MikeLigalig.com

He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.

Socrates *

*
Socrates (pronounced /ˈsÉ'krÉ™tiːz/; Greek: ΣωκράÏ,,ηÏ,, SōkrátÄ"s; c. 469 BCâ€"399 BC[1]) was a Classical Greek philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known only through the classical accounts of his students. Plato's dialogues are the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity.

I wish to make this regularly, and I want to hear if this is productive to read everyday;

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.

Lao Tzu *

*
Laozi is revered as a god in most religious forms of Taoism. Taishang Laojun is a title for Laozi in the Taoist religion, which refers to him as "One of the Three Pure Ones".

Yes, that´s true, God made Man and Woman and nothing in-between. But reality is different, how shall we conform to this difference, they are also creature of God, they have the right to exist.

Sakto jud ka Ondoy, tagaan unta sila ug legal recognition, bahala na ang simbahan. Kini sila tawo raman jud, adunay balati-an.

St. Egwin
(d. 717)

You say you’re not familiar with today’s saint? Chances are you aren’tâ€"unless you’re especially informed about Benedictine bishops who established monasteries in medieval England.
Born of royal blood in the 7th century, Egwin entered a monastery and was enthusiastically received by royalty, clergy and the people as the bishop of Worcester, England. As a bishop he was known as a protector of orphans and the widowed and a fair judge. Who could argue with that?

His popularity didn’t hold up among members of the clergy, however. They saw him as overly strict, while he felt he was simply trying to correct abuses and impose appropriate disciplines. Bitter resentments arose, and Egwin made his way to Rome to present his case to Pope Constantine. The case against Egwin was examined and annulled.

Upon his return to England, he founded Evesham Abbey, which became one of the great Benedictine houses of medieval England. It was dedicated to Mary, who had reportedly made it known to Egwin just where a church should be built in her honor.

He died at the abbey on December 30, in the year 717. Following his burial many miracles were attributed to him: The blind could see, the deaf could hear, the sick were healed.

Giving

Pray for the strength to give some things--even a few at a time--to someone who has need of them.

Aduna koy ig-agaw nga bokser ang iyang  one n only son kay b***t, apan pino kaajo, maoy mag-una ug pangadye sa kapilya. Bokbokon gihapon sa mga bogoy nga hobog, namatay intawon siya angin sa internal bleeding.

This is a sad story. I have read a similar news,it was in New York, Opa (Grandfather in German) drove an SUV and run over the youngest grandchild, a boy. The mother saw it and put a picnic blanket over the dead boy and collected the two siblings to go back to their house,before she called the police.

Ben. ikaw man jod ang hanas, palihug taga-i sila ug nindot nga pulong aron catching sa mga turista, with honorarium of course.

Something is  wrong in our modern society. We don´t take much time to interact with other people, time is so short, we are so stressed.

I am a true believer of the Catholic faith but here in Germany I witness that such tolerance is respect for human rights. There are things that I dislike in our Catholic church. It is full of hypocracy.  It should be active in social activities to alleviate poverty.
Third sex must be respected, they have right to express their way of love. If this is not in consonance with our faith, they have to answer it before Him.

Is this possible in our country, since this is already allowed in some parts of the continent?

Dec.24.2009

Four people have died and another 23 are missing after a ferry collided with a fishing boat in the Philippines.

The wooden-hulled passenger ferry and the boat were carrying at least 73 people between them when they collided in Manila Bay in the early hours.

Coastguard spokesman Commander Armando Balilo told local media that 46 people had been rescued from the waters.

The cause of the collision is not clear as there were no reports of poor weather conditions.

The incident came as thousands of people in the Philippines travelled home for the Christmas period.

Rush to rescue


 
The passenger ferry was on its way to Lubang island, south-east of Manila.

"This is a small vessel with a single wooden hull. Water rushed in and the vessel sank not long after the collision," coastguard Commodore Luis Tuazon told local radio.

The other vessel - a 369-tonne fishing boat named Nathalia - was damaged but still afloat, said Commander Balilo.

It had been on an extended fishing trip in the Turtle islands in the southern Philippines and was returning to the Navotas port in northern Manila.

A coastguard statement said an air and sea search was continuing, but there were fears that those missing were trapped in the passenger ferry as they slept.

Maritime accidents are common in the Philippine archipelago because of tropical weather, badly maintained passenger boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations.

The world's worst maritime disaster in peacetime occurred in the Philippines in December 1987. More than 4,000 people died when the Dona Paz ferry collided with a tanker.

Despite frequent government promises to improve safety, accidents have continued. BBC

St. Thomas Becket
(1118-1170)

 
A strong man who wavered for a moment, but then learned one cannot come to terms with evil and so became a strong churchman, a martyr and a saintâ€"that was Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in his cathedral on December 29, 1170.
His career had been a stormy one. While archdeacon of Canterbury, he was made chancellor of England at the age of 36 by his friend King Henry II. When Henry felt it advantageous to make his chancellor the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas gave him fair warning: he might not accept all of Henry’s intrusions into Church affairs. Nevertheless, he was made archbishop (1162), resigned his chancellorship and reformed his whole way of life!

Troubles began. Henry insisted upon usurping Church rights. At one time, supposing some conciliatory action possible, Thomas came close to compromise. He momentarily approved the Constitutions of Clarendon, which would have denied the clergy the right of trial by a Church court and prevented them from making direct appeal to Rome. But Thomas rejected the Constitutions, fled to France for safety and remained in exile for seven years. When he returned to England, he suspected it would mean certain death. Because Thomas refused to remit censures he had placed upon bishops favored by the king, Henry cried out in a rage, “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest!” Four knights, taking his words as his wish, slew Thomas in the Canterbury cathedral.

Thomas Becket remains a hero-saint down to our own times.




Comment:

No one becomes a saint without struggle, especially with himself. Thomas knew he must stand firm in defense of truth and right, even at the cost of his life. We also must take a stand in the face of pressuresâ€"against dishonesty, deceit, destruction of lifeâ€"at the cost of popularity, convenience, promotion and even greater goods.


Quote:

In T.S. Eliot's powerful drama, Murder in the Cathedral, Becket faces a final temptation to seek martyrdom for earthly glory and revenge. With real insight into his life situation, Thomas responds: "The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason."

Baptized in One Body   

For in one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. 

Dako ang bentaha kay dili mag-hagok!

Gimmick tingali kini kay eleksyon naman!

The late Pope forgave him although Ali Agca, never asked forgiveness.

The same woman did the same thing twice, you are right, the security people are lax in protecting him.

