The Ministries Issue (Part 1) of The Paraclete (March 2024)

March 2024

The PARACLETE

Fr. Adrian meets the PPC

Other members of the PPC are Gigi Davide (PPC Chair), Marie Tanate (PPC Treasurer), Liza Infante (Basic Ecclesial Community [BEC]), Raymond Ablang (Social Communications and Media), Tony Viray (Knights of Columbus), and Minnie Dacanay (Ecumenism).

This list is by no means complete. There are vacancies that need to be filled and Fr. Adrian and the PPC will work to determine the pastoral need for these positions and to identify parishioners qualified for these tasks.

From the Diocesan Guidelines for Parishes (2017):

PPC

The PPC is a body constituted and presided over by the Parish Priest so that the faithful collaborate with and help him through expert advice on pastoral and

Parish of the Holy Spirit, BF Homes, Quezon City

This photo was taken after Fr. Adrian Lazo’s first meeting with the Parish Pastoral Council. Front row, from left: Daisy de Guzman (PPC Auditor), Myla Custodio (Legion of Mary), Tes Bautista (Ushers and Collectors), Mimee Sison (Bible Apostolate), Thelma Ponferrada (PPC Vice-Chair), Ali Conde (Ministry of the Word [MOW] who also represented Daughters of Mary Immaculate [DMI]), Del Tolentino (Divine Mercy Apostolate [DMA]), Lulu Nicolas (Mother Butler Guild [MBG]) and Dra. Remy Coronel (Health).

Back row, from left: Carrot Salas (Youth), Anthony Gregorio (representing Altar Servers), Dante Reyes (Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion [EMHC] and Facilities Coordinator), Noel Tamase (PREX/

Secretary), Relly Cruz (representing Music Ministry), and Dr. Nito Coronel (Health).

apostolic subjects. Its members are representative and reflective of the entire parish community. Its role is consultative. The pastor still holds the final decision but they are advised that prudent pastoral leadership demands that they consult and listen to the PPC first. (p. 16)

All officers and members of the PPC, and others who may be included in ex-officio capacity, are appointed by the Parish Priest by virtue of his jurisdictional competence and administrative accountability. The Parish Priest is the Head and President of the PPC. He also convenes and presides over all PPC meetings but the Chair can be requested to moderate these meetings. He directs and coordinates the PPC’s activities. The Parish Priest also holds the power to terminate a PPC member for gravely erring in faith and morals, not conforming to the Code of Conduct of the PPC and seriously neglecting to discharge his/her duties and responsibilities. (p21)

CORE VALUES (pp. 3-4)

GENUINE DISCIPLESHIP IN COMMUNITY. Each Parish aims for parishioners to become genuine disciples of Jesus. As such disciple, their lives should be marked by selflessness, self-sacrificing love and intimate imitation of Christ. Bound by a common life of faith, worship and values, they witness to God’s love, compassion, and mercy, thereby contributing to the promotion of fullness of life for all. A Christ-like community building is characterized by unity in diversity, active concern for and contribution to the common good, delegation of responsibilities, empowerment of community leaders and members, and community enculturation of Christian values.

SERVANT LEADERSHIP. Leadership must be viewed from the eye of service and not for any selfish interests. It is manifested in being men and women for others. Leaders must aim to be the hands of God in bringing about greater possibilities and opportunities for people to develop as human persons and reach their potential according to God’s purpose. Leaders are animators, capable of empowering the people they serve and thus also empowering others to serve.

STEWARDSHIP. Leaders and members of the parish community are stewards of the God-given life and of all the manifold blessings that sustain that life: nature and

environment, time, talents, treasure, faith, and vocation. As stewards, they are imbued with a spirit of thankfulness for God’s grace, with a sense of awe for God’s wonderful surprises, with trust in God’s providence and with love and justice that enables them to commit themselves to serve God and others. Stewardship becomes a way of life that makes one not only give to a need but also constantly feels the need to give.

MISSIONARY. The Church continues the Mission of Jesus with the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit. All baptized are called to be missionaries in their chosen field of endeavors. Like Jesus they sit at table with all kinds of people. They bring Good News, with respect and humility to all, especially to the poor and marginalized. They believe, hope, and love like Jesus.

INTEGRAL EVANGELIZATION.

The promotion of the Gospel includes the development of the total human person in all aspects of life.

EMPOWERMENT OF THE LAITY.

The whole people of God, the baptized Christians, has the mission of evangelization. It is both a right and duty. Unique charisms must be recognized and developed for the service of the whole community. Formation programs should be ongoing, sustainable, relevant and should lead the lay faithful to appreciate more profoundly their Christian identity, vocation and mission.

PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR.

