “continues to teach Christians to abandon themselves to the providence of our heavenly Father and to be totally committed to doing what pleases him. The life of Blessed Theodore Guérin is a testimony that everything is possible with God and for God.”

Our Spiritual Food     

We need food on our journey. Jesus knew that we would need spiritual food too. So what did he do? He instituted the Blessed Eucharist.

Adunay awit sa afternoon nap,  afternoon delight.

Ed Flores wishes to disseminate this info;

http://www.mnnetherlands.com/dir/_page/100850/index.php

Der Spiegel International
US Apologizes for 1940s STD Study That Infected Guatemalans With Syphilis

In 1946, American researchers performed an appalling experiment, infecting unwitting Guatemalans with a potentially deadly disease in the name of public health.
In an effort to see if penicillin could prevent or treat syphilis, government scientists went to the impoverished Central American country to deliberately infect nearly 700 men and women -- including prisoners, inmates in insane asylums, and even some soldiers -- with the potentially fatal sexually transmitted disease.

The researchers used prostitutes to infect the men and hypodermic needles to infect the women. The experiments, which lasted from 1946 to 1949, were uncovered last year by Susan Reverby, a professor at Wellesley College, as she was researching a book.

When she came across the Guatemala study, her first reaction was, "Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh, my God," Reverby told ABC News today. A U.S. government official told ABC News today that the National Institutes of Health will launch two panels to examine the Guatemala study.

Guatemala's Ambassador to the United States, Francisco Villagran de León said today that he appreciated the decision for a full investigation.

"We don't even know if there is a list of these individuals. If there are any survivors, which is not likely, we should make sure that they should receive care," the ambassador said.

ps
Can they rectify the error or compensate for the damage done?

A statue of Mahatma Gandhi gets a wash on the eve of the anniversary of his birth in Jammu, India. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on Oct. 2, 1869 in Porbandar near Mumbai. He is often referred to as "Mahatma," a name which means "Great Soul" in Sanskrit. Saturday would have been his 141st birthday. Every year India celebrates the day with a national holiday. Gandhi was famed for his simple diet and lifestyle and in his honor no alcohol or meat is sold or consumed on the day.

One of Tubag Bohol´s apo celebrates his birthday, he is Ondoy Matt the son of Lumine, my best wishes and prayers are with you!

Feast of the Guardian Angels





Perhaps no aspect of Catholic piety is as comforting to parents as the belief that an angel protects their little ones from dangers real and imagined. Yet guardian angels are not just for children. Their role is to represent individuals before God, to watch over them always, to aid their prayer and to present their souls to God at death.

The concept of an angel assigned to guide and nurture each human being is a development of Catholic doctrine and piety based on Scripture but not directly drawn from it. Jesus' words in Matthew 18:10 best support the belief: "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."

Devotion to the angels began to develop with the birth of the monastic tradition. St. Benedict (July 11) gave it impetus and Bernard of Clairvaux (August 20), the great 12th-century reformer, was such an eloquent spokesman for the guardian angels that angelic devotion assumed its current form in his day.

A feast in honor of the guardian angels was first observed in the 16th century. In 1615, Pope Paul V added it to the Roman calendar.


Comment:

Devotion to the angels is, at base, an expression of faith in God's enduring love and providential care extended to each person day in and day out until life's end.

Quote:

"May the angels lead you into paradise;
may the martyrs come to welcome you
and take you to the holy city,
the new and eternal Jerusalem." (Rite for Christian Burial)

God Forgives, Then Forgets 

The tremendous truth about our God is that when he forgives, he forgets. It is hard for us to understand such great mercy.

There is no democracy in the catholic church. This perversion is usually the result of a humanist view of man being codified into Church Doctrine by zealous priests and bishops .If someone is a practicing catholic and uses birth control, cargo de conciencia! Siya ang manubag atubangan sa Dako nga Hukmanan.  Have a nice weekend folks!

Kining Obospo usahay marama, ilang gihulga sab si Pres Arroyo (excommunication) kay k******n, unsa man ang nahitabo? Wala! Si Arroyo nagpatuyang,  congresswoman lang gihapon.

No need to buy Ziploc or use rubber bands that does not work as efficiently.
Cut up a disposable water bottle at the neck as shown in photo.



Insert the loose end of the filled up plastic bag through the cutoff  neck and use the bottle cover to srcrew seal the bag.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux
(1873-1897)




"I prefer the monotony of obscure sacrifice to all ecstasies. To pick up a pin for love can convert a soul." These are the words of Theresa of the Child Jesus, a Carmelite nun called the "Little Flower," who lived a cloistered life of obscurity in the convent of Lisieux, France. [In French-speaking areas, she is known as Thérèse of Lisieux.] And her preference for hidden sacrifice did indeed convert souls. Few saints of God are more popular than this young nun. Her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, is read and loved throughout the world. Thérèse Martin entered the convent at the age of 15 and died in 1897 at the age of 24.

Life in a Carmelite convent is indeed uneventful and consists mainly of prayer and hard domestic work. But Thérèse possessed that holy insight that redeems the time, however dull that time may be. She saw in quiet suffering redemptive suffering, suffering that was indeed her apostolate. Thérèse said she came to the Carmel convent "to save souls and pray for priests." And shortly before she died, she wrote: "I want to spend my heaven doing good on earth."

[On October 19, 1997, Pope John Paul II proclaimed her a Doctor of the Church, the third woman to be so recognized in light of her holiness and the influence of her teaching on spirituality in the Church.]


Comment:

Thérèse has much to teach our age of the image, the appearance, the "sell." We have become a dangerously self-conscious people, painfully aware of the need to be fulfilled, yet knowing we are not. Thérèse, like so many saints, sought to serve others, to do something outside herself, to forget herself in quiet acts of love. She is one of the great examples of the gospel paradox that we gain our life by losing it, and that the seed that falls to the ground must die in order to live (see John 12).

Preoccupation with self separates modern men and women from God, from their fellow human beings and ultimately from themselves. We must relearn to forget ourselves, to contemplate a God who draws us out of ourselves and to serve others as the ultimate expression of selfhood. These are the insights of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and they are more valid today than ever.


