San Pedro Calungsod: Second Filipino Saint

The universal Catholic Church rejoices as we witness enthusiastically the canonization 

of seven martyrs including our very own Blessed Pedro Calungsod. 

Young Filipino saint...

Blessed Pedro Calungsod is a migrant, catechist, sacristan and a missionary companion of Blessed Father Diego Luis de San Vitores, a Jesuit priest. On 1672, they begun their missionary work in the island of Guam where many natives were converted into Roman Catholic. Pedro was born as a Cebuano. He joined the Jesuits for missionary work in different places including Guam. He taught catechism to the natives using the 'Docrina Cristiana'. Calungsod and Fr. Diego came to Tumhon (part of Guam) for their missionary work but the leader of the tribe refuse to be converted including his family but Fr. Diego succeeded in baptizing the young child of the tribal leader and when he heard this, he attacked both Calungsod and Fr. Diego where they met their martyrdom. Calungsod was killed by a spear that struck his chest when he tried to protect Fr. Diego. Their bodies were thrown to the sea.

The martyrdom they received have elevated them into defenders of our faith thus they were beatified. Calungsod was beatified on March 2000 and now after 12 years, He will be canonized as saint and a martyr of faith. He is the second Filipino saint and martyr joining San Lorenzo Ruiz. As we rejoice on the day of his canonization, we  pray that many young men will inspire by the life that Calungsod led and be able to response to the call of our church to become missionaries of good tidings.

San Pedro Calungsod...pray for us!

Reading the Chapters of Our Life...

I cannot recount anymore how many times did I start a new direction in my life. 
But definitely I am sure that each end of a chapter is a start of a new sequence, full of
mysteries yet challenging, nervous yet thrilling and worried yet excited. Each pages of our lives should be a must-read for everyone to know us better but then again not all can be exciting or fascinating and sometimes we skip a certain paragraph that we find not worth-reading. But this is part of the story...part of the sequences that life should be. We cannot skip something not interesting to read because it is also part of the whole story and if ever we skip reading then the whole story is meaningless.

The story of your life is the good news that you can impart to the world. We are the writers of our lives and at the same time storytellers. It is up to us to make it worth-reading for others. The plots and sequences should not be necessary dramatic but to let it flow with what the circumstances bring to you. We don't make stories of unbelief but only pure experience coming to the point of view of your life's situation. A real story comes from the heart that has been through life's experiences. Again, make your life worth-reading!

At the end of our story, the book of our life has finally been reviewed by the ultimate author of life itself...God gives the final review.

Holy Week of Traditions, Sacrifice and Moving Forward...

We have entered into the Holy Week once again. The time of the year when everyone observed the holiest week of the year. For some, a time to break away  from the worldly occupation and do a self-pilgrimage. For others, it is a time of vacation and fun, forgetting the hustle and bustle of city life. But what really is Holy Week?

Personally, this is the time of the year that I am looking forward. A time when I take an opportunity to be still, pause and reflect. Each year's Holy Week is spend with family and friends which I look forward to share again a meaningful celebration of Holy Week. But as time passes by, something's changing and even traditions are soon wearing. We still keep the spirit of the Holy Week, there are traditions that are still being done and observed like the 'Pabasa' (Passion chants), 'Senakulo' (depiction of Christ's passion), Visita Iglesia and among others which has become a lenten practice. Old and young are participants of this solemn occasion which has become a yearly 'panata' or promise of sacrifice. We are fortunate indeed that our country is rich with lenten traditions and practices but no matter how we keep the beauty of lent but if not being rooted to our faith and teachings of the Church...it would be meaningless for our growth in faith. 

Traditions and teachings of the Church should not be treated as separate entities but factors that bind us to appreciate and understand our faith even better. Traditions keep the beauty of practices while the teachings or doctrines guide us to the very essence of sacrifice and death of Christ. These two should work in harmony for our spirituality development and should not become an hindering factors to debate and become the source of confusion and separation.

Moreover, the true meaning of the Holy Week means a true contrition and self-rediscovery and renewing our relationship with Christ. For Our Lord Jesus Christ has given up his life making an ultimate and greatest love for mankind. A true contrition of the heart is rooted in Christ's message of forgiveness and sacrifice for others, for without it, our celebration of Holy Week is meaningless and our Easter would be forever an empty tomb.

A Blessed Holy Week to everyone and a Joyful Easter to come!

Walk In Simplicity

I was heading home in the morning coming from a grocery store in our town when I decided to walk than to take a jeepney. While walking, a tricycle passed me by and honked me. The tricycle driver was our neighbor and he chided me, 'Why are you walking? You could take a ride or even use your dad's car!' in return I said to him 'No, thanks anyway.' then away I go with walking. 

Thinking about what happened in that morning has suddenly gave me a bit of reflection of simplicity. It is not that I don't want to take a ride or use my dad's car but it's a matter of taking that option to walk is convenience for me. I didn't decline but instead I chose what is simple thing to do and that is to walk. I have been walking for several times, from our house to the church, to school or to our town plaza and elsewhere. But of course, If I do want to go to far places I would be using a car. It gives me a certain joy of appreciating my surroundings and at the same time, meeting and seeing people in my neighborhood. The opportunity to meet and greet them is simple joy that i could experience and perhaps an opportunity also to get to know my place and its people even better. Aside from that, it is good for the health!

I remember the story of then Fr. Chito Tagle and now Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle of the Archdiocese of Manila whenever he gives a talk or seminar, he would prefer walking than taking transportation in his parish. That alone can give him a time to get to know better his parishioners. I admire his simplicity and picking his examples as my model of simplicity. He is now an archbishop of Manila, full of humility and simplicity that one can take as an inspiration to live in a simple life!

The Chief Justice on Impeachment Trial

He is the most powerful man in Philippine Judiciary, the supreme authority when it comes to interpreting law and decisions that matters to the nation. Now, He is on trial for the eight articles of Impeachment submitted by the House of Representatives. Chief Justice Renato Corona is facing the greatest legal battle of his life and the circumstances he's facing would define his position being the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

Watch and listen as the senator-judges, the defense and prosecution team showcase their legal thoughts, opinions and matters on the issue hounding the Chief Justice. Live streaming of the impeachment trial is available on this blog.

The Black Nazarene

January 9 is considered to be the feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo. Flocked by thousands of devotees, the feast is popularly known to all Filipinos. Devotees of the Black Nazarene believe that the image of Christ carrying the cross can miraculously grant prayers of healing, fortune and other personal intentions. A long procession which usually takes 12 hours to finish will take place at the Quirino Grandstand to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene taking the traditional route.


This year's theme is "Espiritu ng Ama at ng Poong Nazareno, Sambayanang Pilipino Ibangon Mo", the theme correlates to the recent calamity suffered by some of our brethren in Mindanao and the everyday challenges in the life of the Filipinos. In celebration of the feast of the Black Nazarene, this blogspot will stream live feeds from the Quiapo Church for hourly masses. Highlights will the the Holy Mass officiated by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle, DD on January 9, 2012 at 6:00AM to be followed by the long procession. 

Welcome 2012!

Happy New Year! We welcome the year 2012 with joy and much hope. The year 2012 gives us a brand new hope to make our lives better. As we continue to journey, let us be thankful for all the good things we have received and as the bad ways, we should remove and dump them.


Most of us will have new year's resolution but we pray that each day of this year will serve as an everyday reminder that God is with us and His love endures forever.


Happy 2012 everyone!