Sinagtala Volume 3 Issue 1

Nuncio graces OLHP’s 57th Fiesta Mass

As one of the many firsts of the Our Lady of Hope Parish, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Most Rev. Charles John Brown DD, led the celebration of the 57th Parish Fiesta and the 152nd

He was welcomed by the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Raymond Joseph Arre together with His Excellency, Bishop Honesto “Nes’’ Ongtioco, Diocese of Cubao Ministry for Liturgical Affairs director Rev Fr. Ronald Mariano Roberto, Parochial Vicar Rev. Fr. Marti Espenido, and Parish Pastoral Council Lay Coordinator Bro. Arnold Divina.

For the Eucharistic Celebration, the Apostolic Nuncio was accompanied by the Bishop and clergy from other dioceses. Local government officials, guests, and Marian devotees were also in attendance. During the introduction, Bishop Nes thanked Archbishop Brown, stating that his presence is a blessing because he represents the vicar of Christ, Pope Francis, making the Holy Father near and more visible as the source and

NEWS Page 2 ▶

PPC conducts Annual Planning

foundation of the unity of the Church.

He also mentioned that our patroness, Our Lady of Hope, gives us life through Jesus. “She is our Hope.” He continued, that she is the one who shows us [that] if we trust and live in God’s life, all things will work for our good.

Most. Rev. Brown’s homily focused on the theme of hope and desiring the Kingdom of Heaven. “It’s placing our trust in Christ’s promises, not relying on our own strength, but on the help and the grace of the Holy Spirit,” he said.

FEATURES Page 8 ▶

Taken, Blessed, Broken and Shared: My Pastoral Experience at OLHP

To end the celebration, Fr. Arre thanked the Apostolic Nuncio, who was supposedly the presider of last year’s fiesta but was not able to come due to lockdown, for finally being with the OLHP community. He also stated that the fiesta celebration ends but the challenge of the fiesta theme, Sulong OLHP! does not.

“Let us move forward in continuity of our mission: to give hope, to bring hope -- and that is Jesus, only Jesus, and always Jesus through His mother, the Mother of Hope,” he added.

EDITORIAL Page 11 ▶

Hope’s Herald: The Path Forward

Judith Regine Santos & Neil Peña

(L-R) Apostolic Nuncio shares a laugh with FRA and Bishop Nes

Apparition Anniversary of Our Lady in Pontmain, France.

PPC conducts Annual Planning

Reginald Dickson Dequilla

Geared towards sustaining servant leadership, the Our Lady of Hope Parish Pastoral Council conducted a year-end evaluation and annual action planning for all Executive Committee leaders last December 10-11, 2022 at Maryridge Retreat and Renewal Center, Tagaytay City.

Day 1. Rev. Fr. Raymond Joseph L. Arre (FRA), Parish Priest of the Our Lady of Hope Parish, set the tone of the first-day program by presenting the objectives and planning process flow, clearly aligned to the parish goals, vision, and mission. The Execom was grouped per related functions to formulate and finalize their evaluation. The presentation and critiquing were facilitated by the PPC Secretary, Sis. Rona de la Cuesta. All participants were encouraged to comment as part of a collaborative exercise among the parish leaders.

After lunch, the second part of the first-day program focused on the action planning itself. FRA together with Rev. Fr. Marti Espenido, Rev. Fr. JP Catilogo and Bro. Edrylle Dayrit guided each participant in drafting their action plan throughout the remaining session.

The day was capped with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and the presentation of the action plans of the Parish Youth Ministry (PYM) and Worship Ministry.

Day 2. Kicked off with a recap of day one and followed by the continuation of the action plan presented by the remaining organizations. Meanwhile, FRA shared some words of advice and led the closing activity titled “Call to Action”. The participants reaffirmed their service to the parish by answering the questions: “What will I start doing? stop doing? continue doing?”. Moreover, Sis. Minette Zapanta, one of the secretariat shared her experiences and added,

VOLUME 3 | ISSUE NO. 1 MAY 2023

EDITORIAL BOARD

Reginald Dickson Dequilla EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Anne Raever Benavidez ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Arah Jodelle Jamandra MANAGING EDITOR

Monica Gatbonton NEWS EDITOR

Ascencion de la Cuesta FEATURES EDITOR

Clarisse Jel Ablaza Samantha Marielle Mojica LAYOUT ARTISTS

Bro. Edrylle Dayrit

Olwencie de Claro

Edna Leonarez

Rose Mascariña

Neil Peña

Lilia Raflores

Judith Regine Santos WRITERS

The program ended with a word of thanks from the PPC Coordinator, Bro. Arnold Divina. This was followed by a closing prayer led by Bro. Dickson Dequilla, head of the Family and Life Ministry, and finally, a blessing from Fr. JP.