Quote:

All her life St. Thérèse suffered from illness. As a young girl she underwent a three-month malady characterized by violent crises, extended delirium and prolonged fainting spells. Afterwards she was ever frail and yet she worked hard in the laundry and refectory of the convent. Psychologically, she endured prolonged periods of darkness when the light of faith seemed all but extinguished. The last year of her life she slowly wasted away from tuberculosis. And yet shortly before her death on September 30 she murmured, "I would not suffer less."

Truly she was a valiant woman who did not whimper about her illnesses and anxieties. Here was a person who saw the power of love, that divine alchemy which can change everything, including weakness and illness, into service and redemptive power for others. Is it any wonder that she is patroness of the missions? Who else but those who embrace suffering with their love really convert the world?


Patron Saint of:

Florists
Missionaries
Pilots

Lord, Heal Us on Our Journey     

Many people forget that meeting with Jesus to ask for healing of sickness of soul will also bring great healing to the body and the mind. Jesus knew that, and that’s why he gave us the sacrament: to heal us on our journey.

Don't you want to prevent wrinkles and age spots,
get rid of rough, dry skin and skin cancer ? Would'nt
you like to have a smoother, more radiant younger
appearance ? Don't you want to look as great as you
can? Your health affects your appearance.
Taking care of your skin starts with proper nutrition, exercise
( which promotes blood flow), sleep ( natural
anti-inflammatory). All of those factors naturally help
us to look healthier and more radiant, which automa-
tically translates into looking younger.
You've got to take care of your skin from the inside
out if you want to look and feel great.
All the expensive skin-care products in the world
won't achieve or maintain healthy skin without from
your diet.
Here are the foods:Dark chocolate, avocados, tea,
oranges, dried fruits, tomatoes and pumpkins.
I've discussed in my previous posting about teas
and dark chocolates. Avocados are high in fiber,
and top the charts among all fruits for folate ( folic
acid, one of the B-vitamins), potassium, vitamin E,
and magnesium. Magnesium is essential nutrient
for healthy bones as well as the cardiovascular
system, it also helps in the prevention of type 2
diabetes and seems to delay the aging of our cells.
Avocados provide more magnesium than the 20
most commonly eaten fruits. If avocado is not
available make use of asparagus, artichoke, extra-
virgin oil.
Oranges are extremely rich in vitamin C. Human
beings cannot manufacture vitamin C in our bodies
and we therefore need constant replenishment of
this vitamin from dietary sources. Vitamin C is
essential for making collagen, a natural protein
found in the connective tissues that support the
skin and help keep the skin elastic. Researchers
reported that people who ate plenty of vitamin C-
rich foods had fewer wrinkles. Tomatoes are rich
in lycopene. Tomato paste has a very high concen-
tration of lycopene. It helps protect the skin from
UV damage and UV induced reddening. Cooked
tomatoes has more lycopene content. If you're
going for fresh tomatoes go for cherry tomatoes-
they have the highest antioxidant amounts of their
thick skin. Other sources that has lycopene include
warermelon, pink grapefruit, Japanese persimmons,
( star-apple of kaimito), red fleshed papaya and
strawberry guavas. Pumpkin (either fresh or canned)
carrots ( raw, cooked, or juiced) and butternut squash
are all excellent sources of both alpha-carotene and
beta carotene, both of which provide protection against
UV light and help to reduce photosensitivity, which pro-
motes skin renewal and protects the skin from sun da-
mage.Dried fruits has higher fiber contents and has
greater polyphenol content than fresh fruits (except for
vitamin C,there's little of it in fresh fruits.) The most
nutrient-dense dried fruits are apricots and figs followed
by plums, raisins, dates and cranberries. You can add
dried fruit to your oatmeals, cereals, bread and cookies.
There's nothing more attractive than the glow of good
health. Everyone wants to look good no matter what
their age. When you look at yourself in the mirror and
you look good, you feel better and have confidence.
The more confident you are, the more you look forward
to a happy, healthy future, and the more likely you are
to take care of yourself and the way you look.

okay lang ang first runner-up because she consoled the emcee out of this very embarrasing situation.

Quote from: Scarb on September 30, 2010, 06:41:25 PM
Oh man..oh je money..money²..ka bibo ba dinhi 

Hey folks, when it come to cases like this, there must be a "black and white protocol" (its an auditing idiom)
- mean.. it should be recorded properly thru "incoming and outgoing" invoices.
- any monetary transaction must be reported to BIR whether its non-profit,private or firm.

-On the part of a Donor whether private or firm,there must be an invoice or receipt testifying the said amount >given to a certain org.
-this outgoing invoice will be used for yearly Income Tax Return (ITR) and for Financial statement.

-On the part of Charity org. or whatever it is..as a recipient(incoming invoice) is necessary.
- Liquidation of money transaction from one beneficiary to another is a must.
- say.., a needy person received 500php(say for hospital dues), he/she must sign a receipt thus he/she handed the said amount.

The Charity Organization as a whole is liable in any failure (as to what the case-maybe),not only the representatives or officers.
  Members have the right to question where the money comes and goes.

-zitat- (my one cent opinion) 

Saksto si Scarb kay adunay Standard Operating Procedures labi na nga kini rehistrado sa SEC. Aron malikayan ang tahap ug corruption. Daghang kaponongan dinhe mao ang nakapokan, kay kon mogaya ang kwarta, ang namolo dili na makahatag ug tarong nga audit sa transactions.

To a high profile program, this is a nightmare for the Emcee!

Australia's Next Top Model Announce Wrong Winner!

Doy na-a pa bay dinomogan diha?

in my opinion helping TBN is a choice, and if jellybean is hanging around in Bohol doing other community work, then it is worth applauding. She is a remarkable lady, and if ever she is " attacking" and it pains you that means there is a sore, right?

This is an effort of our president to give our country some face-liftings. Best of luck to him and his entourage.

St. Jerome
(345-420)



Most of the saints are remembered for some outstanding virtue or devotion which they practiced, but Jerome is frequently remembered for his bad temper! It is true that he had a very bad temper and could use a vitriolic pen, but his love for God and his Son Jesus Christ was extraordinarily intense; anyone who taught error was an enemy of God and truth, and St. Jerome went after him or her with his mighty and sometimes sarcastic pen.

He was above all a Scripture scholar, translating most of the Old Testament from the Hebrew. He also wrote commentaries which are a great source of scriptural inspiration for us today. He was an avid student, a thorough scholar, a prodigious letter-writer and a consultant to monk, bishop and pope. St. Augustine said of him, "What Jerome is ignorant of, no mortal has ever known."