Gisangyaw sa Santo Papa, nga ang nahitabo angay hingkalimtan. Dili siya gosto nga padak-on ang panghitabo, kay para niya gamay ra kadto nga hitabo-a.  Ang iyang ikasulti kita angay mag pinasay-loay. Peace everyone.

Ang akong nakat-ongan, ang kapobrehon makalig-on sa imong kaugalingon.

Boyfriend pillow for Japan singles 

Ms Suzuki says the pillow has other advantages
Japan's single women are being offered the ultimate sleeping partner - a comfort to cuddle up to, but one which does not snore or make demands.
The Boyfriend's Arm Pillow, shaped like a man's torso with one sturdy arm, has been on sale since December and has so far been snapped up by 1,000 singles.

Manufacturer Kameo said the pillow's shape also keeps the body balanced.

One woman, Junko Suzuki, told AP: "It makes me relaxed... I can hold the arm and feel something warm at my side".

The pillow is only available in Japan, where it costs about 8,500 Yen (£40, $80), and is available in blue, pink or green.

Ms Suzuki, who is separated from her husband, says the pillow has other advantages.

"It keeps holding me all the way through. I think this is great because this does not betray me," she told AP.

BBC

Feast of the Holy Innocents


Herod “the Great,” king of Judea, was unpopular with his people because of his connections with the Romans and his religious indifference. Hence he was insecure and fearful of any threat to his throne. He was a master politician and a tyrant capable of extreme brutality. He killed his wife, his brother and his sister’s two husbands, to name only a few.
Matthew 2:1-18 tells this story: Herod was “greatly troubled” when astrologers from the east came asking the whereabouts of “the newborn king of the Jews,” whose star they had seen. They were told that the Jewish Scriptures named Bethlehem as the place where the Messiah would be born. Herod cunningly told them to report back to him so that he could also “do him homage.” They found Jesus, offered him their gifts and, warned by an angel, avoided Herod on their way home. Jesus escaped to Egypt.

Herod became furious and “ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under.” The horror of the massacre and the devastation of the mothers and fathers led Matthew to quote Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah,/sobbing and loud lamentation;/Rachel weeping for her children...” (Matthew 2:18). Rachel was the wife of Jacob/Israel. She is pictured as weeping at the place where the Israelites were herded together by the conquering Assyrians for their march into captivity.




Comment:

The Holy Innocents are few, in comparison to the genocide and abortion of our day. But even if there had been only one, we recognize the greatest treasure God put on the earthâ€"a human person, destined for eternity and graced by Jesus’ death and resurrection.


Quote:

"Lord, you give us life even before we understand" (Prayer Over the Gifts, Feast of the Holy Innocents).


Patron Saint of:

Babies

Righteousness Through Obedience   

For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous. 

In-ani jud ang paagi sa Ginoo, mosalig lang kita kay makalosot gihapon.

Anne thanks for this info, I simply need a new face!

St. John the Apostle



It is God who calls; human beings answer. The vocation of John and his brother James is stated very simply in the Gospels, along with that of Peter and his brother Andrew: Jesus called them; they followed. The absoluteness of their response is indicated by the account. James and John “were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him” (Matthew 4:21b-22).
For the three former fishermenâ€"Peter, James and Johnâ€"that faith was to be rewarded by a special friendship with Jesus. They alone were privileged to be present at the Transfiguration, the raising of the daughter of Jairus and the agony in Gethsemane. But John’s friendship was even more special. Tradition assigns to him the Fourth Gospel, although most modern Scripture scholars think it unlikely that the apostle and the evangelist are the same person.

John’s own Gospel refers to him as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (see John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2), the one who reclined next to Jesus at the Last Supper, and the one to whom he gave the exquisite honor, as he stood beneath the cross, of caring for his mother. “Woman, behold your son....Behold, your mother” (John 19:26b, 27b).

Because of the depth of his Gospel, John is usually thought of as the eagle of theology, soaring in high regions that other writers did not enter. But the ever-frank Gospels reveal some very human traits. Jesus gave James and John the nickname, “sons of thunder.” While it is difficult to know exactly what this meant, a clue is given in two incidents.

In the first, as Matthew tells it, their mother asked that they might sit in the places of honor in Jesus’ kingdomâ€"one on his right hand, one on his left. When Jesus asked them if they could drink the cup he would drink and be baptized with his baptism of pain, they blithely answered, “We can!” Jesus said that they would indeed share his cup, but that sitting at his right hand was not his to give. It was for those to whom it had been reserved by the Father. The other apostles were indignant at the mistaken ambition of the brothers, and Jesus took the occasion to teach them the true nature of authority: “...[W]hoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:27-28).

On another occasion the “sons of thunder” asked Jesus if they should not call down fire from heaven upon the inhospitable Samaritans, who would not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. But Jesus “turned and rebuked them” (see Luke 9:51-55).

On the first Easter, Mary Magdalene “ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, ‘They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him’” (John 20:2). John recalls, perhaps with a smile, that he and Peter ran side by side, but then “the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first” (John 20:4b). He did not enter, but waited for Peter and let him go in first. “Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed” (John 20:.

John was with Peter when the first great miracle after the Resurrection took placeâ€"the cure of the man crippled from birthâ€"which led to their spending the night in jail together. The mysterious experience of the Resurrection is perhaps best contained in the words of Acts: “Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, they [the questioners] were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

The Apostle John is traditionally considered the author of the Fourth Gospel, three New Testament letters and the Book of Revelation. His Gospel is a very personal account. He sees the glorious and divine Jesus already in the incidents of his mortal life. At the Last Supper, John’s Jesus speaks as if he were already in heaven. It is the Gospel of Jesus’ glory.




Comment:

It is a long way from being eager to sit on a throne of power or to call down fire from heaven to becoming the man who could write: “The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16).


Quote:

A persistent story has it that John's "parishioners" grew tired of his one sermon, which relentlessly emphasized: "Love one another." Whether the story is true or not, it has basis in John's writing. He wrote what may be called a summary of the Bible: "We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him" (1 John 4:16).


Patron Saint of:

Turkey

Jesus Brilliantly Shining   

It is Jesus who is the refulgence of God’s glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. 

Nindot ang Bohol, ang mga batasan sab sa mga mamomoyo, madala ug inato, sa akong mga higala nga Aleman nga nakabisita sa Bohol, dayeg sila pag-ayo.

St. Stephen
(d. 36 A.D.?)