This is a pastoral priorty and we must be conscious of the real condition of the lay people in the grassroots. This is inspired by rich Catholic social tradition and the Parish must have a clearly defined, sustainable, effective, and efficient social programs. The poor must not only be beneficiaries but be encouraged to take part in shaping, implementing, and evaluating these programs.

BEC DEVELOPMENT.

In 1991, during the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCPII), the Philippine Church adopted the building of Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) as the “new way of being a Church.” This is a new pastoral strategy. The BEC is the “expression of renewal” in the Church. The Diocese of Novaliches has taken BEC as her pastoral priorty and continues to “foster this ecclesial movement” in her entire jurisdiciton. TP

Q & A with Fr. Adrian E. Lazo

(The Paraclete presents the correspondence between the new Holy Spirit Parish Priest, Fr. Adrian E. Lazo, and Ham de la Torre.)

Q: Before the Holy Spirit Parish, what were your previous assignments?

A: Greetings! I greatly value your initiative in contacting me to learn more about my modest background. Prior to my current assignment at the Holy Spirit Parish, I served at the Presentation of the Lord Parish as part of my pre-diaconal program, under the guidance of Fr. Jigs Rosalinda, the parish priest there. I remained until I was ordained as a deacon and continued my ministry. Upon my priesthood ordination on December 3, 2022, I was assigned to Kristong Hari Parish as an assistant parish priest. I stayed there throughout Fr. Luciano’s Sabbatical leave, with Fr. Lando Jaluag serving as the parish administrator.

Q: The Parish community appreciates the fact that you are young. We look forward to projects that will pursue the active participation of youth because, other than the basic Legion praesidium, where the youth are concentrated, there is no other ministry that involves the youth. What are your immediate plans on this matter?

A: To inspire the younger generation to become more engaged in our parish, I am extending a warm invitation for them to participate in various ministries. These include the parish youth ministry, the ministry of altar servers, and the choir. There I can gather them and create a core group with Ms. Carrot Salas as their coordinator to organize activities for the youth. I don’t want to impose on them, as I have full confidence in their creativity and innovation in developing projects for the youth ministry. Above all, it is their age group and they have a better understanding of one another’s needs than I do. I am here to provide support and guidance to help them in their efforts to renew their parish services.

Q: There is an ongoing “Kasama sa Bahay, Kasama sa Buhay” program for Homeworkers which the Legion started in August of 2023. Can we expect your support by way of delivering brief relevant

talks to equip our Kasambahays with a deeper spirituality? Are you a Legionary, Father? I ask because, as our Spiritual Director, we count on your attendance in our weekly Saturday meetings, to keep us grounded and on the right track.

A: I fully support the “Kasama sa Bahay, Kasama sa Buhay” program for homeworkers, particularly in its efforts to strengthen their spirituality. Since this initiative is already in place in our parish, could we use this as an opportunity to develop social action programs tailored to their specific needs? This could include initiatives such as livelihood support, medical assistance, legal support, or scholarships for them or their children. This provides a wonderful opportunity to embody the Gospel by assisting our fellow sisters (and brothers) in need.

Q: Can we consult with you from time to time on matters relevant to the community’s faith and well-being? We also hope you can join us in our sick visits, particularly in the anointing of the sick and administering confession and communion to those who are no longer capable of coming to church.

A: With such genuine interest in connecting with me and increasing a good grasp of who I am, I am filled with a zeal of collaborating with you in

serving our parish. Thanks to your passion, dedication, and commitment to the Legion. My time at HSP will be significant and enjoyable because of servants like you. Your active involvement in the parish is greatly appreciated. May God bless you and your ministry for your unwavering dedication to serving our parish. TP

PRAYER IS A CRY ARISING FROM THE HEART

By Bobby Tordesillas

(Last November 2023, Pope Francis declared 2024 as the Year of Prayer. In connection with this, it would be good to reflect on the series of Catechesis on Prayer that Pope Francis delivered to his Wednesday General Audience from 2020 to 2021. Below is his first catechesis)

Lessons in Prayer from Pope Francis - 1

PRAYER IS A CRY ARISING FROM THE HEART

On May 6, 2020, Pope Francis, in his Wednesday General Audience, began a new cycle of catechesis on the theme of prayer. He says “Prayer is the breath of faith. It is faith’s most proper expression. It is like a cry that comes forth from the heart of those who believe and entrust themselves to God.”

The Pope explains this by reflecting on the story of Bartimaeus. He is, to the Pope, a figure from the Gospel (cf Mk 10:46-52 and parallels) and the one who he finds most likable. Pope Francis reminds us that Bartimaeus “was blind and sat begging for alms by the roadside on the periphery of his city, Jericho.” In a way, our Holy Father is reminding us that he is one of the poor and marginalized. However, Bartimaeus is not an anonymous character in the Gospel. In fact, the Evangelist gave us his name which means, “son of Timeus.”

