Parish Symposium - Month of October 2013

The Parish of the Last Supper of Our Lord (PLSOL), Las Piñas City, held it's regular monthly symposium, Saturday, October 19, 2013. Resource person was Bro. Edwardson Juta, currently the Campus Minister of the Center for La Sallian Ministry, De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde. He talked about the Encyclical letter "LUMEN FIDEI" of the Supreme Pontiff Francis to the bishops, priests and deacons, consecrated persons and the lay faithful on Faith.

In the beginning of the book it says: The light of Faith: this is how the Church’s tradition speaks of the great gift brought by Jesus. In John’s Gospel, Christ says of himself: "I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness" (Jn 12:46). 

Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Angel Sanchez (Above Photo) 
during the introduction of the guest speaker
Bro. Edwardson Juta.

The opening prayer. 

Here's some bullet notes:

Encyclical - Litterae encyclicae

• was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Roman Church.
• comes from Latin encyclicus, meaning "general" or "encircling", which is also the origin of the word "encyclopedia".
• in the strictest sense, is a letter sent by the Pope and addressed to the Bishops, Priest and Deacons, Consecrated Persons and the Lay Faithful of the Church. 
• is generally used for significant issues.

Lumen Fidei Overview

• The 3rd encyclical in the series of theological virtues (Deus Caritas est, Spe Salvi, Lumen Fidei).
• Most of the parts are credited to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
• 1st encyclical of Pope Francis.
• Main concern is the Evangelization.

Contents of Lumen Fidei

• Introduction (Faith and Light)
• Chapter I (We have believed in love, Jn. 4:16. The Journey of Faith from Abraham to Saints.)
• Chapter II (Unless you believe, you will not understand, Is 7:9. Faith, Truth, Love and theology.)
• Chapter III (I delivered to you what I also received, 1 Cor 15:3. Faith and Liturgy)
• Chapter IV (God prepares a city for them, Heb 11:16. Faith and Society.)
• Conclusion (Blessed is she who believed.)

During the talk.

Faith and Light

• Faith has always been seen as "light".
• John 12:46 speaks of Jesus proclaiming Himself as "the Light of the world". (I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in me may not remain darkness.)
• St. Paul in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians (4:6) speaks of "God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness', has shone in our hearts".
• Justin the Martyr spoke of Jesus as "the true sun whose rays bestows life".

Faith as our world says:

• In our times, faith is not thought as light but darkness!
• Actual hindrance in the quest for knowledge.
• Illusory light.
• Ignorance, myth, superstition and irrational moral constraint
• Faith is not a friend and companion to reason.
• Skeptics are just around us abandoning the search for bigger picture.
• Do not make sense out of human existence and history.

Luman Fidei says:

• urges us once again to see faith as a light.
• not just one light among many lights but as the one light capable of illuminating every aspect of human existence.
• A light which does not come from ourselves but from an encounter with God who calls and reveals His love to us, the Person of Jesus Christ.
• Only the light of God's love in Jesus reveals us fully to ourselves, the meaning of life, unveils our dignity and destiny.

We have believed in Love.

• It is instructive in nature.
• Benedict XVI began this trilogy on the theological virtues of faith, hope and love.
• Believing in God, having faith in God, therefore means believing in love.
• It offers us a love story, the Salvation History.

Salvation History

God of love creates the world, creates man in His image and likeness, and reveals Himself to humanity.

• beginning with Abraham, our father in faith.
• Sustaining and deepening that revelation of His love in His people, Israel
• Fulfilling the faith of Israel by sending His eternal Son into the world
• continuing that mission of salvific love in and through the Church
• until the end of time

Faith as a Memory

• Memory of the Past - A faith that remembered what God had done in times past.
• Memory of the Present - The "today" experience of God's love.
• Memory of the Future - A faith that presses on to the future fulfillment that God promised.

The Memory of Jesus

• Jesus entered human history. assumed our human nature, shared our infirmities and suffering.
• Though innocent took upon Himself our sins, underwent the experience of death.

Faith in Jesus Christ illumines every aspect of our humanity, our history, our human nature - body, mind, spirit, our human frailty

Faith in Jesus Christ is light for every aspect of our human existence.

