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Update on aftermath of Sendong/Washi on Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City

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A Report by Fr Pat O'Donoghue Fr Pat O'Donoghue is the Regional Director of the Columbans in the Philippines. He visited Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan Ciy last week. He wrote this report on 8 January, the Solemnity of the Epiphany here in the Philippines.  I arrived in Cagayan de Oro in the early afternoon of Monday, 2 January. The signs of the calamity were visible from the air as we approached the airport, but the full extent of the damage hits you when you stand on the river bank or visit those places where whole neighborhoods were simply washed away. The damage to the water system was such that most of Cagayan still did not have running water when I arrived. On the way from the airport we saw groups of people surrounding trucks or fire hydrants where water was being dispensed while others were coming and going with all kinds of water containers – the innovative spirit of people once more shining through the difficulties. Drinking water was also being dispensed at poi

Thank You...

"If the writing is honest it cannot be separated from the man who wrote it."   ~  Tennessee Williams This Great Group of Blogger's has taken a huge risk and allowed me to contribute my Rants and Raves. I Pray that I do not disappoint... My Most Sincere, Thank You... Oh, and I ask that you bear with me as I get the hang of Blogger... Please!

The Catholic Briefcase

It is an error, or rather a heresy, to try to banish the devout life from the regiment of soldiers, the shop of the mechanic, the court of princes, or the home of married folk. ~St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life   But he that shall deny me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God. ~Luke 12:9 Holiness in the workplace is the theme of Randy Hain's new book The Catholic Briefcase: Tools for Integrating Faith and Work . A convert to Catholicism since 2005, Mr. Hain, co-founder of the site The Integrated Catholic Life , shares the methods which have helped him to combine faith and work in the business world. He demonstrates how our Christian beliefs must be just as alive at the office as they are at home or at church. We do not know when we may have been chosen to be the sole instrument of grace to persons in a certain venue, therefore with prudence and charity we must always be ready to speak of our love of Christ and His Church. As

A Picture says a Thousand Words

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Pope Benedict: Parents Educators of the Faith

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How do we hand down faith? Do members of our families get together for dinner, quickly eat their food, and scamper off to watch something on television or hop on the computer, never to be seen again until bedtime? Or do we sit down to eat, and have leisurely conversations about important subjects and share what we did today? Maybe even sitting and talking long after the plates are empty. Around our house, nights like this are relished, but not always our reality. Today, the Holy Father, had a message for  parents and godparents of 16 babies he baptized, and that message was the importance of education. "To educate is a very challenging mission, said the Pope, and it is sometimes difficult for our limited human capacities." "But he added, “education becomes a wonderful mission if it is done in partnership with God, who is the first true educator of every man." "With prayer and the Sacraments, said Pope Benedict, parents will be able to discern the most

The Long List of Lies

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My spiritual director encouraged me to spend some time praying about Mark 1:11 in which God our Father says to Jesus, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." I've never had trouble with the fact that our Father was 'well pleased' with Jesus but I stumbled on the thought that He might be well pleased with me. How could that be? I had a long list, in my heart, of all the reasons that God couldn't possibly be well pleased with me but, as I began to dissect the list, I could see that it was a Long List of Lies because God's Word said otherwise and God's Word is Truth. Here are a few entries from the List of Lies. Maybe you have others. "I'm not good enough." That seems to be the Accuser's number one, all-purpose, one size fits all lie. He doesn't usually have to go much farther than this. He has variations on this theme, of course: "I'll never amount to anything." "If others only knew how stupid/

How Reading the Psalms and Seed Catalogs Sustains Me in the Dark of Winter

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By Allison Salerno On winter workdays, I rise at the time Shakespeare says when night is "almost at odds with morning," and you can't tell "which is which." I leave home before the rest of my family has risen, driving north in darkness to my job and arriving just as the sun begins to rise. Sometimes, I don't return home until after sunset. And so I find myself in these days struggling with a kind of sadness, a desire to retreat from a world which feels fully of darkness. O God, come to my aid. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia.