Listen to Audio
All we know of Stephen is found in Acts of the Apostles, chapters Six and Seven. It is enough to tell us what kind of man he was:

At that time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenist (Greek-speaking) Christians complained about the Hebrew-speaking Christians, saying that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit.... (Acts 6:1-5)

Acts says that Stephen was a man filled with grace and power, who worked great wonders among the people. Certain Jews, members of the Synagogue of Roman Freedmen, debated with Stephen but proved no match for the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke. They persuaded others to make the charge of blasphemy against him. He was seized and carried before the Sanhedrin.

In his speech, Stephen recalled God’s guidance through Israel’s history, as well as Israel’s idolatry and disobedience. He then claimed that his persecutors were showing this same spirit. “[Y]ou always oppose the holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors” (Acts 7:51b).

His speech brought anger from the crowd. “But [Stephen], filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God....’ They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him....As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit....Lord, do not hold this sin against them’” (Acts 7:55-56, 58a, 59, 60b).


Comment:

Stephen died as Jesus did: falsely accused, brought to unjust condemnation because he spoke the truth fearlessly. He died with his eyes trustfully fixed on God, and with a prayer of forgiveness on his lips. A “happy” death is one that finds us in the same spirit, whether our dying is as quiet as Joseph’s or as violent as Stephen’s: dying with courage, total trust and forgiving love.

Patron Saint of:

Bricklayers
Deacons
Hungary

Christian Life

The Christian life is the transformation of human beings by the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Koddi, do you have a picture of this?  You must have lots of interesting episodes to relate. Best wishes to you and your family, Noel 2009.

Ang akong paningkamot akong gikogihan, pobre man ko apan ang akong kwarta akong gihago-an, dili kinawat.
Ang atong Ginoo, gipili ang kapobrehon aron kita,   siya atong sundogan.

This is a good self-steem, you know yourself well, so anything that is to understimate you as a Bisayan will not be counted.

Ako mangutana ninyo kay adunay mga nilalang nga ang bahandi ang gamiton aron sokdon ang imong pagkatawo, busa angay bang ika-ulaw ang kawad-on?

Day Lee, pag kuha ug litrato palihug.

Inday Candijaynon, what irritates me is that I really made an error in my posting and I want to correct this since I know her personally. It is also not my intention to belong to this league, I´m happy where I am and I have children more worth than any millions in the world. No amount of money can certify you as a good human being, also on this day, the Lord reminds us that his heart belongs to the poor and the deprived.

Christmas Day

 
On this day the Church focuses especially on the newborn Child, God become human, who embodies for us all the hope and peace we seek. We need no other special saint today to lead us to Christ in the manger, although his mother Mary and Joseph, caring for his foster-Son, help round out the scene.
But if we were to select a patron for today, perhaps it might be appropriate for us to imagine an anonymous shepherd, summoned to the birthplace by a wondrous and even disturbing vision in the night, a summons from an angelic choir, promising peace and goodwill. A shepherd willing to seek out something that might just be too unbelievable to chase after, and yet compelling enough to leave behind the flocks in the field and search for a mystery.

On the day of the Lord’s birth, let’s let an unnamed, “un-celebrity” at the edge of the crowd model for us the way to discover Christ in our own heartsâ€"somewhere between skepticism and wonder, between mystery and faith. And, like Mary and the shepherds, let us treasure that discovery in our hearts.



Comment:

The precise dating in this passage sounds like a textbook on creationism. If we focus on the time frame, however, we miss the point. It lays out the story of a love affair: creation, the deliveranceof the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, the rise of Israel under David. It climaxes with the birth of Jesus. From the beginning, some scholars insist, God intended to enter the world as one of us, the beloved people. Praise God!

The Word Became Flesh   

And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory of the Father’s only Son. 

Holiday greetings to all, Manay!

This is the graduation rites of my daughter, they are called one by one, the certificate is given by the Uni President and a dean, a photo as a souvenir , that´s all.

Bravo Koddi, bentaha bitaw kining mag pahipi lang ba, let them discover your humble background, Bol-anon ko nyor!

Sakto jud ka Inday Grace, there´s no justification for stealing. But there is a law here in Germany, mangawat ka kay gigutom ka, dili kana punishable.
Ako personally mangawat ka ug pananglitay ballpen, or any tangible object, this should be punished, apan kon mansanas or tinapay kay gutom, okay ni nako.

Datu kaayo ni siya nga pari, apan ang kwarta tua sa kombento, maayo siya mag-invest.

A Festive Christmas to All! May Christ be born in the hearts of those who havent accepted Him yet as Lord and Savior.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!!!

Anselm Grün terminated his school years in 1964 with the A-level equivalent Abitur at the grammar school in Würzburg, Germany. In the same year he began as a novice at the nearby Benedictine Münsterschwarzach Abbey. From 1965 to 1971 he studied philosophy and theology at St. Ottilien Archabbey and in Rome. 1974 he made his PhD in theology having a focus on Karl Rahner. From 1974 to 1976 Anselm Grün studied Business in Nuremberg. His first book "Reinheit des Herzens" ("Purity of Heart") was published in 1976. More than 200 books followed and have sold about 14 million copies.

In 1977, Anselm Grün became the Cellerar of Münsterschwarzach Abbey and thus responsible for the economic administration of the abbey with its 20 businesses and the Mission Prokura. Wikipedia

The Benedectine monk Anselm Gruen relates to an interview how he copes with his erotic feelings as a religious person.

As a monk I also experiences some longings,  an embrace, tender feelings to a woman. The problem is how do I cope to this since I am a monk?
This is something different since I have to stay chaste and pure.
True love is without lust and avarice.When I fall in love, I discover mutual feelings that I can not express outside. This is a big challenge and I bring this feeling closer to the fountain of Great Love.
I feel this closeness when I make the sign of the cross, near my breast,  getting the feeling of warmth and security.
First the feeling of my own bodily warmth,  this eases my mind.  The deepness of my soul, is no emptiness, rather an affection full of spiritual strength and love, God´s love.
How do I know if this is real love? Love is facinating, uncomprehensible but the feeling is there.
It is an enchantment and the risk of being hurt are both existent, from fulfilment and dissappointment.
We always strive to find the loves of one´s life, a love that is sufficient. But no matter how big is the yearning it will never be fulfilled.
Love is an illusion, it breaks down with so much expectations.
I am a realistic person. I never moan, but I simply accept that I can not get anything I want. Going through the pain is easier, I would rather be thankful for having the chance to live the beauty of love without complaining.
This is true to me, loving and letting go, that is the mystery of life.

ps
this is an excerpt of an interview Welt on-line in German translated for TB Forum.

Wow, akong gi-angkon akong sayop, morag napak-an sab ang tubag sa mga ...?

