The Official Newsletter of the Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life Release 63
FIESTA ISSUE 2021
Celebrating the Shrine fiesta in a pandemic by Bro. Anthony O. Alcantara
It sure is hard celebrating a feast when you can’t go out of your home, or when interactions with other people are severely limited. Fortunately, we can always come up with simple, practical, and creative ways to celebrate. For the Shrine of Jesus community, our esta is an important occasion for commemoration and merriment. Here are some ways you can celebrate with us, whether at the Shrine when possible, or in your homes together with your family. Pray the Holy Rosary Since our esta falls on the month of the Holy Rosary, praying this devotion has always been part of our celebration. Before the pandemic, we used to pray the Rosary every day before all the Holy Masses during the month. is year, however, we can pray at home. We can pray for the intentions we have in our hearts. We can pray for this pandemic to end. We can pray for all those who have been, and continue to be, a ected by the pandemic. It is a repetitive prayer. But its words can lead us to deep meditation.
The Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life celebrates its fiesta on October 24, 2021. Due to the pandemic, health protocols will be observed for everyone's safety.
Contemplating on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary can bring us closer to Jesus. It may even help us understand ourselves better through the repetitive and meditative music of the words of the prayer. Celebrate Mass in Honor of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary On October 7, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. If going physically to church is not possible, you can tune in to online Masses. e feast day was instituted by Pope St. Pius V in the 16th century a er the victory of Catholic forces against Turkish invaders. It was said
that the victory was won through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin a er Christians throughout Europe gathered in churches to pray the Rosary fervently. Had the Turks won, it would have been an unimaginable catastrophe. Today, we don’t have any battles with invaders, but we do have an ongoing stru le with a virus that continues to cause mayhem on our economy and strike fear into the hearts of many. Pray the Novena to Jesus the Way, e Truth, and e Life In the Gospel of John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, Continued on page 3
From the
RECTOR’S DESK
Rev. Msgr. Roberto C. Canlas
Ngayong panahon ng pandemiya, Hesus, Ikaw ang tanging Pag-asa Magda-dalawang taon ng tayong ganito ang sitwasyon ng ating mga buhay sa ilalim ng pandemiyang ito ng COVID 19. Laganap ang napakalaking banta sa ating kalusugan at napakarami na din ang naapektuhan sa estado ng kanilang emosyonal at pangkaisipang kalagayan. Marami ang nangangamba, nawawalan ng pag-asa, laging balisa at higit sa lahat kabi-kabila ang mga kamag-anak, kaibigan at kakilala nating lubhang naapektuhan ng pagkasawi ng kanilang mahal sa buhay. At ang masaklap ay hindi man lamang nila nasilayan at nakasama ang lumisan nilang mahal sa buhay dahil na din sa banta sa kanilang sariling kalusugan. Kaya naman ang katanungan ng karamihan ay: “Ano ba ang maaari kong gawin sa mga matinding panahon na ito ng kalituhan at mga pagsubok? Sinasabi ng masusing mga pagaaral na ang yoong mga taong madaling makayanan ang mga hamon sa buhay tulad ng ating nararansan ngayon sa buong mundo ay yoong nagtataglay ng ugaling pala-asa sa mabuti o yoong tinatawag nating “optimistic people”. Pero sa para sa ating mga Kristiyano Katoliko, ang pinakamahusay na paraan para makayanan natin ang lahat ng mga pagsubok sa buhay ay hindi lamang
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yoong tayo ay maging optimistic kungdi yoong lalo tayong kumapit kay Hesus at pagtibayin ang ating pananalig at pananampalataya sa Kanya. Sa mga ganitong panahon ay dapat tayong lalong kumapit ng mahigpit kay Hesus imbis na siya ay talikuran at limutin. Nakalulungkot na isang hindi magandang epekto ng pandemyang ito ay yoong ibang tao, imbis na si Hesus ang lapitan pilit na hinahanap ang kasagutan sa kanilang problema at kalungkutan sa iba’t-ibang maling pamamaraan kaya naman lalo lamang pasama ng pasama ang kanilang kinahihinatnan. Wala tayong ibang tan ulan at mababalingan kungdi tanging si Hesus lamang. Kung natatandaan ninyo mayroong isang tagpo sa ebanghelyo kung saan ang isang senturyon na isang pagano at sumasagisag sa mga mananakop ng Bayang Israel. Kaya karaniwan ang mga senturyon ay kinamumuhian ng mga Hudyo pero ang senturyon ay kaka-iba dahil minamahal siya ng mga tao. Napakabait niya sa lahat at sa kanyang alipin at siya ay laging tapat sa kanyang paglilingkod. Nang magkasakit ang kanyang alipin ay nagpasabi siya kay Hesus na kung maaari ay pagalingin niya ang kanyang alipin.
