MikeLigalig.com

Good day everyone. I was not able to sleep last night because I was so preoccupied with this topic. I am so ashamed of what is happening in our country as the only christian country in Southeast Asia.
I couldn´t believe how our brothers and sisters as  flood victims go  hungry and homeless. I couldn´t stomach the callousness of the government officials or people in authority who could really help.  We, here abroad are doing campaigns to collect donations, clothings and the like for the needy kababayans, but as you see it is somewhat to no avail.
The head of the republic has the executive power to mobilize the army to help distribute the goods and stuffs to help them survive. The reason they need some helping hands to distribute the goods is a laughing matter.
There was a time that ex-president Fidel Ramos used the army to dismantle the illegal fishing gadgets strewn in Laguna de Bay that causes pollution to Taal Lake ( one of our World Culture Heritage), this is just to name an example.
Unsa may atong mahimo? Mag-ampo? Ang atong pag-ampo,  makabosog?
Kadtong nakatilaw ug kapobrehon ug gutom nasayud kon unsa ang kapa-it sa in-ani nga kahimang.
May God bless us all and spare us from calamities and misfortunes.


Manay

Brownman,
Ni-a man galing ko sa lajo apan ang akong huna-huna ana-a ninyong mga kaigsoonan. Ma dako ang kaposlanan nga layo ko kay tingali dugay nakong gi-priso. We got lots of networking to help the marginalized.
Manay

St. Anthony Claret
(1807-1870)


The "spiritual father of Cuba" was a missionary, religious founder, social reformer, queen’s chaplain, writer and publisher, archbishop and refugee. He was a Spaniard whose work took him to the Canary Islands, Cuba, Madrid, Paris and to the First Vatican Council.
In his spare time as weaver and designer in the textile mills of Barcelona, he learned Latin and printing: the future priest and publisher was preparing. Ordained at 28, he was prevented by ill health from entering religious life as a Carthusian or as a Jesuit, but went on to become one of Spain’s most popular preachers.

He spent 10 years giving popular missions and retreats, always placing great emphasis on the Eucharist and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Her rosary, it was said, was never out of his hand. At 42, beginning with five young priests, he founded a religious institute of missionaries, known today as the Claretians.

He was appointed to head the much-neglected archdiocese of Santiago in Cuba. He began its reform by almost ceaseless preaching and hearing of confessions, and suffered bitter opposition mainly for stamping out concubinage and giving instruction to black slaves. A hired assassin (whose release from prison Anthony had obtained) slashed open his face and wrist. Anthony succeeded in getting the would-be assassin’s death sentence commuted to a prison term. His solution for the misery of Cubans was family-owned farms producing a variety of foods for the family’s own needs and for the market. This invited the enmity of the vested interests who wanted everyone to work on a single cash cropâ€"sugar. Besides all his religious writings are two books he wrote in Cuba: Reflections on Agriculture and Country Delights.

He was recalled to Spain for a job he did not relishâ€"being chaplain for the queen. He went on three conditions: He would reside away from the palace, he would come only to hear the queen’s confession and instruct the children and he would be exempt from court functions. In the revolution of 1868, he fled with the queen’s party to Paris, where he preached to the Spanish colony.

All his life Anthony was interested in the Catholic press. He founded the Religious Publishing House, a major Catholic publishing venture in Spain, and wrote or published 200 books and pamphlets.

At Vatican I, where he was a staunch defender of the doctrine of infallibility, he won the admiration of his fellow bishops. Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore remarked of him, "There goes a true saint." At the age of 63, he died in exile near the border of Spain.




Comment:

Jesus foretold that those who are truly his representatives would suffer the same persecution as he did. Besides 14 attempts on his life, Anthony had to undergo such a barrage of the ugliest slander that the very name Claret became a byword for humiliation and misfortune. The powers of evil do not easily give up their prey. No one needs to go looking for persecution. All we need to do is be sure we suffer because of our genuine faith in Christ, not for our own whims and imprudences.


Quote:

Queen Isabella II once said to Anthony, "No one tells me things as clearly and frankly as you do." Later she told her chaplain, "Everybody is always asking me for favors, but you never do. Isn't there something you would like for yourself?" He replied, "Yes, that you let me resign." The queen made no more offers.


Patron Saint of:

Savings
Weavers

Confession    

Confession helps us think more clearly about our sins, recognize our need for God’s grace to live in a way that pleases him and strengthen our resolve to resist the temptation to sin. 

nat-cast you are right, people who are active in these perverse practice must die per firing squad!

Ayaw mo palabi ning junk foods, transfats are used to deep fry their products.  Makadaot ni sa atay, dili mahitabo diha-diha apan ang residue toxic jamo.

ha ha ha! hala gajud pisot kapa ning panahona Buwadsanga?

Daghang posting dinhi nga wala ko kaoyon, pangutana? Nag-too mo nga kadtong tua sa gawas sigi ug kayod nakaseguro ug quality family time sa ilang pamilya through prayers?

St. John of Capistrano
(1386-1456)

It has been said the Christian saints are the world’s greatest optimists. Not blind to the existence and consequences of evil, they base their confidence on the power of Christ’s redemption. The power of conversion through Christ extends not only to sinful people but also to calamitous events.
Imagine being born in the fourteenth century. One-third of the population and nearly 40 percent of the clergy were wiped out by the bubonic plague. The Western Schism split the Church with two or three claimants to the Holy See at one time. England and France were at war. The city-states of Italy were constantly in conflict. No wonder that gloom dominated the spirit of the culture and the times.

John Capistrano was born in 1386. His education was thorough. His talents and success were great. When he was 26 he was made governor of Perugia. Imprisoned after a battle against the Malatestas, he resolved to change his way of life completely. At the age of 30 he entered the Franciscan novitiate and was ordained a priest four years later.

His preaching attracted great throngs at a time of religious apathy and confusion. He and 12 Franciscan brethren were received in the countries of central Europe as angels of God. They were instrumental in reviving a dying faith and devotion.

The Franciscan Order itself was in turmoil over the interpretation and observance of the Rule of St. Francis. Through John’s tireless efforts and his expertise in law, the heretical Fraticelli were suppressed and the "Spirituals" were freed from interference in their stricter observance.

He helped bring about a reunion with the Greek and Armenian Churches, unfortunately only a brief arrangement.

When the Turks captured Constantinople in 1453, he was commissioned to preach a crusade for the defense of Europe. Gaining little response in Bavaria and Austria, he decided to concentrate his efforts in Hungary. He led the army to Belgrade. Under the great General John Junyadi, they gained an overwhelming victory, and the siege of Belgrade was lifted. Worn out by his superhuman efforts, Capistrano was an easy prey to the infection bred by the refuse of battle. He died October 23, 1456.



Comment:

John Hofer, a biographer of John Capistrano, recalls a Brussels organization named after the saint. Seeking to solve life problems in a fully Christian spirit, its motto was: "Initiative, Organization, Activity." These three words characterized John's life. He was not one to sit around, ever. His deep Christian optimism drove him to battle problems at all levels with the confidence engendered by a deep faith in Christ.


Quote:

On the saint's tomb in the Austrian town of Villach, the governor had this message inscribed: "This tomb holds John, by birth of Capistrano, a man worthy of all praise, defender and promoter of the faith, guardian of the Church, zealous protector of his Order, an ornament to all the world, lover of truth and religious justice, mirror of life, surest guide in doctrine; praised by countless tongues, he reigns blessed in heaven." That is a fitting epitaph for a real and successful optimist.


Patron Saint of:

Judges

Being Needed   

Being needed is more important than being noticed. Value the time you have in your “hidden life,” regardless of whether or not your family notices your sacrifices. 

dili ni mabohi sa ato kay sa tugnaw ra nga lugar ra kini motobo.



For centuries, lavender has been used for food and healing properties. In recent years, it has been very popular in aromatherapy as an element to help relieve tension, cure headaches and aid in sleeping. According to this source, it can be used to help with everything from acne to athlete’s foot, burns to sore muscles.