Christmas at Greccio

What better way to prepare for the arrival of the Christ Child than to take a brief journey to Greccio, the spot in central Italy where St. Francis of Assisi created the first Christmas crib in the year 1223.
Francis, recalling a visit he had made years before to Bethlehem, resolved to create the manger he had seen there. The ideal spot was a cave in nearby Greccio. He would find a baby (we’re not sure if it was a live infant or the carved image of a baby), hay upon which to lay him, an ox and an ass to stand beside the manger. Word went out to the people of the town. At the appointed time they arrived carrying torches and candles.

One of the friars began celebrating Mass. Francis himself gave the sermon. His biographer, Thomas of Celano, recalls that Francis “stood before the manger…overcome with love and filled with a wonderful happiness…” For Francis, the simple celebration was meant to recall the hardships Jesus suffered even as an infant, a savior who chose to become poor for our sake, a truly human Jesus.

Tonight, as we pray around the Christmas cribs in our homes, we welcome into our hearts that same Savior.


Comment:

God’s choice to give human beings free will was, from the beginning, a decision to be helpless in human hands. With the birth of Jesus, God made the divine helplessness very clear to us, for a human infant is totally dependent on the loving response of other people. Our natural response to a baby is to open our arms, as Francis did, to the infant of Bethlehem and to the God who made us all.




Comment:

God’s choice to give human beings free will was, from the beginning, a decision to be helpless in human hands. With the birth of Jesus, God made the divine helplessness very clear to us, for a human infant is totally dependent on the loving response of other people. Our natural response to a baby is to open our arms, as Francis did, to the infant of Bethlehem and to the God who made us all.


May the Holy infant Jesus Bless you all and your family eveyday, Merry Christmas!

Eradicate Selfishness   

We must everyday let the power of God’s healing cut all the tendrils and vines and chains that want to tie us down in our own selfishness. That is our daily crossâ€"and our greatest blessing

this news was featured in CNN yesterday, and in the German tabloids, majority are for it.

Ms da Bins maajo nalang gani kay dili kita hollywood stars!

December 23, 2009


St. John of Kanty


(1390?-1473)


 

John was a country lad who made good in the big city and the big university of Kraków, Poland. After brilliant studies he was ordained a priest and became a professor of theology. The inevitable opposition which saints encounter led to his being ousted by rivals and sent to be a parish priest at Olkusz. An extremely humble man, he did his best, but his best was not to the liking of his parishioners. Besides, he was afraid of the responsibilities of his position. But in the end he won his people’s hearts. After some time he returned to Kraków and taught Scripture for the remainder of his life.
He was a serious man, and humble, but known to all the poor of Kraków for his kindness. His goods and his money were always at their disposal, and time and again they took advantage of him. He kept only the money and clothes absolutely needed to support himself. He slept little, and then on the floor, ate sparingly, and took no meat. He made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, hoping to be martyred by the Turks. He made four pilgrimages to Rome, carrying his luggage on his back. When he was warned to look after his health, he was quick to point out that, for all their austerity, the fathers of the desert lived remarkably long lives.

Comment:

John of Kanty is a typical saint: He was kind, humble and generous, he suffered opposition and led an austere, penitential life. Most Christians in an affluent society can understand all the ingredients except the last: Anything more than mild self-discipline seems reserved for athletes and ballet dancers. Christmas is a good time at least to reject self-indulgence.

Clothed in Salvation

I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice.

I would like to rectify my posting about Fe Anana Piezas, she is a Doctor of Medicine from Southwestern University Cebu City, Mea Culpa!

Doy David,  Vrolijk kerstfeest

I was intrigued because this is a good stuff for discussion especially nowadays where Christmas time is highly commercialized.

Dili lang ka masakpan kay dako ang problema!

London, England (CNN) -- A UK priest has defended his comments that it is acceptable to steal from large companies.

Tim Jones, parish priest of St Lawrence and St Hilda, told his congregation in York, northern England: "My advice, as a Christian priest, is to shoplift."

Jones, who according to the church Web site previously worked in Corinth, Mississippi, made his comments about what he regarded as acceptable behavior by those in need when they were desperate.

In a transcript of his sermon published in the local newspaper, "The Press," Jones said: "I do not offer such advice because I think that stealing is a good thing, or because I think it is harmless, for it is neither.

"I would ask that they do not steal from small family businesses, but from large national businesses, knowing that the costs are ultimately passed on to the rest of us in the form of higher prices."

Jones told CNN affiliate ITN Monday that his advice was directed at those with nothing and who had exhausted all other legal avenues to survive, such as state benefits.

While it was never right to shoplift, Jones said, it was the most acceptable alternative for those in desperate need compared with prostitution, burglary or other criminal offenses.

The Web site for St Hilda's states that Jones has served as a prison chaplain and that his interests include international justice and fair trade issues.

"I would say to those people that are outraged: Compare how much you are spending on yourself this Christmas compared to how much you have given to people in desperate situations," Jones told ITN.

In his sermon Sunday Jones called on anyone planning to steal not to take more than they need for longer than they need, saying that he offered his advice with a heavy heart. He added that his advocacy of shoplifting was a "grim indictment" of society and a plea for help for the most vulnerable.

But Jones' church bosses failed to back his call. In a statement on the Web site for the Diocese of York Tuesday, Richard Seed, Archdeacon of York said: "The Church of England does not advise anyone to shoplift, or break the law in any way.

"Fr Tim Jones is raising important issues about the difficulties people face when benefits are not forthcoming, but shoplifting is not the way to overcome these difficulties.

"There are many organizations and charities working with people in need, and the Citizens' Advice Bureau is a good first place to call."

Maxine Edney, Centrepoint’s Chief Operations Officer said:

"Centrepoint is enormously grateful for the support of our patron Prince William who, as this sleep out demonstrates, plays an active role in understanding and supporting youth homelessness and the work we do at Centrepoint."
-------------------------------------------------
Imagine Ate Glo sleeps with the marginalized Kababayans and give her the feeling what it is like to live under abject poverty?

ajuha imong polong, bisaya ka?

Day Bambi, please monitor the weather conditions, daghang na stranded sa mga European airports, have a good trip, vaya con Dios!

Belle, simply change your set of mind. You are one of the most independent minded woman I knew.
This was my personal decision not to marry a Filipino because I feel it would be tough for me to be a housewife, bisan pa gani dinhe angal ang pares, kay grabe kono ka gahi ang akong ulo.
Daghang mga Pinay nga aktibista, suportado sa ilang mga Pinoy nga husbands, kini talag-saon ra!

adunay guaranty?

This weakness of ours must be overcome once and for all, we need lots of self discipline.