Bro. Arnold Divina ADVISER

Rev. Fr. Raymond Arre PARISH PRIEST

“I have witnessed the dedication of the servant leaders of the Our Lady of Hope Parish. The commitment and availability they have shown to each of the ministries they serve, to the parishioners, and to the Lord is truly inspiring.”

Members of the Parish Pastoral Council Executive Committee attend holy mass presided by FRA and concelebrated by Fr. Marti and Fr. JP

(L-R) Fr. Marti assists Bro. Romy Langi, Bella Fernando, Sis. Tess Mier and Sis Rose Mascarina during break out session

In action: Sis. Judith Santos of the Parish Youth Ministry plots Start-Continue-Stop activities during PPC Action Planning

Rev. Fr. Marti Espenido PAROCHIAL VICAR

Hatid Pag-asa, spreading the message of Hope

From November 2022 to February 2023, five (5) government offices were visited by Our Lady of Hope. These were the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The officials and employees of these agencies welcomed the Blessed Virgin

during her visits. Masses were held for the arrival and departure rites of the Blessed Mother. During these visits, the AOLH members distributed OLH novena booklets, stories of Hope leaflets, OLH stampita and rosaries. A short catechesis on the Apparition of OLH was also given. Daily recitation of the rosary and the Novena to OLH by employees of the recipient offices were done during the one-week stay of the Blessed Mother.

OLHPS holds year-end ceremonies

Ombudsman Samuel Martires shared that he had goosebumps the moment he received the letter regarding the visit. He said that he planned to visit Laus and Pontmain, France, two Marian apparition sites, in 2019 but the trip was cancelled. He felt that Our Lady of Hope is telling him now that if he cannot come, the Blessed Mother will be the one to visit him.

The goal of this activity is to increase awareness about Our Lady of Hope and to propagate the devotion to her. It also aims to spread the message of hope of the Blessed Mother in Pontmain, France 152 years ago:

The Blessed Mother will continue to bring Hope to the employees of other offices this May and June 2023. The next offices to be visited are the Quezon City Post Office, the SSS Main Office, and the Quezon City Hall.

The Our Lady of Hope Parochial School (OLHPS) concluded the Academic Year 2022-2023 through the conduct of the Thanksgiving Mass last April 18, 2023, followed by Recognition, Moving Up, and Graduation on May 3, 2023.

The Thanksgiving Mass was presided over by the Most Reverend Honesto F. Ongtioco, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Cubao and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Diocese of Cubao Educational System (DOCES). During the homily, he highlighted the importance of celebrating one’s achievements throughout the year.

The year-end ceremonies officially marked the closing of the third pandemic school year. There were six (6) completers who marched along with the ten (10) graduates of Batch 2023. The Director’s Awardees, the pupils with the highest overall conduct grade among each grade level, were also recognized during the event.

In the middle part of the ceremony, Rev. Fr. Raymond Joseph L. Arre, the school director and the superintendent of DOCES delivered an inspirational message. In his address, he reiterated that more than the academic recognition, one must give more importance to his or her values and how he or she can imbibe the core values of the school–hope–as he or she continues achieving goals and dreams.

Fr. Raymond also thanked the parents for choosing a Catholic education for their children. With that, he encouraged parents to enroll their children for the next school year. Enrollment for Academic Year 2023-2024 is now ongoing.

Bishop Nes during the Thanksgiving Mass

School administrators with the Director’s Awardees of AY 2022-2023

Marivic Barawed

Lilia SD. Raflores

“But pray my children. God will soon grant your request. My Son allows Himself to be moved by compassion.”

Image of Our Lady of Hope visits the Ombudsman office.

SULONG, OLHP!