This is a clever woman, we should learn a lot from her!

Inday Raqs , salamat jamo, my heart beams with pride, it is a wonderful song. we have had the UP choir here in Germany and they sang it, it warms my heart.

Dili basta2x ang Arroyo family, imagine apil siya sa pinakadato nga Presidente sa tibook kalibutan. Unsay assets ni GMA?

Try to research her assests here in Germany thru a German bank in Bavaria!

Lavender heightens your sense of smell, it is very practical in every room as air freshner.

Walay nay watermelon, kondili butong pakwan na lang ang akong ipaka-on sa akong pinangga! ha ha ha

pls take note if you ever care for someone and trust exist, watermelon is not necessary for a warm romance and wonderful sex, kini ang tambag ni Manay!

St. Peter of Alcantara
(1499-1562)


Peter was a contemporary of well-known 16th-century Spanish saints, including Ignatius of Loyola and John of the Cross. He served as confessor to St. Teresa of Avila. Church reform was a major issue in Peter’s day, and he directed most of his energies toward that end. His death came one year before the Council of Trent ended.
Born into a noble family (his father was the governor of Alcantara in Spain), Peter studied law at Salamanca University and, at 16, joined the so-called Observant Franciscans (also known as the discalced, or barefoot, friars). While he practiced many penances, he also demonstrated abilities which were soon recognized. He was named the superior of a new house even before his ordination as a priest; at the age of 39, he was elected provincial; he was a very successful preacher. Still, he was not above washing dishes and cutting wood for the friars. He did not seek attention; indeed, he preferred solitude.

Peter’s penitential side was evident when it came to food and clothing. It is said that he slept only 90 minutes each night. While others talked about Church reform, Peter’s reform began with himself. His patience was so great that a proverb arose: "To bear such an insult one must have the patience of Peter of Alcantara."

In 1554, Peter, having received permission, formed a group of Franciscans who followed the Rule of St. Francis with even greater rigor. These friars were known as Alcantarines. Some of the Spanish friars who came to North and South America in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries were members of this group. At the end of the 19th century, the Alcantarines were joined with other Observant friars to form the Order of Friars Minor.

As spiritual director to St. Teresa, Peter encouraged her in promoting the Carmelite reform. His preaching brought many people to religious life, especially to the Secular Franciscan Order, the friars and the Poor Clares.

He was canonized in 1669.



Comment:

Poverty was a means and not an end for Peter. The goal was following Christ in ever greater purity of heart. Whatever obstructed that path could be eliminated with no real loss.
The philosophy of our consumer ageâ€"you are worth what you ownâ€"may find Peter of Alcantara’s approach severe. Ultimately his approach is life-giving while consumerism is deadly.



Quote:

"I do not praise poverty for poverty's sake; I praise only that poverty which we patiently endure for the love of our crucified Redeemer and I consider this far more desirable than the poverty we undertake for the sake of poverty itself; for if I thought or believed otherwise, I would not seem to be firmly grounded in faith" (Letter of Peter to Teresa of Avila).


please invoke saint of the day to your prayers!

Greatest Peace   

The greatest sense of peace will come from living our faith well. When the Prince of Peace rules in our hearts, he reigns in our homes. 

Yes, very good for very young girls and boys.  Ondoy Felix, age doesn´t matter, aduna koy bag-ong loverboy 66 kosog  pa molabok! ha ha ha ha!

Some is a relative word, you can still eat watermelon because of its other nutritional benefits not only as libidinal elixir.

Was this an email? I got the same thing sometime ago, nice posting by the way.

this is a very good plan, when will it be implemented?

Akong gibayran ang akong mga utang and I treat myself with Pepsi and siopao.
That was 1976, 150 Phil Pesos.

Thanks God no! We extroverts can not read your mind.

Please ask your invocations on our daily saints;

St. Hilarion
(c. 291-371)

Despite his best efforts to live in prayer and solitude, today’s saint found it difficult to achieve his deepest desire. People were naturally drawn to Hilarion as a source of spiritual wisdom and peace. He had reached such fame by the time of his death that his body had to be secretly removed so that a shrine would not be built in his honor. Instead, he was buried in his home village.
St. Hilarion the Great, as he is sometimes called, was born in Palestine. After his conversion to Christianity he spent some time with St. Anthony of Egypt, another holy man drawn to solitude. Hilarion lived a life of hardship and simplicity in the desert, where he also experienced spiritual dryness that included temptations to despair. At the same time, miracles were attributed to him.

As his fame grew, a small group of disciples wanted to follow Hilarion. He began a series of journeys to find a place where he could live away from the world. He finally settled on Cyprus, where he died in 371 at about age 80.

Hilarion is celebrated as the founder of monasticism in Palestine. Much of his fame flows from the biography of him written by St. Jerome.

Greatest Peace   

The greatest sense of peace will come from living our faith well. When the Prince of Peace rules in our hearts, he reigns in our homes. 

I want to hear your feedbacks especially to those know this topic, salamat, your Manay;

20,000 now believe
by Joey Concepcion

Last Friday, I got an early call from a Go Negosyo staff reporting that the SMX Complex was jam-packed for our Youth Summit. I was advised to come early to make it through the crowd.

It has been four years now since we launched Go Negosyo in Victory Center at The Fort and Market Market Trade Hall. It was a time when a coup was being attempted. Our security had to close the doors because the venue might not take the volume of people from all over the Philippines.

This time, during the Youth Summit, we did not close doors. We opened the other halls to accommodate the thousands of young and aspiring negosyantes who definitely want to be smart and be enterprising.

As I entered the place, it was as if we had Lady Gaga performing. The crowd was excited to see what was going to happen. Paolo Bediones had a helicopter landing in his Survivor outfit. Chris Tiu also brought the thousands of students jumping and screaming. The excitement was surely there.

Our goal was to send a message to the youth that you can be smart and you can be enterprising; and this is how you can do it. We played the new video of Go Negosyo, with the song entitled “Believe” made by Boom Dayupay. Here is the chorus:

“We’re so much further now
We will rise somehow
Pray for changes gonna come along
We’re so much closer now
We will overcome
Miracles can happen
If you just believe…”

Yes, Go Negosyo has created a mark today. We have started to plant the seed within Filipinos. It is for them to nurture this seed and grow it into a plant for harvest. Yes, the “presidentiables” were there, but they were there to encourage the Filipino youth that this country has a promise and a future. And, that Filipinos can be successful.

We felt like rock stars with so many participants wanting to take pictures and have me sign autographs. They thanked me and the other speakers for inspiring them. Let me share with you a response that speaks for the 20 thousand young Filipinos who attended the Summit. Jabez Flores, a young entrepreneur who owns a coffee shop in Los Baños, wrote something about the summit in his Blog

“Opportunities. Choices. Decisions. I was pondering the meaning of those 3 words last week while I was at the cafe. And I found out that all three relate to the concept of our future, individual and collective. The opportunities we grab may start our future and mark the beginning of something good...or bad. But of course, we always have the choice to either grab that opportunity or not. The choice to whether grab it or not, needs some big time decision-making.

When my friend Jenni and I went to the SM Mall of Asia last Friday to attend the Go Negosyo Sigaw ng Kabataan event, we were looking forward to get a lot of inspiration from the speakers. And yes, we did get inspiration. But not just inspiration, as a young entrepreneur myself, I got a lot of encouragement and affirmation.

The speakers mentioned about starting young, staying in the country and being your own boss, taking risks, utilizing what we have and not being hindered by finances, being creative and innovative, and all that. I was really glad that the high school and college students who attended the event were getting this much positivity and encouragement from not just "old business people" but from people who are in their 20s and 30s. Not really "a generation away".