Nang pagbigyan ni Hesus ang kanyang kahilingan ay kapunapuna na pinasalubong kaagad ng senturyon sa kanyang mga kaibigan si Hesus para sabihin: “Ginoo, huwag na po kayong magpakapagod, hindi ako karapatdapat na puntahan ninyo sa aking tahanan. Ni hindi nga po ako karapatdapat na humarap sa inyo. Ngunit sa isang salita po lamang ninyo ay gagaling na ang aking alipin”. Namangha si Hesus ng marinig niya ito at sinabi sa mga tao: “Kahit sa buong Israel ay hindi pa ako nakakita ng ganitong kalaking pananampalataya”. Kaya naman pag balik ng mga kaibigan ng senturyon sa kanyang bahay ay nadatnan nilang magaling na ang alipin ng senturyon. For Jesus to make miracles, the only thing we need to prove to him is that we totally trust him and that we have a strong faith in him. at He is the Lord of all who has complete control of everything. Ang tunay na pananampalataya ay yoong lubusang pananalig at pagtitiwala kay Hesus sa kabila ng ating pananaw na wala ng pag-asa ang ating sitwasyon tulad ngayon ng pandemyang nagaganap sa ating mundo. Hindi kaya karamihan sa tao ngayon ay kulang pa din ang pananalig
at pananampalataya kay Hesus, na sa isang iglap ay kayangkayang tapusin ni Hesus ang pandemyang ito at ibalik tayo sa dati nating pamumuhay? Kababaang-loob at pananampalataya ang ating kailangan sa atin ngayong kinasasadlakan. Kaya naman ang tema ng ating kapistahan sa taong ito ay: “Ngayong Panahon ng Pandemiya, Hesus Ikaw ang Tanging Pag-Asa” dahil ang susi sa lahat ng ano mang kagalingan o kababalaghan ay pananampalataya kay Hesus ng tunay at lubusan. Nawa sa kabila ng ating mga limitasyon sa pag-galaw dahil sa pandemiyang ito ay maipagdiwang natin nang makabuluhan ang ating kapistahan kung taglay natin si Hesus sa ating mga puso nang may matibay na pananalig. At tulad ng senturyon ay maging maalam din tayo sa kalagayan ng ating kapwa at sila man ay paglingkuran sa ano mang pamamaraan na ating makakayanan.
Maligaya at makabuluhang kapistahan po sa ating lahat! The Master Publisher Rev. Msgr. Roberto C. Canlas
Editor-in-chief Bro. Anthony O. Alcantara
Contributors and Staff Fr. Cris Robert Cellan Sr. Mary Louise Alcantara Bro. Mon Gualvez Bro. David Lescano Bro. Leo Mascariñas Sr. Doly Pascual Sr. Marilyn Salamida Bro. Richard Tia
For those who wish to contribute stories, or those who have comments or suggestions, please email info.shrineofjesus@gmail.com. Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life Office Tel. No.: +632 8556 6175 /76 Mobile No.: +63 918 9104245
Celebrating the Shrine... from page 1
and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus was telling us that He was “the only way”, “the only truth”, and the only true source of our spiritual and physical life. Praying this novena to Jesus the Way, the Truth, and the Life is a rea rmation of our faith in Jesus. For nine days, through this novena, we exercise our faith through repeated entreaties to Jesus, who told us to “pray always without becoming weary” (Luke 18:1). It reminds us that we are helpless without God, that He is always in control. Praying this novena is also a good way to pray for our special intentions, setting us on a path towards persevering faith. Our novena will be held from October 15 to 23, 2021. Attend the Triduum in Honor of St. John Paul II and Feast Day Mass At the Shrine of Jesus, St. John Paul II holds a special place in the prayer life of the Shrine community. It was through his expressed wish in 1995 during the World Youth Day that the Shrine was built and dedicated to the youth. Jaime Cardinal Sin, who was the Archbishop of Manila at that time, made this wish a reality, and he appointed Msgr. Roberto “Bobby” C. Canlas as the rst rector of the Shrine. A triduum is a period of three days of prayer. During this time, we celebrate the life of St. John Paul II, who was a champion of the youth and defender of life and the family. e triduum in his honor will be held from October 19 to 21. His feast day Mass is on October 22. Attend the Fiesta Mass for Jesus the Way, the Truth, and the Life e culmination of our esta month celebration will be held on October 24, when we celebrate the esta Mass for Jesus the Way, the Truth, and the Life at 10:30 AM. For those of you who wish to celebrate with us, you may attend our Mass at the Shrine. We will continue to observe government-imposed restrictions and rules to keep everyone safe. Limits to the number of people can’t be helped. Only the fully vaccinated will also be allowed inside the Shrine. Still, we invite everyone to celebrate this joyous month with us. We also continue to ask for nancial support. Utility bills and salaries of sta continue to be paid. Unavoidable repairs can put a strain on the Shrine’s nances, too. If you can, please check our website, www.shrineo esus.org, for details on how you can donate. You may also look log on to Facebook and look for Archdiocesan Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
