August 4 is known as John Marie Vianney Sunday. A special collection is to be made for the on-going formation of the clergy. We remember a priest and a saint known to sit at the confessional box for hours. He often sacrificed his meals in order...
When the Philippines celebrated its fourth centennial of Christianity in 1965, one of the highlights of the celebration was the founding of a missionary society by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference (then known as the Catholic Welfare Organization). And so they went on and established the...
There is not much to learn about Saint Anne except that she is the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandmother of Jesus Christ. And as many adored the Blessed Virgin Mary, so is the devotion given to Saint Anne. We do not have...
During the middle ages, at the time of the crusades when the Christian nations of Europe were engaged in a prolonged and fierce war with the Saracens for control of the Holy Land, the French, the English, the German crusaders flew the banners of their...
The Second Vatican Council document Optatam Totius (Decree on Priestly Formation) # 5 states, “let every priest regard the seminary as the HEART OF THE DIOCESE, gladly offering the help of his service.” It should not only be the Bishops and the priests who consider...
Two years ago, Davao City witnessed the devastating effects of the flashflood in Matina Pangi, the worst disaster the city had so far. Residents were unprepared thinking it was just the usual rainfall and not as devastating. What happened was unexpected. In a matter of seconds,...
This coming Saturday, June 29, the whole Church offers prayers on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. As “Prince of the Apostles” and “Apostle of the Gentiles” respectively, they are the principal patrons of Rome. While St. Peter is known to be the patron of...
A couple badly treated their 70-year old father who was half blind, partly deaf and had Parkinson’s. The old man made a mess of the house because of his defects. He was shouted at and not given enough food, medicine and hygiene, like washing. One...
In his address to the Catholic Educators of America last April 2008, Pope Benedict XVI reminded presidents of the Catholic colleges and universities that education is integral in the mission of the Church to proclaim the Good News. He described a catholic educational institution as...
"Giving doesn’t empty one’s resources, but provides room for refilling." No matter the abundance of resources, when people do not know how to share, there will always be an atmosphere of lack. But no matter the scarcity, when people begin to be selfless, there will be...