The entrepreneurial spirit - not everyone has this. But for the people who do have this and have yet to find this, you all know what your heart wants you to do. It sure is risky and involves a lot of ground-up hard work and a lot of heart, courage, and determination…

…I'm a sociology graduate, and I was good at what I'm doing: field research, writing, and reporting. I could have made a career out of that. But deep inside my heart, I wanted to serve people food and drinks and make coffee. If I had strict parents, they could have me imprisoned the moment that I tell them that. But thankfully, I do not have those kind of parents. That's why it was easy for me to do what I wanted. My parents had faith and trusted in us. They knew what we were capable of in our fields of interest. Because that's where our hearts are.

For our parent readers, I'm asking you that you give your children a chance to be who they want to be. It may be a cliche already, but it is the way to go in this day and age because we are so capable of so many different things. Like it or not, it's the youth who makes the world go round today.

The Go Negosyo program is very very good. Empowering the youth about entrepreneurship is definitely a good thing. But the youth have parents, and it's these people who make their world go forward. I hope that we can also empower parents to support their children in their endeavors. Because if we're talking about heart and desire, we (the youth) already have enough. What we need now is support. Especially from our parents. God bless everyone!”

Go Negosyo has reached this level of success not just because of Joey Concepcion. I just lit the first candle, as what my father also did during NAMFREL. More than 500 entrepreneurs joined me in this advocacy, together with our sponsors who believe that the solution to poverty is through negosyo and a more enterprising Filipino.

Every Filipino has that chance to fight poverty. The desire of not wanting to be poor will spur more people to be enterprising. As we move around the country with our Go Negosyo caravans, Angelprenuer Negosem program, TV shows, ad campaigns, and books; we hope to keep planting the seed in more people. In the following months this year, we are off to Davao and Bataan. Next year, we will kick of with Tarlac and more regions.

Again, thank you to our partners and sponsors for helping us reach this far. Let's continue to give hope to more Filipinos. Salamat.


* * * * * * *


Thank you to our guests and speakers during the Youth Summit: Sen. Manny Villar, Sen. Chiz Escudero, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, Sec. Peter Favilla, Sec. Arthur Yap, Gov. Lray Villafuerte, Chris Tiu, Karen Davila, Myla Villanueva, Francis Kong, Butch Jimenez, Henry Tenedero, Dean Pax Lapid, Joy Abaquin, Maoi Arroyo, Gladys Reyes, Vicky Belo, Crystalle Henares, Ronald Pineda, Anton Ramos, Mylene Abiva, Jay Aldeguer, Abbygale Arenas-de Leon, Carlo Ople, Topax Colayco, Benel Lagua, Randell Tiongson, Tess Dimaculangan, Cary Campasit, Nicolehiyala, Christuper, Eco dela Salla and Chal Lontoc. Thank you also to all the performers and artists who did a great job.

Thank you as well to the sponsors and partners for their support: Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Smart Communications, PLDT SME Nation, Nokia, RFM Corporation, PAG-COR, Citi Philippines and Citi Foundation, Insular Life, Alo Youth, Vitwater, Rexona, Creme Silk, National Bookstore, Philippine Star, Profoods, Splash, Department of Trade and Industry, Philweb, BPI, SMC, Landbank, Globe, Department of Agriculture, Cebuana Lhuillier, MTV Philippines, SMX Convention Center, QTV 11, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, GMA 7, LS-FM Ayos!, DZBB, Solar Entertainment, NBN 4, Business World, Multiply, 88DB, Pinoy Parazzi and Meg Magazine.

 
For feedback, email me at gonegosyo@yahoo.com or through SMS at our new hotline 0918-9656333. For free business advice, visit www.gonegosyo.net. Add Joey Concepcion in Facebook and Multiply, and be one of Go Negosyo's fans .
Click here to read more Ask Go Negosyo articles. 
 
Watch the Go Negosyo Youth Entrepreneurship coverage on QTV!

For this coming 3 weekends (Sept. 19, 20, 26, 27 Oct. 3 & 4) Go Negosyo Kaya Mo! will be bumped-off to give way to the three-episodes special of Youth Entrepreneurship Summit. Regular programming will resume on Oct. 10.

God's Beauty   

Beauty reflects God. When we witness a magnificent sunset or sunrise, view mountains rising majestically against the clear blue Colorado sky or watch the variations of sea foam on the ocean’s weaves, our hearts are lifted toward the Lord.

Yes, this info comes from UNILAB Pinas, so please be careful and take this seriously.

What is leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis is an infection caused by bacteria (Leptospira), that are transmitted directly or indirectly from animals to humans. Human to-human transmission is rare.
 
From which animals can you get leptospirosis?
Many animals can harbour leptospires in their kidneys and act as source of infection to humans and other animals. Rodents are incriminated as a primary source of infection to human beings. In the Philippines, rodents and dogs are recognized as sources of infection.

How do you get leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis results primarily from direct or indirect exposure to the urine of infected animals. Moisture is an important factor of the survival of the leptospires in the environment. Other modes of transmission of infection include handling infected animal tissues and ingestion of contaminated food and water.

How do leptospires enter the body of humans and animals?
Leptospires can gain entry into humans through cuts and abrasions in the skin, through the nose, mouth, and eyes, and perhaps through waterlogged skin. Occasionally, they may enter the human body via the inhalation of droplets of urine or via drinking-water.

Can leptospires be transmitted from human to human?
Yes, but rarely. They can be transmitted human-to-human by sexual intercourse, transplacentally from the mother to the fetus and via breast milk to a child. Urine from a patient suffering from leptospirosis should be considered infectious. As leptospires can be cultured from blood, this should be viewed as infectious up to 7â€"10 days of illness.

How long is the incubation period?
The incubation period is usually 7â€"10 days, with a range of 2â€"30 days.

Where does leptospirosis occur?
The disease is found mainly wherever humans come into contact with the urine of infected animals or a urine-polluted environment. It often has a is seasonal, increasing with increased rainfall or higher temperature. Epidemics may be associated with animal or sewage contamination of water, or follow natural disasters (typhoons and floods).

Who are at risk?
At risk are farm/agricultural workers, pet shop workers, veterinarians, sewer workers, abattoir workers, meat handlers, and the military. Other groups at high risk for leptospirosis include survivors of natural disasters (e.g. flooding) and those engaged in water sports.

When should a diagnosis of leptospirosis be considered?
The diagnosis of leptospirosis should be considered in anyone presenting with:
1.        an abrupt onset of fever
2.        chills
3.        conjunctival suffusion (redness of the eyes)
4.        headache
5.        myalgia (muscle pain and soreness) and
6.        jaundice (yellowing of eyes and/or skin).
Conjunctival suffusion and muscle tenderness, most notable in the calf and lumbar areas, are the most distinguishing physical findings. Others may complain of cough, difficulty of breathing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, joint pains and skin rash.

Suspicion is further increased if there is a history of occupational or recreational exposure to infected animals or to an environment potentially contaminated with animal urine (flood). Once the possibility of leptospirosis has been considered, appropriate diagnostic tests and clinical management should be instituted.

How dangerous is leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis can be treated. However, it can be deadly in about <5% to 70% in different parts of the world.  Complications include kidney failure, liver failure and lung bleeding. Major improvements in medical care however, have been made in recent years.

What is the optimal treatment for leptospirosis?
Consult a physician immediately once symptoms appear. Treatment with effective antibiotics should be initiated as soon as the diagnosis of leptospirosis is suspected and preferably before the fifth day after the onset of illness.

How can leptospirosis be prevented and controlled?
Prevention and control should be targeted at :
(a) the infection source, e.g.rats
• removal of rubbish and keeping areas around human habitations clean;
• encourage people not to leave food around, especially in recreational areas where rats may be present;
(b) the route of transmission between the infection source and the human host;
• leptospires are rapidly killed by disinfectants and desiccation, so keep surroundings clean and dry.
• small areas, such as floors, can be cleaned and disinfected, but disinfecting large natural areas such as lakes or rivers is not possible
• avoid contact with animal urine, infected animals or an infected environment,
* avoid wading in the floods
* protective clothing should be worn and wounds covered with waterproof dressings to reduce the chance of infection if exposure is likely, e.g. floods, occupational or recreational exposure.
(c) infection or disease in the human host
• early recognition and treatment
• care in handling urine and blood of those infected

How can humans be protected?
Increased awareness of the disease is important for early recognition and treatment. Doxycycline has been reported to give some protection against infection and disease. A vaccine for dogs is available, but a vaccine for humans is not available in the Philippines.