Memoir on Fiesta 2023

The theme for the 57th Parish Fiesta and the 152nd Apparition Anniversary of our Lady in Pontmain, France is “Sulong OLHP! Katiwala ng Biyaya, Kalakbay sa Pagasa” (Onwards OLHP! Stewards of Grace, Pilgrims of Hope). It is anchored on how God, through the intercession of Our Lady of Hope, bestowed the grace and strength to move forward from the shadows of the pandemic as stewards of grace and pilgrims journeying in hope.

One solid act of the parish moving forward was the reopening and blessing of the Adoration Chapel. The Papal Nuncio was joined by Bishop Honesto Ongtioco and around 30 concelebrating priests from the Diocese of Cubao, other dioceses and religious congregations. Government officials were also present, led by Congressman Arjo Atayde.

The fiesta celebration was preceded by novena masses and different fiesta activities that demonstrated the moving forward of the parish. Each day of the novena has a sub-theme that helped prepare the parishioners for the fiesta celebration. Different parish and civil organizations joined and sponsored the novena masses, showing the unity of the parish with the local government of Bagong Pag-asa.

The sub-themes were meditations on our pagSULONG as a parish community and how we can become worthy katiwala at kalakbay to our brothers and sisters. Focal points for the novena masses were paghahandog, pakikimisyon, pakikilakbay and pagsasakripisyo and all things that are essential for the parish community to move forward. Different parish organizations also prepared activities

and events that demonstrate the parish moving forward.

The Tanaw-Dungaw, the meeting of the Sto. Niño de Bago Bantay and Our Lady of Hope was the first act for the fiesta on January 7, 2023. Led by the parish priests Fr. Raymond Arre (FRA) and Fr. Ron Roberto, this activity is a display of the special bond of the Our Lady of Hope Parish and the Diocesan Shrine of Sto. Niño Parish.

Day 1. January 8, 2023, the Public Affairs Ministry together with the Bagong Pag-asa LGU conducted the Lakbay Pamayanan motorcade as the opening salvo of the parish fiesta activities. Bikers, riders and cars joined this much-anticipated activity - a beautiful display of the parish and LGU supporting each other. The Stewardship Ministry also conducted the Maki-Misyon, the parish volunteer mission festival that aims to invite more parish volunteers.

Day 2. January 9, 2023, the Formation Ministry spearheaded the Parish Fiesta Recollection with the theme Ang Debosyon sa Mahal na Inang Maria: Spirituality of a Devotee of Mary. The recollection was given

Neil Peña

From top: The OLHP and DSSNP clergy convenes after Tanaw Dungaw; OLH image decked in flowers during the Lakbay Pamayanan; Tinig ng Batang Pag-asa choir sings “Stella Maris” for the Festival of Talents; Sulong Pamilya participants stack cups as part of the games

by

Day 3. January 10, 2023, marked a significant milestone for the parish as the Parish Pastoral Council and Parish Finance Council led the groundbreaking of Serenitas - the new Our Lady of Hope Parish Columbarium.

Day 4. January 11, 2023, the Social Services and Development Ministry of the parish conducted a follow-up seminar on the “Tanglaw Pag-asa” program of the ministry.

Day 6. January 13, 2023, the Basic Ecclesial Communities Ministry showcased a festival of talents from different groups of children in the parish. The children have returned after being silenced by the pandemic.

Day 7. January 14, 2023, the Family and Life Ministry conducted the Sulong Pamilya!, a parish family day that displayed close family ties and camaraderie. Another formation talk, this time on healing and moving forward was organized by the Formation Ministry on the same day.

Day 8. January 15, 2023, the Music Ministry serenaded Our Lady of Hope with the Harana Kay Maria, a fiesta staple coming back after the pandemic.

Day 9. On the last day of the novena, January 16, 2023, the ivory image of Our Lady of Hope was once again brought out in a foot procession, the first time after three years of the pandemic. People joined the procession while some waited in their homes along the route of procession.

Dressed in festive costumes with colorful props, various parish organizations offered the traditional Talasyaw (Tala at Sayaw) for the Blessed Mother. The same performance greeted the Apostolic Nuncio for his arrival at the parish.