We can surmise that Bartimeaus had heard stories of Jesus miraculously healing the sick. He surely wanted to also get healed of his blindness. As the Gospel story goes, he gets to know that Jesus would be passing his way. Now, Jericho was a place where pilgrims and merchants continually passed through. This was an opportunity for him to get healed. But the problem is, how does he let Jesus know of his predicament? Apparently, he did not have friends (unlike the paralytic in another Gospel story) who would bring him to Jesus.

Bartimaeus figured out that the best way would be to position himself in such a way that he would know if Jesus was already approaching. Gathering from this, Francis showed his audience that Bartimaeus did not allow anything to stop him from getting the attention of Jesus. “Many people did the same: remember Zacchaeus, who climbed the tree. Many people wanted to see Jesus, and he did, too.” said Francis.

The way Francis narrates the story is very beautiful. “In this way, the man enters the Gospel as a voice that loudly cries out. He cannot see. He does not

know whether Jesus is near or far away but he hears him. He understands this from the crowd which, at a certain point, grows and comes close. But he is completely alone and no one is concerned about him. And what does Bartimaeus do? He cries out. And he cries out and continues to cry out. He uses the only weapon he possesses: his voice. He begins to shout: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (v. 47). And he continues to cry out in this manner. His repeated cries are a nuisance. They do not seem polite and many people scold him, telling him to be quiet: “But be polite; do not do this”. However, Bartimaeus does not keep silent but rather cries out even more loudly: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (v. 47): That beautiful stubbornness of those who seek a grace and knock and knock on the door of God’s heart. He cries out; he knocks. That expression: “Son of David,” is very important. It means “the Messiah” - he professes the Messiah. It is a profession of faith that emerges from the mouth of that man who was despised by all. And Jesus listens to his cry. Bartimaeus’ prayer touches His heart, God’s

heart, and the doors of salvation open up for him. Jesus calls for him. He jumps to his feet and those who had first told him to be quiet, now lead him

to the Master. Jesus speaks to him. He asks him to express his desire - this is important - and then the cry becomes a request: “That I may see again, Lord!” (cf. v. 51).”

“Jesus says to him: “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” (v. 52). He recognizes in that poor, defenseless, and despised man, all the power of his faith, which attracts the mercy and the power of God. Faith is having two hands raised up, a voice that cries out to implore the gift of salvation.”

“Faith, we have seen in Bartimaeus, is a cry; disbelief suffocates that cry. That attitude the people had, in silencing him: they were not people of faith, whereas he was.”

“Bartimaeus is a persevering man. He was surrounded by people who explained that imploring was useless, that it was clamoring without receiving a reply, that it was noise that was only bothersome and, thus, please stop crying out. But he did not remain in silence. And in the end he obtained what he wanted.”

I am struck by the reflection of Pope Francis. How often do we hear people say to us that prayer is a waste of time! That it is useless. That it does not achieve anything. That the time spent on prayer is more wisely used if it is spent on work. Some would even say that prayer is only for the feebleminded and that intelligent people have better things to do than pray.

We should all be inspired by the example of Bartimaeus. We should not be discouraged by people who criticize and even mock us when we spend some time in prayer.

Actually, sometimes it is us ourselves who get discouraged when it seems that our prayers are not being answered. We get discouraged to spend time in prayer, when we get overwhelmed with problems. It is during these times that we ask for the grace of perseverance and endurance.

Sometimes, whenever we are too busy with our work, we tell ourselves we do not have time for work. A sister of the Missionaries of Charity was complaining to Mother Teresa that an hour of adoration is too long, because she has so much work to do. Guess what the saint said to her. In that case, do two hours of prayer.

So let us always remember the cry of Bartimaeus and repeatedly pray, “Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me.” It is a very powerful prayer. (Reference: https://www.vatican.va/content/ francesco/en/audiences/2020/documents/papafrancesco_20200506_udienza-generale.html) TP

Practices/Reflections to Ensure Prayer Life Thrives (From Fr. Adrian’s Recollection Talk on Prayer delivered on Marcy 9, 2024)

1. Give prayer priority.

2. Have a place for prayer. For Jesus, a sacred space is silence, His solitary place.

3.Pray with an open and forgiving heart. Man’s revenge is not God’s justice.

4. Pray persistently. Remember the lessons from the Garden.

5. Pray with others. Make prayer more caught than taught.

6. Pray in the strong name of Jesus. In Jesus’ name.

7. Let Christ pray through you. Information does not necessarily lead to transformation.

And he left us this consciousness to cherish our upper limbs.

