-
-
Featured Article
Dec
5
Simbang Gabi sa Katedral
Filed Under Raison d’être | Leave a Comment
Thanks to bcv2024 (youtube.com) for these videos.
Dec
5
This impressive undertaking is worth telling the whole world. According to some articles I found online, they broke ground Last January to build this mega-Shrine of Montemaria dedicated to “Mary Mother of the Poor” at the Southern part of Batangas City Bay area. The statue of the Shrine of Montemaria will be 102 meters high, that is about the size of, if not more than, the Statue of Liberty. Oh, what a great way to venerate our Virgin Mother.
Related articles:
http://www.fatherfernando.com/
http://internetcommunications.tmcnet.com/news/2007/12/01/3134422.htm
Nov
28
Reflections on The Parables - Part 1: The Friend in Need
Filed Under Raison d’être | Leave a Comment
One of the many things that I find interesting in the Bible is the Parables, stories of which Christ had chosen to relay his message to his people. I find them unique because it is in their utmost simplicity that we find the universality of his message embedded in these stories. They speak of everyday occurrence in our life but with a well-chosen theme and interesting plot that resonates with all kinds of people and situations regardless of time. They are a source of an inexhaustible wisdom for the lessons we can learn from them are as many as the number of reflections we can do. If we really think about it, they are, after all, stories made by no other than Christ, the Divine author, who is the Word upon which the salvation of mankind rests. There is no other stories like so.
However the unfortunate fate of every common thing in the hands of human weakness is its decline to an almost non-significance by which all that is universal seemingly suffers from due to the tendency of our minds to be constantly craving for something new, to be shocked, to be taken by surprise. Unless the story is that which we haven’t heard before we will continue to go by the impression that there is nothing more to learn from it. But the parables, they are always worth the time to go back to as we go about our life’s journey as if they are always new because only then we can perceive the freshness of his message- that, by the way, has always been there hidden by our own complacency. I say, how blessed are we to have these stories to guide us as we go through our life.
Luke 11:5-13 tells us of the Parable of a friend in need.
He said to them, “Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,’ and he from within will answer and say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you’? I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs. “I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Nov
21
What’s Bloggin?
Filed Under Raison d’être | Leave a Comment
First stop is the YouTube-video blog of the Media Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines here. It contains homilies by bishops and numerous interviews. Definitely worth subscribing to.
And more sources for news:
 |
CINEMA Reviews
Nov
7
Most Reverend Bishop Fulton J. Sheen’s Life Is Worth Living”
Filed Under Raison d’être | Leave a Comment
I know that a picture of the Most Reverend Bishop Sheen is enough to introduce this wonderful wonderful priest because only few who stay late at night to read and reflect on the wisdom of Catholicism would not know him…his wisdom, wit, and sense of humour.
Every now and then I would find myself picking up one of his books just to be with him…even only literarily. Here is a video clip of him from his famous show, “Life is Worth Living”. Enjoy now and know that “God love you!”.
Video Source: catholic.org
Oct
19
Will You Go With Me?
Filed Under Raison d’être | Leave a Comment
A few days ago I posted an inquiry for a Traditional Latin Mass schedule and an invitation for anybody who would be willing to participate in the celebration of the Mass in the extraordinary form with me. I have to give my thanks to Samuel of Sedes Sapientiae for such a generous response. This coming Sunday at St. Agnes near Grand Central, 11AM, I will be attending the Mass for the first time. Let me know if you would like to go.
On Saturday, accdg. to Sam, there will be another Solemn Mass that is a part of a conference which, unfortunately, I cannot attend. I think it is going to be very interesting, so, I am inviting you to come (…and tell me about it afterwards).
