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Attention, Presence, Spirituality
2007-09-05 09:52:00
My first question was, “How would I teach these children with special needs at the same time when they have their own special lessons; different from each other. I wondered. But my admiration to the Eucharistiana teachers somehow helps me to go on and tell myself that everything has a way how to do it. Yet again, it is beyond doing, it is on doing with passion and love. As a Marist Brother who is called to love children, it is a challenge how to do it effectively and affectively.   Fermin and Roby were the little ones with me. It was fun yet deep inside, I struggled. Struggled on how I can give them the proper approach but not on how to love them equally. I enjoyed my time with them though I had the difficulty dividing my attention to each of them.   Attention is like “presence.” But presence is a loving word for me. Just like with my precious time with the children of an orphanage in Manila, I spend it with passion. The passion to be with them is always being rej...
More About: Spirituality , Presence , Tent , Ality

In Society’s Canvas. There is Hope
2007-09-03 05:43:00
After our healing workshop last weekend, I decided to reserve my stories until I have a good reflection out of it. But as I was viewing my Friendster profile, I was struck with the Youtube clip about “Hapag ng Pag-asa,” (Table of Hope ) on how it was done, and what inspired the artist to paint it. And with that, I want also to share it with you, on what it is all about. May I ask you…”Can you eat something from garbage?” Please find time to watch this and be moved.
More About: Society , Canvas

Healing the Eight Stages of Life Workshop Today
2007-08-31 03:49:00
Every individual has experienced hurts in the past, traumatic for some, forgotten by many. The woundedness being experienced were being neglected, never recalled and definitely being buried in the memory and never healed. These become obstacles to our growth into wholeness and fullness of life. These unknowingly become part of our everyday life, of who we are today, how we look in our life and on others.   The “Healing the Eight Stages of Life (HESL)” workshop starts today. It is a module being developed and adapted into our Filipino culture by Alegria A. Javier - O’bien. The workshop integrates Erik Erikson’s stages of human development with healing prayer. The participants, those who are seeking growth and want to experience fullness of life, are to identify their experiences of woundedness that impede to growth to wholeness.   Also in this workshop, participants are expected to become more aware of the effects of the childhood experiences and they are to...
More About: Workshop , Today

Everyday Recollections
2007-08-27 15:13:00
“I will go for a recollection,” I told a friend but he replied, “You just had a recollection recently, and here’s another one again? Then I assumed that the person doesn’t really know what he is talking about or maybe have not experienced the longing that I was experiencing. I give thanks for every opportunity like this especially during my hectic schedules. It always gives such an experience of being rejuvenated after moments of ups and down in everyday life.   “Come away to the deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while,” (Mk 6:30-31) Jesus says to his disciples… And this is another best time for me. I long for a good rest and recreation and will be a a fruitful one, I hope so. Jesus asked the blind man (Bartimaeus), “What do you want me to do for you? “Let me see,” was his answer. He was blind and he wanted to be enlightened.   With the Gospel passages I started to read, I asked for three things: in this recollection, I ask f...
More About: Coll

MAPAC Says Farewell to Brother Jeff Crowe, FMS
2007-08-25 08:00:00
The Brot her s at Marist Asia-Pacific Center bade goodbye to Brother Jeff Crowe, FMS as he accepted the call of Sydney Province to be their new leader as Brother Provincial. Being Rector of MAPAC, he has done his best to lead the young brothers in their formation, helping them in their studies and accompanying them to be good future educators.   Brother Desmond Howard, FMS is the chosen next Rector to replace Bro. Jeff. He belongs to Melbourne Province in Australia. He is assigned presently at the General House in Rome as Director for Second Novitiate. He will start his Rectorship in few months time. Thank you Brother Des for accepting the role as our new Rector here at MAPAC.   As our expressions of gratitude to you, Brother Jeff, the Alfano fraternity made this simple clip for you. With the leadership of our former animator Brother Roshan of Sri Lanka, with the moderatorship of Brother Luké of Fiji Island, Brother Noah of Papua New Guinea, our Bursar, and the members, B...
More About: Farewell , Fare

Are You Getting Married? Know Your Partner First!
2007-08-20 15:11:00
The week of “encounter” has just ended and here, going back to the normal student life, our Pastoral counseling class has just started; no holiday for us. If we enjoyed the outing in Subic last weekend, I can say that our first class today was also exciting. We were discussing last meeting about “Am I in Love,” Increasing Intimacy, Love, and Human Sexuality, particularly in pre-marital stage of husband and-wife-to-be. Today, we were talking about Interpersonal Comparison Test. This is for us counselors to learn how to give counsels to engaged-couples who soon to-be-wed and interested to settle down. As a counselor, I have a role to play in determining whether a couple are compatible and can have a great chance of successful marriage.   Interpersonal Comparison Tests are as important as any big decisions in life. This would help the couple to know more each other for the better of their future marriage life. This is to measure the couple’s similarities and...
More About: Partner , Getting Married , Married