Blessed Jacopone da Todi
(d. 1306)

Jacomo, or James, was born a noble member of the Benedetti family in the northern Italian city of Todi. He became a successful lawyer and married a pious, generous lady named Vanna.
His young wife took it upon herself to do penance for the worldly excesses of her husband. One day Vanna, at the insistence of Jacomo, attended a public tournament. She was sitting in the stands with the other noble ladies when the stands collapsed. Vanna was killed. Her shaken husband was even more disturbed when he realized that the penitential girdle she wore was for his sinfulness. On the spot, he vowed to radically change his life.

He divided his possessions among the poor and entered the Secular Franciscan Order (once known as the Third Order). Often dressed in penitential rags, he was mocked as a fool and called Jacopone, or "Crazy Jim," by his former associates. The name became dear to him.

After 10 years of such humiliation, Jacopone asked to be a member of the Order of Friars Minor) (First Order). Because of his reputation, his request was initially refused. He composed a beautiful poem on the vanities of the world, an act that eventually led to his admission into the Order in 1278. He continued to lead a life of strict penance, declining to be ordained a priest. Meanwhile he was writing popular hymns in the vernacular.

Jacopone suddenly found himself a leader in a disturbing religious movement among the Franciscans. The Spirituals, as they were called, wanted a return to the strict poverty of Francis. They had on their side two cardinals of the Church and Pope Celestine V. These two cardinals, though, opposed Celestine’s successor, Boniface VIII. At the age of 68, Jacopone was excommunicated and imprisoned. Although he acknowledged his mistake, Jacopone was not absolved and released until Benedict XI became pope five years later. He had accepted his imprisonment as penance. He spent the final three years of his life more spiritual than ever, weeping "because Love is not loved." During this time he wrote the famous Latin hymn, Stabat Mater.

On Christmas Eve in 1306 Jacopone felt that his end was near. He was in a convent of the Poor Clares with his friend, Blessed John of La Verna. Like Francis, Jacopone welcomed "Sister Death" with one of his favorite songs. It is said that he finished the song and died as the priest intoned the Gloria from the midnight Mass at Christmas. From the time of his death, Brother Jacopone has been venerated as a saint.




Comment:

“Crazy Jim,” his contemporaries called Jacopone. We might well echo their taunt, for what else can you say about a man who broke into song in the midst of all his troubles? We still sing Jacopone’s saddest song, the Stabat Mater, but we Christians claim another song as our own, even when the daily headlines resound with discordant notes. Jacopone’s whole life rang our song out: “Alleluia!” May he inspire us to keep singing.

Healthy Relationships   

If a relationship is holding you back spiritually, this is an unmistakable sign that the relationship is not of God. 

Belle, kahinomdom ka sa iyang film,  Good Morning Vietnam? His message here is the same satire.

It will take sometime till a woman gets an equal footing with a man in our society. So if the woman makes the advances she risks her reputation.  It is also evident when a woman gets raped, she will be  reproached  kay siya ki-at, ki-at, ma-oy ga una-una, biga-on! Sakit kaayo paminawon, sa akong kabahin isip babaye. Sama sa nahitabo kang Nicole kadtong gi-rape sa Kano, kay siya nahubog, mao kuno nag-dala ug come-here.
Kon ang babaye mabontisan, purbida ang mga tsismis ug istorya. Kon mag-abort siya makasala siya apan walay istorya, kay iya mang barogan ang nahitabo, ang tawag sa iya desgrasyada. Which either way a woman has a lot to lose.

Robin Williams, wearing a shirt that says 'I love  New York  ' in Arabic.

You gotta love Robin Williams........Even if he's nuts! Leave it to Robin Williams to come up with the perfect plan. What we need now is for our UN Ambassador to stand up and repeat this message.
Robin Williams' plan...(Hard to argue with this logic!)

'I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here's one plan.'

1) 'The US, UK  , CANADA and  AUSTRALIA  will apologize to the world for our 'interference' in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein, and the rest of those 'good 'ole' boys', we will never 'interfere' again.

2) We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany  ,  South Korea  , the Middle East , and the  Philippines  . They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one allowed sneaking through holes in the fence.

3) All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of whom or where they are from. They're illegal!!!  France  will welcome them.


4) All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit!!!! No one from a terrorist nation will be allowed in. If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.

5) No foreign 'students' over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a 'D' and it's back home baby.



6) The US, UK  , CANADA and  AUSTRALIA  will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while


7) Offer  Saudi Arabia  and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go someplace else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.)


If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not 'interfere.' They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.

9) Ship the UN  Headquarters to an isolated island someplace. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.

10) All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us 'Ugly Americans' any longer. The Language we speak is ENGLISH..learn it...or LEAVE...Now, isn't that a winner of a plan?
'The Statue of  Liberty  is no longer saying 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling, 'you want a piece of me?' '

If you agree with the above, forward it to friends...If not, and I would be amazed if you DELETED it!!

Please accept my sincere congratulations Pressy, here is a toast to you! God bless!

hofelina

sugo sa atong tradition, nga ang baje igo rang mag huwat.

Destiny

When a man and a woman are united by true love, each one takes on the destiny, the future of the other, as his or her own. Pope John Paul II

December 21, 2009

St. Peter Canisius
(1521-1597)


The energetic life of Peter Canisius should demolish any stereotypes we may have of the life of a saint as dull or routine. Peter lived his 76 years at a pace which must be considered heroic, even in our time of rapid change. A man blessed with many talents, Peter is an excellent example of the scriptural man who develops his talents for the sake of the Lord’s work.
He was one of the most important figures in the Catholic Counter-Reformation in Germany. His was such a key role that he has often been called the “second apostle of Germany” in that his life parallels the earlier work of Boniface.

Although Peter once accused himself of idleness in his youth, he could not have been idle too long, for at the age of 19 he received a master’s degree from the university at Cologne. Soon afterwards he met Peter Faber, the first disciple of Ignatius Loyola, who influenced Peter so much that he joined the recently formed Society of Jesus.

At this early age Peter had already taken up a practice he continued throughout his lifeâ€"a process of study, reflection, prayer and writing. After his ordination in 1546, he became widely known for his editions of the writings of St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Leo the Great. Besides this reflective literary bent, Peter had a zeal for the apostolate. He could often be found visiting the sick or prisoners, even when his assigned duties in other areas were more than enough to keep most people fully occupied.

In 1547 Peter attended several sessions of the Council of Trent, whose decrees he was later assigned to implement. After a brief teaching assignment at the Jesuit college at Messina, Peter was entrusted with the mission to Germanyâ€"from that point on his life’s work. He taught in several universities and was instrumental in establishing many colleges and seminaries. He wrote a catechism that explained the Catholic faith in a way which common people could understandâ€"a great need of that age.

