December 2008 Issue

Fr. John Flynn, SMA celebrates Golden Jubilee By Thelma C. Sayson

Good Shepherd Parish paid tribute to Fr. John Flynn, SMA who reached the fulfillment of his missionary work as he celebrated his 50th ordination to the priesthood in Ireland last June 18, 2008.

The Parish also celebrated this event with a big bang last Aug. 9, 2008, a day before his 78th birthday.

The high point of the celebration was the mass at 7:00 p.m. It was a concelebrated mass by all the SMA priests. Present were Fr. Roy Maraña, SMA, Superior, Fr. Gus O’ Driscoll, SMA, Good Shepherd Parish Priest, Fr. John Denvir, SMA, Superior, International Center, Silang, Fr. German Patiga, SMA, Vocation’s Director and Priest in-charge of BEC, Fr. Bembolio De Los Reyes, SMA and the main celebrant Fr. John Flynn, SMA, Parochial Vicar.

Fr. Gus highlighted Fr. John’s ministry as a missionary priest during his homily. 15 years in Nigeria, 13 years in Ghana and 17 years as parochial vicar in Good Shepherd Parish. Fr. Gus further stressed that as missionary priests they moved from one assignment to another; thus, he used a symbol of a boat to which it signified their movements from one country to another.

Fr. John at the end of the mass, thanked the SMA’s for their support, the Parish Pastoral Council and all the parishioners. Moreover, Fr. John expound his missionary work in Nigeria , then in Ghana, where Fr. Gus had the opportunity to work with him, then to Rome where he had worked with then Superior General Fr. Patrick Harrington. Upon the completion of his assignment in Rome, he came to the Philippines. He spent some time at the House of Studies, New Manila, and then came to Good Shepherd Parish.

He also said that it was a normal feeling to be immersed and to be inculcurated and to be at home in a country where one is assigned.

He then said that in the parish in Ireland where he was baptized, where he was confirmed, where he attended his childhood masses, it seemed that he had lost two generations except with the link to their parents and grandparents. He ended by saying that in this parish he knows practically all parishioners and because of the inculcuration, one becomes at home in a strange land, and becomes a stranger in his own land.

Indeed, you are a highly esteemed priest, well loved by your parishioners, a brother to everyone, a peacemaker, counselor and most of all your charisma in visiting the sick people in our parish.

April 2009 Issue PDF NOW available

The April 2009 Issue of the Shepherd's Staff is NOW available in PDF format. If you wish to receive this issue, please post your NAME, GSP organization affiliation (if any) and your Email address in the comments box. Thank You.

April 2009 Issue

February 28, 2009 - A Historic Day

The ground breaking ceremony of the Parish Formation Center was held last February 28, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.

Fr. Gus O’ Driscoll, SMA, Parish Priest of Good Shepherd, Fr. John Flynn, SMA, Parochial Vicar of GSP and Fr. German Patiga, SMA read the prayers for the ground breaking.

Engr. Rosalino Riguera, the Manuela Developer and President, Mr. Rollie Catabas, President of the Manuela Homeowners’ Association and Sis. Minda Domingo, President of the Parish Pastoral Council led in the lowering of the capsule, which contained the plans.

It started with a “walk for a cause”. Parishioners wore T-Shirts with the motto, “Yes We Can”. This was spearheaded by the Eucharistic Ministers to drum awareness for the parishioners. The walk traverse villages within the parish, which started at 7:00 a.m. It ended at the Car Park at 8:30 a.m.

After the break of 30 minutes with matching lugaw and poncans, the groundbreaking rites started.

Sis. Minda Domingo, President of the Parish Pastoral Council welcomed the guests led by Engr. Rosalino and Mrs. Flor Riguera, the Board Members of the Manuela Homeowners’ Association led by its president, Bro. Rollie Catabas and the parishioners.

Bro. Fidel Reyes, Finance Head explained the logistics on how to raise the 12 Million pesos.

In addition, Engr. Romy Alfaro, the contractor said he has worked for 10 projects of the SMA. In connection to this, he quipped that the parish will pay for the materials and labor, whereas his supervision is a labor of love.

Fr. Gus O’ Driscoll, SMA expressed the need of the center for evangelization programs and meetings. This may also include the holding of a diocesan meeting in the near future.

The Good Shepherd Parish Hymn was sung by the OLPR and St. Anne’s Choirs at the closing rites.

Sis. Chit Villamin, a lector and BEC Assistant Commission Head was the Master of Ceremony.

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From the Desk of the Parish Priest

"Now as the time drew near for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus, with great resolve, took the road to Jerusalem, sending messengers ahead of him." (Lk.9:51)

To set out on any kind of journey, some degree of comfort and security must be sacrificed for the sake of being able to move about more freely. On a plane journey we are limited to a certain weight; excess baggage is costly. When young people go hill walking or to youth camps, they will try to ensure that their back-pack is not burdensome.

During the season of Lent we traveled with Jesus on a journey, a sacred journey. We spent time with him in the desert, trying to be quiet and to face the temptations that ensnare us. We climbed up to Mt. Tabor to witness his glory in the transfiguration, and to “listen to him” in prayer and reflection. We walked with him through the towns and villages of Judea, on his way to Jerusalem. This journey, this five-week pilgrimage, involved a letting go of what is unnecessary so that we could see more clearly what are the truly necessary things in life.

Now we have reached Jerusalem to engage in the final steps of the journey – in the “upper room” of the Last Supper, along the “via dolorosa” to the hill of Calvary, and finally to meet the risen Lord, victorious over death, on Easter morning.

Perhaps Lent has passed me by very quickly and I wonder if I have made any progress in my spiritual life. Did I give sufficient time and effort to the three-fold religious practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving that I heard in the gospel on Ash Wednesday? Have I been humble and contrite of heart? Have I offered words of forgiveness and a hand of reconciliation to another? Have I tried to live the prayer of St. Francis – “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace”?

In times of feeling disappointed and discouraged because of my failures, I take heart in the prayer of Thomas Merton – “My Lord God, I do see the road ahead of me, and I cannot know for certain where it will end … But I believe that my desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have this desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from this desire”. I take heart too in the words of St. Paul – my grace is sufficient for you; my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9)

Holy Week, the heart of the liturgical year, is an invitation to experience God’s love and compassion in its most abundant form – He had always loved those who were his in the world, but now he showed how perfect his love was (Jn 13:1). Knowing that we are loved, that we are forgiven sinners, enables us to continue his mission in the world, a world with a lot of pain and a lot of anger – I have given you an example, so that what I have done, you should also do (Jn 13:15). On Easter morning we leave our empty tombs behind, tombs of selfishness and fear, we are renewed in hope and joy, and our hearts and voices resound as one – Christ is risen, alleluia!

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