Ondoy victim´s had to wait for hours before foods were distributed because a politician is coming and he/she wanted to be photographed for some personal purposes.

this is wonderful! Is this in consonance with God´s plan for us?

St. Maria Bertilla Boscardin
(1888-1922)

If anyone knew rejection, ridicule and disappointment, it was today’s saint. But such trials only brought Maria Bertilla Boscardin closer to God and more determined to serve him.
Born in Italy in 1888, the young girl lived in fear of her father, a violent man prone to jealousy and drunkenness. Her schooling was limited so that she could spend more time helping at home and working in the fields. She showed few talents and was often the butt of jokes.

In 1904 she joined the Sisters of St. Dorothy and was assigned to work in the kitchen, bakery and laundry. After some time Maria received nurses’ training and began working in a hospital with children suffering from diphtheria. There the young nun seemed to find her true vocation: nursing very ill and disturbed children. Later, when the hospital was taken over by the military in World War I, Sister Maria Bertilla fearlessly cared for patients amidst the threat of constant air raids and bombings.

She died in 1922 after suffering for many years from a painful tumor. Some of the patients she had nursed many years before were present at her canonization in 1961.

Respond to Grace   

The past has passed; the time for grace is now! Let’s respond to the grace of this moment with the gifts of the Spirit active in our lives, especially with regard to managing our time

Aspirin was discovered by Hoffmann out of a failure to concoct a new fiber dye in Wuppertal Germany, this is product is now a famous medicine by Bayer Chemicals.

more pictures;




General Otis 1898


gate to Intramuros


Gate to Fort Santiago pls take note of the Freemasonry symbol


Escolta


1884 Escolta


Binondo


Binondo 2

Trams circa 1900


San Sebastian church


Sampaloc


Pasig River


Pasig River part 2


Pasig River part 3


Luneta Park


Helping mother ironing clothes

Dia pay usa ka limatok;

With the outpour of aid from supporters and Filipino migrants abroad, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued directives stating that all donations must go through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or else, donations will be taxed. The directives also indicate that only food, medicines and medical supplies (with the two latter requiring approval from the Department of Health or DOH) will be accepted, therefore leaving clothes, shoes and other such donations at risk of getting confiscated upon reaching the Bureau of Customs in the Philippines.

Hellow Ate Glow, dili man ka mabosog maàm!
Our donations went to the group of Bo Sanchez.

St. Isaac Jogues, John de Brébeuf and Companions

Isaac Jogues (1607-1646): Isaac Jogues and his companions were the first martyrs of the North American continent officially recognized by the Church. As a young Jesuit, Isaac Jogues, a man of learning and culture, taught literature in France. He gave up that career to work among the Huron Indians in the New World, and in 1636 he and his companions, under the leadership of John de Brébeuf, arrived in Quebec. The Hurons were constantly warred upon by the Iroquois, and in a few years Father Jogues was captured by the Iroquois and imprisoned for 13 months. His letters and journals tell how he and his companions were led from village to village, how they were beaten, tortured and forced to watch as their Huron converts were mangled and killed.
An unexpected chance for escape came to Isaac Jogues through the Dutch, and he returned to France, bearing the marks of his sufferings. Several fingers had been cut, chewed or burnt off. Pope Urban VIII gave him permission to offer Mass with his mutilated hands: "It would be shameful that a martyr of Christ be not allowed to drink the Blood of Christ." Welcomed home as a hero, Father Jogues might have sat back, thanked God for his safe return and died peacefully in his homeland. But his zeal led him back once more to the fulfillment of his dreams. In a few months he sailed for his missions among the Hurons.

In 1646 he and Jean de Lalande, who had offered his services to the missioners, set out for Iroquois country in the belief that a recently signed peace treaty would be observed. They were captured by a Mohawk war party, and on October 18 Father Jogues was tomahawked and beheaded. Jean de Lalande was killed the next day at Ossernenon, a village near Albany, New York.

The first of the Jesuit missionaries to be martyred was René Goupil who, with Lalande, had offered his services as an oblate. He was tortured along with Isaac Jogues in 1642, and was tomahawked for having made the Sign of the Cross on the brow of some children.

Jean de Brébeuf (1593-1649): Jean de Brébeuf was a French Jesuit who came to Canada at the age of 32 and labored there for 24 years. He went back to France when the English captured Quebec (1629) and expelled the Jesuits, but returned to his missions four years later. Although medicine men blamed the Jesuits for a smallpox epidemic among the Hurons, Jean remained with them.

He composed catechisms and a dictionary in Huron, and saw 7,000 converted before his death. He was captured by the Iroquois and died after four hours of extreme torture at Sainte Marie, near Georgian Bay, Canada.

Father Anthony Daniel, working among Hurons who were gradually becoming Christian, was killed by Iroquois on July 4, 1648. His body was thrown into his chapel, which was set on fire.

Gabriel Lalemant had taken a fourth vowâ€"to sacrifice his life to the Indians. He was horribly tortured to death along with Father Brébeuf.

Father Charles Garnier was shot to death as he baptized children and catechumens during an Iroquois attack.

Father Noel Chabanel was killed before he could answer his recall to France. He had found it exceedingly hard to adapt to mission life. He could not learn the language, the food and life of the Indians revolted him, plus he suffered spiritual dryness during his whole stay in Canada. Yet he made a vow to remain until death in his mission.

These eight Jesuit martyrs of North America were canonized in 1930.



Comment:

Faith and heroism planted belief in Christ's cross deep in our land. The Church in North America sprang from the blood of martyrs. Are we as eager to keep that cross standing in our midst? Do we bear witness to deep-seated faith in us, the Good News of the cross (redemption) into our home, our work, our social world?


Quote:

"My confidence is placed in God who does not need our help for accomplishing his designs. Our single endeavor should be to give ourselves to the work and to be faithful to him, and not to spoil his work by our shortcomings" (from a letter of Isaac Jogues to a Jesuit friend in France, September 12, 1646, a month before he died).


Patron Saint of:

North America

Endurance   

Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up. 

inom ug daghang tubig/tuba ba!

LOHAS is an acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability, a market segment focused on health and fitness, the environment, personal development, sustainable living, and social justice.

so if you are seeing a new product in the market, consider the aims of LOHAS.
Changing our footprint on the environment
LOHAS companies practice "responsible capitalism" by providing goods and services using economic and environmentally sustainable business practices.  LOHAS business owners and industry leaders from around the world meet each year at the LOHAS Conference to discuss industry trends, share ideas and learn how to run a successful LOHAS business.

LOHAS consumers, sometimes referred to as Lohasians, are interested in products covering a range of market sectors and sub-sectors, including: Green building supplies, socially responsible investing and "green stocks", alternative healthcare, organic clothing and food, personal development media, yoga and other fitness products, eco-tourism and more.

email from a very good friend;

Hello!!!

Just would like to share to you below links. Paul's team won it again for two consecutive years from that prestigious Cartier Womens Initiative in Paris.

1st link from recent award 2009 Pinay Kimberley Ong:

http://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/cms/modulefinaliste/detail/Kimberley-Ong/55.html

2nd link from last year 2008 award Pinay Renee King:

http://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/cms/modulefinaliste/detail/Renee-King/55.html

I think Ong's very inspring story will enhance more other Filipino women to become more interested in entrepreneurship. Hopefully, it will also help to create jobs and boost a bit our Phil economy after that recent 'Ondoy and Pepeng' calamities we encountered. Anyway, enjoy browsing into the Cartier Website.

Jorge Vega

St. Ignatius of Antioch
(d. 107?)