Renowned as a popular preacher, Peter pac ked churches with those eager to hear his eloquent proclamation of the gospel. He had great diplomatic ability, often serving as a reconciler between disputing factions. In his letters (filling eight volumes) one finds words of wisdom and counsel to people in all walks of life. At times he wrote unprecedented letters of criticism to leaders of the Churchâ€"yet always in the context of a loving, sympathetic concern.

At 70 Peter suffered a paralytic seizure, but he continued to preach and write with the aid of a secretary until his death in his hometown (Nijmegen, Netherlands) on December 21, 1597.

Comment:

Peter’s untiring efforts are an apt example for those involved in the renewal of the Church or the growth of moral consciousness in business or government. He is regarded as one of the creators of the Catholic press, and can easily be a model for the Christian author or journalist. Teachers can see in his life a passion for the transmission of truth. Whether we have much to give, as Peter Canisius did, or whether we have only a little to give, as did the poor widow in the Gospel (see Luke 21:1–4), the important thing is to give our all. It is in this way that Peter is so exemplary for Christians in an age of rapid change when we are called to be in the world but not of the world.

Quote:
When asked if he felt overworked, Peter replied, "If you have too much to do, with God's help you will find time to do it all."

St. Dominic of Silos
(c. 1000-1073)


Listen to Audio
It’s not the founder of the Dominicans we honor today, but there’s a poignant story that connects one Dominic with the other.

Our saint today, Dominic of Silos was born in Spain around the year 1000 into a peasant family. As a young boy he spent time in the fields, where he welcomed the solitude. He became a Benedictine priest and served in numerous leadership positions. Following a dispute with the king over property, Dominic and two other monks were exiled. They established a new monastery in what at first seemed an unpromising location. Under Dominic’s leadership, however, it became one of the most famous houses in Spain. Many healings were reported there.

About 100 years after Dominic’s death, a young woman made a pilgrimage to his tomb. There Dominic of Silos appeared to her and assured her that she would bear another son. The woman was Joan of Aza, and the son she bore grew up to be the "other" Dominicâ€"the one who founded the Dominicans.

For many years thereafter, the staff used by St. Dominic of Silos was brought to the royal palace whenever a queen of Spain was in labor. The practice ended in 1931.

Resist Temptation     

It is not always in the soul’s power not to feel a temptation. But it is always in its power not to consent to it. â€"Saint Francis De Sales

Bulak, kalami maghimo ug bata, sayon ra, ang naka-apan pagbuhi!

Blessed Pope Urban V
(1310-1370)

In 1362, the man elected pope declined the office. When the cardinals could not find another person among them for that important office, they turned to a relative stranger: the holy person we honor today.
The new Pope Urban V proved a wise choice. A Benedictine monk and canon lawyer, he was deeply spiritual and brilliant. He lived simply and modestly, which did not always earn him friends among clergymen who had become used to comfort and privilege. Still, he pressed for reform and saw to the restoration of churches and monasteries. Except for a brief period he spent most of his eight years as pope living away from Rome at Avignon, seat of the papacy from 1309 until shortly after his death.

He came close but was not able to achieve one of his biggest goals—reuniting the Eastern and Western churches.

As pope, Urban continued to follow the Benedictine Rule. Shortly before his death in 1370 he asked to be moved from the papal palace to the nearby home of his brother so he could say goodbye to the ordinary people he had so often helped.

The Good of Others   

Love is not merely a feeling; it is an act of will that consists of preferring, in a constant manner, the good of others to the good of oneself. â€"Pope John Paul II 

Blessed Anthony Grassi
(1592-1671)

Anthony’s father died when his son was only 10 years old, but the young lad inherited his father’s devotion to Our Lady of Loreto. As a schoolboy he frequented the local church of the Oratorian Fathers, joining the religious order when he was 17.
Already a fine student, he soon gained a reputation in his religious community as a "walking dictionary" who quickly grasped Scripture and theology. For some time he was tormented by scruples, but they reportedly left him at the very hour he celebrated his first Mass. From that day, serenity penetrated his very being.

In 1621, at age 29, Anthony was struck by lightning while praying in the church of the Holy House at Loreto. He was carried paralyzed from the church, expecting to die. When he recovered in a few days he realized that he had been cured of acute indigestion. His scorched clothes were donated to the Loreto church as an offering of thanks for his new gift of life.

More important, Anthony now felt that his life belonged entirely to God. Each year thereafter he made a pilgrimage to Loreto to express his thanks.

He also began hearing confessions, and came to be regarded as an outstanding confessor. Simple and direct, he listened carefully to penitents, said a few words and gave a penance and absolution, frequently drawing on his gift of reading consciences.

In 1635 he was elected superior of the Fermo Oratory. He was so well regarded that he was reelected every three years until his death. He was a quiet person and a gentle superior who did not know how to be severe. At the same time he kept the Oratorian constitutions literally, encouraging the community to do likewise.

He refused social or civic commitments and instead would go out day or night to visit the sick or dying or anyone else needing his services. As he grew older, he had a God-given awareness of the future, a gift which he frequently used to warn or to console.

But age brought its challenges as well. He suffered the humility of having to give up his physical faculties one by one. First was his preaching, necessitated after he lost his teeth. Then he could no longer hear confessions. Finally, after a fall, he was confined to his room. The archbishop himself came each day to give him holy Communion. One of Anthony’s final acts was to reconcile two fiercely quarreling brothers.



Comment:

Nothing provides a better reason for reassessing a life than a brush with death. Anthony’s life already seemed to be on track when he was struck by lightning; he was a brilliant priest blessed, at last, with serenity. But his experience softened him. He became a loving counselor and a wise mediator. The same might be said of us if we put our hearts to it. We needn’t wait to be struck by lightning

Purity of Conscience   

God desires the least degree of purity of conscience in you more than all the works you can perform. â€"Saint John of the Cross 

Arki, mabuhay ka! Nasayod diay ka nga adunay mangayo ug 20% bag-o i release ang pondo?

Lazarus


Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, the brother of Martha and Mary, was the one of whom the Jews said, "See how much he loved him." In their sight Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead.
Legends abound about the life of Lazarus after the death and resurrection of Jesus. He is supposed to have left a written account of what he saw in the next world before he was called back to life. Some say he followed Peter into Syria. Another story is that despite being put into a leaking boat by the Jews at Jaffa, he, his sisters and others landed safely in Cyprus. There he died peacefully after serving as bishop for 30 years.