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Praying our Goodbyes by Fr. Cris Robert Cellan, SSP
With Covid cases at their all-time high because of the highly transmissible Delta variant, Covid has truly hit us hard closer to home. is time around victims have names and faces who are dear to us. Covid respects no one—young and old, rich or poor, healthy or with comorbidities, vaccinated or not. Nowadays, it is even depressing to check on our social media updates wherein candles and black pro le pictures, expressions of RIPs and condolences dominate the pages. Many of us are grieving and are lost for words. Grief paralyzes us. It discomforts us, drains us, drowns out the voice of joy in our life. It bleeds our spirit of energy and enthusiasm. It destroys belief in our ability to rise from the ashes of our pain. It causes us to even waiver in our faith, maybe blaming God. Our Lord Jesus teaches us an antidote whenever we face great trials. He prays. Prayer is not merely asking or listening but surrendering our hearts to God’s will. Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane pouring his heart out to the Father before his journey to Calvary. Dead tired from an allday public ministry, Jesus still nds time to pray. It is his way to replenish his zapped energy and commune with the Father. In her book, Praying our Goodbyes, Joyce Rupp aims to help us get over life transitions. She guides us to let go and to be able to process our grief and move on through prayer. ere are four aspects of praying our goodbyes: recognition, re ection, ritualization, reorientation. Recognition We begin by naming the loss that we have experienced. We also name the hurt or pain that has been ours because of this experience. In other words, we acknowledge that we are hurting and not try to hide it by denial. Admitting that we are grieving is an indispensable starting point towards healing. Re ection We take time to re ect—to look inward, to wonder, to listen and to keep still. We take the hurt of the loss which we have identi ed, and we give it full attention. We sit with it, look at it, face it, even though it grieves us to do so. It enables us to discover our deeper feelings and to reconnect
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our lives with God. Let God hear our cry and distress. Let God hear our anger and confusions, our frustrations and our disorientation. We nd many of such prayers in the Book of Psalms and Lamentations. As we pour our emotion to God in all honesty, we also need to listen. We may o en walk away from our prayer time wondering if it was worth it, or if God was really there because we felt nothing or we felt only negative feelings. e secret is to be faithful to the uiet and solitude, to continue to cry out to God and to make the attempt to be still in order to hear the truth. It is o en in our poverty of spirit and our helplessness that we realize we cannot pray by our own e orts alone. It is God who comes to pray in us in our dark and sad moments; “In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings” (Rom 8:26). We are there, awaiting the blessing of hope. It is then that we understand the prayer of Ephesians: “Glory be to him whose power, working in us can do in nitely more than we can ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20). Ritualization As we become re ective and ponder the pain of our goodbye, we also need to ritualize it. Ritual includes two elements: a) the use of images or symbols; b) the use of some kind of movement in our prayer. With these two elements we thus act out some pain in us. We can write a letter, compose a music or o er novena masses in their memory. Reorientation When life is reoriented, one is given a renewed direction and energy. Reorientation is a necessary element in praying our loss because this is where connections are made between pain and the God of healing. It is where we bring faith to our grief. When we nd some signi cance through our re ection and ritual, it gives us courage to go on. And hope will return to our hearts. Pope Francis once said that if we are hurting and bewildered at the adversities of life, let us look at Jesus on the cross and there we will nd our salvation that we are not alone and the glory of the resurrection awaits us at the end.
