Celebration in the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico City

Today, 12 December, is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Under that title she is the Minor Patroness of the Philippines, which was originally under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Mexico when the Spaniards first came here in 1521. The feast isn't observed liturgically here this year because it falls on the Third Sunday of Advent. (Our Lady under the title of the Immaculate Conception, is the Principal Patroness of the Philippines).

The video above is the finale of Las Mañanitas a la Virgen de Guadalupe 2009 celebrated in the basilica in Guadalupe, Mexico City. This is an annual celebration on the feast and, I presume, is celebrated early in the morning, since La Mañanita is an early morning birthday song. It was very popular here in the Philippines when I arrived in 1971 due to the influence of the Cursillo movement. The melody in this final number is the one I remember.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is also the patroness of unborn children and of the pro-life movement.

I don't know whether Las Mañanitas a la Virgen de Guadalupe is a concert or a para-liturgy in honour of the Virgin of Guadalupe or a combination of both. Probably the latter. What I noticed in all the videos I looked at is that the singers addressed their songs to the image of the Virgin behind the altar. They didn't face the audience/congregation. In other words, this was an ad orientem (towards the east) celebration, as the Mass almost always was before. The singers don't 'have their backs turned to the people' but honour the Blessed Mother along with the people present, all facing in the same direction.

There is an exuberance about this celebration in Mexico, as there is in much of the worship here in the Philippines. Mary definitely is a Mother who brings us Life - Jesus, God who became Man. May Our Lady of Guadalupe obtain peace for the people of Mexico who are struggling with the evil of the drug wars in parts of their country at present, including Ciudad Juarez on the border of El Paso, USA, in both of which cities Columbans are working.. And may she obtain peace and justice for the people of the Philippines who are under her special care.



'Go and tell John what you hear and see . . .' Third Sunday of Advent Year A, 12 December 2010

The Preaching of St John the Baptist in the Desert, Massimo Stanzione, c.1634

Readings (New American Bible, Philippines, USA)


Gospel (Matthew 11:2-11)

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ,
he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question,
“Are you the one who is to come,
or should we look for another?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

As they were going off,
Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John,
“What did you go out to the desert to see?
A reed swayed by the wind?
Then what did you go out to see?
Someone dressed in fine clothing?
Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.
Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.
Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

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This Sunday a young man from Ozamiz City in the southern Philippines, Rodolfo Christopher Kaamiño IV, will be ordained deacon in Malate Catholic Church, Manila, where the Columbans have been working since 1929 when we first came to the Philippines. The evening before Christopher will take his permanent oath as a member of the Missionary Society of St Columban. We Columbans aren’t religious. We don’t take a vow of poverty but our oath is a commitment to celibacy and to obedience to our superiors.


The gospel has Jesus report back to John the Baptist what they see: ‘the blind regain their sight . . . Chris spent two years in Taiwan as a seminarian on First Mission Assignment. Here is something he wrote about the very down to earth way – using slightly inelegant language – about the way some adults with mental disabilities experienced the love of the same Jesus through him.

Reverend Rodolofo Christopher Kaamiño IV

Friends ask me what I’m doing here in Taiwan. Half-jokingly, ‘Washing asses’ is my frequent reply, and they laugh, thinking I might be joking or that I mean something else. Here is somebody who has studied for four years in graduate school in the USA now washing other people’s asses. It led me to wonder what’s ‘wrong’ with this, probably because it’s a ‘dirty’ job, or because it’s not a ‘classy job’, a ‘sophisticated profession’ such as engineering or accountancy. A friend asked me why I’m doing this. I told him I don’t do it on my own, or else I would have quit a long time ago. I have some help from above.

AiJia Community, Taiwan. Chris on right in white T-shirt.

After being in Taiwan for almost two years, I felt I was an ‘amateur in every field and professional in none’. Probably that's what being a missionary is all about. Being in the ministry for several months now, I feel that I don’t have to be a professional or a rocket scientist to be a minister. I arrived here with ‘professional ideas and concepts’ about mission and ministry learned in school. In ministry here at AiJia these don’t matter much. Mentally challenged adults don’t necessarily need a professional. They need a human companion, somebody who can ‘waste’ time with them.

AiJia core-members ans assistants. Christopher in blue T-shirt

The ministry at AiJia, of course, also requires professional nursing and care-giving and I learned both on the job. Probably it was my willingness and openness that enabled me to also take on those roles. It wasn’t easy. Being an adult, I don’t want to be told what to do. Yet being a ‘tongue-tied’ foreigner, I depended much on others in the ministry. In AiJia a professional nurse, caregiver or social worker may efficiently take care of the physical needs of mentally challenged adults but not necessarily of their human needs. It has been my continuous struggle in the ministry to provide the people here with professional care and at the same time to be a human companion to them.