Faith in Jesus Christ

• means gazing as Jesus who, in revealing the father's love, reveals us to ourselves.
• Faith does not merely gaze at Jesus but sees things as Jesus Himself sees them.
• It is a participation in His way of seeing.
• It is an openness to others that makes us fit to become members of Christ's Body, the Church, the communion of faith.
• Through communion with Christ in the Church we are opened to all others.

Unless you Believe You Will Not Understand.

• Isaiah 7:9
• aman (belief)
• ta' aminu (you will believe.)
• te' amenu (you shall be established.)
• Greek scriptures translates "be established as understand".
• It moves away from the biblical notion of trust in God toward a Greek notion of intellectual understanding.
• Isaiah - to believe in God's promises is to be established upon the rock of God's truth.
• Greek translation says that belief leads to understanding, in the sense of having our lives firmly established in the truth.

Faith negates Truth?

• Faith illuminates the whole human existence.
• A notion of faith which divorces it from truth.
• Our age considers truth that can be seen and measured as the only real truth.
• Technological and scientific truth considered to be valid.
• Age of relativism rejects universal truth. God is crowded out of the picture. 

Faith illumines Truth.

• LF tells us that truth is a question of memory, memory of our common origins. memory of the law written in our hearts, memory that unites us in a way that goes beyond our daily concerns.
• So how can our Faith contribute to a proper understanding of truth?
• St. Paul tells us that, "One believes with the heart".
• Heart as "the core of one's being".

Faith is the Act of the Heart.

• Faith opens us to love because love itself brings enlightenment.
• Faith opens us to God's immense love that transforms us from within and enables us to see reality with new eyes. 
• Without truth, love becomes a fleeting emotion and does not last.
• True love unifies all the elements of our person and becomes a new light pointing to a great and fulfilled life. 
• Love needs truth and truth needs love.
• Faith is not only hearing God's word but also a way of seeing. 
• It comes from hearing but leads to sight, knowledge and understanding.

Faith and Reason

• Faith believes in reason, in its capacity for truth.
• Truth becomes entirely subjective. (My truth is not your truth.)
• Faith leads to a truth of love that cannot be imposed but proposed.

Deliver what You Receive.

• Proclaim what you have heard.
• Allow the glory of God to shine on the face of Christ first to illumine our hearts and then to shine forth in our words and deed.
• Faith travels from place to place, from one generation to the next.
• How can we be certain that it is the "real Jesus" who is proclaimed and believed in?

Is it the true Jesus?

• As individuals we cannot achieve such certainty.
• We can if we are part of the Church's memory.
• Through Church's memory we are all contemporaries of Jesus. 
• Faith always takes place within the communion of the Church.
• Faith puts us in relationship to believers.
• However, transmitting faith is more than handling a vulnerable idea in the book.
• The special means for passing down the fullness of faith is the sacrament.

Faith = Sacrament

• It engages the whole person.
• Faith has a "sacramental structure".
• We can see how visible, material sacramental signs points us to the presence, words and deeds of Christ.
• It enables us to touch the divine realities we profess to believe in.

Baptism

• Faith is transmitted first and foremost through Baptism.
• In Baptism, we participate in the "Mystery of Faith."
• We become new creation and therefore are called to live this new way of life in the Church.
• In Baptism, we become part of salvation history.

Eucharist

• The sacramental character of faith finds its highest expression in the Eucharist.
• It is a celebrating of the "Mystery of Faith."
• It gives us the true Presence of Christ.
• We become present to Christ.
• Therefore, we are contemporaries of Christ.

Unity and Integrity of Faith

• Faith is not merely about system, like a mechanical system which requires all its parts to be in the right place and functioning properly.
• Faith is one because the Triune God is one.
• Faith is one because there is one Lord, one Faith and one Baptism.
• Faith is one because it is shared by the whole Church.
• Through the Church, we see the unity and integrity of faith.

Faith and Society

• Faith is a light not only for a personal journey but for the whole humanity, for our lives as individuals and communities
• It is a light for human history.
• The light of faith provides a solid and reliable basis to build the earthly city worthy of human dignity.
• Faith is linked to love, building relationship of love and respect.

