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!