Most of the first followers of Jesus knew only of one trade, and that was to fish. These disciples could have remained professional fishermen and serve the hunger of the people by providing them with fish. But Jesus invited them to a whole new level of fishing, to ‘fish’ for people, a whole new field beyond their professional expertise. It required less of their professional skills but more of their hearts and minds. A tall order, but they were willing and trusting. Despite their being slow to understand, Jesus patiently journeyed with them as they continued ‘fishing’ for people.

AiJia members after performing in a cheering-squad contest. Chris in blue T-shirt.

Like the first disciples, I too am slow to understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Yet I continue this journey in trust and with help from above. We missionaries try to put some flesh on God’s love in this world. Each does it in different ways depending upon the different gifts each has been given. One can be a professional when the situation calls for such. But most of the time, people need a human companion, somebody who is willing to go the extra mile with them.

Article, slightly edited, and photos from Columban Vocations Website, Philippines.

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The Highway of Holiness Passes Through the Desert


Biblical Reflection for 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year A
By Father Thomas Rosica, CSB

TORONTO, DEC. 7, 2010 (Zenit.org).- In his moving homily for the Inauguration of his Petrine Ministry as Bishop of Rome on April 24, 2005, Benedict XVI spoke these words: "The pastor must be inspired by Christ's holy zeal: for him it is not a matter of indifference that so many people are living in the desert."

He continued: "And there are so many kinds of desert. There is the desert of poverty, the desert of hunger and thirst, the desert of abandonment, of loneliness, of destroyed love. There is the desert of God's darkness, the emptiness of souls no longer aware of their dignity or the goal of human life.

"The external deserts in the world are growing, because the internal deserts have become so vast. Therefore the earth's treasures no longer serve to build God's garden for all to live in, but they have been made to serve the powers of exploitation and destruction. [...]

"The Church as a whole and all her Pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, toward the place of life, towards friendship with the Son of God, toward the One who gives us life, and life in abundance."

There is no better starting point to understand the Scripture readings for the third Sunday of Advent, especially today's first reading from the prophet Isaiah (35:1-10), than by reflecting on Benedict XVI's words. The themes of geography and desert in both the Pope's inaugural homily and Isaiah's stirring reading invite us to reflect on the deserts of our own lives. How do we live in the midst of our own deserts? How often have we become deserts of loneliness, desolation and emptiness, rather than flourishing gardens of community, joy and light for others? How have we resisted transforming our own deserts into places of abundant life? We may have to go into that wilderness where we realize we are lost, and alone, unfruitful and without resources - and only when we reach that point are we ready to meet God.

Full article here.





Prayers urgently asked again for young Mikko

Mikko with his mother, Gee-Gee

Three months ago I asked your prayers for young Mikko, now three-and-a-half, who was in the ICU near Atlanta, Georgia. I got an email today from his father Miggy and his mother Gee-Gee who was my assistant editor before at http://www.misyononline.com/ before she married, telling me that her son in in the ICU once again. Here is part of their email:

Please keep Mikko in your prayers. We had to call 911 on Tuesday at around 2pm. Mikko's temperature dropped to 28 degrees celsius (37 is normal) and he was still desatting even with 4 liters per minute (LPM) of oxygen support ('Desatting' is a word I hadn't heard before. It has to do with the level of saturation of oxygen in the blood's haemoglobin). Normally he would be okay with 0.5-2 LPM. The nurses at the ER said that Mikko's toes were beginning to turn blue when they took off his socks at the ER.

Yesterday afternoon he was retracting (having difficulty in breathing. Again, a term I wasn't familiar with). for 2 hours. We made the difficult decision of letting the doctors intubate (putting a flexible plastic tube into the trachea to enable breathing) him. But thank God we didn't have to do the intubation. When the team was getting ready, Mikko started to relax. What a big relief! His pulmonologist explained that there is a possibility that when they intubate him, he'll be on a ventilator for life which translates to having a tracheostomy. Today Mikko had difficulty breathing again around noon. But as of this time, he's sleeping.

Mikko's condition is worse than the last time he was here in the hospital. His condition is up and down right now. So far, he is not yet out of the woods yet, so he could still get intubated. He's on 15 LPM of oxygen today. They were pushing 25 LPM of oxygen into him yesterday afternoon, when the doctors thought of intubating him.

We are afraid of the outcome of this hospitalization. We are more worried now as his condition had never been up and down before. Usually, he'd get worse, but when he'd get better, it would go all the way quickly. But now, it seems like he gets a little better, then takes a turn for the worse again.