Remembering Nanay Pining: A Special Tribute to a Special Person by Sr. Marilyn Salamida
“Ang ganda ganda mo!” is is a beautiful expression from Nanay Pining. It’s a greeting she would say to someone she meets, an expression showing the beauty that she sees in people. Who is Nanay Pining? Nanay Pining is the mother of our dear rector, Msgr. Roberto “Bobby” C. Canlas. Christened Ru na Camitan Canlas, she was born on February 28, 1919, the wife of Ricardo Pineda Canlas and mother of ve siblings, Precy, Rolly, Rey, Ric, and Msgr. Bobby. A er 102 years of a fruitful and meaningful life, she passed on peacefully to eternal life and joined our Heavenly Father on June 4, 2021. Her memories will forever live in our hearts. As a volunteer of the Shrine, I came to know Nanay Pining as a very beautiful woman, inside and out. She was a jolly person who loves music, who loves to sing, a gi seen in her children. Even as a centenarian, she would clap her hands and sing with a big smile on her face and everyone who sees her would feel the joy and would join her. She was also a good cook. Nanay Pining’s simple acts of kindness were an inspiration to many. She was a very generous lady, a person with a big heart. She has inculcated in her children the values of discipline, kindness, and generosity. Her e orts and sacri ces can be seen in the success of her children in their chosen careers. is gave her much ful llment. Nanay Pining’s full support to Msgr. Bobby’s priesthood ministry and service to God’s church entailed perseverance and sacri ces. Accepting her son’s call to the ministry and o ering him to God is a great honor and blessing to the Church. With Msgr. Bobby, Nanay Pining was a silent donor of classrooms and chapels for our less fortunate brothers and sisters in isolated towns and farung areas such as Palawan and Compostela Valley, to name a few. She supported the projects spearheaded by Msgr.
Nanay Pining will live on in our hearts and memories. Her cheerfulness, kindness, and generosity will be missed.
Bobby such as giving nancial assistance to survivors of earth uakes, oods, typhoons, and other calamities. She donated to medical and dental missions for the poor and the marginalized, homes for the aged, the elderly and out of school youths and abandoned children, not to mention the nancial assistance to seminarians. Nanay Pining touched the lives of many. Her simplicity and generosity served as an inspiration especially to the church volunteers and the community. No wonder, on her last days, people from di erent places came to see her and expressed their sympathy to Msgr. Bobby and her family. e brother priests of Msgr. Bobby also came and celebrated Masses for her. ey recalled how Nanay Pining treated them with kindness and generosity. e good works and the inspiration of Nanay Pining will stay with us. We thank God for giving her to us and pray for her eternal rest.
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Getting to know the new archbishop of Manila by Bro. Leo Mascariñas
On March 25, 2021, Pope Francis appointed His Eminence Cardinal Jose Lazaro Fuerte Advincula Jr. as the 33rd Archbishop of Manila, as the successor of Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, who vacated the post on February 9, 2020, a er being appointed as prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Cardinal Advincula is the 6th native Filipino to hold that post. He is fondly called Cardinal Joe or Monsignor Joe by his friends, associates, and even by his ock. A former Capiz archbishop, he was installed on June 24, 2021, by Most Rev. Charles John Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines together with Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and Orlando Cardinal uevedo. e occasion coincides with the 450th anniversary of the City of Manila, the Feast of St. John the Baptist and the death anniversary of former President Benigno A uino III. Due to COVID-19 protocols, only 400 people were allowed to physically attend the installation rites inside the Manila Cathedral instead of the usual 2,500. e Manila Archdiocese is the largest in the Philippines, covering the cities of Manila, San Juan, Pasay, Mandaluyong, and Makati. His early life and studies He was born Jose Lazaro Fuerte Advincula, Jr., on March 30, 1952, in Dumalag, Capiz, to José Firmalino Advíncula and Carmen Falsis Fuerte. He studied at Saint Pius X Seminary High School in Roxas City, and stayed on a er graduating to study philosophy. He then attended theology courses at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. He later studied Master of Arts in Education major in Guidance and Counseling at the De La Salle University and then canon law at the University of Santo Tomás and at the Angelicum in Rome, where he earned a licentiate in canon law. His priesthood He was ordained as priest on April 14, 1976, became bishop of San Carlos on July 25, 2001, and archbishop of Capiz in November 9, 2011. He was appointed as our country’s ninth cardinal by Pope Francis last October 2020 and was formally elevated on November 28, 2020. In December 2020, he was named a member of the Congregation for the Clergy. At present, he is a Permanent Member of the CBCP Committee on International Eucharistic Congresses and Vice Chair, CBCP O ce on Women. His messages In his homily during his installation , he said, ”I am
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Cardinal Jose Advincula urges us to be responsible stewards of God's creation. (Photo by Rappler)
here as your shepherd, to listen to you, to listen to your needs, and your hearts’ longings in the name of Christ.” He continued, “Let us bring together our needs and our hearts’ longings to our chief shepherd, Christ our Lord, and do whatever He tells us.” e Church leader stressed that showing appreciation for God’s creations makes for a responsible steward or caretaker. “When we do not recognize the gi s that we receive, we fail to become responsible stewards. And once we fail to be responsible stewards and start acting as if they were our possessions, we will never share them with others as gi s. We may even use the gi s to take advantage of others,” he said. Cardinal Advincula also called on the faithful to “make courageous choices for a simple and environmentally sustainable lifestyle.” e low-key cardinal from Capiz is expected to guide us to deepen our faith in God. In these times of uncertainty, we hope that he will bring back the people closer to Him. at is his mission as Archbishop of Manila. His episcopal motto is “Audiam", which means "I will listen”. It speaks of his desire to listen or discern as he takes this journey as shepherd of the Archdiocese of Manila.