A church was built in his honor in Constantinople and some of his reputed relics were transferred there in 890. A Western legend has the oarless boat arriving in Gaul. There he was bishop of Marseilles, was martyred after making a number of converts and was buried in a cave. His relics were transferred to the new cathedral in Autun in 1146.

It is certain there was early devotion to the saint. Around the year 390, the pilgrim lady Etheria talks of the procession that took place on the Saturday before Palm Sunday at the tomb where Lazarus had been raised from the dead. In the West, Passion Sunday was called Dominica de Lazaro, and Augustine tells us that in Africa the Gospel of the raising of Lazarus was read at the office of Palm Sunday.



Comment:

Many people who have had a near-death experience report losing all fear of death. When Lazarus died a second time, perhaps he was without fear. He must have been sure that Jesus, the friend with whom he had shared many meals and conversations, would be waiting to raise him again. We don’t share Lazarus’ firsthand knowledge of returning from the grave. Nevertheless, we too have shared meals and conversations with Jesus, who waits to raise us, too.

Evangelization   

Because God is love, and we are made in his image and likeness, our relationships should reflect him in the world. This, perhaps, is the greatest form of evangelization: to make an invisible God visible to the world through our love. 

Wa ba kini siya molansar? Basin way taym kay nagsogod na ug pamalit ug boto!

BBC

By Michelle Roberts
Health reporter, BBC News 



Higher sensitivity could improve the ability to perform tasks such as embroidery or surgery
The sense of touch is more sensitive among women than men because their fingers are smaller, a study suggests.

Researchers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, found greater sweat pore density in smaller fingers.

The fingertip touch receptors, which cluster around sweat pore bases, were therefore more tightly packed, they told the Journal of Neuroscience.

Higher sensitivity could improve the ability to perform tasks such as embroidery or surgery, they said.

The researchers pressed progressively narrower parallel grooves against the stationary fingertips of 100 volunteers

Those with smaller fingers, and these tended to be the women, could discern tighter grooves.

The index finger is more sensitive than the little finger - but lead researcher Dr Daniel Goldreich said this could be because sensitivity improves with continued use.

  Parents and teachers may have to think twice before saying things like 'Look, but don't touch'

Dr Daniel Goldreich
He now plans to research whether children have more sensitive fingers than adults.

Dr Andy Bremner, of Goldsmiths, University of London, who has studied touch in children, said: "It could be that children find touch a particularly informative sense because it is a more sensitive modality for them due to their smaller hands and bodies.

"Parents and teachers may have to think twice before saying things like 'Look, but don't touch'."

But Dr Tiffany Field, of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, said the findings could be the result of women's skin being softer than men's and arranged slightly differently at the cellular level.

Dr Mark Paterson, a social scientist at the University of Exeter who has been studying the role of touch, said: "This study looks at one particular type of touch receptor, but touch involves a number of receptor types working together.

"If we can understand more, it could lead to better modelling of virtual touch."

It could, for example, lead to better simulations allowing online shoppers to "touch and feel" the fabrics of clothes displayed on websites, he added.

welcome Ginesdemafra! Thanks for visiting our Forum Vic, mga higala aniay kadugo ni Dagohoy nga taga Butuan, I´m glad if he shares his views to us.

Tessie Wilms

This is so obvious since Leo is not much fluent in Tagalog.

Macky, mora diay ta niani ug high.
Israeli scientists are still pursuing this phenomenon, since not every human beings are so sensitive to be trained and master this profession.

he might be trained to be disciplined as a sportsman but not morally inclined to hold to the values, especially when women are running after him, this holds true for Pacquiao also.

more on this Redemptorist priest;

www.seelos.org

ST. PAUL, Minn. (CNS)â€"Not too long ago, 14-year-old Joey Schwartz had never heard of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos.

He could not have imagined making a pilgrimage with his family from Savage, Minn., to the New Orleans shrine of the Redemptorist priest, especially since he was extremely ill with a rare form of cancer that had returned after a short remission.

Even less expected was the life-changing outcome of that visit to the National Seelos Shrineâ€"a testimony to the power of prayer and the possible intercession of Blessed Seelos.

According to his doctor, Joey is now cancer-free and his family is eager to share the story of the apparent miracle.

In March 2008, Joey was diagnosed with midline carcinoma after having a walnut-size tumor removed from his chest.

"This kind of cancer is so rare that, by all accounts, Joey's was the 14th case worldwide," said his father, Paul Schwartz. "It has been classified as highly lethal and aggressive. Most cases don't respond well to treatment."

But after multiple rounds of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation, a CT scan showed that his cancer was gone. "We really thought all our prayers had been answered and that Joey had cheated death," his father said in an interview with The Catholic Spirit, newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

However, in early July, the family, members of St. John the Baptist in Savage, received devastating news. Joey's cancer had not only returned, but he now had a quarter-inch tumor on his chest wall and more than a dozen small tumors in his lungs.

"In some ways, it was even harder to hear that than it was to receive the original cancer diagnosis," said his mother, Melinda Schwartz.

Not long after, they first learned about Blessed Seelos from a family friend who had recently read about two cancer patients who said they had been cured of their disease after praying novenas to the priest.

Born in 1819, Francis Seelos was considered responsible for several episodes of healing during his priesthood. He served in Pittsburgh and New Orleans, where he died in 1867 from yellow fever. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

Paul Schwartz decided to order some material from the national shrine as well as a first-class relic from the Redemptorist priestâ€"a medallion with a small bone fragment that Joey wears daily.

"After watching a DVD about Father Seelos, we all felt spiritually called to travel to New Orleans to visit the shrine," Paul Schwartz said.

Soon after getting the go-ahead from Joey's doctor, the familyâ€"which includes Joey's twin brother, Derekâ€"drove to New Orleans. Melinda Schwartz had called ahead and spoken to Joyce Bourgeois, the Seelos Center administrator.

During Mass at the shrine, Bourgeois laid her hands on Joey's shoulders in prayer. Each member of the family felt "spiritually overwhelmed" by the experience, according to Paul Schwartz. Added Joey: "I don't know how to explain it, but I did feel different."

After a new CT scan in September, doctors were unable to detect any cancer in Joey's lungs and said they believed the larger tumor spotted in July was likely scar tissue.

For now, Joey is continuing with his course of chemotherapy. "Nothing is telling us to stop that, and we're going to go by what our doctor is saying," said Melinda Schwartz.

At the same time, Paul and Melinda Schwartz truly believe Joey is cured. "It's time for us to start talking about it," she said. "God didn't do this for our family for us to keep it a secret. We want to get the word out about Blessed Father Seelos."