St. Jerome is particularly important for having made a translation of the Bible which came to be called the Vulgate. It is not the most critical edition of the Bible, but its acceptance by the Church was fortunate. As a modern scholar says, "No man before Jerome or among his contemporaries and very few men for many centuries afterwards were so well qualified to do the work." The Council of Trent called for a new and corrected edition of the Vulgate, and declared it the authentic text to be used in the Church.

In order to be able to do such work, Jerome prepared himself well. He was a master of Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Chaldaic. He began his studies at his birthplace, Stridon in Dalmatia (in the former Yugoslavia). After his preliminary education he went to Rome, the center of learning at that time, and thence to Trier, Germany, where the scholar was very much in evidence. He spent several years in each place, always trying to find the very best teachers.

After these preparatory studies he traveled extensively in Palestine, marking each spot of Christ's life with an outpouring of devotion. Mystic that he was, he spent five years in the desert of Chalcis so that he might give himself up to prayer, penance and study. Finally he settled in Bethlehem, where he lived in the cave believed to have been the birthplace of Christ. On September 30 in the year 420, Jerome died in Bethlehem. The remains of his body now lie buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.


Comment:

Jerome was a strong, outspoken man. He had the virtues and the unpleasant fruits of being a fearless critic and all the usual moral problems of a man. He was, as someone has said, no admirer of moderation whether in virtue or against evil. He was swift to anger, but also swift to feel remorse, even more severe on his own shortcomings than on those of others. A pope is said to have remarked, on seeing a picture of Jerome striking his breast with a stone, "You do well to carry that stone, for without it the Church would never have canonized you" (Butler's Lives of the Saints).

Quote:

"In the remotest part of a wild and stony desert, burnt up with the heat of the scorching sun so that it frightens even the monks that inhabit it, I seemed to myself to be in the midst of the delights and crowds of Rome. In this exile and prison to which for the fear of hell I had voluntarily condemned myself, I many times imagined myself witnessing the dancing of the Roman maidens as if I had been in the midst of them: In my cold body and in my parched-up flesh, which seemed dead before its death, passion was able to live. Alone with this enemy, I threw myself in spirit at the feet of Jesus, watering them with my tears, and I tamed my flesh by fasting whole weeks. I am not ashamed to disclose my temptations, but I grieve that I am not now what I then was" ("Letter to St. Eustochium").

Patron Saint of:

Librarians

Faith in Christ's Presence    

In the sacraments Christ guarantees his presence. This doesn’t depend on feelings; it depends on faith. On each step of our journey, he meets us with the needs we have.

He was Ratzinger at that time, I couln´t imagine that now as a Pope will do the same. He is so sorry for the evil doings of some clergy and is trying to compensate.

Michael, Gabriel and Raphael



Angelsâ€"messengers from Godâ€"appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are named.

Michael appears in Daniel's vision as "the great prince" who defends Israel against its enemies; in the Book of Revelation, he leads God's armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century.

Gabriel also makes an appearance in Daniel's visions, announcing Michael's role in God's plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah.

Raphael's activity is confined to the Old Testament story of Tobit. There he appears to guide Tobit's son Tobiah through a series of fantastic adventures which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah's marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit's blindness and the restoration of the family fortune.

The memorials of Gabriel (March 24) and Raphael (October 24) were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their feasts to Michael's.


Comment:

Each of these archangels performs a different mission in Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael guides. Earlier belief that inexplicable events were due to the actions of spiritual beings has given way to a scientific world-view and a different sense of cause and effect. Yet believers still experience God's protection, communication and guidance in ways which defy description. We cannot dismiss angels too lightly.

Quote:

"The question of how many angels could dance on the point of a pin no longer is absurd in molecular physics, with its discovery of how broad that point actually is, and what part invisible electronic 'messengers' play in the dance of life" (Lewis Mumford).

Patron Saint of:

Death
Germany
Grocers
Police officers
Radiologists

Sins Hurt Ourselves     

By sin we can’t hurt God. Christ is risen now, and he can’t suffer anymore. By sin we hurt each other.

This one good against rheumatoid illness since this is anti-inflammatory;

Most probably you use spices to boost the flavor
of your favorite dishes and without it it might taste
bland and unapalatable.
What you may not realize is that when you cook
with spices, you're boosting your health as well.
All spices have health benefits. They are all potent
anti-inflammatories. However, one of the most potent
super health spices is turmeric, because it contains
curcumin, (agdao) which gives it its yellow orange
color. A natural detoxifier, curcumin helps protect
the liver from the damaging effects of alcohol, toxic
chemicals, and even some pharmaceutical drugs.
It provide relief for rheumatoid arthritis,  as well as
helping to prevent heart disease and cancer. Studies
show that cucurmin may also help to prevent alzheimer's
disease.
You can plant them in your backyard. It's the same family
with ginger and almost similar to "Camia" fragrant white
flower.
My cousin in Cabadbaran who is a councilor and married
to Board Member Famador use agdao concoction with
lemon grass ang ginger as their beverage for health reasons.
Spices with its health benefits will follow in another posting.

more from Alice Calo;

The research work of Dr. Louis Tobian with the University
of Minnesota School of Medicine in Minneapolis and Dr.
Elizabeth B. Connor at the University of California at San
Diego has proven beyond a doubt that a diet high in po-
tassium is one of the real secrets on loowering blood
pressure levels and holding them in check. Therefore
cocoa powder maybe of some dietary value in helping
to reduce hypertension due to high potassium content.
Foods that are high in potassium are found in apricots,
bananas, avocados, lima beans, blackstrap molasses,
brewer's yeast, brown rice, dates, figs, dried fruits, nuts,
garlic, potatoes, raisins, spinach, winter squash, yams,
wheat bran and yogurt.
Other foods that help lower blood pressure include"
barley, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, celery, cranberries,
cucumbers, endives, guavas, jackfruit, jujube, kumquats,
nectarines, oranges, parsley, peaches, pears, peppers,
strawberries, raspberries. tomatoes and turnip greens.