A - Adoration

R - Relationship

M - Mission

ANNOUNCEMENT

The video of Fr. Adrian’s Lenten Recollection Talk “PRAYER” is available on Facebook

@Holy Spirit Parish BFQC. You may find from this Parish Page announcements of Parish activivities, Parish news and Reflections.

The Legion Of Mary

(The Legion’s Response to the Speech given by the late Venerable Bishop Fulton Sheen at the Annual Council Officers’ Meeting in Rochester, N.Y.)

“You are the only organization in the world today that ever anticipated the Vatican Council. The only one! You just go through your works and see how far ahead you are of the Council and with the Church. You are Pre-Council, Pro-Council, and Post-Council.”

The Bishop couldn’t have been more spot-on. The Legion of Mary is a system which can be thrown out of balance if any of its parts is altered or suppressed, to wit: “Pluck one thread, and the web ye mar; Break but one of a thousand keys, and the paining jar through all will run.” From the poem “My “Soul and I” by John Greenleaf Whittier. In starting a Legion, the English Handbook discusses the invariable system, whose perfect model of an apostolic, spiritual life is the Blessed Virgin Mary. She, whose “Do whatever He tells you.” has been the obedient battlecry of Legionaries all over the world ever since her Son, in spite of His earlier rebuff of her, did not have the heart to turn her down, and turned water into wine.

“First you are a lay organization devoted to the apostolate, though the apostolate was reserved for the clergy. So you swept back about 20 centuries. Read over the list at the close of the Epistle to the Romans, members of the Legion of Mary, so that you will see that you have brought up to date the apostolate of the early Church. Also, in the Acts of the Apostles, it is in the third Act whereby the Church becomes established in a certain house; first a catechist works among the group and finally the Church itself. That is the first way you anticipated the Vatican Council.”

How anticipatory of Servant of God Frank Duff! At first dedicated to sporting activities, he joined the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at 24, where he was led to a deeper commitment to his Catholic faith to acquire a great sensitivity to the needs of the poor and underprivileged. He formed the first branch of what was to become the first praesidium of the Legion of Mary. Therefrom and until his

death, he guided the world-wide extension of the Legion with heroic dedication, and attended the Second Vatican Council as a lay observer. He left the Legion with a Handbook of profound insights into the role of the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Virgin Mary in the plan of Redemption, and the role of the lay faithful in the mission of the Church.

“The second and more important still is that you belong to the out-ministry. We priests belong to the in-ministry.”

Indeed, the Legion deems themselves a ministry “outside” of the Church. The Church being the source and summit of our faith is why they do not conduct any activity in there, other than what is in accordance with the Legion Handbook. It is also the traditional reason why they are passionate and persevering in their visitation of the homes of the parish community to renew acquaintances with the homeowners (and renters, if there are any), see to their situation and well-being, and make certain they are visited when sick, given communion when unable to go to church, and anointed by the priest, where it is critically needed. An avenue of greatest good, home visitation is a characteristic of the Legion, marked by Mary’s humility and simplicity, and aimed at listening to the visited. The visits are not limited to Christian families closest at hand, but will show to be even more lively for families, in general and, for those families, in particular, which are in difficult or irregular situations.

“That’s not what God intended, but that’s what happened. We wait for people to come to us and we build bigger rectories. We are failing because we are an in-ministry, waiting. You were from the beginning an out-ministry, commissioned to do the same sort of thing as Our Blessed Lord didwalking up and down alleys.”

Is why their patience and perseverance go with confidence to grapple with the cases branded “hopeless.” In their home visits, the propagation of the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart provides a favorable introduction and avenue to the friendship of families. No home is passed over and, in

each, loving and persevering effort is directed towards the inducing of persons, young and old, to ascend at least one step in the spiritual life. Those detailed to this work take to themselves the tenth promise of the Sacred Heart: “I will give to the priests the grace to touch the most hardened hearts.” As it is the mission of Mary to bring about the reign of Jesus, so there is a special appropriateness (which should attract the special graces of the Holy Spirit) in the Legion propagating the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart.

“Third, you anticipated it even in relation to the Blessed Mother. This may seem strange but it’s true. Your service is dedicated to building up the Church. It’s not just merely the devotion to Our Lady, it’s a devotion to Our Lady as the Mother of the Church. At the Council, we voted on the question of whether or not to give a new title to Our Lady. Our Lady has many as you know. It was decided not to give her another title. Two weeks later Pope Paul read his Encyclical Letter on the Blessed Mother as the “Mother of the Church.” We gave her a new title. That’s the Mother you love and who is your patroness.