FRA extended his gratitude to all the organizations, especially the Parish Pastoral Council. Guided by FRA, Parochial Vicar Fr. Marti Espenido and Bro. Arnold Divina of PPC, the parish fiesta celebration was made possible through the collaboration of different organizations who enthusiastically

participated in this year’s activities. In active duty as well during the fiesta celebration were the Social Communication Ministry, the Parish Youth Ministry, the Liturgical Environment Group and the Worship Ministry.

Fr. Amador Tumbaga, CMF, the Provincial Prefect of Spirituality of the Claretian Missionaries.

The talk was given by Dr. Marie Grace Gomez from UP Diliman.

FRA looks on as the Apostolic Nuncio signs the OLHP Guest book.

From top: Parishioners look upon OLH during the foot procession; Choir members pose with FRA and Fr. Marti after Harana kay Maria; Greeters and Collectors shower OLH with flower petals for their Talasyaw performance

Daluyan Pag-asa: Primer On Parish Stewardship

Edna Leonarez

As Catholics, we are called to understand and recognize that we do not own the gifts that God has given us but rather, we are only the earthly stewards of those gifts. We receive them so that we can do God’s work here on earth.

We are raised with the knowledge that we must give tithes offering to the church. The Scriptures express that the “faithful have the duty of providing for the material needs of the church, each according to his abilities”.

Although an obligation, it is not strictly enforced in our parish and all forms of donation are welcomed. In line with this, the Stewardship Ministry, (with its goal of long-term discipleship), launched the Daluyan Pag-

asa program a year ago. It currently has 130 mission partners and is still open to more. It aims to develop a parish where the members recognize the graciousness and generosity of God, acknowledging the gifts we have received, and sharing them gratefully and generously.

program where a sacrificial portion of financial resources and possessions are given monthly to fund the various formation and pastoral activities of the church, especially for the less fortunate in the community, as well as operational expenses and improvement of facilities.

Mission Partners of the Daluyan Pag-asa program give their donations every third Sunday of the month (Stewardship Sunday) and it is recorded in their passbook.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

The ministry aims to realize this goal through the Daluyan Pag-asa. It is a

As of this writing, the stewardship ministry has already had two (2) get together with the mission partners and parishioners are still invited to join the program as everyone is very welcome to participate in this great endeavor.

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver”

Have you heard of the Parish Stewardship Program, Daluyan Pag-asa?

Fr. Nelson Orqueta (center), parish priest of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Parish Project 4 together with FRA and the attendees of “Living Out the Spirituality of Stewardship” Formation Talk

Maki-misyon Sunday: Our Lady of Hope Parish Volunteer Mission Festival

FRA presents the Symbols of Stewardship. (L-R) Talent - First Aid; Treasure - Envelopes; Time - Clock

Kuwaresma sa Bagong Pag-asa:

Pagpapalalim ng Pananampalataya

Olwencie de Claro

Ipinagdiwang sa taong ito ang Kuwaresma na may temang Lent: Pray More, Sacrifice More, Give More, Hope More.

Pray More o malimit na pagdarasal upang patuloy na dumaloy ang biyaya ng Diyos sa ating buhay. Tungkol sa Sacrifice More, hinikayat ang lahat na magbawas ng mga nakasanayang gawain na maaaring maglayo sa atin sa Diyos. Para naman sa Give More, magbahagi ng mga biyaya sa iba, maaaring ang sariling pinansyal, materyal, at oras nang sa gayon ay madama ng kapwa ang presensya ng Diyos. Hope More, panatilihing magkaroon ng malalim na pananalig na laging may Pag-asa sa Diyos. Maging huwaran si Maria, Ina ng Pag-asa, na patuloy na umaasa sa pag-ibig at biyaya ng Diyos.

Nag-umpisa ang panahon ng Kuwaresma sa Paglalagay ng Abo. Isinagawa naman ang Daan ng Krus

OLHP builds new columbarium

Monica Gatbonton

After months of planning, Serenitas, the third and newest columbarium of Our Lady of Hope Parish (OLHP), started construction last March. It is located at the ground floor of the House of Beatitudes. Groundbreaking ceremony was held last January 10, 2023 as one of the pre-Fiesta activities. The activity was led by Fr. Raymond Joseph Arre,Parish Priest of OLHP, Fr. Marti Espenido, Parochial Vicar, Bro. Arnold Divina, PPC Coordinator and Parish Facilities Committee. Parish Pastoral Council members and parishioners also attended this event.