The Close Encounter
2007-08-17 09:42:00
How close was the encounter with nature? Just as close as these pictures…
More About: Close , Encounter

Weekend Escapade to Subic, and Clark Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Olongapo
2007-08-14 15:11:00
And the updated entry… Rain or shine, we pursued our plan to visit Subic Bay Freeport Zone last Saturday. Comfortably sitting in our new vehicle, we left at around half-past five in the morning. It was already drizzling when we passed through NLEX toll gate. We enjoyed the morning sceneries along the way up to Dinalupihan in Bataan to have our Jolibee breakfast. Talagang breakfast! It was nice to be in Subic again, but this time, somebody’s going to treat us there and the most interesting part, we don’t know who are these people. Finally, before nine, Dunia, wife of Councilor John Carlos Delos Reyes of Olongapo met us inside the Subic area and brought us at their Brill’s residence. We were all thankful of their hospitality and generosity as we never expected something like this during our planning. They have a nice place for us, nice rooms and it was really for us, visitors. Time to begin our adventure! And the first place? Zoobic! The only tiger safari here...
More About: Weekend , Esca

Filipina: Isa ring Ina (A Mother, Too)
2007-08-08 15:10:00
Let me share to you about my mother. It happened five years ago while I was on vacation, preparing myself to enter the novitiate. I just woke up one early morning, and I proceeded to the kitchen and looked up for something hot to drink, “Mang, gatas ko po…” I asked her while I was still rubbing my eyes. “Anak, magtimpla ka na lang d’yan, may pinakulo na akong tubig dito,” she replied while giving the kettle to me. I got my personalized mug, put a spoonful of powdered milk and looked for the sugar container but found it empty. My mother forgot to tell me, instead she asked me to buy from the sari-sari store of our neighbor. I blurted out, “H’wag na lang!” sabay tapon sa tinimplang gatas sa lababo. My mother looked at me furiously for a long time and started to cry, on that very early morning. She was sobbing while talking, “Pinaghirapan kong maghanap ng ating makain, nagtinda ako buong maghapon para may kakainin tayo ngayon, ganyan pa ang ginawa mo. It...
More About: Mother , Ring , Filipina

I’m joining the Mindanao Bloggers Summit!
2007-08-08 04:33:00
Anhon ta kay gusto ko man ‘ya mag-attend sining pagtililipon sang mga bloggers sa Mindanao ! Kit-anay na lang ta didto sa Davao karong umaabot nga Oktubre biente-siete!   1st Mindanao Bloggers Summit Sponsors: Councilor Peter Laviña BisayaBloggers.com Davao’s Food Huntress Lane Systems
More About: The Mind

Father Kaiparambadan releases the maiden issue of “Know The TruthR
2007-08-07 05:18:00
Nothing much from me but, here! Plug in lang po… “Know The Truth , A publication to defend the Catholic faith,” is the title of the magazine I received from a friend last night. It contains different articles like, “The Bible proclaims Jesus is God,” “Trinity in the Bible,” “Sign of the Cross,” and the interesting one (for me) “Attacks of Catholic Faith by ‘Pandoktrina” and many other “Direct-to-the-point presentation of Catholic doctrines,” says Fr. Gerardo Tapiador of the Diocese of Novaliches.   It is the maiden issue being published by Fr. Paul Kaiparambadan and is being recognized by the different Church leaders here in the Philippines. Cardinal Rosales grant him the permission to do this mission of evangelization in the Archdiocese of Manila while Bishop Broderick Pabillo urges the Catholics to read it.   Fath er Paul of Kerala, India did his Doctoral studies here in the Philippines says, “That night I looked at the picture of &...
More About: Maiden , Ramba

Nothing Much from Me this Time
2007-08-04 15:57:00
There are moments when I’m full of ideas, as if my mind is pregnant and giving birth to many insigths and reflections. But there are moments also that it’s very dry, my mind is totally empty and nothing to say. I just wonder what would others may say. Yet as you can see, my entries are not posted because of expectations. They are like overflowing honeys from the beehives, fresh wines from the grapevine, tempting to taste and full of grace. But this time, it’s like famine, starvation, a desert without life at all. Ey, I’m just unproducitve this time, nothing much from me, until the next entry. Then you may say, “Ah! Babalikan ko mga entries mo para basahin, bro! Kaya, breaktime muna, examination week na muna ang aatupagin. Please, abangan ang susunod na kabanata
More About: Time