#GiftedToGive: 500 Years of Christianity Commemorative Plate by Bro. Mon Gualvez
Christianity was brought to the Philippines in 1521 when the Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan, landed here together with a Spanish expedition in his bid to reach the East Indies by sailing west. at makes this year a signi cant milestone for all Filipino Catholics as we celebrate 500 Years of Christianity. is event commemorates the rst Catholic Mass in 1521 held in Limasawa, Cebu, and established the strong religious faith of many Filipinos. In line with this, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) supported a project related to the event and released a 500 Years of Christianity Commemorative Plate to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime occasion that serves not only as a valuable souvenir but will also help raise much needed funds for the di erent parishes nationwide in support of their various programs for the poor such as community pantries and feeding programs. It will also help the parishes spend for repairs and maintenance of their respective chapels or churches. Currently, there are 2 types of commemorative plates available: (1) Home & Business, which can be displayed in front of one’s house or gate, o ce, and other indoor establishments; (2) Car, which is certi ed by the Land Transportation O ce (LTO) and considered valid to use until December 2022. e said commemorative plates show that we belong to the Catholic Church of Christ. Aside from its visual imagery that symbolizes how blessed many Filipino Christian Catholics are, it functions as a seal or certi cate of support for the momentous celebration. Some considered these plates as a collectible item or uni ue memorabilia of the occasion that one can keep for life. e people behind the 500 Years of Christianity Commemorative Plate project hope to remind Filipino Catholics to commemorate the event despite this pandemic. ese plates are also available nationwide and even overseas for the sake of Filipinos living outside the country. e Archdiocesan Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life also supported the project by availing
of a certain number of plates which many of its volunteers and churchgoers bought. e Shrine of Jesus admitted that compared before, they had a hard time selling and promoting the commemorative plates because very few people go physically to church to attend the Mass. “Gi ed to Give” is the theme of the celebration of the 5th Centenary of Christianity in the country. It’s taken from the gospel of St. Matthew, Chapter 10 Verse 8 (Matthew 10:8), where Christ told His disciples: “Freely you have received. Freely give.” It’s actually Christ’s order for His apostles to do all and to give all they have got in their work and mission. By ac uiring a 500 Years of Christianity Commemorative Plate, every Catholic can be a blessing to others and be an inspiration to multiply the act of giving.
The 500 YOC commemorative plate can help us support our churches, remind us of the origins of our faith, and show others that we are proud Catholics who are gifted to give. You can still buy these plates from the Shrine of Jesus. They are excellent gifts, too.