Mary was at the Feast of the Pentecost, that momentous occasion when the Church was launched upon her mission. It was by her prayer that the Holy Spirit descended on the Mystical Body and came to abide in her with all His “greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty.” (1 Chron 29:11) Mary reproduces, in respect of the Mystical Body of Christ, every service which she rendered to His actual Body. This law applies to Pentecost, which was a sort of new Epiphany. She is necessary to the one as she had been to the other. And so of all divine things to the end: If Mary is left out, God’s Plan is not conformed to, no matter what one’s prayers and works and strivings may be. If Mary is not there, the grace is not given. This is an overpowering thought. It may provoke the question: “Do those who ignore or insult Mary receive no graces?” They do, indeed, receive graces, for failure to acknowledge Mary may be excused on grounds of utter ignorance. But what a sorry title to Heaven! And what a way of treating her who helps us! Moreover, the graces which come in such circumstances are but a fraction of what should flow, so that one’s life is largely failing.

“You are a small group - you have to be. Remember this! The Holy Spirit never works with the majority, only with minorities. You are the only present effective apostolate that we have in the world.

Sometimes, Mary is kept in the background, so as to meet the prejudices of those who make small account of her. This method of making Catholic doctrine more acceptable may accord with human reasonings. It does not reflect the Divine idea. Those who act in this way do not realize that they might as well preach Christianity without Christ as ignore Mary’s part in redemption. For God Himself has taught fit to arrange that no foreshadowing or coming or giving or manifestation of Jesus should be without Mary. The Legion’s apostolate is effective because of the cardinal points it is based on:

From the beginning and before the world, she was in the mind of God; Mary was vividly and unmistakably revealed in prophecy;

The Father made redemption depend on her; There is no true Christianity without Mary; The last scene came on Calvary, with Jesus hung upon the tree, with Mary beneath it, in the same capacity as she was present at the Incarnation; The Holy Spirit always operates with her; Every Legionary action endorses her fiat; and With her, the Lord is glorified.

“My good legionaries, this is what you are. From what I have told you, you know how much esteem and affection I have for you. I say you have anticipated the Vatican Council - the future apostolate of the Church, and you are only at the beginning, just the beginning. Pray often to the Holy Spirit that your zeal will spread and that others will have the courage to do it. I consider it an honor, really an honor, to be in the midst of you. Just as sometimes oil gets outside of a bottle by osmosis so, too, by being near you, I hope to get some of your spirit.”

So is the Legion’s prayer, dear Reverend Bishop, that through this, your benevolent beatitude, may their souls osmose to yours, and be suffused.

Amen. TP

THE MOTHER BUTLER GUILD MINISTRY

A BRIEF HISTORY

THE MBG was founded by Mother Marie Joseph Butler. an Irish Nun of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary. Early in life, she exhibited an intense love for the Eucharist. She was greatly influenced by her mother’s devotion to the Blessed Mother and her father’s piety praying the Rosary with the family every day. Her eager heart burned with love for the Lord. She attended Mass everyday and liked the duties that went with the care of the sacristy and altar. She, her mother and sisters spent much of their time embroidering altar linens, repairing vestments , refilling and relighting the sanctuary lamp. She also chose the best flowers in their garden for the altar every Sunday Mass. She established the Mary Mount College in New York, USA and many more schools, and encouraged her students to sew sacred linen and vestments, and to procure sacred vessels to be used for the Holy Mass and other liturgical celebrations, and distribute these to needy parishes.

In the late fifties , this same love for the Eucharist inspired some Filipino Catholic laywomen, who came in contact with the schools founded by Mother Butler, to begin the apostolate of providing liturgical paraphernalia to parishes in the Philippines, especially the poor ones. During this time, His Eminence Rufino Cardinal Santos, the First Filipino Prince of the Church, was so moved by the pitiful condition of the altar of a number of parish churches in the Archdiocese of Manila [in his observations--- ”ang mga gamit sa Misa marumi, magulo, hindi mabango, parang walang nag-aalaga”].

So, Cardinal Rufino Santos promulgated a decree for the creation of a service guild organized on the parochial level of Catholic laywomen whose main concern would be to make and take care of priestly vestments and altar linen, as well as to ensure the cleanliness and beautification of their respective parish churches. Cardinal Santos said ”ang pagtatahi at pag-aalaga sa kasuotan at iba pang gamit sa Misa at pag-aayos at pagpapaganda ng simbahan sa Parokyang kinabibilangan nila ay magiging paraan ng kanilang kabanalan.” That decree was officially promulgated on April 28, 1961 and this organization was named MOTHER BUTLER GUILD.

In JULY 1976, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philipines [CBCP], through its Episcopal Commission on the Laity [ECLA] gave official

recognition to the MBG as a mandated national religious organization of the Catholic laywomen.