Born in Syria, Ignatius converted to Christianity and eventually became bishop of Antioch. In the year 107, Emperor Trajan visited Antioch and forced the Christians there to choose between death and apostasy. Ignatius would not deny Christ and thus was condemned to be put to death in Rome.
Ignatius is well known for the seven letters he wrote on the long journey from Antioch to Rome. Five of these letters are to Churches in Asia Minor; they urge the Christians there to remain faithful to God and to obey their superiors. He warns them against heretical doctrines, providing them with the solid truths of the Christian faith.

The sixth letter was to Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, who was later martyred for the faith. The final letter begs the Christians in Rome not to try to stop his martyrdom. "The only thing I ask of you is to allow me to offer the libation of my blood to God. I am the wheat of the Lord; may I be ground by the teeth of the beasts to become the immaculate bread of Christ."

Ignatius bravely met the lions in the Circus Maximus.



Comment:

Ignatius's great concern was for the unity and order of the Church. Even greater was his willingness to suffer martyrdom rather than deny his Lord Jesus Christ. Not to his own suffering did Ignatius draw attention, but to the love of God which strengthened him. He knew the price of commitment and would not deny Christ, even to save his own life.


Quote:

"I greet you from Smyrna together with the Churches of God present here with me. They comfort me in every way, both in body and in soul. My chains, which I carry about on me for Jesus Christ, begging that I may happily make my way to God, exhort you: persevere in your concord and in your community prayers" (Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Church at Tralles).

View from the Top   

Persevere. The harder the climb, the greater the view will be when you get to the top. 
Have a nice weekend folks!

Congrats sa mga bag-ong inahan, to become a mother is a fulfullment of being a woman. Sakto si Bulak moabot ra kana bisan wala damha, morag pleasant shock!

Multiple choice and right minus wrong?

Macky Ondoy, hinaut pa nga makalam-pos ka sa imong mga paningkamot. God bless.

I´m so curious who is this person behind this thread, he/ she must use some common sense and not commercialize this Forum.

Doy Rald, nice to hear from you. Looy kaayo mga maestra, suki gud sila pirmi sa 5-6 kay dili kaayo kaapas sa gastohanan. How I wish their interest will be well represented.

Tabi mangutana ko, sa Amerika adunay food control? Who could check the health soundedness of this product for example? Who could check the veracity of this advertisement? Please be careful because this are just profit-motivated merchandise in  my opinion.

gi-edit unta ang nawong ni Lollapalooza kay ngit-ngit gamay, Beds adunay kay ACDsee? Jenny has a wonderful face.

Salamat jam-jam sa imong moral support, kaloy-i na oh Glacier!

Salamat Doy, kay ako nasayud nga kining si Ralf Moeller dili ma-antigo mag-golf, busa nangutana ko.

Day lain kini.

b*** jud kining kalaki sa mga politiko, mga maestra pirmi ang mag-bago sa mga donations bisan unsa, pila  na lang gud ang masalin sa ilang sweldo! Where is justice? We need good teachers, improve their salaries to boost their morale.

Doy Glace pag-posing nalagi ug naked, kay akoy bo-bo sa gatas!

Please eat the humble fruit guava, it is very rich in Vitamin C.

from a friend per email;

The fully ripe banana produces a substance called TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) which has the
ability to combat abnormal cells.

So don't be surprised very soon the shop will go out of stock for
bananas.

As the banana ripens, it develops dark spots or patches on the skin. The
more dark patches it has, the higher will be its' immunity enhancement quality .

Hence the Japanese love bananas for a good reason.

According to a Japanese scientific research,
banana contains TNF which has anti-cancer properties.
The degree of anti-cancer effect corresponds to the degree of ripeness of the fruit,
i.e. the riper the banana, the better
the anti-cancer quality..

In an animal experiment carried out by a professor in Tokyo University comparing
the various health benefits of different fruits, using banana, grape,
apple, water melon, pineapple, pear and persimmon, it was found that
banana gave the best results. It increased the number of white blood
cells, enhanced the immunity of the body and produced anti-cancer
substance TNF.

The recommendation is to eat 1 to 2 banana a day to increase your body
immunity to diseases like cold, flu and others.

According to the Japanese professor, yellow skin bananas with dark spots
on it are 8 times more effective in enhancing the property of white
blood cells than the green skin version

ps

Ben palihug daw ko ug translate sa Nihonggo sa graphics, salamat!

Happiness is fleeting and it is only an emotion whereas joy is something deep inside and inspired by the holy spirit, I would prefer the second.

Akong ipasabot kining tapad sa Insik sa left, basin anggid lang! Bedo unsa man ang imong ikasulti?

Mas nindot sa Anda kay sa Panglao kay ang Panglao commercialized jamo.

I got a boss who is a aggressive and impolite, I talk to him that men who got this imperfections are also impotent. Karon, hilom sa siya nako.

Job well done!

Good girls go to heaven, bad girls got lots of fun! I belong to the second, call me whatever you like.

Men doesn´t like to show emotions, and it is difficult for them to express them either. Suicide rates are higher among men than women.

Unsa? Basin wala ipolbos ang Kokoryu kon dili gi kaon morag polboron?

ps
edad ni amalia? 58 ko karon, artista na siya da-an elementary pako basin mo-80 na pod!

Got any new Pyrex dishes in your cooking utensils? This is a must read.

I Checked at Wall Mart and all the warnings are there.

About 5:30 PM there was a loud bang from the oven.  Sylvia opened the oven door and the Pyrex dish had shattered into a million pieces. The roast beef (our first in many months) was peppered with small shards of very sharp glass.  Normally, I am quick to inform Sylvia she did something stupid. However, this time she was nowhere near the stove when it blew.  I shoveled the glass and the now mashed potatoes into a bucket with two putty knives.  I then sucked the remains with the shop vac.  I let everything cool down and then scrubbed the oven with Simple Green and some hot soapy water.  It took over an hour to clean up the goo.  Upon completion I ran the oven empty to see if the temperature controller was working okay.  I suspected the oven got too hot and the dish simply blew.  This was not the case however. The oven came up to temperature and cycled normally.   We threw a
disgusting frozen pizza in the oven and it cooked okay.

What is going on?

I Googled exploding Pyrex dishes and got ten million hits.  Exploding Pyrex is very common.

Here is the story: A long, long time ago in a country we all know and love was a company named Corning.  They made Pryex dishes.  The material they used is called borosilicate glass.  This stuff is indestructible. But like everything else, the Bottom Liners had a great idea: sell the technology to another company.  The Chinese discovered that using soda lime glass was almost as good as borosilicate glass and a lot cheaper.  Today, Wal-Mart is the largest distributor of Pryex products.  Corning not only sold the technology to a company called World Kitchen, they also sold the rights to the original Pyrex logo. Seamless.  The consumer will never know.

Now it seems people are getting hurt using soda lime Pyrex.  We were lucky because the dish broke while the oven was closed and the damage was limited to the oven cavity.  Others have been less fortunate.  Some dishes explode when they are lifted from the heating rack in the oven with devastating results.  Some people are heavily scarred.
World Kitchen is in denial.  They say that the dishes are another brand, not theirs.  Contrary to their denials the victims usually have more than one of these dishes and the Pryex logo is clearly visible.

If you buy a Pryex dish beware.  The label on the front says oven safe, freezer safe, microwave safe.  The instructions on the back tell another story.  You cannot move a soda lime Pyrex dish from the freezer to the oven and expect it to survive.  The fine print goes on and on about what you are not allowed to do with the Pyrex dish.  The fine print has prevented World Kitchen from being sued because they have warned the consumer that their Pyrex dishes are junk from the get go.  And they are the same price as the original Corning dishes.  What a bunch of losers we all are for buying this crap. What to do?  If you own borosilicate Pryex dishes, no fear.  They have to be more than 25 years old to be sure they are indeed Corning dishes.  I am not sure if the old Pryex dishes have anything stamped in them that indicates they are made by Corning.  You may continue to use the soda lime dishes for holding stuff.  Just do not attempt to roast or microwave with them as the hazard is very clear.