Hypertension is directly related to a number of other
conditions such as arteriosclerosis, cardiovascular
disease, heart attack and high cholesterol.
Because high blood pressure usually causes no
symptoms until complications develop, it is known
as the "silent killer". Warning signs associated with
advanced hypertension may include headache, rapid
pulse, sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness and
visual disturbance.
The secret to life is to help people. I don't want you to
change your whole life style. Just watch your diet. One
of Hippocrates saying goes " A wise man should consider
that health is the greatest of human blessings." Health is
Wealth.
Attitude is also an important factor in the process of health maintenance and healing.
"WE squander health to search of wealth;
We toil, we Sweat, we Save then we squander
our Wealth in search of Health and only to
find the Grave."

Thyme - for its anticancer properties.

Kini ang akong gi-inom karon isip tsa kay gabalik-balik ang akong ubo, kalooy sa diyos nabentaha na.
Ang akong sigi napod ug inom karon ang basil tea, paayo sakidney stones!

St. Wenceslaus
(907?-929)


If saints have been falsely characterized as "otherworldly," the life of Wenceslaus stands as an example to the contrary: He stood for Christian values in the midst of the political intrigues which characterized 10th-century Bohemia.

He was born in 907 near Prague, son of the Duke of Bohemia. His saintly grandmother, Ludmilla, raised him and sought to promote him as ruler of Bohemia in place of his mother, who favored the anti-Christian factions. Ludmilla was eventually murdered, but rival Christian forces enabled Wenceslaus to assume leadership of the government.

His rule was marked by efforts toward unification within Bohemia, support of the Church and peace-making negotiations with Germany, a policy which caused him trouble with the anti-Christian opposition. His brother Boleslav joined in the plotting, and in September of 929 invited Wenceslaus to Alt Bunglou for the celebration of the feast of Sts. Cosmas and Damian (September 26). On the way to Mass, Boleslav attacked his brother, and in the struggle, Wenceslaus was killed by supporters of Boleslav.

Although his death resulted primarily from political upheaval, Wenceslaus was hailed as a martyr for the faith, and his tomb became a pilgrimage shrine. He is hailed as the patron of the Bohemian people and of former Czechoslovakia.


Comment:

"Good King Wenceslaus" was able to incarnate his Christianity in a world filled with political unrest. While we are often victims of violence of a different sort, we can easily identify with his struggle to bring harmony to society. The call to become involved in social change and in political activity is addressed to Christians; the values of the gospel are sorely needed today.

Quote:

"While recognizing the autonomy of the reality of politics, Christians who are invited to take up political activity should try to make their choices consistent with the gospel and, in the framework of a legitimate plurality, to give both personal and collective witness to the seriousness of their faith by effective and disinterested service of men" (Pope Paul VI, A Call to Action, 46).

Patron Saint of:

Bohemia

Sacraments Bring Us Life     

The sacraments are veins that flow with life. At every stage of our spiritual journey, they bring us life: supernatural life, the life of grace, which makes us holy.

tinood ba kaha kini o lain na pong pangwarta!

Anise - for its anti-inflammatory properties and
             because it promotes pulmonary health.
             Add anise into your "biko", rice cake.
Black Pepper - It enhances the absorption of
             polyphenols and has antioixidant and
             anticancer properties.
Caraway - It promotes digestive health and has
             antimicrobial properties.
Cayenne - It promotes cardiovascular and gas-
             trointestinal health and pain relief and
             enhance immunity. You can take one
             "sili" daily as your substiture for aspirin.
Cinnamon - for its helpful effects on blood sugar
             and cholesterol levels. Add cinnamon to
             your coffee or tea.
Clove-  for its anticancer, anti-inflammatory properties.
Coriander - because it promotes healthy lipid (fat)
             profiles and has antidiabetic properties. You
             can add this to your chicken dish if you make
             tandori chicken with yogurt.
Cumin - for detoxification properties as well as for
             digestion.
Fennel- it also promotes digestive health.
Fenugreek - for its antidiabetic properties.
Ginger - for its antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory
               properties. Even in "adobo" I add ginger.
Licorice - for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anticancer,
               and phytoestrogen properties.
Marjoram - it helps atopic skin disease and is possibly
               protective against alzheimer's disease.
Nutmeg - for its anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.
               I add nutmeg as well to meats.
Oregano - for its antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial and
               lung protection properties.
Rosemary - for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and
               detoxification properties.
Saffron - for its anticancer properties. You can add this
                to rice as well- then you have a yellow rice.
                Cook rice in the rice cooker. Add saffron
                and chicken powder ( Knor).
Sage - for its antioxidant properties.
Thyme - for its anticancer properties.
Turmeric - for its cancer fighting properties and alzheimer's
               prevention properties. Add this when you make
               curry goat or curry chicken.
Thanks to Ms Alice Calo

St. Vincent de Paul
(1580?-1660)

The deathbed confession of a dying servant opened Vincent's eyes to the crying spiritual needs of the peasantry of France. This seems to have been a crucial moment in the life of the man from a small farm in Gascony, France, who had become a priest with little more ambition than to have a comfortable life.

It was the Countess de Gondi (whose servant he had helped) who persuaded her husband to endow and support a group of able and zealous missionaries who would work among poor tenant farmers and country people in general. Vincent was too humble to accept leadership at first, but after working for some time in Paris among imprisoned galley-slaves, he returned to be the leader of what is now known as the Congregation of the Mission, or the Vincentians. These priests, with vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and stability, were to devote themselves entirely to the people in smaller towns and villages.

Later, Vincent established confraternities of charity for the spiritual and physical relief of the poor and sick of each parish. From these, with the help of St. Louise de Marillac, came the Daughters of Charity, "whose convent is the sickroom, whose chapel is the parish church, whose cloister is the streets of the city." He organized the rich women of Paris to collect funds for his missionary projects, founded several hospitals, collected relief funds for the victims of war and ransomed over 1,200 galley slaves from North Africa. He was zealous in conducting retreats for clergy at a time when there was great laxity, abuse and ignorance among them. He was a pioneer in clerical training and was instrumental in establishing seminaries.

Most remarkably, Vincent was by temperament a very irascible personâ€"even his friends admitted it. He said that except for the grace of God he would have been "hard and repulsive, rough and cross." But he became a tender and affectionate man, very sensitive to the needs of others.

Pope Leo XIII made him the patron of all charitable societies. Outstanding among these, of course, is the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, founded in 1833 by his admirer Blessed Frederic Ozanam (September 7).