The Lord has been faithful and generous. He has blessed the MBG with an abundance in years, wisdom and grace - to date, 63 years of service, over a thousand MBG parish units and thousands of members. The MBG was also bestowed the gift and task of preparing vestments and linens, and providing vestry service for special liturgical celebrations. Some of the momentous historical events of the Church in the Philippines, in which the MBG played a major role, included the First Papal visit of Pope Paul VI in 1970; the First Papal visit of Pope John Paul II for the beautification of the 1st Filipino Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila in February 17-22, 1981; the 2nd Papal visit of Pope John Paul Paul II for the 10th World Youth Day in Manila on January 12-16, 1995; the 3rd Papal visit of Pope John Paul II for the 4th World Meeting of Families in January 22-26, 2003; the National Congress of Clergy at the World Trade Center, Metro Manila attended by 4,000 Filipino Priests and Bishops on July 5-9, 2004; and the Papal visit of Pope Francis in 2015.

THE MOTHER BUTLER GUILD IN THE HOLY SPIRIT PARISH

The MBG in our Holy Spirit Parish is an active ministry/apostolate in honor of the founder of MBG, Mother Marie Joseph Butler. It was officially recognized in 1999 when it was headed by our dear Dr. Remedios Coronel, MD. Since then, she serves actively and leads us in our activities. Currently , she is the Vice president for Pastoral Concern of the MBG in the Diocese of Novaliches.

The MBG stands with the motto --- All For Jesus Through Mary. It’s Mission is “To know Jesus and make Him known.” Its Vision is “To love Jesus and make Him loved.”

Each member of the MBG has the following duties: Provide clean priestly vestments and linen; provide clean Sacred vessels; maintain the cleanliness of the Sanctuary; provide beautiful fresh flowers in the altar/sanctuary; and, prepare the things needed for the Eucharistic celebrations.

In the Parish, the generosity of MBG’s members and its honorary members allow it to maintain the upkeep of the Altar and Sanctuary, provide fresh flowers weekly which they personally buy in Ma-

nila and arrange every Saturday. It is now led by its Current president, Lulu Nicolas and counts nine active members. Like Mother Marie Joseph Butler, who fixed her gaze on Jesus, MBG’s members continue the habit of love, obedience, humility, joy and gratefulness in being Servants of Jesus, being Women of the Eucharist and Housekeepers of the Lord which make our MBG Spirituality – born from our vocation.

(Editor’s Note: membership in the MBG is by invitation or application. In either case, the candidate must file an application in the Parish Office. Qualifications: at least 18 years old; open to Catholic women of good moral standing in the parish; must be a baptized and practicing Catholic and living a truly Catholic life; if married, must be married in the Catholic church and a faithful wife and good mother; faithfully observes the teachings of the church; not involved or engaged in illegal or immoral profession or occupation; willing to perform the duties/responsibilities of a member; and abide by the rules of the Ministry.) TP

Fr. Adrian Meets the BFHQCHCAI Officers

By Atty. Melissa Dimson-Bautista

March 2, 2024 marked another first for the BF Homes QC Homeowners Community Association, Inc. (BFHQCHCAI). I was told that this was the first time that the Parish Priest will give a courtesy call to the homeowners’ association (HOA) Board of Directors (BoD). When the idea was first mentioned to me, I initially refused having been raised in Catholic schools, I always have high regard for priests and nuns. I told Judge Thelma Ponferrada (Judge Thelma) that I think it should be the other way around, the BoD doing a courtesy call to our Parish Priest. Judge Thelma however, said that Fr. Adrian Lazo insists and so I eventually agreed. I advised my fellow Directors that Fr. Adrian will visit at 9:00 a.m. at the March regular board meeting, which is what he exactly did as he was there right at the entrance of the Family Center a few minutes before the designated time.

that my mother once told me a long time ago. May panahong mas pagtutuunan ng pansin ng magulang ang anak na sa tingin niya ay nalilihis ng landas, hindi dahil siya ay paborito nito, kundi alam niya na ito ang lalo’t higit na nangangailangan ng kanyang gabay at kalinga. In a sense, a parish priest like Fr. Adrian, young as he may be, is like a parent to all the parishioners when it comes to exercising and living the faith. As a parent myself, I know this can be a very challenging task but seeing how positive and enthusiastic he is as he embarks on his role, there is no doubt he already won half the battle.

We began with Fr. Adrian introducing himself to us, and we in turn introduced ourselves to him although I doubt if he was able to remember all our names. Prior to the courtesy visit, I saw Fr. Adrian during a Mass and my first impression was that he was so young and energetic. From his homily that day, I knew he advocates for more youth participation in the Church. This I was able to confirm during his courtesy visit as he regaled us with his plans for the Holy Spirit Parish, which is to bring the Church closer to people, especially the youth and those whose faith has started to dwindle. The latter part reminded me of a lesson

As we ended our two-hour conversation related to some HOA and Parish matters, we requested Fr. Adrian to hold a recollection for us BoD members and pray for us for continued guidance and strength as we carry on with our service to which he graciously acceded. He likewise requested us to pray for him claiming that even priests like him also need prayers. I guess it was at this point when we realized that we were on the same boat. We both are serving the community we belong to, although in different capacities. The journey may at times be bumpy but with faith and guidance from above, we will get to our destination.