The MP and the Recovery of Christendom
Una Voce New York and The Roman Forum - October 20thThe Motu Proprio and the Recovery of Christendom
Location: Our Lady of Good Counsel - East 90th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Ave’s., New York, NY. (4, 5, 6 trains)Registration: In the basement of the church 10:00am - 10:30am
Dr. John Rao: “From a Freed Mass to a Freed Christendom” 10:30am - 11:30am
Christopher Ferrara: “Reassembling Deconstructed Man” 11:45am - 12:45pmTraditional Solemn Mass: In the main church 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Celebrant: Fr. Talarico (Institute of Christ the King)
Deacon: Fr. Pendergraft (FSSP)
Subdeacon: Fr. Kenneth Baker (SJ)
Luncheon: 2:00pm - 3:00pmPanel of Diocesan Clergy, Religious, and Representatives of Priestly Societies: “Just How Do We Begin?” — 3:00pm - 4:00pm
$30 for entrance and luncheon for those sending checks in by Ocotber 15th.
$10 at the door for entrance alone; $40 at the door for entrance with luncheon.Kindly make your check payable to Una Voce New York or The Roman Forum and mail it without delay to: Una Voce New York, 47-46 43rd Street, Woodside, NY 11377.
In preparation for the Sunday Mass I found this Notes To Lay People, from Fr. Tim Finigan’s The Hermeneutic of Continuity , which I will surely bring with me. Suggestions, tips, or any additional instruction for me would be greatly appreciated. And please do not forget to include me in your prayers as you all are will be in mine on Sunday.
Oct
15
Text of the Muslim Leaders’ Letter to the Pope and other Christian leaders
Filed Under Raison d’être | Leave a Comment
Four days ago I posted on this site a copy of an article from the Catholic News Service entitled, Muslim leaders send letter to pope proposing theological similarities. I have not read the text completely yet but here it is for everyone to read.
Here’s a link to A Common Word which has the text and a PDF file of the same text.
(Many thanks to chiesa and its creator Sandro Magister for the links.)
Loading …
Oct
13
Will you go with me?
Filed Under Raison d’être | 2 Comments
I’ve been wanting to but still not been able to participate in the celebration of the Mass on the extraordinary form, will anyone, from New York-New Jersey area, go with me? I still dont know where to go, any suggestions?
Sep
26
An interesting exchange between Christopher Hitchens & Fr. Rutler. Thanks to The Curt Jester for bringing this out and to Richard Lawrence Poe who wrote the story. And here’s another article about that evening.
FATHER RUTLER: I have met saints. You cannot explain the existence of saints without God. I was nine years chaplain with Mother Teresa [inaudible]. You have called her a whore, a demagogue. She’s in heaven that you don’t believe in, but she’s praying for you. If you do not believe in heaven, that’s why you drink.
CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS: Excuse me?
FATHER RUTLER: That’s why you drink. God has offered us happiness, all of us. And you will either die a Catholic or a madman, and I’ll tell you the difference.
And secondly, I’m an officer with this club. And this conversation has been beneath the dignity of this club.
UNIDENTIFIED AUDIENCE MEMBER: No it hasn’t been.
CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS: Well, it is now.
DAVID HOROWITZ: Okay. I–
CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS: It is now.
FATHER RUTLER: And I’d just say that…
CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS: Fine host you turned out to be.
Aug
16
On Knowledge and Ignorance
Filed Under Raison d’être | Leave a Comment
Many a time we would hear that while knowledge is power to some there are those who use their lack of it as an excuse as if their ignorance were carefully planned and living that way was a difficult decision that they had to make and only with incisive disposition that they were able to choose wisely and great effort to succeed on being ignorant, for knowing, to them, creates accountability and that they cannot afford to have. In truth, their ignorance is a product of plain laziness: of not wishing to proceed any further where learning becomes an effort.
On the other hand, for those who believe that knowledge is power, desiring too much can be just as dangerous and unfruitful. Among other things it is possible that one might regard knowing as an end. And that to me is far more tragic because when we have exhausted the little time our sins had left us of our life our Lord will not ask us what we know but what we did.
We have to learn how to balance ourselves. And this we can do not by avoiding the extremity of both ignorance and wisdom but by learning the ways in which these two realities of our intellect can invite from us the virtues that, in the first place, is the main purpose of the state of our being and the gifts, of intellect and freewill, that we received. Read more