Faith and Society

• Society holds together on the basis of utility, fear and greed but not on the goodness of living together.
• Faith is common good.
• It helps earthly society to journey forward in hope to build a civilization of love.
• Building in charity a city based on relationship in which love of God is the foundation.

The Light of Faith to Society

• a profound understanding of human dignity
• the very notion of personhood
• the love of God has for each person called to eternal life
• a sense of what makes human life precious and unique
• an understanding that, while the world was created for man, it deserves respect
• faith has helped discern just forms of government
• faith offers the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation

Society and the Light of Faith

• When faith is weakened, society is harmed; the foundation of trust is weakened.
• Faith brings strength and consolation amid suffering.
• Faith allows us to forget our weakness and proclaim Jesus as the Lord.
• Faith sheds its light on the sufferings of humanity.
• How many men and women of faith have been mediators of light for the sufferings?

Mary, a Model of Faith

• LF makes reference to the memory of Mary who stored in her heart all "the mysteries of Christ."
• Perfect woman of faith who also illumines our hearts.
• LF shows how Mary is the prime exemplar of how faith shapes every aspect of our existence and sets us to follow Christ even to the foot of the Cross.

Closing prayer. Final words from Fr. Angel. 

GLORY TO GOD!

HOLY ROSARY MONTH

The Catholic Church dedicated the Month of October to the Holy Rosary. October 7 is the feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

Image of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, URCI Chapel
Las Piñas City, Philippines.

HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY

1. While holding the crucifix make the Sign of the Cross. and then recite the Apostles Creed.
2. Recite the Our Father on the first large bead.
3. Recite a Hail Mary for an increase of faith, hope and charity on each of the three small beads.
4. Recite the Glory Be to the Father on the next large bead.
5. Recite the Fatima Prayer "O my Jesus" on the large bead.
6. Recall the first Rosary Mystery and recite the Our Father on the large bead.
7. On each of the adjacent ten small beads (also referred to as a decade) recite a Hail Mary while reflecting on the mystery.
8. On the next large bead, recite the Glory Be to the Father, the Fatima prayer.
9. Each succeeding decade is prayed in a similar manner by recalling the appropriate mystery, reciting the Our Father, ten Hail Marys while reflecting on the mystery, the Glory Be to the Father, and the Fatima prayer.
10. When the fifth mystery is completed, the Rosary is Customarily concluded with the Hail Holy Queen, and the Sign of the Cross.

The Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

The Apostles' Creed: I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He arose again; He ascended into heaven,and seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen

The Our Father: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name: Thy kingdom come: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread: and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation: but deliver us from evil. Amen. 

The Hail Mary: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Glory Be to the Father: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The Fatima Prayer: "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Your Mercy"

The Hail, Holy Queen: Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley, of tears. Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Let Us Pray: "O God whose only begotten Son has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, Grant that we beseech Thee while meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may both imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord Amen."

Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary:

Lord have mercy on us

Christ have mercy on us

Lord have mercy on us

Christ hear us.

Christ graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, 

have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, 

God the Holy Spirit, 

Holy Trinity, one God,

Holy Mary, 

pray for us.

Holy Mother of God,

Holy Virgin of virgins, 

Mother of Christ, 

Mother of the Church, 

Mother of divine grace, 

Mother most pure, 

Mother most chaste, 

Mother inviolate, 

Mother undefiled, 

Mother most amiable, 

Mother admirable, 

Mother of good counsel, 

Mother of our Creator, 

Mother of our Saviour, 

Mother of mercy, 

Virgin most prudent, 

Virgin most venerable, 

Virgin most renowned, 

Virgin most powerful, 

Virgin most merciful, 

Virgin most faithful, 

Mirror of justice, 

Seat of wisdom, 

Cause of our joy, 

Spiritual vessel, 

Vessel of honour, 

Singular vessel of devotion, 

Mystical rose, 

Tower of David, 

Tower of ivory, 

House of gold, 

Ark of the covenant, 

Gate of heaven, 

Morning star, 

Health of the sick, 

Refuge of sinners, 

Comfort of the afflicted, 

Help of Christians, 

Queen of Angels, 

Queen of Patriarchs, 

Queen of Prophets, 

Queen of Apostles, 

Queen of Martyrs, 

Queen of Confessors, 

Queen of Virgins, 

Queen of all Saints, 

Queen conceived without original sin, 

Queen assumed into heaven, 

Queen of the most holy Rosary, 

Queen of families, 

Queen of peace.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, 

spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, 

graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, 

have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. 