Welcome to the BF Homes QC Community Fr. Adrian, and may God continue to bless and inspire you as you get on with your mission. Rest assured that the HOA will be here to assist and collaborate with the Parish whenever necessary and possible.

TP

THE EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF THE HOLY COMMUNION

By Bobby Tordesillas

TIME FLIES FAST. I became an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion when I was 40 years old. That was 28 years ago.

For those who are still in their tender years, let me take this opportunity to go down memory lane and share with you how I was called to become a Lay Minister (which is how we are more popularly known). My thesis is – no, the EMHC is not for old people. We started young and just got a little older.

One Sunday morning, then EMHC coordinator Digong Rodriguez approached our pew after the Mass and asked my wife Ruby if I can be recruited as a Lay Minister. My wife’s response was “Bakit di siya ang tanungin niyo?” And I was laughing.

I told Kuya Digong that I’ll think about it. I doubted if I had the time; better yet, if I could attend the formation required for it. I am surely qualified (at least 18 years of age; in good Catholic standing; not a member of the masonic association, which are the same qualifications now). But in the 1990s, the formation seminar required to become a lay minister was centralized at the San Carlos Seminary in Guadalupe and the seminar took from Friday evening to Sunday morning. The venue and the duration of the seminar was enough discouragement for me.

Nowadays, the formation seminar is held in our Diocese (the last one was held on March 9, 2024 at the Cathedral Shrine of the Parish of the Good Shepherd in Fairview) and only for half a day. (Editor’s note: as we go to print, this last seminar yielded 3 new Lay Ministers – Rommel Salas, Guido Sarreal, and Brian Tamase.

The Lay Minister’s tasks are certainly not difficult. Sundays, we must serve in at least one Mass. After each Mass, we bring Communion to the sick. Serving during the daily Masses is not obligatory. There are monthly meetings, as well. Of course, one busy with work and raising a young growing

family could pose a problem. This is why many choose to start serving after retirement.

But with the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I overcame discouragement and went through the three-day seminar. I became a Lay Minister and not once have I regretted the decision.

The seminar enriched my faith and widened my knowledge of what the Mass and the liturgy really meant. I can still recall our charismatic speaker, Fr. Gerry Diwa, opening the eyes of everyone in the audience as he explained with zeal the different parts of the Mass, the reasons behind the prayers, and the gestures that came with them. I can still hear the expressions of wonder coming from the audience. The Mass was never going to be the same again to me.

There are Special Feasts that are added to our duties and responsibilities as Lay Minister. I never really joined religious processions but started attending like the procession of the Blessed Sacrament during the Feast of Christ the King. Since our Holy Spirit Parish was formerly a mother parish (with 11 sub parishes that stretched all the way to New Intramuros and North Susanna Villages), our Christ the King Procession threaded along Commonwealth Avenue from the farthest sub-parish to BF Homes.

However difficult, these processions firmed up my faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. It was a sight to behold, when drivers would voluntarily put the cars to a halt along the streets we snaked through, in reverence for the Lord and King of the Universe. Some bystanders would also stop, and some would even bow as they recognized the Blessed Sacrament. This is the Real Presence of Jesus that we help distribute during Masses and this is who we bring to the homes of the sick.

Becoming a Lay Minister meant getting involved in the many more festivities (like the Simbang Gabi, the Lenten observances) of the Church. This made me feel I truly belong to this Church. Be-

yond parties and exchanges of gifts in Christmas, there is the birth of Christ to behold. I became a more reflective person especially during Lent where I stayed in the Parish. Gone were the days when Lent was vacation.

I had my share of funny memories, too. Like, when there was no lector, commentator, choir, and altar server on a First Friday evening Mass, I had to multi-task. Fortunately, there was a Priest! There was also one Ash Wednesday, when I was the only Lay Minister, and I thought the line of Mass goers waiting for the imposition of the ashes would never end. But there are many lay servers now, thankfully.

My most memorable experience was, of course, going to the Quirino Grandstand to assist in the Mass of Pope Francis. The crowd was so thick and it took us Lay Ministers practically 5 hours to reach our assigned Communion station. It was open air and it rained the whole afternoon. Despite our exposure to inclement weather, we duti-

fully performed our task and none of us got sick. It was an honor to serve at the Mass of the Holy Father.