The light and spacious design of Serenitas offer a comfort of hope and tranquility as it features a monochromatic palette, gold reflective mirrors, benches, plants and ventilation. Here, family and friends can visit in quiet remembrance their beloved loved

ones. Once finished, it will house approximately 600 niches to hold the ashes of the departed. Premium niche locations contain small, medium and large niches. For standard niche locations, only medium and large are available.

Today, pre-launching prices still apply until May 31, 2023. Pre-launching prices are discounted from the original cost of each niche. By June 1, 2023, prices will revert to their original rate. As of this time, nearly 100 have already been sold.

Interested individuals may inquire at the parish office or call these numbers, 0917-5536057 (look for Bro. Arnold Divina) and 0289244259 (Parish office telephone number).

Interested parties may also send inquiries through e-mail at olhpserenitas@gmail.com

sa pamayanan tuwing Martes ng hapon gayundin ang Station of the Cross sa loob ng simbahan tuwing Biyernes ng gabi. Nagkaroon din ng mga Misa at Kumpisalan sa Pamayanan na naganap tuwing Huwebes at Biyernes at mga maikling pagninilay tuwing Miyerkules ng gabi.

Pagpasok ng Mahal na Araw, nagkaroon ng Community Taize ng Holy Monday, Kumpisalang Parokya at penitential service noong Holy Wednesday, at Daan ng Krus sa Pamayanan ng Good Friday. Pagdating ng Black Saturday ay isinagawa ang Easter Vigil at pagkatapos ay ang tradisyunal na Salubong. Sa Linggo ng Pagkabuhay ay nagkaroon ng Easter Egg Decorating Activity

Sa pamamagitan ng mga gawaing ito naging makabuluhan ang pagdiriwang ng Kuwaresma at Mahal na araw tungo sa pagpapalalim ng pananampalataya.

(L-R) Bro. Arnold Divina, Fr. Raymond Arre, Bro. Teddy Viloria, Bro. Fidel Jamandra, Bro. Lito Manuel and Fr. Marti Espenido

Arch. Jilli Gomez and facilities group inspect ongoing construction

Architect’s Illustration of the new columbarium, Serenitas

(From top image) Bro. Edrylle places ash on a student’s forehead during Ash Wednesday, FRA conducts pamayanan confession, and Fr. Marti presides Barangay street mass

Advent and Promise of Rebirth

Hope Faith Joy Peace. All are gifted by birth. All are endowed through the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Anne Raever Benavidez

The Advent season is often marked through children in the streets beginning the celebrations with lively christmas carols, eagerly awaiting their aguinaldos while vendors entice the people with the smell of their puto bumbong and bibingka

Advent is often mixed up with Christmas as the two are in succession with each other. The former is in fact the 40 days of preparation and waiting before Christmas – wherein Mary will give birth to Jesus.

The Christmas Gift Giving Tree has been built and filled with Noche Buena food item tags that anyone can offer as a gift for the less fortunate. It is a time of giving, a time of sharing what we have, and a time of preparation for the Second Coming of the Messiah.

Through the various Advent and Christmas activities, we internalized the importance of Christ in our lives and we prepared ourselves to be his

worthy children. The highlight of Advent is the novena masses (Simbang Gabi) before Jesus’ birth in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

For the year 2022, Simbang Gabi main theme was Mula sa Dilim Tungo sa Liwanag. Halina sa Sabsaban Pag-asa’y Isinilang. The masses were celebrated with our own parish priest Fr. Raymond Joseph Arre, our new parochial vicar Fr. Marti Espenido, and various guest priests. By developing patience in waiting for the birth of our Savior, these votive masses illuminated the way to Christ’s light.

Truly, the advent season taught us to be patient and grateful. We may not know when that second coming will be but we must always remember not to be distracted by the cares of this world; rather, prepare for Christ’s arrival. We must have hope and faith in Him, bring joy to our neighbors, and spread peace to the world. For the Lord said, “Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:1 - 13).

Taken, Blessed, Broken and Shared: My Pastoral Experience at OLHP

Bro. Edrylle Dayrit

Jesus “took” bread, “blessed” it, “broke” it, and “shared” it with his disciplesWhenever we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, these are the four “actions” involved in the institution narrative. In Theology, these are called the four Eucharistic actions that perpetuate Jesus’ self-giving sacrifice.