Comment:

The Church is for all God's children, rich and poor, peasants and scholars, the sophisticated and the simple. But obviously the greatest concern of the Church must be for those who need the most helpâ€"those made helpless by sickness, poverty, ignorance or cruelty. Vincent de Paul is a particularly appropriate patron for all Christians today, when hunger has become starvation, and the high living of the rich stands in more and more glaring contrast to the physical and moral degradation in which many of God's children are forced to live.

Quote:

"Strive to live content in the midst of those things that cause your discontent. Free your mind from all that troubles you, God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this [choice] without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what your heart desires" (St. Vincent de Paul, Letters).

Patron Saint of:

Charities

The Greatest Sacrament     

The first and greatest sacrament that we receive is the Sacrament of Baptism. In this sacrament God adopts us and snatches us from the darkness of original sin.

Sts. Cosmas and Damian
(d. 303?)


Nothing is known of their lives except that they suffered martyrdom in Syria during the persecution of Diocletian.

A church erected on the site of their burial place was enlarged by the emperor Justinian. Devotion to the two saints spread rapidly in both East and West. A famous basilica was erected in their honor in Constantinople. Their names were placed in the canon of the Mass, probably in the sixth century.

Legend says that they were twin brothers born in Arabia, who became skilled doctors. They were among those who are venerated in the East as the "moneyless ones" because they did not charge a fee for their services. It was impossible that such prominent persons would escape unnoticed in time of persecution: They were arrested and beheaded.

Nine centuries later, Francis of Assisi (October 4) rebuilt the dilapidated San Damiano chapel outside Assisi.


Comment:

For a long time, it seems, we have been very conscious of Jesus' miracles as proofs of his divinity. What we sometimes overlook is Jesus' consuming interest in simply healing people's sickness, whatever other meaning his actions had. The power that "went out from him" was indeed a sign that God was definitively breaking into human history in final fulfillment of his promises; but the love of God was also concrete in a very human heart that was concerned about the suffering of his brothers and sisters. It is a reminder to Christians that salvation is for the whole person, the unique body-spirit unity.

Quote:

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Patron Saint of:

Barbers
Pharmacists
Physicians
Surgeons

God's Great Mercy     

God sent his Son into the world to save us and to redeem us from sin. Knowing that we would sin, he gave us a sacrament to forgive sin.

St. Elzear and Blessed Delphina
(1286-1323) (1283-1358)


Listen to Audio
This is the only Franciscan couple to be canonized or beatified formally.

Elzear came from a noble family in southern France. After he married Delphina, she informed him that she had made a vow of perpetual virginity; that same night he did the same. For a time Elzear, Count of Ariano, was a counselor to Duke Charles of Calabria in southern Italy. Elzear ruled his own territories in the kingdom of Naples and in southern France with justice.

Elzear and Delphina joined the Secular Franciscans and dedicated themselves to the corporal works of mercy. Twelve poor people dined with them every day. A statue of Elzear shows him curing several people suffering from leprosy.

Their piety extended to the running of their household. Everyone there was expected to attend Mass daily, go to confession weekly and be ready to forgive injuries.

After Elzear’s death, Delphina continued her works of charity for 35 more years. She is especially remembered for raising the moral level of the king of Sicily’s court.

Elzear and Delphina are buried in Apt, France. He was canonized in 1369, and she was beatified in 1694.


Comment:

Like Francis, Elzear and Delphina came to see all creation as pointing to its source. Therefore, they did not try ruthlessly to dominate any part of creation but used all of it as a way of returning thanks to God.

Though childless, their marriage was life-giving for the poor and the sick around them.


Quote:

St. Bonaventure wrote: "Francis sought occasion to love God in everything. He delighted in all the works of God's hands and from the vision of joy on earth his mind soared aloft to the life-giving source and cause of all. In everything beautiful, he saw him who is beauty itself, and he followed his Beloved everywhere by his likeness imprinted on creation; of all creation he made a ladder by which he might mount up and embrace Him who is all-desirable" (Legenda Major, IX, 1).

Parang kaylan lang, rest in peace Orchids.

mao jud kining mga artista, they commercialized their relationship.

St. Pacifico of San Severino
(1653-1721)

Pacifico was born into a distinguished family in San Severino in the Marche of Ancona in central Italy. After joining the Friars Minor, he was ordained. He taught philosophy for two years and then began a successful preaching career.

Pacifico was an ascetic man. He fasted perpetually, eating no more than bread, soup or water. His "hair shirt" was made of iron. Poverty and obedience were two virtues for which his confreres especially remembered him.

At the age of 35, Pacifico contracted an illness that eventually left him deaf, blind and crippled. He offered his sufferings for the conversion of sinners, and he cured many of the sick who came to him. Pacifico also served as the superior of the friary in San Severino. He was canonized in 1839.


Comment:

Pacifico lived out the words of St. Francis cited below. His preaching and ministry were linked to his life of penance.

Francis urged his brothers to proclaim the Word of God without fanfare or self-interest. In that way, their words were truly God’s and directed toward the welfare of their listeners. The way Pacifico lived made his preaching all the more effective, for his listeners knew the power present in his words.


Quote:

"Moreover, I advise and admonish the friars that in their preaching, their words should be examined and chaste. They should aim only at the advantage and spiritual good of their listeners, telling them briefly about vice and virtue, punishment and glory, because our Lord himself kept his words short on earth" (St. Francis, Rule of 1223, Ch. 9).

Conquering Pain     

Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain but for the heart to conquer it.

diha pako sa Pinas iyang gi show off iyang 1 million ring to her birthday, good luck.

Dong Lorz, ikaw jud ang akong nahunahuna-an karon nga piyesta ni Padre Pio, you are a devout person!

St. Padre Pio da Pietrelcina
(1887-1968)


In one of the largest such ceremonies in history, Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio of Pietrelcina on June 16, 2002. It was the 45th canonization ceremony in Pope John Paul's pontificate. More than 300,000 people braved blistering heat as they filled St. Peter's Square and nearby streets. They heard the Holy Father praise the new saint for his prayer and charity. "This is the most concrete synthesis of Padre Pio's teaching," said the pope. He also stressed Padre Pio's witness to the power of suffering. If accepted with love, the Holy Father stressed, such suffering can lead to "a privileged path of sanctity."