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Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Called to be missionaries of Christ by Sr. Doly Pascual
In celebration of the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on May 31, 2021, a Holy Mass was celebrated by Rev. Msgr. Bobby Canlas. e Mass was also held in observance of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines and the commissioning of all volunteers of the Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We recall the visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary, carrying her son within her, to her cousin, Elizabeth, (depicted in the second Joyful Mystery of the Most Holy Rosary). is event happened shortly a er the Annunciation and before the birth of St. John the Baptist. In his homily, Rev. Msgr. Bobby cited Mary as the rst missionary to proclaim and spread the good news of her being called to be the Mother of Jesus, our Savior. We see Mary as a part of God’s plan. She is a person with humility in heart, a model for us believers who wish to meet Jesus in our daily lives. To serve and glorify God is a source of joy because everything comes from Him. ere’s a di erent, immense, and joyful feeling when we serve sincerely and assist others. We are called to imitate Mary’s humble actions lled with love, not for herself, but for others, the poor, the neglected, the vulnerable. She sets an example for us to put everything in our life in the hands of God. e uincentennial celebration of Christianity in the Philippines was held a er the rite of Holy Communion during the Mass. e Youth Ministry highlighted a joint “action” presentation by a number of volunteers of the o cial mission song of 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. e song “We Give Our Yes” was nely and gently interpreted by our very own Sr. Em Alcantara of the Music Ministry. e song reminds Filipinos to keep and give our “yes” to the mission of Jesus, with unwavering faith and hope even in these trying times. It was announced that the o cial mission song “We Give Our Yes” will be the recessional song in all Masses until the culmination of the celebration in 2022. Subse uently, the ceremony of the blessing and commissioning of the volunteers was held. As the volunteers held the mission cross necklace given to them, Msgr. Bobby blessed them and prayed that through the Holy Spirit, the volunteers will receive the grace to continue their service to the Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
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Msgr. Bobby Canlas says the Blessed Virgin Mary was the first missionary of Christ who shared the good news to her cousin Elizabeth. (Painting by Jacques Daret, circa 1435; taken from Wikipedia)
e volunteers were enjoined to share with others what they discern from pondering the Word of the Lord. e Liturgical Celebration then ended with the nal blessing and the singing of the mission song for the recessional.
Luke 1:46-49 “And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name.”
Shrine of Jesus welcomes the Youth Cross and Nuestra Señora de Guia by Bro. David Lescano
e Shrine of Jesus recently opened its doors to the Youth Cross and the image of Nuestra Señora de Guia to signify our solidarity with the Filipino Catholic Church in celebrating the importance of the youth and Mary’s role in strengthening the Catholic faith. Being a church dedicated to the youth, the Shrine of Jesus was a tting place for the Youth Cross’ visit. During the visit of Pope John Paul II, now Saint John Paul, in 1995 for the World Youth Day, he expressed his wish to have a church dedicated to Jesus the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jaime Cardinal Sin, the Archbishop of Manila at that time, endeavored to have the Shrine of Jesus constructed in response to the Pope’s re uest and dedicated the church to
the youth. Our dear Msgr. Roberto “Bobby” C. Canlas was assigned as the rst rector of the Shrine. e Youth Cross served as a reminder that the faith of the youth is very much alive amid the pandemic. It reminded us that the young Catholics continue to serve the Lord joyfully and remember Him always. It reminded us of the youth’s unwavering trust in the Lord. e image of the Nuestra Señora de Guia is known as the oldest existing Marian image in the country.
e image and the Youth Cross are considered symbols of our enduring love for God and the Blessed Mother. ey also represent the countless gi s of God in the past 500 years of Christianity in the country, and the call to become God’s gi s to others as well. e youth are encouraged to pray, pray, pray, and practice the faith. St. Dominic Savio’s exhortation continues to be relevant:“Serve the Lord, With Holy Joy!”
The Youth Cross and the image of the image of the Nuestra Señora de Guia are shown here being transported from the Shrine of Jesus to the next destination — Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Pasay.
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Shrine of Jesus Children and Youth Choir: 15 years of singing, serving, and sharing by Sr. Mary Louise Alcantara
e Shrine of Jesus Children and Youth Choir is celebrating its 15th year this 2021. Originally a children’s choir, the SO CYC has grown in terms of membership, responsibility, and musicality. Beginnings
e choir was founded by well-travelled choristers and now husband and wife Bro. Ton and Sr. Em Alcantara in 2006. At that time, they volunteered and presented the idea of forming a children’s choir to the former music ministry head, Bro. Pepe de Leon, who endorsed the proposal to the Shrine Rector, Rev. Msgr. Bobby Canlas. Msgr. Bobby has given great support to the idea and with the help of Sr. Annie Cardenas, a call for auditions took place. During the rst year of the choir, only 10 members were singing for the ird Sunday Masses and rehearsing every week. By the second year, the number of members tripled. Making music beyond the choir lo In 2008, the group debuted in the Madz et. al. Choral Festival, a showcase of choral groups handled by
members, alumni, and friends of the world-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers, which Sr. Em was a member of. More performances outside the Shrine of Jesus followed this event. ey have performed several times at the Cultural Center of the Philippines for events such as the Pasinaya, and some events of the Philippine Madrigal Singers. ey even guested in television shows such as the teleserye Only You, and the noon-time show ASAP. e group received other invitations to perform in hotel events, weddings, and choral festivals. ey had their debut concert at the GSIS Museum in 2013. Transitions Eventually, in 2014, the children’s choir had to transition as a youth choir. Also, instead of singing only for the ird Sunday Children’s Mass, the choir was given its permanent weekly slot.