Taken. While waiting for the start of my pre-diaconal program, I stayed in my home parish in Sta. Rita, Philam Homes where Fr. Jun Pascual, the parish priest, told me that I would soon be transferred to a mission station near Sta. Maria Della Strada Parish. A few days later I received a text message that I will be assigned at Our Lady of Hope Parish (OLHP). My first reaction: “Hay salamat, sa likod lang ng SM North”. I did not know anyone from OLHP. All I know is that the parish priest is Fr. Raymond Arre and that Fr. Jun was their former parish priest. Later I realized why I was assigned to this parish — staying in OLHP brought me a lot of rich experiences because the Church is “alive” here.

Blessed. It has been almost a year and I have been with so many people and various parish encounters that broadened my pastoral experiences:

FRA starts the season of Advent by blessing the Advent Wreath

Christmas Gift Giving Tree serves as an accessible way for parishioners to share

Handog ng Pasko: Ang Liwanag Sa Sabsaban

Siyam na araw ang mabilis na lumipas noong Simbang Gabi. Mayroong namamanata, may humihiling ng katugunan, at may nagmamakaawa sa kawalan ng pag-asa. Narito na ang Pasko, ngunit tahimik, mahiwaga, at ngiti lamang ng isang sanggol ang sasalubong sa sinumang maglalakas loob na lumapit sa sabsaban! Lumapit ka ba? Ramdam na ramdam mo ba? Mangilid-ngilid ba ang iyong luha? Sinubukan mo ba Siyang hawakan? Naibsan ba ang iyong mga hinanaing sa pagharap sa Liwanag?

Sana nga, sana nga! Hindi sana nasayang ang handog ng Pasko. Marami akong naibalot at naibigay na regalo. Hindi pwedeng mawala ang handa sa Noche Buena. Mayroong bagong damit at sapatos ang mga bata. May handang pakimkim ang mga ninong at ninang. Ngunit buong pamilya ko ba ang kasama kong nagsimba sa araw ng Pasko?

Naihatid ng ating kasalukuyang Kura Paroko, Fr. Raymond Joseph Arre, ang tunay na mensahe ng Pasko sa pamamagitan ng mga piniling tema sa Simbang Gabi. Nasa gitna ng “kadiliman” mula sa kasalanan, kasakiman, kapighatian, at kawalan ng pakikipagkapwa-tao ay ating matatagpuan ang “liwanag” ng pagbabagong-buhay, kapayapaan, kapatawaran, at pagbabalik tiwala.

Natapos na ang Pasko. Mayroong nagbigay at mayroong nakatanggap. Mayroong humingi ng kapatawaran at mayroong nagpatawad. Mayroong nagturo at mayroong natuto. Ang liwanag ni Kristo ang puno’t dulo ng bawat karunungan na mayroon tayo. Lumapit tayo sa hatid na liwanag at manatili sa isinilang sa sabsaban. Sa Kanya tayo makinig, sa Kanya tayo magtiwala, at sa Kanya tayo sumunod sapagkat Siya ang tunay na handog ng Pasko.

Serving at masses (both as acolyte and choir) and baptisms, dawn processions, forming and teaching the Tinig ng Batang Pag-asa (Children’s choir), accompanying the Parish Youth Ministry (PYM), as well as attending parish leaders’ meetings and plannings. I am really blessed to have a chance to be mentored by Fr. Raymond about the daily parish experiences and affairs — how he handles people, manages finances, runs the parish, prepares and delivers good homilies, presides meetings and planning, and most importantly takes care of his health and well-being.

Broken. All of the theological and formative ideologies we were equipped with from the seminary are gradually being shattered and broken as I go on and immerse myself in the parish. At some point, I also felt the pressure on my shoulders — kailan ka ma-oordain bro? Ilang months

pa? Bakit si ganito ganyan tapos na? Sana dito ka nalang ma-assign. These are just some questions I always hear from people, parishioners, colleagues, and friends. There were times during my pastoral experience here at OLHP when I also felt emptiness inside me. How long will I be here? What would be the next step for me? I felt hopelessness despite being here under the patronage of Mary, our Lady of Hope. However, that feeling did not linger so much because the OLHP priests were always with me. I acknowledge that all these things are growth areas that I also need to work on and improve at day by day.