Many people have turned to the Italian Capuchin Franciscan to intercede with God on their behalf; among them was the future Pope John Paul II. In 1962, when he was still an archbishop in Poland, he wrote to Padre Pio and asked him to pray for a Polish woman with throat cancer. Within two weeks, she had been cured of her life-threatening disease.

Born Francesco Forgione, Padre Pio grew up in a family of farmers in southern Italy. Twice (1898-1903 and 1910-17) his father worked in Jamaica, New York, to provide the family income.

At the age of 15, Francesco joined the Capuchins and took the name of Pio. He was ordained in 1910 and was drafted during World War I. After he was discovered to have tuberculosis, he was discharged. In 1917 he was assigned to the friary in San Giovanni Rotondo, 75 miles from the city of Bari on the Adriatic.

On September 20, 1918, as he was making his thanksgiving after Mass, Padre Pio had a vision of Jesus. When the vision ended, he had the stigmata in his hands, feet and side.

Life became more complicated after that. Medical doctors, Church authorities and curiosity seekers came to see Padre Pio. In 1924 and again in 1931, the authenticity of the stigmata was questioned; Padre Pio was not permitted to celebrate Mass publicly or to hear confessions. He did not complain of these decisions, which were soon reversed. However, he wrote no letters after 1924. His only other writing, a pamphlet on the agony of Jesus, was done before 1924.

Padre Pio rarely left the friary after he received the stigmata, but busloads of people soon began coming to see him. Each morning after a 5 a.m. Mass in a crowded church, he heard confessions until noon. He took a mid-morning break to bless the sick and all who came to see him. Every afternoon he also heard confessions. In time his confessional ministry would take 10 hours a day; penitents had to take a number so that the situation could be handled. Many of them have said that Padre Pio knew details of their lives that they had never mentioned.

Padre Pio saw Jesus in all the sick and suffering. At his urging, a fine hospital was built on nearby Mount Gargano. The idea arose in 1940; a committee began to collect money. Ground was broken in 1946. Building the hospital was a technical wonder because of the difficulty of getting water there and of hauling up the building supplies. This "House for the Alleviation of Suffering" has 350 beds.

A number of people have reported cures they believe were received through the intercession of Padre Pio. Those who assisted at his Masses came away edified; several curiosity seekers were deeply moved. Like St. Francis, Padre Pio sometimes had his habit torn or cut by souvenir hunters.

One of Padre Pio’s sufferings was that unscrupulous people several times circulated prophecies that they claimed originated from him. He never made prophecies about world events and never gave an opinion on matters that he felt belonged to Church authorities to decide. He died on September 23, 1968, and was beatified in 1999.


Comment:

At Padre Pio's canonization Mass in 2002, Pope John Paul II referred to that day's Gospel (Matthew 11:25-30) and said: “The Gospel image of 'yoke' evokes the many trials that the humble Capuchin of San Giovanni Rotondo endured. Today we contemplate in him how sweet is the 'yoke' of Christ and indeed how light the burden are whenever someone carries these with faithful love. The life and mission of Padre Pio testify that difficulties and sorrows, if accepted with love, transform themselves into a privileged journey of holiness, which opens the person toward a greater good, known only to the Lord.”

Quote:

"The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self; there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection except at the price of pain" (saying of Padre Pio).

Lord, I Adore You!     

Let us adore forever the most holy Sacrament. O praise the Lord, all you nations; praise him, all you people. For his mercy is confirmed upon us; and the truth of the Lord remains forever.

Floating Bridge



Commuters cross the Buriganga River on a floating boat bridge in Dhaka, Bangladesh. When rampant-growing water hyacinth prevented boats from moving freely on the river, a group of boatmen came up with a bright idea. They made this floating bridge by connecting 34 wooden dinghies together and are charging a small fee to cross.

Yehey, none of the above!

Dinhe kon adunay mamalihog lisod mamalibad, nahitabo na sa akong amiga, na random ang iyang bagahe ug hand carry ug ab-le, kay paswerteswerte man lagi, ang iyang amiga nag padala ug 30,000 Euro sa  envelope. Wala siya masayod nga in-adto kadako ang kwarta, nakamulta siya. Pag-abot sa Germany nag gyera patani silang duha (both from Samar).
We have 500 Euro bills so it was not really bulky.

Full Moon Fever



Visitors stroll past giant lanterns at the Lantern Wonderland exhibition in Hong Kong's Victoria Park. The annual exhibition celebrates the middle of autumn and the full moon, which is supposedly at its largest and roundest this week.

European men prefers rubenisque women because they look motherly.

St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions
(1600?-1637)

Lawrence (Lorenzo) was born in Manila of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother, both Christians. Thus he learned Chinese and Tagalog from them and Spanish from the Dominicans whom he served as altar boy and sacristan. He became a professional calligrapher, transcribing documents in beautiful penmanship. He was a full member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary under Dominican auspices. He married and had two sons and a daughter.

His life took an abrupt turn when he was accused of murder. Nothing further is known except the statement of two Dominicans that "he was sought by the authorities on account of a homicide to which he was present or which was attributed to him."

At that time three Dominican priests, Antonio Gonzalez, Guillermo Courtet and Miguel de Aozaraza, were about to sail to Japan in spite of a violent persecution there. With them was a Japanese priest, Vicente Shiwozuka de la Cruz, and a layman named Lazaro, a leper. Lorenzo, having taken asylum with them, was allowed to accompany them. But only when they were at sea did he learn that they were going to Japan.

They landed at Okinawa. Lorenzo could have gone on to Formosa, but, he reported, "I decided to stay with the Fathers, because the Spaniards would hang me there." In Japan they were soon found out, arrested and taken to Nagasaki. The site of wholesale bloodshed when the atomic bomb was dropped had known tragedy before. The 50,000 Catholics who once lived there were dispersed or killed by persecution.

They were subjected to an unspeakable kind of torture: After huge quantities of water were forced down their throats, they were made to lie down. Long boards were placed on their stomachs and guards then stepped on the ends of the boards, forcing the water to spurt violently from mouth, nose and ears.

The superior, Antonio, died after some days. Both the Japanese priest and Lazaro broke under torture, which included the insertion of bamboo needles under their fingernails. But both were brought back to courage by their companions.