The Shrine of Jesus Children and Youth Choir's latest project is the recording of the song Pag-ibig by Bro. Allan Puno. You may watch the video on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SOJCYC.
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e choir is also assigned to sing for other children’s masses and important liturgical events of the Shrine. While the original members slowly dwindled in number, new members were welcomed as auditions were held. Coping with the pandemic Since children and minors are not allowed to be physically at church, this became a challenge for the choir. Rehearsals still took place albeit online, and regular checking on members were part of last year’s activities. e group participated in the rst virtual Madz et. al. Choral Festival in 2020, and they have done a few virtual projects with the youth ministry of the Shrine as well. For the in-church Masses, some college-age members have volunteered to sing, one or two members at a time along with an accompanist. is is to conform with the government protocols and ensure the safety of the volunteers. Moving forward Since this is still an extraordinary time, and kids still remain at home, the choir committed to keep on rehearsing and creating music so that when they can safely go out and go back to the choir lo , they will be ready once more to sing, serve, and share. e choir is grateful to its founding conductors, to the Shrine Rector Msgr. Bobby for his support through the years, and the Shrine community for giving these young volunteers a place where they can nurture their musical talents, all for the glory of Jesus, our Way, our Truth, and our Life.
Honoring our Lolo Pari who passed on by Bro. Richard Tia
One of the greatest challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic is the likelihood of not being able to be physically present with a loved one at the end of his or her life, especially now that the number of people being a ected daily continues to increase and the Delta variant is spreading. is year alone, there were already six Lolo Pari who have passed away due to various illnesses, many parishioners who had known them for so many years could hardly pay their last respects due to the health protocols imposed by the government. For us volunteers at the Shrine of Jesus, we have come to know them through the many concelebrated Masses they have attended — anniversaries, estas, Christmas and New Year activities, etc. One particular activity where all of them are almost always present is the yearly advent celebration called “A Night with the Retired and the Elderly Priests”. It’s a tradition started by Msgr. Bobby Canlas to spread some Christmas cheer. It’s a time for our Lolo Pari to dine, party, share stories, build camaraderie, and take home giveaways and Christmas ra e prizes. ey constitute an extremely diverse group, men of di erent talents and abilities who worked in a variety of ministries, men who enjoyed good health and long lives, and men who were loved and respected in the communities they served for many decades. We appreciate them and remember all they have done. Here we honor and remember the Lolo Pari who passed away recently: REV. MSGR. ARSENIO R. BAUTISTA, 96 YEARS OLD DECEMBER 14, 1924 – ANUARY 6, 2021 Msgr. Arsenio R. Bautista, known to his friends and family as Monsignor Enyong. While in seminary, the seminarians nicknamed him “Sending”. Msgr. Bautista is a warm and caring person. He values simplicity and honesty through his words and actions. Every time he would attend the many activities of the Shrine of Jesus, he would greet everyone with a ready smile. He would charm people with his wit and sense of humor. When he reached the age of retirement for priests at 75 in 1999, he choose to retire at the Hospicio de San Jose as chaplain to minister to orphaned children and the elderly until the time of his death. Msgr. Bautista was able to celebrate his
69th Sacerdotal Anniversary and became the oldest priest in the Archdiocese of Manila. REV. MSGR. VICENTE R. DACUYCUY, 92 YEARS OLD NOVEMBER 1, 1928 – ANUARY 27, 2021 Msgr. Dacuycuy started out as an assistant parish priest at Immaculate Concepcion in Malolos, Bulacan, in 1958. His last assignment was at Christ the King Parish in Las Piñas, where he served as parish priest from 1994 until his retirement on December 2002. He is one of the rst residents of the retirement home located at Our Lady of Loreto Parish compound which was built in 2002 during the term of Cardinal Sin as Archbishop of Manila. MSGR. AGUSTO G. LABAN , 91 YEARS OLD AUGUST 16, 1929 - MAY 23, 2021 Msgr. Laban was installed as the second parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in 1988. He later became the parish priest of the National Shrine of Sts. Michael and the Archangels in 2020. His rst battle cry there was to bring back the glorious days of the parish. He went back to the people through street Masses, organized communities to help ful ll the liturgical and social re uirements of the parish, and put its nances in order. Msgr. Laban celebrated his 50th Sacerdotal