Shared. I always look forward to sharing myself with the people I minister to. During my regency years when I worked as a Guidance Counselor in a school, I discovered a significant thing about myself: my love language is quality time. Then, every-

thing made sense to me—presence is more than enough; I feel God’s love by His presence in my life; I feel loved by other people when they share their time with me; and I in turn express my love for them by spending time and giving my undivided attention.

My pastoral experiences here at OLHP is an experience of sharing oneself. I wrote in my journal a few days ago that if there is one thing I would like to be remembered about by the people where I am assigned and will be assigned in the future is that I stayed with them, I was present with them, I shared my time with them, I accompanied them, I laughed, cried, or stayed late with them, I journeyed with them and listened to their stories - simple or profound encounters with them. Basically, I was with them.

Rose Mascariña

O Tala, talang maliwanag, ano at tila ka lumalakad?

Tara na, tayo ng magmadali sa gitna ng kadiliman, Patungo sa liwanag na nasa sabsaban!

Our Savior is born! Christ Jesus is finally placed on the manger during the Christmas Eve Mass

Food bags packed with goods from the Christmas Gift Giving Tree

Ministering to the Youth of Today

Fr. Marti Espenido

The teenage years are the stage of life where self-discovery happens, and self-knowledge is formed. It is saddening, therefore, that for some people, the youth ministry is just thought of as an offshoot of church activities or worse, a source of warm bodies that would help in parish activities. The prevalent immoral practices of today indirectly teach young people that they are merely objects of gratification, and success can be measured by the number of bodily conquests.

Materialism further dictates that one’s social value is measured by their possessions of success in their career and social relationships. In reducing the value of a person to that through possessions and social acceptance, the self-worth that each person should have in being so loved by God is effectively removed. This is a threat not just to the youth ministry but a threat to today’s young people, the people whom the church should serve.

Given these problems, it is not surprising that there is a rise in mental health problems. While a deeper dive into mental health would be better done by psychologists, it should be acknowledged that the loss of the sense of absolute love has distorted the love that the youth have for themselves.

It is our duty as members of the Church to go against the flow of immorality, materialism and social acceptance. We have to remind our youth of the absoluteness of God and his love. To journey with them to ensure that the love of God defines them. As St. John Bosco, the father, and teacher of youth said “It is not enough to love the young, they must know that they are loved”.

Execom Goes North:

An Adventure to Remember

Rona de la Cuesta

Getaway is defined as a short holiday away from home. It gives a rare reprieve from the daily stresses in life. Fr. Raymond Joseph Arre (FRA) thought of this short vacation for us to enjoy and temporarily forget the cares of parish volunteer leaders.

Day 1. We excitedly settled into the house until we were ready to leave for our dinner. Afterward, some members went to the famous Baguio Night Market. Expectedly, it was too crowded, so we decided to go home. We forgot that Baguio is celebrating its Panagbenga Festival and as such we had difficulty getting back.

Day 2. The day started with FRA, Bro. Romy and Bro. Arnold’s walk at Burnham Park. The members went to Strawberry Farm, Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, Heritage Hill, Burnham Park, City Market, with the last

stop being a vigil mass at the Baguio Cathedral. Because of the tight traffic caused by the Festival, we almost missed lunch but still managed.

Day 3. We checked out at about 9:00 AM for the group photo before FRA went back home to OLHP. The sheep without the shepherd went ahead with the rest of our scheduled activities. With his instruction, we stopped by the Lion’s head for some photo remembrance of Sis. Belle, being a first-timer in Baguio.

The trip was long and tiring but we finally reached home sweet home. Overall, the Baguio experience with my co-servant leaders was more than I expected. Hopefully, this experience may help us in dealing with each other’s uniqueness in terms of working together embodying and living the core values of our beloved Our Lady of Hope Parish.