'You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.' The Baptism of the Lord

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The Seven Sacraments: Baptism , Nicolas Poussin, painted 1641-42  The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is observed in Ireland on Sunday 8 January and in other countries that use English widely on Monday 9 January. The Feast brings an end to the liturgical Season of Christmas. Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel Mark 1:7-11 (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)    In the course of his preaching John the Baptist said, 'Someone is following me, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandals. I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.' It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John. No sooner had he come up out of the water than he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. And a voice came from

Strengthening Your Family

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 Through our baptism, we're called to be royal, priestly parents to our children, exercising our God-given authority with kindness and benevolence. When we truly understand the essence of our authority, we can be leaders and nurturers of our children and help them to become the nurturers and leaders of the future .~ from Strengthening Your Family by Marge Fenelon, p.176  I did a lot of babysitting when I was young and became quite proficient at handling other people's children. I wondered at some parents' inability to control their children in church and other public places, since I rarely had any problem getting my little charges to listen to me. There was no doubt in my mind that I would someday be a  model parent with model children, all sitting quietly in the pew with rapt attention. However, when I finally married, God in His wisdom saw fit to send me the most rambunctious little girl ever created, the kind of child who loves to perform in publi

Archbishop Dolan: Cardinal Designate

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The Vatican has just announced Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, who has led the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York for nearly three years, will be named a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. “As a kid, I just wanted to be a parish priest,” the cardinal-designate said in an early morning news conference at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. “And to think that now the pope has named me a cardinal— that’s awesome.” Archbishop Dolan called his mother after receiving the news from the Vatican’s representative in Washington on Thursday morning. “She said it’s about time,” the archbishop said, laughing. “Only moms can say that. ” The full list of cardinals-designate can be viewed here . Source: New York Times

Peace and good will

Are you happy? That's a big question, isn't it? And it's tempting to brush it off with a "Yes, of course; I'm very happy." Maybe we feel guilty for saying no because we know there are people in the world who are living with extreme hardship, and here we are with food on the table and a roof overhead. Being happy is not the same as being content, is it? Happiness is fleeting, and depends on circumstances, while contentment has more to do with a deeper state of being, a decision. Perhaps the question should rather have been: Are you content? Have you made good choices for your life? Are you in the right place? Do you have regrets? These thoughts are tumbling through my mind lately because of a person - a woman - I spent time with this Christmas. She could not answer yes to either question. She is neither happy nor content, and both to such an extent that everyone in her life knows it, and feels it. They have to live with her discontented unhappiness every d

It's a New Year and let's roll up our Catholic sleeves!

Call it what you will, but I believe in do-overs, a second chance, or a "mulligan" which is what most think of at the turn of the new year.  With this in mind, I wanted to share with you some things that I feel very strongly about in the Christian life as a Catholic. 1.  Prayer:   Communing with our God more and more will increase your faith, hope, and love for Him.  A peaceful existence is hard enough without an active prayer life.  This is not a hard thing to accomplish, really!  Prayer is simply reaching out and acknowledging God, and communicating with Him on a personal level.  You know you talk with those around you on a daily basis, well why not have a discussion with God?  Who do you relate to more, Father/God, Our Savior/ Jesus, the Holy Spirit/spiritual director in your ear?  Do you relate to our loving Holy Mother?  Talk with them daily, develop a new appreciation for your many blessings that are revealed to you through prayer!   One way to start is to find your

'They prostrated themselves and did him homage.' Sunday Reflections. The Epiphany.

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Adoration of the Magi , Francesco Bassano, painted 1567-69 The Epiphany   Where the Solemnity of the Epiphany is not to be observed as a Holyday of obligation, it is assigned to the Sunday occurring between 2 and 8 January as its proper day. (The Roman Missal). As far as I know, Ireland is the only country where English is widely used that observes this feast as a Holyday of Obligation. Elsewhere it is observed this year on Sunday 8 January. Thew new English version of The Roman Missal also has a special Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany, though I think the readings are the same as in the Mass During the Day. Readings (NAB )   Gospel Matthew 2:1-12 (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)   When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage."   When King Herod heard this, he w

I Thirst For You – The Amazing Prayer of Mother Teresa

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h/t  The Papist   Do you have a basic faith in God, but struggle to believe that Jesus really loves you on a personal basis? Do you believe that He knows you intimately, and wants to have a close relationship with you? Sometimes we know all these things in our head, but the truth of the matter has not made it to our hearts. I heard an audio version of this prayer on a podcast today, and I was so moved by the words that I just had to share this with you. The text comes from a prayer developed by Mother Teresa. I encourage you to read the words below carefully. Imagine that Jesus is speaking to you and to you alone. Open your heart to these encouraging words. Let God love you, with all your weaknesses and defects. Let Him meet you where you are and lift you higher. Print these words out and keep them close to you. Turn to them when you are feeling abandoned, defeated, or lonely. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and

Health and Wellness, Catholic Style for 2012!