The reason the soda lime dishes let go is that over time they develop micro-cracks.  Once a few micro-cracks are present and once some liquid finds its way into the cracks you have the bomb situation.  The liquid is like shoving a crowbar in the dish and pulling it apart.  Super heated liquids expand rapidly and it is the super heated liquids that force the soda lime glass to shatter into tens of thousands of shards.

Since Corning no longer makes Pyrex and Sylvia proudly holds a large collection of the soda lime Pyrex, we decided that one bomb in the kitchen is enough.  The Pyrex dishes will go bye-bye in this week's trash.  I do not know what we will use for cake and pie dishes going forward .  If you have some suggestions we are listening.

I strongly urge you not to use the soda lime Pyrex for the oven, stovetop or microwave.  The slightest invisible crack is all it takes to have a mess and a possible injury.

As to World Kitchen:  them and their cheap dishes.  In case you are wondering:  World Kitchen  is not a USA company.

 
Harris County Department of Education

St. Marguerite d’Youville
(1701-1771)

We learn compassion from allowing our lives to be influenced by compassionate people, by seeing life from their perspective and reconsidering our own values.
Born in Varennes, Canada, Marie Marguerite Dufrost de Lajemmerais had to interrupt her schooling at the age of 12 to help her widowed mother. Eight years later she married Francois d'Youville; they had six children, four of whom died young. Despite the fact that her husband gambled, sold liquor illegally to Native Americans and treated her indifferently, she cared for him compassionately in before his death in 1730.

Even though she was caring for two small children and running a store to help pay off her husband's debts, Marguerite still helped the poor. Once her children were grown, she and several companions rescued a Quebec hospital that was in danger of failing. She called her community the Institute of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal; the people called them the "Grey Nuns" because of the color of their habit. In time, a proverb arose among the poor people of Montreal, "Go to the Grey Nuns; they never refuse to serve." In time, five other religious communities traced their roots to the Grey Nuns.

The General Hospital in Montreal became known as the Hotel Dieu (House of God) and set a standard for medical care and Christian compassion. When the hospital was destroyed by fire in 1766, she knelt in the ashes, led the Te Deum (a hymn to God's providence in all circumstances) and began the rebuilding process. She fought the attempts of government officials to restrain her charity and established the first foundling home in North America.

Pope John XXIII, who beatified her in 1959, called her the "Mother of Universal Charity." She was canonized in 1990.




Comment:

Saints deal with plenty of discouragement, plenty of reasons to say, "Life isn't fair" and wonder where God is in the rubble of their lives. We honor saints like Marguerite because they show us that, with God's grace and their cooperation, suffering can lead to compassion rather than to bitterness.


Quote:

"More than once the work which Marguerite undertook was hindered by nature or people. In order to work to bring that new world of justice and love closer, she had to fight some hard and difficult battles" (John Paul II, canonization homily).

Comparing Yourself   

When considering your faults and virtues, look carefully at whom you compare yourself to. If you compare yourself with those far from God, you will become more like them. Compare yourself to the saints if you want to be become one. 

Unsay solod ni-ani nga chemicals? Dili ba kaha moboto akong kidney ni-ani sa daghang toxic residues?

I saw her 10 years ago, gwapa gihapon apan matrona ug lawas, majongera man kini siya.

Si Nanay maoy nigamit ni-ani Kokoryu! ha ha ha, morag late bloomer ko. Mga 20 anyos nako nag sogod ug gamit ug make-up, taphaw ra pod kay morag hilas jamo. Sa kadtong nag opisina nako sa Davao, diha nako na influence sa akong mga ka-officemates kay, utang man sa tindahan sa Bombay.

Pila naka tuig kining advertisements ni Amalia Fuentes? Salamat sa nianin nga thread, in-adto ba diay kadto sa una.

BBC
Pop group A-ha have announced they are to call it a day, just months after achieving a top 10 album in the UK.

"We've literally lived the ultimate boy's adventure tale," the group, which formed 25 years ago, said.

The trio added that the split would allow them to pursue "other meaningful aspects of life, be it humanitarian work, politics, or whatever else".

The Norwegian band scored international hits with The Sun Always Shines On TV and Take On Me in the 1980s.

Their most recent album, Foot Of The Mountain, marked a return to their synth-pop roots after a period in which they recorded chiming guitar ballads. It charted at number five in the UK.

Farewell tour

However, the band never quite recaptured the spark of their heyday, when lead singer Morten Harket was a teen pin-up and the group were followed around by screaming fans.

They even broke a world record at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium in 1991, when 196,000 fans paid to see them.

But after the commercial failure of 1993's Memorial Beach, the band went on hiatus, only reforming after being invited to play the Nobel Peace Prize concert in 1998.

Both Harket and guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy released solo albums during this period.

The group have announced they will mount a farewell tour before disbanding. Only the final date, in Oslo on 4 December 2010, has so far been confirmed.

"We are retiring as a band, not as individuals," the band reassured fans in their statement.

"Change is always difficult and it is easy to get set in one's ways. Now it is time to move on."

BBC

There is more evidence that living near a 'green space' has health benefits.

Research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health says the impact is particularly noticeable in reducing rates of mental ill health.

Only people who had been registered with their GP for longer than 12 months were included because the study assumed this was the minimum amount of time people would have to live in an environment before any effect of it would be noticeable.

DISEASES THAT BENEFIT MOST FROM GREEN SPACES
Coronary heart disease
Neck, shoulder, back, wrist and hand complaints
Depression and anxiety
Diabetes
Respiratory infections and asthma
Migraine and vertigo
Stomach bugs and urinary tract infections
Unexplained physical symptoms

10.Open an interest-bearing savings account

Be very careful of your choice of bank.

Nakit-an nako ang akong kaugalingon ka duha! salamat Loy!

Sir lang Doy kay ikaw man ang among tinahod dinhi!

Mao lago kono nga ang pag-kaon sa Amerika, barato unya daghan ang servings! My friends who went there were really amused with the foods, vast array of different menus, laktod pagkasulti dili kinahanglan ang kusina sa balay kay daghang restaurants.
Kon mokaon ko dinhi ug complete menu tingali mobayad ko ug 70-100 Euro, kanang gourmet with drinks.

Ang manok (tibuok) aboton ug 4.50-5.00 Euro, pananglitay ba.
Mao Indaymen, magbantay jud ko kay gamay rako nga babaye 5 feet 2 inches, 54 kilos nako, kinahanglan mawala ang 2-3 kilos. Gagmay ra ang akong kinan-an karon apan ang paniudto adunay rice, mingaw kon walay kan-on.

This is long but please read and take time to  ponder;

In life, St Therese of Lisieux was virtually unknown - a Carmelite nun by the age of 15 and dead from tuberculosis in 1897 at only 24.

But in death she became one of the Church's brightest stars.

To judge from the thousands of Roman Catholics who have queued to see bones from her thigh and foot on their month-long visit to England and Wales, her star quality endures to this day.

Two thousand people an hour are expected to file past the ornate jacaranda wood casket in Westminster Cathedral to view the bones through a glass window, before they return via the Channel Tunnel to France.

Therese's popularity resulted from a posthumous autobiography that revealed her struggles with doubt.

The Provost of Birmingham Oratory, Father Paul Chavasse, says those doubts strike a powerful chord in a rationalist and sceptical age.

"She had long, long, periods when she didn't so much feel the presence of God as the absence of God", he said.

'Don't feel worthy'

The relics were taken to Wormwood Scrubs for a prisoners' service
"Therese…has a specific message for an age, which, in so many ways, is searching for meaning and for a spiritual understanding of what is going on."

But there is another characteristic of saints that explains Therese's special appeal - their role in Roman Catholic belief as intermediaries between the faithful and God.

Grace is a Roman Catholic who travelled from Cambridge to see the relics arrive at Wormwood Scrubs jail.

She watched as the decorated casket - clearly visible through the open door of a people carrier - entered the forbidding Victorian gatehouse at the high security jail.