Anniversary on March 17, 2006, at the Sts. Michael and Paul Cathedral in Sorsogon. He also served as the Chaplain of the O ce of the President during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. REV. MSGR. MODESTO M. TESTON, 79 years old UNE 15, 1942 – SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 Msgr. Teston is the second longest serving parish priest in the country’s history. He has been parish priest of Our Lady of the Airways Parish in Pasay City from 1976 up to his demise. He is the rst priest from the Municipality of Baras, Rizal. He has also served as Chaplain of the Ninoy A uino International Airport, Assistant Chaplain of Pius XII Catholic Center, Assistant Executive Director of Caritas Manila. He celebrated his 50th Sacerdotal Anniversary in 2017. Continued on page 12
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Honoring our Lolo Pari... from page 11
REV. MSGR. SABINO A. VENGCO, R., 79 YEARS OLD MARCH 9, 1942 – MAY 17, 2021 Msgr. Sabino Vengco, Jr., was a priest of the Diocese of Malolos, hailing from Hagonoy, Bulacan. He completed his priestly studies at the San Carlos Seminary in 1965 and was ordained the next year. His priestly ministry was focused on teaching the faith, being a theologian and seminary professor. Msgr. Vengco was also the founding chair of the Kadiwa sa Pagkapari Foundation, an organization looking a re the welfare of retired priests. He was a recipient of many awards, among them the Serviam Award given by the Catholic Mass Media for his role in conveying Christian values through media. He was also a recipient of the San Jose Award, as an outstanding alumnus of San Jose Seminary for his work for the elderly priests and his commitment to the teaching ministry. FATHER AMES FE RY, 95 YEARS OLD UNE 7, 1925 – MAY 28, 2021, Father Ferry was born on June 7, 1925, in New York, USA. His complete name is a long one — James Jay Timothy omas Patrick Paul Ferry. Before starting priestly life, he served at the US Navy during World War II as a corpsman (surgical nurse) before he entered Maryknoll in 1946. He rst came to the Philippines with American General Douglas MacArthur at the end of the war. In 2002, Pope John Paul II conferred to him the Medal Pro Ecclesia et Ponti ce (for the Church and the Ponti ). Father Jim, as he was fondly called, spent more than 50 years of his life in the Philippines, teaching seminaries and doing pastoral work in various communities. He celebrated his Golden Jubilee in 2006 presided by Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales here at the Shrine of Jesus. FATHER ARSENIO F. NALUNAT, 79 YEARS OLD DECEMBER 17, 1941 – APRIL 16, 2021 Father Arsi, as he was fondly called, served as parish priest in Malampaya, Palawan Province. He was also the
former Vicar of San Ro ue Cathedral in Caloocan City. He moved around using a wheeled walker or wheelchair. A stroke in 2008 re uired the removal of onefourth of his skull and le him comatose for seven months. He was proud of having survived the surgery while in a coma state. He used to be a resident of the Cardinal Sin Welcome Home too. He celebrated his Golden Sacerdotal Anniversary last November 28, 2020, which was held at the Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto. FR. MANUEL YSMAEL, 80 years old ANUARY 16, 1940 – ANUARY 5, 2021 One of the visiting priests of the Shrine of Jesus, Fr. Manny Ysmael is one of the community’s most supportive and well-loved guest priests. He served at the Military Ordinariate as Chief Chaplain of the Philippine Air Force and Philippine Navy. He is a certi ed marksman, who is an expert with the .45 caliber pistol and rated sharp shooter with the ArmaLite ri e. He retired from the military service with a rank of colonel, and continued his priestly mission. He will be remembered by the Shrine of Jesus community as a jolly and approachable priest, and will be missed for his enriching and enlightening homilies in English. Fr. Manny has been assisting our rector, Rev. Msgr. Bobby C. Canlas, in church assignments as guest priest for the Masses. He celebrated his 50th Sacerdotal Anniversary at the Shrine of Jesus in 2016.
As we celebrate 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines, we remember the legacy of our priests who passed away. ey were truly “Gi ed to Give”. ey inspired many of us to grow in our faith, to witness the joy of Jesus and dedication to HIm. We can say our Lolo Pari are interceding for us now as we deal with a challenging and bewildering pandemic.
John 14:5-6 omas said to him, "Master we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." 12 | The MASTER
Quotefalls by Bro. Leo Mascariñas
The Shrine of Jesus was inspired by St. John Paul II when he visited us in 1995 for the World Youth Day celebration. The message below is a part of his arrival address at the airport. To reveal the message, drop each letter under the appropriate column. The words are separated by a black space. The message is read from left to right. Some letters are provided to help you get started. Happy fiesta!
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