The doctors are talking to us already about "Quality of Life" again -- that we have to start thinking about it for Mikko. The last time they talked to us about that was when he was just a day old and they were predicting his death.

We are afraid, but still hopeful that Mikko will overcome this challenge once again, as he's done before.



New video shows Chile’s defense of life doesn’t stop with trapped miners

Chile, the Miners, and Respect for Life from Dan Zeidler on Vimeo.


I found the video above on LifeSiteNews.com. It points out towards the end that Chile has the lowest maternal mortality rate in the whole of Latin America. Here is the full story by Matthew Cullinan Hoffman:

CARACAS, December 7, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A new video produced by the pro-life Latin American Alliance for the Family (ALAFA) shows that the Chilean government’s commitment to the value of human life doesn’t stop with miners trapped underground, but also extends to the unborn.


The two-part video depicts the devotion of Chilean president Sebastian Piñera to the rescue effort for the 33 trapped miners. The president had waited outside the mine to receive every one of the miners as they were lifted to safety through a narrow shaft that had taken months to dig. The video then shows new advertising spots sponsored by the Chilean government, reminding Chileans that their unborn child “hears and experiences the world” just as they do.

In the commercials one expectant mother listens to music, while another spends time with her husband; the unborn child in then seen in his mother’s womb, responding and even interacting with those outside.

“My child hears and experiences the world just as I do. We’re connected!” the mother says in a voice-over. An announcer says, “An invitation from the government to protect children.”

Dan Zeidler, the ALAFA’s U.S. representative, notes that President Piñera’s devotion to human life, reflected in his relentless commitment to save the miners, has been evident in his pro-life politics as well.

“Chile’s new president, Sebastián Piñera, expressed a strong position against abortion during his campaign, and during his May 21st presidential speech to the nation, he announced a new government program called ‘Committed to Life’ to offer help to pregnant women to carry their babies to term.”

“The government of Chile has also made strong declarations at recent UN meetings explaining that Chile is a pro-life country, and will not accept abortion,” Zeidler added.

A new perspective, from the Faroe Islands, on 'The CATechism' - and something more serious

I believe that when God created the first cat He smiled. The photo above brought more than a smile to my face. It made me laugh. I found it in the Facebook account of my friend Sr Maria Forrestal FMM in the Faroe Islands. She is from County Wexford, Ireland, Through her I spent six or seven weeks in the Faroes in the summer of 2000. There's no permanent priest there. The Faroes come under the Diocese of Copenhagen, which includes all of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, probably the only diocese in the world now that covers three countries in two continents.

Here are Sister Maria's own words to accompany the photo: Hehe, naughty but nice! Must confess to having "borrowed" the photo from another profile... There is a play of words.The title of the book the cat is "reading" is a send up of a book called "The God Delusion" by English evolutionary biologist and atheist, Richard Dawkins. He argues that God is a delusion. So here we have God spelt backwards (dog) and a cat being "persuaded" that dogs don´t exist!!! We know the answer to that one.

This reminds me of the then eleven-year-old son of one of my closest friends in Dublin who asked me if I had heard about the dyslexic, insomniac agnostic. I hadn't. My young friend informed me that he had spent the whole night awake wondering if there was a dog.

Sister Maria works through art. She conducted days on Art and Prayer on 13 and 20 November. Here is how she describes the experience:

A day during which participants relax in silence,

reflect and meditate on their lives in the light of the Word of God,

enjoy the beauty of nature in the nearby park

and the beauty of the architecture in Mariukirkjan,

discover and explore their creative talents,

share their experience together,

get to know each other

and enjoy some good food!

Here is the image, painted by Sister Maria, which inspired the day:



"Believe"

John 1:4-5

The Church and Sisters' convent in Torshavn, Faroes

You can get a brief history of the Church in the Faroes here with links to the many interesting pages, in English, Danish and Faroese, on the website of the Church there. One of the most interesting is FOCUS ON "FORBIDDEN GRIEF" (RACHEL´S VINEYARD) IN MARIUKIRKJAN Sunday, 3rd. October.

Sr Maria (right) introducing Mrs Bernadette Goulding of Rachel's Vineyard, Ireland, in the Faroes.

When I was at home in Dublin a while back I had a long chat with Fr Laurence Kettle OFMCap, who grew up there who told me about Bernadette the day before he returned to Seoul. I contacted her and when it was possible for me to visit her in Cork, where she lives, I discovered she was in the Faroes at the invitation of Sister Maria. Bernadette and I met for lunch the day after she returned. I don't know yet where all of this is leading.