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

General:

Let us pray. 

Grant, we beseech thee, 

O Lord God, 

that we, your servants,

may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body; 

and by the intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, 

may be delivered from present sorrow, 

and obtain eternal joy. 

Through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

During Advent:

Let us pray - O God, you willed that, at the message of an angel, your word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary; grant to your suppliant people, that we, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with you. Through the same Christ our Lord. . Amen.

From Christmas to the Purification:

Let us pray - O God, by the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary, you bestowed upon the human race the rewards of eternal salvation; grant, we beg you, that we may feel the power of her intercession, through whom we have been made worthy to receive the Author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever. Amen.

During Paschal Time:

Let us pray - O God, who by the Resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world, grant, we beg you, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, his Mother, we may attain the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Memorare of St. Bernard:

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. 

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

The Rosary Mysteries:

Joyful (Monday and Saturday)

1. Annunciation
2. Visitation
3. Nativity
4. Presentation at the Temple
5. Finding in the Temple

Light (Thursday)

1. Baptism of Jesus
2. Wedding of Cana
3. The proclamation of the Kingdom of God
4. The Transfiguration
5. The institution of the Eucharist

Sorrowful (Tuesday and Friday)

1. Agony of Jesus in the Garden
2. Scourging of Jesus at Pillar
3. Crowning with Thorns
4. Carrying the Cross
5. Crucifixion

Glorious (Wednesday and Sunday)

1. Resurrection of Jesus
2. Ascension of Jesus
3. Descent of Holy Spirit
4. Assumption of the Virgin Mary
5. Coronation of Blessed Virgin Mary

Holy Father Pope Francis entrusted the whole world to the Our Lady of Fatima

In celebrating the Marian Day in the Year of Faith, the Filipino faithful recited the "Act of Consecration of the Filipino People to the Immaculate Heart of Mary" last Sunday Mass, October 13, 2013 and joined the Holy Father, Pope Francis in entrusting the whole world to the Our Lady of Fatima.

Pope Francis incenses the official statue of
Our Lady of Fatima during Mass
on St. Peter Square. October 13, 2013.
Rex Features via AP Images

Immaculate Heart of Mary
Parish of the Last Supper of Our Lord

Act of Consecration of the Filipino People to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Beloved Mother of Jesus, and our Mother, trustingly we gather before you. We lay before you all the longing and hopes, sufferings and anxieties of all our people. To your Immaculate Heart we raise from our hearts this Act of Entrustment and Consecration. Embrace us, dear Mother, and gather each one of us within your saving mantle, take us within your motherly love. 

Immaculate Heart of Mary, we seek to unite ourselves with the consecration which Jesus the Son made to His heavenly Father on the night before He gave His life for us, when He prayed: "For their sakes I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth." (John 17:19) His consecration obtains pardon and mercy and secures redemption for all sinners and from all sin. Its power overcomes every evil which the powers of darkness awaken in human hearts throughout history. It joins us in His heart to make us one in the grace of His Paschal Mystery. 

Immaculate Heart of Mary, your heart is most wholly united with your Son's redeeming consecration. As we entrust ourselves to you, help us to live in truth Jesus' consecration, faithfully each day. Deliver us from the power of sin, in all its forms and manifestations, in personal and social living. Help us strive to raise up in our land a civilization of solidarity, justice and love, by the grace of the Spirit of Jesus. 

May the infinite power of the merciful love of God, through motherly intercession, be revealed in our history as a people. May it change our hearts to the likeness of the Pierced Heart of Jesus, and the likeness of your own Immaculate Heart. 

By this consecration, may we become ever more truly, "pueblo amante de Maria", a people which loves you mightily in its own heart, a people you make each day ever more your own, held securely and cherished in your Immaculate Heart. AMEN. AMEN.

MILLION PEOPLE MARCH @ AYALA