Execom Members attend holy mass at Baguio Cathedral

(L-R) Bro. Edrylle and FRA enjoy festival parade with the street dancers

Youth Members of the Ministry of Altar Servers joyfully pose with FRA and Fr. Marti after the Easter Vigil mass

Hope’s Herald: The Path Forward

Busyness, some believe, is not only a badge of honor but an indication of brilliance and blessedness. That may not be fully true, for busyness does not always translate to meaningfulness only being tired! When we see how much we as a parish have accomplished in 2022 when the pandemic restrictions were lifted until the first quarter of 2023, we realized how much we have put into motion a good portion of our 2023 Parish Pastoral Action Plan. Having said that, we remind ourselves of what David Allen said about being busy and doing many things: “Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they started.” Or, may I add, planned to do!

As the stranglehold restrictions of Covid-19 were lifted, we took the path of recovery as a parish with a clear direction by doing our Parish Evaluation and Planning session. Much of what we are doing and will continue to do is a product of such vital and necessary activity. As the adage goes: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail! Another key pastoral program of the parish is our Stewardship Program, Daluyan Pag-asa. The lessons of the pandemic years and the myriad of challenges it brought to our doorstep were an impetus to the program’s realization. But beyond it, Stewardship has to be a constant in any parish for it must be a way how we live our parish life. In fact, it should be part of the spirituality of every baptized Catholic. We also have embraced a more faithful celebration of our Parish Fiesta Day as we have recovered and designated the actual date of the apparition of the Blessed Mother Mary as Our Lady of Hope in Pontmain, France, on January 17, 1871.

Other important undertakings we have done include the forming of the Misa ng Batang Pag-asa which has gotten more of our children involved in our parish life. The Maki-Misyon Program continues to be our bridge for parishioners to volunteer their time and talent. Our Voters’ Discernment Seminars were our contribution to the last 2022 national elections on good citizenship. Another new program of the parish is Aral Pag-asa, a scholarship program that helps children in need to study at the Our Lady of Hope Parochial School, for free, as parish scholars.

We have to mention as well the importance of improving and maintaining our parish facilities. Our Parish Action Plan has identified what are the key facilities improvements we need to prioritize. We have renovated our parish offices together with the sacristy and an addition of a vestry, all for better liturgical preparations. More so, we have relocated our Eucharistic Adoration chapel in a better place to lessen noise & improve flow both of foot traffic and ventilation. We have upgraded our restrooms as well. Unfortunately, vandals and thieves have destroyed and stolen some of the fixtures in the restrooms. The new

TV screens in our church are donated by a generous and kind-hearted family of the parish.

At the moment, one major facility we are adding to the parish is the Serenitas Columbarium. During the pandemic, many parishioners asked if there are still available units of niches for the remains or ashes of their loved ones who died. I found it important to build and extend our existing columbary. Now, we are nearing the completion of Serenitas Columbary thanks to the members of our Parish Facilities and Maintenance Group who are overseeing this needed project. The Serenitas Project also is in view of the much-needed upkeep, improvement, and renovation of our parish church. The years of wear and tear of the physical church are showing already. Come 2025, the Jubilee Year announced by Pope Francis will happen. He has designated that year with the theme, “Pilgrims of Hope.” It is fitting that we realize the dream of the parish that we become a shrine in honor of Mary as Our Lady of Hope.

During the pandemic years, our Parish Social Communications Ministry (SoCom) made it possible that you and the parish remain connected with each other through our online programs. Our OLHP Project Damayan, with our courageous parish volunteers, who went from house to house, pamayanan to pamayanan distributing gift checks and food bags, creating our Mesa ng Pag-asa food bank, showed our compassion for our fellow parishioners during those most difficult times.

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that the pandemic is no longer a global health emergency. As we rise from the scourge of Covid-19, our parish Action Plan has identified already what our key priorities are. We shall pursue them with focus, vigor, and hope. I thank our Parish Pastoral Council, headed by our PPC Coordinator, Bro. Arnold Divina, together with the PPC Execom, for their valuable support and sacrifices. Without them, my ministry as pastor will be enormously difficult and burdensome. With your cooperation, contributions, and active collaboration and participation, dear parishioners of Our Lady of Hope, we shall continue building the kingdom of God in our Pamayanan through our BEC.

Let us keep reminding ourselves of our vission as a parish: Isang pamayanang naglalakbay na sa Diyos umaasa at sa kapwa ay nagbibigay ng pag-asa. Together, let us live out our parish core values of prayer, sacrifice, hope, compassion, service, and generosity.

Dearest Lady of Hope, pray for us always.

Fr. Raymond Joseph L. Arre