Grace said Therese's simplicity and humility made her all the more approachable as a "friend in heaven".

She explained: "We feel we can't pray directly to God but we use the saints as intermediaries on our behalf to ask our favours. That's why we pray a lot to saints.

"It's using them to speak to God on our behalf because we don't feel worthy enough to speak to him directly."

Inside the jail, 100 prisoners in regulation grey flannel tracksuits, many wearing rosaries, knelt and prayed before the casket in the prison chapel as others dispensed incense.

In a couple of weeks, Roman Catholics will celebrate All Saints' Day, with masses and soaring music.

It will be a celebration of Christians, such as Therese, who the Church believes are in heaven.

Catholics invest great faith in the power of prayers directed through such saints, and they insist that proximity to their earthly remains intensifies the sense of connection with God.


Roman Catholics believe that the relics provide a way of getting closer to God

But it is a practice fiercely resisted by some Protestant Christians.

The Rev Peter Ratcliffe, editor of the traditionalist Protestant journal The English Churchman, denounced the practice of praying to saints as superstition.

He said: "The Roman Catholic Church obscures - whether it be through indulgences, relics, the Mass, priests, penances and all sorts of things - it obscures the Lord Jesus Christ. There's no reason why anyone should not be able to pray to anyone who's dead."

Relics of St Therese were taken to Baghdad in 2002 in an effort to forestall the Iraq war, and some have even been released into orbit around the Earth.

But Church leaders insist there's nothing magical or mystical about the relics. They are just a focus for payer.


Relics taken to London prison

The Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols - who will send the relics on their journey back to France - rejected the suggestion that the relics' journey was at odds with a secular age.

He said: "It might be out of step with that element of secularism and scepticism, but that's not the whole of society.

'Things of God'

"I think there is still a real hunger in our society for the things of God. I think that what this pilgrimage of the relics shows is that we misunderstand ourselves if we rule out the spiritual element of every human being and every human life", he said.

"If we push that to the margins we are depriving ourselves, and society, of a great source of generosity and heroism and love."

St Therese's popularity might reveal a hunger for "the things of God", but it also suggests widespread interest in her particular approach to the divine.

When Therese was a young nun, the image of God presented by the Church was designed to inspire awe and even fear.

But she described a personal relationship, even a friendship with God and that still seems to strike a chord today.

Makatambok man ang Amerika, unsa man kanang inyong pag-kaon diha? Kargado sa transfats?

Pastilan, gitorokan diay si Taga Tigbao ug pag-bati? Gitubag na ang iyang mga pag-ampo dalang hilak, hilakon man jud kini siya morag hebe-hebe!

In the case of St Thérèse the relics are a thigh bone and a few fragments of her foot.

Mao ra kini ang sulod sa casket, it was a bishop´s wish that she´ll be shown in this way, the rest is in France.

Namiyabas si taga tigbao aron mauli-an

Pure Relationship   

If the relationship is based on lust, purity will end it. But if the relationship is based on love, purity will save it. 

St. Teresa of Avila
(1515-1582)

 
Teresa lived in an age of exploration as well as political, social and religious upheaval. It was the 16th century, a time of turmoil and reform. She was born before the Protestant Reformation and died almost 20 years after the closing of the Council of Trent.
The gift of God to Teresa in and through which she became holy and left her mark on the Church and the world is threefold: She was a woman; she was a contemplative; she was an active reformer.

As a woman, Teresa stood on her own two feet, even in the man's world of her time. She was "her own woman," entering the Carmelites despite strong opposition from her father. She is a person wrapped not so much in silence as in mystery. Beautiful, talented, outgoing, adaptable, affectionate, courageous, enthusiastic, she was totally human. Like Jesus, she was a mystery of paradoxes: wise, yet practical; intelligent, yet much in tune with her experience; a mystic, yet an energetic reformer. A holy woman, a womanly woman.

Teresa was a woman "for God," a woman of prayer, discipline and compassion. Her heart belonged to God. Her ongoing conversion was an arduous lifelong struggle, involving ongoing purification and suffering. She was misunderstood, misjudged, opposed in her efforts at reform. Yet she struggled on, courageous and faithful; she struggled with her own mediocrity, her illness, her opposition. And in the midst of all this she clung to God in life and in prayer. Her writings on prayer and contemplation are drawn from her experience: powerful, practical and graceful. A woman of prayer; a woman for God.

Teresa was a woman "for others." Though a contemplative, she spent much of her time and energy seeking to reform herself and the Carmelites, to lead them back to the full observance of the primitive Rule. She founded over a half-dozen new monasteries. She traveled, wrote, foughtâ€"always to renew, to reform. In her self, in her prayer, in her life, in her efforts to reform, in all the people she touched, she was a woman for others, a woman who inspired and gave life.

Her writings, especially the Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle, have helped generations of believers.

In 1970, the Church gave her the title she had long held in the popular mind: doctor of the Church. She and St. Catherine of Siena were the first women so honored.




Comment:

Ours is a time of turmoil, a time of reform and a time of liberation. Modern women have in Teresa a challenging example. Promoters of renewal, promoters of prayer, all have in Teresa a woman to reckon with, one whom they can admire and imitate.


Quote:

Teresa knew well the continued presence and value of suffering (physical illness, opposition to reform, difficulties in prayer), but she grew to be able to embrace suffering, even desire it: "Lord, either to suffer or to die." Toward the end of her life she exclaimed: "Oh, my Lord! How true it is that whoever works for you is paid in troubles! And what a precious price to those who love you if we understand its value."


Patron Saint of:

Headaches

By Roland Buerk
BBC News, Tokyo 


It is a problem faced by everyone in the end or by their relatives left behind - finding a place to spend eternity.

And in Japan, a crowded mountainous country with a fast-ageing society, there is a shortage of final resting places, especially in the big cities.

Burial plots in Tokyo can cost more than $100,000 (£63,318), so some are turning to a cheaper hi-tech solution - multi-storey graveyards.

Ryutoku Ohara
From the outside, one such place looked rather like a block of flats - a grey building five or six storeys high but with few windows.

Inside, Buddhist monk Ryutoku Ohora chanted a prayer in front of an altar, dressed in black robes, sandals with wooden soles and a shawl embroidered with golden thread.

His tone was sombre, funereal even, but he was delivering a sales pitch for potential customers visiting the recently-built facility.

"The cost will be half or a third of a normal graveyard in Tokyo, because we can store many remains compared to a normal graveyard so we can offer a reasonable price."

Relatives can visit the 'graves' in special mourning rooms
The vast majority of Japanese are cremated.

In a ceremony relatives collect the ashes, picking up pieces of bone with chopsticks, and placing them in a ceramic urn.

The remains are then buried, usually under a family tombstone.

But in the high-rise graveyard, the urns are stored on shelves instead.

"You can put ashes for two people in one box," said the monk. "So 7,000 people maximum in this space, [when] for a normal graveyard you would get 100 graves in this area [of land]."

A key selling point of the graveyard is that the ashes can be retrieved for loved ones to honour the departed.

Visiting bereaved families swipe a card in a reader attached to a computer to activate a robotic arm in the darkness of the vault.


An attendant shows relatives where the ashes are kept
It moves to the appropriate place on the shelves, picks up the box and delivers it to one of several mourning rooms.

Sombre music plays and photographs of the departed are displayed on computer screens.

Then a frosted glass screen slides back, revealing the box framed by a black marble tombstone set off with vases of flowers and a trickling water fountain.

Prospective customers seemed impressed with what they saw.

"Our family grave is outside and sometimes it rains and there's strong wind and you have to fix the graveyard," said Mikiko Takazawa, who was considering the vault as a final resting place for older relatives.

"One of the things to consider is the price, it's reasonable," said Toshio Ishii, who at 82 years old was looking for his own grave.

"And I think it will be nice to be stored with other people. It's more fun, there'll be company."

The Japanese have turned to technology for solutions to many of the problems of life - and now death too.

Three hundred families have placed the ashes of their loved ones in the building so far.