Once, I became the head of the EMHC. And it happened that a congress for all the members in the ministries for the Northern part of Metro Manila was to take place in the gym of the school of the Holy Spirit during my term. I was given organization tasks. The number of attendees reached about three hundred. It was orderly and hugely successful.

Also as head of the EMHC, I helped organize the League of Eucharistic Guardians in the Parish. It is an Adoration program in the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel which started at 5 AM of Friday mornings and ended at 10 PM on Sunday evenings. The practice is slowly reemerging.

My experience as Lay Minister certainly deepened my personal relationship with the Lord. What I am doing now in addition is another long story. TP

THE DIVINE MERCY APOSTOLATE

The Apostolate of Divine Mercy is a continuation of St. Faustina’s mission of proclaiming and entreating God’s mercy for the world as well as striving for perfection in the footsteps of St. Faustina. It consists of showing childlike trust in God, in desiring to do His will, and in the attitude of mercy towards one’s neighbor. St. Faustina’s devotion to the Divine Mercy is unfathomable. She is honored on her feast day, October 5.

The Divine Mercy Apostolate in the Parish of the Holy Spirit in BF Homes QC was organized in 2018, during the time of Rev. Fr. Victor Emmanuel Clemen (Fr. Bobot). In that same year, the image of the Divine Mercy was enthroned in the Parish Church. Sis Virginia (Gigi) Davide, was then made Coordinator for the Holy Spirit Parish.

As a devotional ministry under Faith and Formation, DMA holds a monthly fraternal meeting every 1st Sunday of the month, at which time the members partake of a fellowship breakfast, pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy before the image of

The Divine Mercy and tackle the day’s agenda. Every Tuesday of the month, the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy is prayed, led by assigned members. And, every first Tuesday of the month, during the Holy Hour where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, the Chaplet is sung.

The Feast of the Divine Mercy is held on the 1st Sunday after Easter (or Mercy Sunday). In preparation for the Feast, a novena to the Divine Mercy is started on Good Friday at the Hour of Great Mercy which is at 3 o’clock, the hour of our Lord’s death (or earlier to give way to liturgical services at 3 pm.)

In 2019, the World Apostolic Congress of Mercy was held in Malaysia attended by Sis Gigi Davide, Sis Thelma Ponferrada, and Sis Susan Valix. Other spiritual formations are: the General Assembly of Novaliches Chapter of DMA, film showing on the life of St. Faustina and Saints/individuals whose works depict devotion to the Divine Mercy, talk of Fr. Aris de Leon and sharing among Coordinators

during meetings, lecture series of Fr. Cris Alar, director of the Association of Marian Helpers, in Stockbridge, MA, USA who wrote and produced the video “Divine Mercy 101,” and the regular sharing/reflection of members during meetings that serve as simple formation.

An important aspect in the DMA formation is the Home Evangelization Program (HEP) that allows the weekly participation of families in the recitation of the Chaplet in their homes. In this situation, the entire family is evangelized.

Incidentally, the Fifth Asian Apostolic Congress on Divine Mercy will be held at the International Eucharistic Congress Building in Cebu City on

October 14-18, 2024. All friends and devotees of the Divine Mercy are expected to attend this valuable and meaningful Congress.

The assignment of Rev. Fr. Adrian Lazo as new Parish Priest of the Holy Spirit Parish will boost the recruitment of new DMA members as well as the continuous devotion to the Divine Mercy.

Rev. Fr. Aristeo de Leon is the Director/Chaplain of the Divine Mercy Apostolate in the Diocese of Novaliches, Quezon City.

The present HSP-DMA Coordinator is Sis Delia Tolentino. Rev. Fr. Adrian Lazo is the present Chaplain of HSP-DMA. TP

“Serenata”

“Serenata” was an offshoot of the Christmas Fellowship in December mounted by the CommunityBuilding Ministry. It was a post-Valentine get-together conceptualized for the homeowners, especially the senior citizens among them. In the well-attended December milestone, the Council of Stewards felt and saw common values shared in the coming together of the homeowners, who basked in the fun, and dancing, and singing the season away.

Last February 25, all roads led once more to the BFH Clubhouse. Themed “Serenata: Sama-sama’t Nagkakaisa,” the event featured a community fellowship that took one back to memory lane through music by the “Seabees Band” of the Philippine Navy and the Ministry’s own homegrown One STG Band. Their repertoire covered five decades (from the 60s to the present) serenading the senior and other couples in attendance. Many among them took to the floor and either boogie-woogied or line danced or burned up the dance floor.

Some lucky homeowners won an overnight stay at Sofitel for 2; a Buffet Dinner at Spiral Restaurant for 2; a P5-k gift voucher for the Farm at San Benito; and a PAL Gift Card worth P2.5-k. TP