Bernadette gave me Forbidden Grief, which I'm reading at the moment. There is a review of the book, with many links, on the website of the Church in the Faroes here.



I had no idea that the feline philosopher/theologian at the top would lead me here. This post is all over the place, in more senses than one - but that is how life is.

'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!' Second Sunday of Advent Year A, 5 December 2010

St John the Baptist, El Greco, painted 1577-79

Readings (New American Bible, Philippines, USA)   

Gospel (Matthew 3:1-12)

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:

A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.

John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’

For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

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Advent is a time of preparation for the Lord’s coming: the celebration of his birth, his first coming, his return in glory at the end of time, his second coming, and his daily coming into our lives, at every moment, if we have ears to hear and eyes to see.

One specific way to prepare is to repent of our sins. The most specific means for that, given us by Jesus himself through the Church, is the sacrament of confession/repentance//reconciliation. I know that there are churches where a priest is available almost around the clock and many avail of the opportunity to confess. There are far more churches where it is very difficult to find a priest available for confession. But my own experience is mixed. I do make myself available frequently – at least twice a week for an hour before Mass - in the church where I celebrate Mass on weekdays. A few may come each week, though I know that some may confess elsewhere. In the home for girls where I usually celebrate Sunday Mass they will sometimes ask me when I will be available.

Fr Francis Vernon Douglas



The Redemptorists in the Philippines have a wonderful record of availability for confession, especially on Wednesdays when the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help is celebrated in their churches. I think of three Columban priests, now deceuased, who used to spend hours in the confessional each day, St John Mary Vianney-like, in the Cathedral in Cagayan de Oro during their ‘retirement’ years: Fr Frank Chapman from Australia, Fr Jim Moynihan from New Zealand, and Fr John Meaney from Ireland. I think of another Columban from New Zealand, Fr Francis Vernon Douglas, scourged and killed by Japanese soldiers in Paete, Rizal, in July 1943, quite possibily because he would not break the seal of confession.

St James the Apostle Church, Paete, Laguna where Fr Douglas was scourged before being killed.

  

However, I find that even in times such as Advent and Lent people seem to be very slow to take the opportunity to confess. I sometimes ask myself if many consider themselves saints. I’m aware too that embarrassment may be a factor sometimes.

It’s not always that easy for a priest to find a confessor. This year I have been blessed with many opportunities to confess and I’m well aware of the need.

Confession is an expression of God’s tender love for us as sinners.

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EXPERIENCING FORGIVENESS AND SALVATION

Biblical Reflection for 2nd Sunday of Advent, Year A

Father Thomas Rosica, CSB http://www.zenit.org/article-31120?l=english

TORONTO, NOV. 30, 2010 (Zenit.org).- In today's Scripture readings, two of the three outstanding Advent guides (Isaiah, John the Baptist and Mary) show us the proper attitude to assume as we prepare to welcome the Savior of the world.

First there is Isaiah, the prophet of consolation and singer of hope. The idyllic reading from the prophet Isaiah (11:1-10) speaks of a shoot that will sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom (v 1). This is a reference to the fact that after the Babylonian Exile only a stump of the Davidic dynasty would remain; from it would arise the new shoot, the messianic King. In verses 2-3 we have the source of the traditional names of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

An image of the idyllic harmony of paradise (vv 6-9) is a dramatic symbol of the universal peace and justice of messianic times. Throughout this season of Advent, Isaiah proclaims a true and proper Gospel for the people of Israel, enslaved in Babylon, and urges them to remain vigilant in prayer, to recognize "the signs" of the coming of the Messiah.

You may read the full text here.

Happy St Andrew's Day!

St Andrew, El Greco, painted 1610-14

May I wish readers in Scotland, where I know I have one or two, and anyone in Russia who happens to come across this blog, a Happy St Andrew's Day! If your name is Andrew or any variation thereof, may God bless you in a special way today.

I was assigned to Britain in September 2000, supposedly for four years. After Easter 2002 I was transferrred from Solihull, in the West Midlands of England, to Glasgow. I expected to be in Scotland for more than two years. After only two weeks I was asked to return to the Philippines, though not immediately. I lived among my Celtic cousins for five months. The Latin word 'Scotus' originally meant 'Irish'. The historical, cultural and linguistic ties between Ireland and Scotland are very close for various reasons, good and bad, that I won't go into here.

May I also ask your prayers as I go on retreat this morning until Thursday afternoon. I meant it to be longer but it hasn't worked out that way.

St Andrew's Cross, the National Flag of Scotland, known as The Saltire

Flag of Nova Scotia, 'New Scotland', Canada