In Lorenzo's moment of crisis, he asked the interpreter, "I would like to know if, by apostatizing, they will spare my life." The interpreter was noncommittal, but Lorenzo, in the ensuing hours, felt his faith grow strong. He became bold, even audacious, with his interrogators.

The five were put to death by being hanged upside down in pits. Boards fitted with semicircular holes were fitted around their waists and stones put on top to increase the pressure. They were tightly bound, to slow circulation and prevent a speedy death. They were allowed to hang for three days. By that time Lorenzo and Lazaro were dead. The three Dominican priests, still alive, were beheaded.

Pope John Paul II canonized these six and 10 others, Asians and Europeans, men and women, who spread the faith in the Philippines, Formosa and Japan. Lorenzo Ruiz is the first canonized Filipino martyr.


Comment:

We ordinary Christians of todayâ€"how would we stand up in the circumstances these martyrs faced? We sympathize with the two who temporarily denied the faith. We understand Lorenzo's terrible moment of temptation. But we see also the courageâ€"unexplainable in human termsâ€"which surged from their store of faith. Martyrdom, like ordinary life, is a miracle of grace.

Quote:

When government officials asked, "If we grant you life, will you renounce your faith?," Lorenzo responded: "That I will never do, because I am a Christian, and I shall die for God, and for him I will give many thousands of lives if I had them. And so, do with me as you please."

Jesus, Strengthen Me!     

O tree of Calvary, send your roots deep down into my heart. Gather together the soil of my heart, the sands of my fickleness, the mud of my desires. Bind them all together and interlace them with thy strong roots, entwine them with the network of thy love.

U.S. Immigration , US Dept. of Homeland Security & TRAVEL ADVISORY

FYI......... .. This information is very alarming and I think it's
worth sharing to save you from trouble and embarrassment.

A Filipino friend shared this email. His friend who works for Homeland
Security as Immigration Inspector at LAX ( Los Angeles International
Airport ) called him yesterday to share the information that happened
last weekend. A FIL-AM citizen who was flying to the Philippines for
vacation was apprehended by an Airport Immigration agent while she was
checking in her baggage and going through the X-ray machine. For some
reason, she was randomly checked and was told to open all the
envelopes inside her carry-on Coach bag.

They found 10 envelops addressed to different people in the
Philippines . When all the envelops were opened, a total of $11,000
cash was discovered. They asked the traveler if she knew the contents
of the envelope. She said no, because all the envelopes are just
"padala"and the senders didn't tell her whether or not there was money
inside.

Immigration agents showed her a Policy and guidance stating that it is
illegal to import and export over $10,000 in any Asian countries to
prevent the possibility of supporting terrorism. She was fined $500,
her name was "red labeled" by Immigration (means every time she enters
and exits the airport, she will be searched 100%),and she also missed
her scheduled flight to the Philippines for being held almost 5 hours.
Hard to believe that departing passengers from the U.S. are also
subject to the policy but looks like it is being strictly enforced
now.

The lessons learned is before you accept any "padala", make sure the
envelopes are open and you physically see the contents of it or just
plainly say "sorry but I can't accept any padala" for your own safety.

This email came from a former U.S. Embassy employee and this could be
useful to all balikbayans

Subject: TRAVEL ADVISORY FROM AMERICAN EMBASSY MANILA

Please share this with your friends and relatives.

Please be informed of the recent travel advisory to the United States .

Quote from: vrglguapo on September 21, 2010, 02:26:53 PM
Emerald sunset by Cuba...

kujawa, too good to be true!

A couple of years ago the executive vice-president was Rodulfo Felisan Besinga, who grew up in Cebu but the parents are Bol-anon.

scarb, palihug sulayi ang Allied bank, 5 euro taman 10,000 euro

the Flour face

A boy in Panchimalco, El Salvador is covered in flour after taking part in the traditional "Las Chamcacas" game of blowing into bowls of flour during three day festival of the patron saint "Santa Cruz de Roma," or "The Holy Cross of Rome."

St. Matthew


Matthew was a Jew who worked for the occupying Roman forces, collecting taxes from other Jews. The Romans were not scrupulous about what the "taxfarmers" got for themselves. Hence the latter, known as "publicans," were generally hated as traitors by their fellow Jews. The Pharisees lumped them with "sinners" (see Matthew 9:11-13). So it was shocking to them to hear Jesus call such a man to be one of his intimate followers.

Matthew got Jesus in further trouble by having a sort of going-away party at his house. The Gospel tells us that "many" tax collectors and "those known as sinners" came to the dinner. The Pharisees were still more badly shocked. What business did the supposedly great teacher have associating with such immoral people? Jesus' answer was, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' I did not come to call the righteous but sinners" (Matthew 9:12b-13). Jesus is not setting aside ritual and worship; he is saying that loving others is even more important.

No other particular incidents about Matthew are found in the New Testament.


Comment:

From such an unlikely situation, Jesus chose one of the foundations of the Church, a man others, judging from his job, thought was not holy enough for the position. But he was honest enough to admit that he was one of the sinners Jesus came to call. He was open enough to recognize truth when he saw him. "And he got up and followed him" (Matthew 9:9b).

Quote:

We imagine Matthew, after the terrible events surrounding the death of Jesus, going to the mountain to which the risen Lord had summoned them. "When they saw him, they worshipped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them [we think of him looking at each one in turn, Matthew listening and excited with the rest], 'All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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 behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:17-20).

Matthew would never forget that day. He proclaimed the Good News by his life and by his word. Our faith rests upon his witness and that of his fellow apostles.


Patron Saint of:

Accountants
Bankers
Bookkeepers
Tax collectors

God, Teach Me to Love 
   
I pray not for wealth, I pray not for honors, I pray not for pleasures, or even the joys of poetry. I only pray that during all my life, I may have love: that I may have pure love to love thee.

hubs bahala na basta dili lang mahimong bakeh!

Flawless Fruit

Orthodox Jews inspect an etrog, a type of citrus fruit, for imperfections at a market in Jerusalem. The fruit plays an important part in the rituals accompanying the Jewish holiday of Sukkot which begins later this week.

BBC

When Dr James Naismith invented basketball in 1891, he couldn't have dreamed that the game would become the world's second most popular sport, played in more than 200 countries, and a multi-billion dollar industry. Now his Canadian hometown is set to honour him with a statue.

The monument in the city where James Naismith invented basketball, in Springfield, Massachusetts, is the 40,000 sq ft Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.