With hi-tech graveyards being built across Japan it is no longer an outlandish option, and the monk expects that the remaining slots on the shelves will be occupied soon.

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” (Desmond Tutu)

Ralf Moeller is a German muscle man like Arnold Schwarzenneger, who emigrated to the USA and became an actor. He is a very huge guy and adorable.

I was scheduled to have some health spa, I made sure that there´s a place for internet in that place. Web made life interesting and people are just a few clicks away.

her lips next to those of a man arouses in a woman certain feelings that are way beyond pecuniary
so you mean the man doesn´t profits from this act? If you say yes, then it truly confirms my belief that men are penis-driven.

Vilma´s face is nicely lifted, she looks good.  She looked trimmed, nice liposuction job.This is what we call the power of money.

What is a relic?

Photographs from the events in The Oratory Church in Oxford 
A relic can be either a part of the physical remains of a holy person after his or her death, or an object which has been in contact with his or her body. In the case of St Thérèse the relics are a thigh bone and a few fragments of her foot.

By venerating the relics of saints, some Christians believe that they are honouring God, who made the person holy. The relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux are contained in a closed silver casket which is inside a Jackoranda Wood case that was donated by the people of Brazil. The whole thing is covered with a glass canopy over the top. It weighs about 21 stone and takes six people to move.

She was finally admitted to a Carmelite convent aged 15 in 1888. The young girl soon found herself at home there, both emotionally and spiritually.

St Thérèse had a particular fondness for nature, hence the name by which she is often known, 'The Little Flower'.

She died when she was only 24 years old after contracting Tuberculosis. As her health failed her she was encouraged to write an account of her life, The Story of a Soul. Published shortly after her death in 1897 it has proved remarkably popular with people of all faiths and nationalities.

Unusually she was canonised in 1925, less than 30 years after her death in 1897. At the time the process should have allowed at least 50 years between death and beatification but Pope Benedict XV dismissed that rule. BBC





*pls take note the weight of the casket in stone (casket circa 132 kilos)
1 stone = 6.35029318 kilograms

The “old man” was called Mathew Wall who died in 1571. The story is that as he was being carried in his coffin down Fleece Lane in Braughing towards the church, one of the bearers slipped on a leaf and to everybody’s horror, he dropped the coffin. But even more to their horror, they then heard some knocking. It turned out that Mathew Wall was not dead after all and he went on to live for another 24 years!

And so it is then, that on the 2nd October each year, the vicar meets the local children at the top of Fleece Lane, who all arrive with their brooms and brushes ready to sweep.

“We then sweep Fleece Lane” continued Jeanette, “which as you can imagine, with 60-70 children all trying to get down there with their brooms, is quite interesting and we hope it doesn’t rain!”

The group then move on into the churchyard where they gather round Mathew Wall’s grave, and as they walk there, the church bells are tolled as if for a funeral which is another one of his stipulations.

“All sorts of rumours go round as to how true it is” explained Jeanette, “but it’s like any village tradition, you don’t know how much genuinely happened and how much is based on an incident, but it’s nice to believe that it’s true anyway.”BBC


St Mary the Virgin Church

A survey of 16 to 24 year olds has found that 75% of them feel they "couldn't live" without the internet.

The report, published by online charity YouthNet, also found that four out of five young people used the web to look for advice.

About one third added that they felt no need to talk to a person face to face about their problems because of the resources available online.

Despite high-profile examples of internet security breaches, such as the recent incident of phishing email scams, 76% of the survey group thought the internet was a safe place "as long as you know what you're doing".

"Probably the middle-aged are the most vulnerable," said Open University psychologist Graham Jones.

"I think children, teenagers and people under their mid-20s have grown up with technology and they understand it deeply.

"So-called silver surfers have got time to learn about it and understand it as well. One of the biggest problems for children is not that they are vulnerable but that their parents don't know what they're doing."

The survey, funded by the Nominet Trust - a charity that encourages the safe use of the internet - looked at how the web influences the well-being of people aged between 16 and 24.

Its author, Professor Michael Hulme of Lancaster University, names this age group "digital natives" as they have grown up in an environment rich with computer and mobile technology.

"For young people the internet is part of the fabric of their world and does not exist in isolation from the physical world," he said.

"The need for a safer, trusted [online] place has never been greater," said Fiona Dawes, Youthnet's chief executive.

"Youthnet will be taking the insights of this report to heart as we plan the future of our services." BBC

ps

Dili nako youth apan igo ko ina-ani!

Jane Austin´s Pride and prejudice is a very conservative view on love and relationships, Elizabeth´s faults being a tendency to judge on first impressions and perhaps being a little selective of the evidence she uses to base her judgments upon. As the plot begins, her closest relationships are with her father, her sister Jane, her aunt Mrs Gardiner, and her neighbour Charlotte Lucas.
.................................................
Never give an unconditional love.

kon ang laki mang-rape ug juveline, kuha-an ug usa ka lisik! kon mo-usab tiwasan ang ikaduha nga lisik. Goodbye bigah.

Our lips is so sensitive, once kissed it arouses strong emotions and this should be avoided because sex in this manner is a merchandise. I think men kisses other lips of the body! ha ha ha ha

St. Callistus I
(d. 223?)

The most reliable information about this saint comes from his enemy St. Hippolytus, an early antipope, later a martyr for the Church. A negative principle is used: If some worse things had happened, Hippolytus would surely have mentioned them.
Callistus was a slave in the imperial Roman household. Put in charge of the bank by his master, he lost the money deposited, fled and was caught. After serving time for a while, he was released to make some attempt to recover the money. Apparently he carried his zeal too far, being arrested for brawling in a Jewish synagogue. This time he was condemned to work in the mines of Sardinia. He was released through the influence of the emperor's mistress and lived at Anzio (site of a famous World War II beachhead).

After winning his freedom, Callistus was made superintendent of the public Christian burial ground in Rome (still called the cemetery of St. Callistus), probably the first land owned by the Church. The pope ordained him a deacon and made him his friend and adviser.

He was elected pope by a majority vote of the clergy and laity of Rome, and thereafter was bitterly attacked by the losing candidate, St. Hippolytus, who let himself be set up as the first antipope in the history of the Church. The schism lasted about 18 years.

Hippolytus is venerated as a saint. He was banished during the persecution of 235 and was reconciled to the Church. He died from his sufferings in Sardinia. He attacked Callistus on two frontsâ€"doctrine and discipline. Hippolytus seems to have exaggerated the distinction between Father and Son (almost making two gods) possibly because theological language had not yet been refined. He also accused Callistus of being too lenient, for reasons we may find surprising: (1) Callistus admitted to Holy Communion those who had already done public penance for murder, adultery, fornication; (2) he held marriages between free women and slaves to be validâ€"contrary to Roman law; (3) he authorized the ordination of men who had been married two or three times; (4) he held that mortal sin was not a sufficient reason to depose a bishop; (5) he held to a policy of leniency toward those who had temporarily denied their faith during persecution.

Callistus was martyred during a local disturbance in Trastevere, Rome, and is the first pope (except for Peter) to be commemorated as a martyr in the earliest martyrology of the Church.




Comment:

The life of this man is another reminder that the course of Church history, like that of true love, never did run smooth. The Church had to (and still must) go through the agonizing struggle to state the mysteries of the faith in language that, at the very least, sets up definite barriers to error. On the disciplinary side, the Church had to preserve the mercy of Christ against rigorism while still upholding the gospel ideal of radical conversion and self-discipline. Every popeâ€"indeed every Christianâ€"must walk the difficult path between "reasonable" indulgence and "reasonable" rigorism.


Quote:

His contemporaries, Jesus said, were "like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.' For John [the Baptist] came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, 'He is possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, 'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners'" (Matthew 11:16b-19a).

Paths to God   

Every vocation, every path to which Christ calls us, ultimately leads to fulfillment and happiness, because it leads to God, to sharing in God’s own life. 

Ralf Moeller ( second from left) is present, I wonder if he could really play golf!