parishworks! 1Vol. 7 No. 43 January 28, 2012

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Episcopal Commission on Family and LifeBy: Most Rev. Gabriel V. Reyes, D.D.

Chairman - Episcopal Commission on Family and

Life, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

February is Pro-Life Month and it is through this momentous occasion that all faithful servants of the Almighty should be in unison in celebrating that most precious gift of life.

Often than not, we take for granted the very fact of our existence by dwelling on our needless insecurities and inadequacies. Overwhelmed by such negativities, we tend to forget to appreciate the opportunity of living among God’s beloved creations when countless babies succumb to abortion, when a number of people are doomed to be handicapped, and when many lives perish due to sickness, hunger, and war.

What is worse is that misguided people relentlessly ravage on the sanctity of this gift. Their persistent and disparaging means of procuring materialistic gains has led them to set aside their true family values and patronize beliefs that subtly attack the family and life.

Knowing that we are in this world, but not of this world, we do what we can because we have eternal life on our sights. Thus, the theme for this year’s Pro-Life Month 2012 is: Pro-life – The Way to Eternal Life.

With events rich and agile in promoting life-giving principles, I urge all prolifers to participate well in these undertaking as these will augment their confidence in remaining consistent in the defense of life.

In addition to this, I also encourage each parish to

A Vibrant fiesta! By Magda Gana

Colorful outfits, umbrellas, curtains and tables filled the Hercules Park of Bel-Air II sub-parish as they celebrate the feast of St. John the Beloved last January 21, 2012.

Families, neighbors and friends gathered at the park for a thanks-giving mass presided by the beloved pastor, Msgr. Dennis Odiver, followed by a procession of the Patron Saint around the village.

Verbum DominiBy Susan Amoroso

The duty of every Christian is to know , to live and to spread the word of God . That in a nutshell is how I understand as a layman the contents of Verbum Domini, considered by the Catholic Church leaders the most important document of the Catholic Church since the Verbum Dei of the Second Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation.

Verbum Domini is the Apostolic Exhortation issued by Pope Benedict XVI as a result of the 2008 Synod of

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to be continued...

Verbum Domini... from page 1

Bishops on the Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church

An Apostolic exhortation is a formal form of communication from the Pope to all the members of the Catholic Church in response to a Synod of Bishops that encourages the community to engage in a particular activity. It is lower in authority than a papal encyclical but higher than all other ecclesiastical letters.

Edward Pentin Rome correspondent for the National Catholic Register wrote:

“Bishop Nikola Eterovic in a Vatican press conference said the purpose of the document (Verbum Domini) is to communicate the results of the Synod, rediscover the word of God – a source of constant ecclesial renewal, , promote the Bible among pastors; to help the Bible become witnesses of the Word of God; to support the new evangelization and ecumenical dialogue; and to foster ever greater love for the word of God.”

VATICAN CITY, 11 NOV 2010 (VIS) - At midday today in the Holy See Press Office, the presentation took place of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Verbum Domini” of Benedict XVI, on the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church.

Today’s press conference was presented by Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, and Archbishop Nikola Eterovic and Msgr. Fortunato Frizza, respectively secretary general and under secretary of the Synod of Bishops.

The Apostolic Exhortation, which is dated 30 September, Memorial of St. Jerome, is the fruit of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which was held in Rome from 5 to 26 October 2008. The document, which has been published in Latin, Italian, English, French., Spanish, German, Portuguese and Polish, is made up of an introduction, three parts and a conclusion.

Archbishop Eterovic explained how in part one, entitled “Verbum Dei”, the Pope highlights both “the fundamental role of God the Father, source and origin of the Word”, and “the Trinitarian dimension of revelation”. Chapter one - “The God Who Speaks” - underscores “God’s will to open and maintain a dialogue with man,

in which God takes the initiative and reveals Himself in various ways”. It also dwells on “the Christological aspect of the Word, while at the same time underlining the pneumatological dimension”. This section of the document also focuses on the relationship between the Eucharist and Tradition, and on the theme of the inspiration and truth of the Bible.

“Our Response to the God Who Speaks” is the title of chapter two of part one. “Man is called to enter into the Alliance with his God, Who listens to him and responds to his questions. To God Who speaks, man

responds with the faith. The most suitable prayer is that made using the words which were revealed by God and are conserved and written in the Bible”, said Archbishop Eterovic.

Chapter three has as its title “The Interpretation of Sacred Scripture in the Church”. The secretary general of the Synod of Bishops explained how “Sacred Scripture should be, as the Dogmatic Constitution ‘Dei Verbum’ says, ‘the soul of sacred theology’. ... The biblical hermeneutics of Vatican Council II must be rediscovered, also in order to avoid a certain dualism evident in secularised interpretations which could give rise to a fundamentalist and spiritualist interpretation of Holy Scripture. Correct interpretation requires complementarity in a literal and spiritual sense, a harmony between faith and reason”. This chapter also examines relations between Christians and Jews, noting that they enjoy “a very special relationship ... because they share a large part of the Scriptures”.