   

The museum in his hometown of Almonte, Ontario, is, well, rather more compact.

A large boulder - the "Rock" - stands like an altar at the heart of the museum.

It's a tribute to the inspiration for James Naismith's invention - "Duck on a Rock" - a game he played growing up.

This was the type of throw that brought the world basketball.

Born in 1861, Dr Naismith's early life was marked by tragedy. His farmer parents died of typhoid, and he and his siblings were raised by an uncle who instilled in them the values of hard work, self reliance and determination.

A high school drop-out who worked as a lumberjack, Dr Naismith later embraced education with enthusiasm. He obtained a degree in physical education from Montreal's McGill University, a diploma in theology and - after moving to the US - qualified as a medical doctor.

The first basketball team The first basketball team made their bow in 1891

A deeply religious man, Dr Naismith believed that sport "could be used to lead young men to a good end".

In the winter of 1891 after moving to Springfield, Dr Naismith was faced with a challenging class of "incorrigibles". This antagonistic group had to be kept fit indoors through a harsh New England winter.

Instead of a rock, the players would throw a soccer ball at two peach baskets nailed high up at each end of the gymnasium. The janitor later punched holes in the bottom of the baskets after he became tired of climbing up to retrieve balls.

The first game - comprising two teams of nine - took place on 21 December 1891. The final score was 1-0.

As Dr Naismith later recalled: "It was the start of the first basketball game and the finish of trouble with that class."

From there, the game grew. There were suggestions that the new game be called "Naismith ball" - but the modest inventor settled on "basketball" instead.

The museum is funded by the Dr James Naismith Basketball Foundation. President Allen Rae, a referee during several Olympic basketball games, thinks the low-key remembrance might be characteristically Canadian.

"In Canada, we seem to be understated as a nation in terms of our heroes," says Mr Rae.

Even now Almonte is honouring Naismith "big in a small way", according to Al Lunney, the mayor of Mississippi Mills, which today includes Almonte.

A larger-than-life bronze statue depicting Naismith with a ball and a peach basket will soon be dedicated in the town square.


Kansas Sculptor Eldon Teft produced three identical versions from the same mould - one for Almonte, one for Springfield and one for Kansas, where Dr Naismith coached the University of Kansas basketball team.

While organisers planto invite Dr Naismith's descendants, as well as the Canadian prime minister, to the dedication, Mr Rae has his eyes on a special VIP.

Mayor Lunney doubts that Almonte will become the new epicentre of basketball heritage. A large themed shrine is just not Almonte's style.

He wants to "keep Almonte the way is: a nice quiet town where Naismith grew up".

"It won't be like Springfield," says a doubtful Mayor Lunney.

By Sian Griffiths  BBC News, Ottawa 

LORD, take away the arrogance in us. Help us go back to the humble and righteous ways, where our real friends walk.

nag-ihap ug kwarta or chicks?

they deserve to be happy, Cheers!



Ole von Beust with Lukas Förster , Ole is the mayor from Hamburg and he resigned to concentrate more on his profession, Lukas is good friend of him.


Berlin´s mayor Klaus Wowereit with partner Joern Kubicki

porbida tuganaw dinhe jamo, kon maligo ka ug in-ana kabaga kapoliki ka ug gamit sa blower!

this is no joke, I got a friend who wishes to end her life! she´s in the USA, pwerte gud nakong dokdok ug maymay aron matin-aw ang pangisip!

this is a valuable info, will keep in touch when in Pinas next year, God bless!

Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang and Companions
(1821-1846)


This first native Korean priest was the son of Korean converts. His father, Ignatius Kim, was martyred during the persecution of 1839 and was beatified in 1925. After Baptism at the age of 15, Andrew traveled 1,300 miles to the seminary in Macao, China. After six years he managed to return to his country through Manchuria. That same year he crossed the Yellow Sea to Shanghai and was ordained a priest. Back home again, he was assigned to arrange for more missionaries to enter by a water route that would elude the border patrol. He was arrested, tortured and finally beheaded at the Han River near Seoul, the capital.

Paul Chong Hasang was a seminarian, aged 45.

Christianity came to Korea during the Japanese invasion in 1592 when some Koreans were baptized, probably by Christian Japanese soldiers. Evangelization was difficult because Korea refused all contact with the outside world except for bringing taxes to Beijing annually. On one of these occasions, around 1777, Christian literature obtained from Jesuits in China led educated Korean Christians to study. A home Church began. When a Chinese priest managed to enter secretly a dozen years later, he found 4,000 Catholics, none of whom had ever seen a priest. Seven years later there were 10,000 Catholics. Religious freedom came in 1883.

When Pope John Paul II visited Korea in 1984 he canonized, besides Andrew and Paul, 98 Koreans and three French missionaries who had been martyred between 1839 and 1867. Among them were bishops and priests, but for the most part they were lay persons: 47 women, 45 men.

Among the martyrs in 1839 was Columba Kim, an unmarried woman of 26. She was put in prison, pierced with hot tools and seared with burning coals. She and her sister Agnes were disrobed and kept for two days in a cell with condemned criminals, but were not molested. After Columba complained about the indignity, no more women were subjected to it. The two were beheaded. A boy of 13, Peter Ryou, had his flesh so badly torn that he could pull off pieces and throw them at the judges. He was killed by strangulation. Protase Chong, a 41-year-old noble, apostatized under torture and was freed. Later he came back, confessed his faith and was tortured to death.

Today, there are almost 4.7 million Catholics in Korea.


Comment:

We marvel at the fact that the Korean Church was strictly a lay Church for a dozen years after its birth. How did the people survive without the Eucharist? It is no belittling of this and other sacraments to realize that there must be a living faith before there can be a truly beneficial celebration of the Eucharist. The sacraments are signs of God's initiative and response to faith already present. The sacraments increase grace and faith, but only if there is something ready to be increased.

Quote:

"The Korean Church is unique because it was founded entirely by lay people. This fledgling Church, so young and yet so strong in faith, withstood wave after wave of fierce persecution. Thus, in less than a century, it could boast of 10,000 martyrs. The death of these martyrs became the leaven of the Church and led to today's splendid flowering of the Church in Korea. Even today their undying spirit sustains the Christians in the Church of silence in the north of this tragically divided land" (Pope John Paul II, speaking at the canonization).