Meanwhile, a Maryland woman who was given six months to live in 2004 after a cancer diagnosis but whose disease was believed cured through the intercession of Blessed Seelos, died in October of pneumonia.

Because Mary Ellen Heibel, a parishioner of St. Mary Parish in Annapolis, died of pneumonia and not cancer, the investigation was to continue into the possible miracle involving her being cured. It was initiated by Baltimore Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien and the findings will be sent to Rome as part of the canonization process for Blessed Seelos.

"In addition to being a very devoted wife and loving mother to her three sons and daughter, I believe God had a very distinct mission for her in the later years of her lifeâ€"which was to play her part in making Seelos better known, and, God willing, advancing his cause," said Redemptorist Father Byron Miller, vice postulator for Blessed Seelos' sainthood cause.

"She sensed from God she had this special purpose," said Father Miller, who celebrated Heibel's funeral Mass Oct. 14. "She took that mission and ran with it."
______________________
Contributing to this story was George P. Matysek Jr. in Baltimore.

Blessed Honoratus Kozminski
(1825-1916)

He was born in Biala Podlaska (Siedlce, Poland) and studied architecture at the School of Fine Arts in Warsaw. When Wenceslaus was almost sixteen, his father died. Suspected of participating in a rebellious conspiracy, the young man was imprisoned from April 1846 until the following March. In 1848 he received the Capuchin habit and a new name. Four years later he was ordained. In 1855 he helped Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska establish the Felician Sisters.
Honoratus served as guardian in a Warsaw friary already in 1860. He dedicated his energies to preaching, to giving spiritual direction and to hearing confessions. He worked tirelessly with the Secular Franciscan Order.

The failed 1864 revolt against Czar Alexander III led to the suppression of all religious Orders in Poland. The Capuchins were expelled from Warsaw and forced to live in Zakroczym, where Honoratus continued his ministry and began founding twenty-six male and female religious congregations, whose members took vows but wore no religious habit and did not live in community. They operated much as today’s secular institutes do. Seventeen of these groups still exist as religious congregations.

The writings of Father Honoratus are extensive: forty-two volumes of sermons, 21 volumes of letters as well as 52 printed works on ascetical theology, Marian devotion, historical writings, pastoral writings â€" not counting his many writings for the religious congregations he founded.

In 1906, various bishops sought the reorganization of these groups under their authority; Honoratus defended their independence but was removed from their direction in 1908. He promptly urged the members of these congregations to obey the Church’s decisions regarding their future.

He “always walked with God,” said a contemporary. In 1895 he was appointed Commissary General of the Capuchins in Poland. Three years before he had come to Nowe Miasto, where he died and was buried. He was beatified in 1988.



Comment:

The story is told that Francis and Brother Leo, his secretary, were once on a journey and Francis volunteered to tell Leo what perfect joy is. Francis began by saying what it was not: news that the kings of France, England, as well as all the world’s bishops and many university professors had decided to become friars, news that the friars had received the gift of tongues and miracles, or news that the friars had converted all the non-Christians in the world. No, perfect joy for them would be to arrive cold and hungry at St. Mary of the Angels, Francis’ headquarters outside Assisi, and be mistaken by the porter for thieves and beaten by the same porter and driven back into the cold and rain. Francis said that if, for the love of God, he and Leo could endure such treatment without losing their patience and charity, that would be perfect joy (cited in Regis Armstrong, O.F.M. Cap., and Ignatius Brady, O.F.M., Francis and Clare: The Complete Works, pages 165-166).
Honoratus worked very zealously to serve the Church, partly by establishing a great variety of religious congregations adapted to the special circumstances of Poland in those years. He could have retreated into bitterness and self-pity when the direction of those congregations was taken away from him; that was certainly a “perfect joy” experience. He urged the members of these groups to obey willingly and gladly, placing their gifts at the service of the Good News of Jesus Christ.



Quote:

When the Church removed Honoratus from the direction of his religious congregations and changed their character, he wrote: “Christ’s Vicar himself has revealed God’s will to us, and I carry out this order with greatest faith.... Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that you are being given the opportunity to show heroic obedience to the holy Church.”

Refrain From Sin   

Jesus, Mary, always be my friends. I beg you, let me die rather than be so unfortunate as to commit a single sin. â€"Saint Dominic Savio 

According to the latest news, some commercial contract are withrawn since he has tainted him image and it is not good to their products.

Adunay graphic ang pediatrician maoy ilang basihan aron masubay ang pagtobo sa bata. Para nako moka-on ra ang bata kon gotomon, sugo sa lawas. If she doesn´t eat much, it is dictated by her body metabolism.

Porbida pod ka Ondoy Felix, mingawon man sab ta nimo. Homesick nako pag-ajo.kay kining gulaya akong paboritong dako.

Welcome BoholPrincess! I salute your honest opinion.

During the heydays of Cold war between Russia and the USA, this was used by the KGB, not anymore so I won´t subscribe to this issue.

Blessed Mary Frances Schervier
(1819-1876)


This woman who once wanted to become a Trappistine nun was instead led by God to establish a community of sisters who care for the sick and aged in the United States and throughout the world.
Born into a distinguished family in Aachen (then ruled by Prussia but formerly Aix-la-Chapelle, France), Frances ran the household after her mother’s death and established a reputation for generosity to the poor. In 1844 she became a Secular Franciscan. The next year she and four companions established a religious community devoted to caring for the poor. In 1851 the Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis (a variant of the original name) were approved by the local bishop; the community soon spread. The first U.S. foundation was made in 1858.

Mother Frances visited the United States in 1863 and helped her sisters nurse soldiers wounded in the Civil War. She visited the United States again in 1868. When Philip Hoever was establishing the Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis, she encouraged him.

When Mother Frances died, there were 2,500 members of her community worldwide. The number has kept growing. They are still engaged in operating hospitals and homes for the aged. Mother Mary Frances was beatified in 1974.



Comment:

The sick, the poor and the aged are constantly in danger of being considered "useless" members of society and therefore ignoredâ€"or worse. Women and men motivated by the ideals of Mother Frances are needed if the God-given dignity and destiny of all people are to be respected.


Quote:

In 1868, Mother Frances wrote to all her sisters, reminding them of Jesus’ words: “You are my friends if you do what I command you.... I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another” (John 15:14,17)
She continued: “If we do this faithfully and zealously, we will experience the truth of the words of our father St. Francis who says that love lightens all difficulties and sweetens all bitterness. We will likewise partake of the blessing which St. Francis promised to all his children, both present and future, after having admonished them to love one another even as he had loved them and continues to love them.”