The path to Hell is paved with good intentions. I don’t get that. It seems to me that good intentions ought to be worth more than a ticket to Hell. Having said that, I definitely get that the good intentions I have for any number of things can always be a hellish path. Exercise comes immediately to mind. As does dieting and just keeping fit and well at 53 years old. I am filled with good intentions, but turning those passive good intentions into successful achievements is another story. I suppose this also falls under the Scriptural category of the-spirit-is-willing-but-the-flesh-is-weak. So maybe the whole path-to-Hell-is-paved-with-good-intentions does make more sense than I am willing to admit. Either way, I have come to realize that while the initial good intention is a necessary first step to health and wellness, a viable course of action must accompany it—preferably something not too painful, boring, or time-consuming. My goal this year has been to find the right-

ACWB January 2012

I have sent out an email to blog authors. It may be I have missed you off the list. I think we have 46 blog authors now! Many thanks for all your contributions & support Patricia Perkowski   has kindly volunteered to oversee things as I'm away a lot this year. The essential aim of the ACWB has been to bring together all sorts of Catholic women & their priests & other men who can give an important contribution. We have famous Catholic women & unknowns supporting & inspiring each other from around the globe. Please contact Patty on spirituallivesofwomen@gmail.com with any suggestions or offers of help. Many thanks. God bless & Happy New Year!

View from the Domestic Church: "Little" things are not so little!

View from the Domestic Church: "Little" things are not so little!

View from the Domestic Church: My visit with Fr. Benedict Groeschel on EWTN's Sunday Night Prime!

View from the Domestic Church: My visit with Fr. Benedict Groeschel on EWTN's Sunday Night Prime!

Challenging Love!

Challenging Love!

View from the Domestic Church: Women are entrusted with the human being!

View from the Domestic Church: Women are entrusted with the human being!

A deeper understanding of self and God

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This graph shows the four major aspects personality.  Each one has a purpose in helping us feel balanced.   As Catholics we can not divide our spiritual nature from the other aspects of personality.  God created us so that we will seek balance between all the aspects:  We can not understand Him or our place in the world if we are experiencing upset in our emotional life, such as feeling unworthy or unloved.  Our mental aspects is were our intellect helps us define our understanding God and self, and so on.   It is through the nurturing of each of these aspects that God's Grace becomes manifest in our lives and in the lives of others Spirituality : seeking a deeper understanding of our relationship with God and others. The “deepest values and meanings by which people live".  As a Catholic we view spirituality as an integral part of living and understanding our religion, it is through the individual seeking for God that you can not only strengthen your faith life but yourself

Greetings from a New Kid

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Hello and a blessed new year.   I’m a new kid on this block, if a grandma can be considered a kid!   I am a “homeschooled grandmother,” being guided into greater understanding of God’s love by my three tutors (ages 5, 3 and 1).   In quieter moments I work on two blogs, both of which grew out of my 20-plus-year exploration of what it means to live as a “cloistered heart” in the midst of a busy world.   The Cloistered Heart blog looks into how we can live for God with the totality of a “monastic,” no matter what the circumstances of our lives.  The Breadbox Letters shares bits of correspondence past and present, snippets about this-es and thats-es, and things yet to be seen…   May God lead us all into a grace filled 2012! "I know well the plans I have for you, says the Lord; plans for your welfare, not for woe!  Plans to give you a future full of hope.”  (Jeremiah 29:11)

The resilience of the faith of Filipinos

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 We are still in the Christmas Season until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, observed on Sunday in countries that celebrate the Epiphany as a holyday of obligation on 6 January. In countries that celebrate the Epiphany on Sunday the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord will be observed on Monday 9 January. Katolikongpinoy posted the old English song, The Coventry Carol , as a tribute to those who died in Tropical Storm Sendong/Washi a week before Christmas, especially in Iligan City and in Cagayan de Oro City, both in northern Mindanao, . Full post here .