Part two of the document is entitled “Verbum in Ecclesia”. Chapter one - “The Word of God and the Church” - underlines how it is thanks to the Word of God and the effect of the Sacraments “that Jesus remains contemporary to mankind in the life of the Church”, said the archbishop.

“The Liturgy, Privileged Setting for the Word of God” is the title of chapter two, in which the focus turns to “the vital link between Sacred Scripture and the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist”. The importance of the Lectionary is mentioned, as is that of the proclamation of the Word and the ministry of reader, with particular emphasis being laid on the preparation of the homily, a theme of great importance in this Post-Synodal

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Episcopal Commission on Family and Life... from page 1

A Vibrant Fiesta.. from page 1

organize activities that will promote pro-life advocacies which will pave the way for the celebration to become more meaningful.

Let us all partake in the mission of bringing understanding to all the life-bearing values inherent in the human person.

St. John the Beloved was the only apostle among the twelve who stood faithfully by the Lord until the last hours of His passion and He made him the guardian of His mother. He was called the ‘Beloved Apostle’ and ‘Apostle of Charity’.

Dinner was served after the tiring walk while few games for kids, young and adults were also present in a short program hosted by two lovely emcees Yna and Randy.

Blessed Mother Marianne CopeFeast Day Jan 23 (1838-1918)

Though leprosy scared off most people in 19th-century Hawaii, that disease sparked great generosity in the woman who came to be known as Mother Marianne of Molokai. Her courage helped tremendously to improve the lives of its victims in Hawaii, a territory annexed to the United States during her lifetime (1898).

On January 23, 1838, a daughter was born to Peter and Barbara Cope of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany. The

girl was named after her mother. Two years later the Cope family emigrated to the United States and settled in Utica, New York. Young Barbara worked in a factory until August 1862, when she went to the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse, New York. After profession in November of the next year, she began teaching at Assumption parish school.

Elected provincial in 1877, Mother Marianne was unanimously re-elected

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Ria Salvaña Matthew LizaresParish Works StaffMagda Gana, Emilio Medina, Russel Matthew Patolot, Karen Ann Phoa, Angelina PoeBulletin Board EditorEJ Carlos, Harley Dave PunzalanPowerpoint CoordinatorEllie Medina,Ging Santos SAAP Facebook AdminRochelle Pineda

Spiritual AdvisorRev. Msgr. Dennis Odiver

PublisherSt. Andrew the Apostle ParishN. Garcia St. cor. Kalayaan Ave.Bel-Air II, Makati CityPhones: (632) 890-1796 / 890-1743 media@saaparish.com

Parish Works is the official weekly newsletter of Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish.

Media and Communications Ministry Co-coordinators

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Feb. 2 (Thur) Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Blessing of Candles)

6:30 am, 12:15 nn, 6:30 pm

Feb. 3 (Fri) St. Blasé, Bishop and Martyr (Blessing of Throats)

6:30 am, 12:15 pm, 6:30 pm

Feb. 8 (Wed) Parish Foundation Day

1. This 4th Sunday in Ordinary time, we celebrate “National _ _ _ _ _ L E I B B Sunday”.

2. Jesus and His disciples went to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _M A C N U R P E A on a _ _ _ _ _ _ _A B H T A S B.

3. They entered the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ G A Y G U N S O E and taught there where the people were astonished at Jesus for He taught as one with authority and not as the scribes.

4. The people were amazed at Jesus for even the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N U N L A C E spirit obeyed Him when He commanded him to leave the man.

Answer key: 1) Bible, 2) Capernaum, Sabbath, 3) Synagogue, 4) Unclean

January 29, 2011,

4TH Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Mark 1:21-28

Blessed Mother Marriance Cope ... from page 3

in 1881. Two years later the Hawaiian government was searching for someone to run the Kakaako Receiving Station for people suspected of having leprosy. On October 22, 1883, Mother Marianne and six other sisters left for Hawaii where they took charge of the Kakaako Receiving Station outside Honolulu; on the island of Maui they also opened a hospital and a school for girls.

In 1888, Mother Marianne and two sisters went to Molokai to open a home for “unprotected women and girls” there. The Hawaiian government was quite hesitant to send women for this difficult assignment; they need not have worried about Mother Marianne! On Molokai she took charge of the home that Blessed Damien de Veuster [May 10, d. 1889] had established for men and boys. Mother Marianne changed life on Molokai by introducing cleanliness, pride and fun to the colony. Bright scarves and pretty dresses for the women were part of her approach.

Mother Marianne died on August 9, 1918 and was beatified in 2005. A second miracle was officially confirmed in December 2011; to date, Mother Marianne’s canonization has not yet been scheduled. Mother Marianne’s generosity and courage were celebrated at her May 14, 2005, beatification in Rome. She was a woman who spoke “the language of truth and love” to the world, said Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes. Cardinal Martins, who presided at the beatification Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, called her life “a wonderful work of divine grace.”