Mandylion_ParishBulletin_MAY 17

Ika-anom na Domingo nin Paskwa
The Reason For My Hope
We live in a
hyperconnected yet
religiously fragmented
world. One peculiar
trait of modernity is the
dispersion of the society
into independent systems.
No longer could truth be
found in just one center but into several
competitive centers. Result: people are highly
opinionated. Relativism seems to dictate our
daily discourse. My truth versus your truth.
Others call it a post-truth period. Truth
seems to less and less matter. Feelings, most
especially vitriol ones define the character of
national leaders.
Therefore our faith will be tested,
provoked and ridiculed from countless
perspectives. Almost in every nook and
corner of our social space, religion is
looked down as a pre-scientific worldview
or a fossilized myth from the books.
Others would simply dismiss it as a
psychological construct. New atheists like
the Dawkins and Hitchens have put up
a savvy and relentless attack on religion
itself. Question is: How many of us could
The story of Our Lady of Fatima imparts not only a
revelation but also principles that we must stick to.
give a ready answer to those who question
our faith?
The letter of Peter in the second
reading admonishes us to be “always be
ready to give an explanation to anyone
who asks you for a reason for your hope.”
Some would try to escape the conundrum
by shifting to Orthopraxis. “It’s ok not to
understand and explain doctrines for as
long as you’re a good person.“ And so,
questions about articles of our faith are left
unanswered. Children today go to senior
high or college and would usually find an
atheist or agnostic professor. Where will they
go to find answers if we can’t account for the
hope within us?
While Christianity has a very strong
ethical code rooted at the Sermon on the
Mount or the Beatitudes, it is never satisfied
by the dumbed-down alibi to just “being
good.” We are a logos religion. Benedict
XVI said that our religion is a religion of the
word, of reason, meaning and intelligence.
There is so much to explore in our faith
and most of the time we get to scratch only
its surface. The Pope Emeritus reminds
Lectio matris
us of the need to reason out, to wrestle
with our creed, to keep on search for “only
creative reason, which in the crucified God
is manifested as love, can really show us the
way”
Jesus once asked his apostles: “Who do
people say i am?” Peter answered: “You are
Christ, the Son of the living God.” Getting
the teaching right matters immensely. There
should be no room for relativism . We take
seriously doctrine. That is why we have creedsformal
statement of faith. Baptism asks us to
profess our faith through the creed. However,
in our effort to pronounce the right creed, let
us also remember the second part of Peter’s
admonition:“ …do it with gentleness and
reverence, keeping your conscience clean”
Our purpose in explaining our faith is
not to win an argument. Our purpose is to
win someone for Christ. We don’t have to beat
our enemies to prove we are right. If we love
them more than winning an argument, then
we are following St. Peter. Let us be bold in our
speech. Let us be smart. Let us be theologically
informed. Let us all do these in love.
By Fr. Francis Tordilla
mistreatment and continued sacrificing to save sinners from hell as
Mary encouraged them.
Diligently praying the rosary isn‘t for show and a vague
obligation. The three children, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta of
Fatima, before Mary and the angel‘s apparations, often shortened
prayers to get done more quickly.
Thus, they were told the importance of prayers for peace—for
it contributed to goodwill in the middle of war, famine, violence and
anger that shifted in the time of Mary’s apparations up ‘til now.
Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta were persecuted by their
community, as well as their religious leaders, for ‘lying’ as their
claims seemed outrageous for onlookers. They had to endure this
Sacrifice isn’t much of a complex concept for children to realize
even in small ways.
The whole thing was a huge ordeal—branded as liars,
questioned repeatedly, and even imprisoned for a short time—and
quite traumatic, too, for the three children to put up with. But they
did not give in and did what Mary asked of them.
That perhaps is the biggest lesson from Our Lady: courage is
needed to face obstacles. Life challenges whoever and of whatever
age. Faith gives you that courage, and you have to be brave enough
to embrace such faith. By Jahzara Endriga

Vivid Reflections
during the
Covid 19 Pandemic
While the human race battles against
a virus so strong that it put a halt into life,
managed to make people go home to their
loved ones and gave everyone enough time
to re assess their existence, one cannot help
but ask how much did you learn through this
experience? Allow me to share with you some
of the interesting gains people got from this
lockdown.
“Help is help. Mayong sadit o dakulang tabang and maski
sisay ka and ano man ang status mo you will need help and you
can always give help din. You are not alone. You may think
and feel that you are pero dai yan totoo kasi maski stranger may
pakiaram or makikiaram saimo. And lastly, Prayer talaga is
the best tool against anything and everything.” – Jade
Cedro-Domino, an OFW and member of Kindness Team Naga
“Health and family is wealth. Dawa nuarin pa man dapat ta
ini pirming tinatawan nin importansya.
Sa bawat kadipisalan asin pagsakit, hanapan ta ning magayon
na rason kung tano nangyayari ang mga ini. Pwedeng may
mga leksyon sa buhay ta or pwede na may madiskobre
kitang mga opportunities na sa arog kaining sitwasyon lang
nagluwas (sa business or personal na buhay) Iwasan ta na
ang magparareklamo asin maging grateful kita poon sa
pinakasaradit asin mga simpleng bagay na winawaras sato nin
Diyos. Gabos iyan blessing.” – Michelle Tolosa-Lim, Wife &
Mother of 4, Entrepreneur
“Health is the top priority. Economies of countries will
be put to halt if public safety is at risk. On the micro level, each
person should be mindful of their personal and family’s health.
Bravery of the medical frontliners are admirable. They
remain steadfast to their oath to serve despite the fear they are
experiencing. We cannot lose them because who will treat us?
Volunteerism is not status-biased. No one is too rich nor
too poor if you want to help those in need. Many people are
getting hungry due to lost jobs/income. No amount is too small
to help feed the hungry.” – Krystine Lauang-Pagdayunan, Sales
Manager and USI Alumni Board Member
May this experience elevate our learning towards the
goodness of mankind and how much our Lord loves us. He is
truly our Saviour and He comes in many forms, through our
family, our loved ones, our friends, our Leaders, our Medical
Front liners, our Priests, our parish members and sometimes
even through strangers. We are not alone for we are His
children.
Tinipon ni Karen Bisana-Tolentino
Extraordinary
Ministers with
Extraordinary
Ministry
Some thoughts from our
Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy
Eucharist who give communion to the
sick as regards their experience and their
source of inspiration.
Regarding sa pag serve Kay Lord
Experiences kadakol na, way back in
my youth days I was a member of YE and YFC who
always love Serving the Lord on Youth Camp and Youth
Encounter with No limits. I’m also a member of SFC and
Eventually joined CFC with My God’s Gift Partner my
Wife Maricel. My family is my inspiration for my Service
to the Lord.
When we are giving the body of Christ to the Sick is
a big responsibility. Before I’m afraid of that obligations
until personally experience it. No equivalent Joy and
Love For that Experience. The gratitude of the sick for
your effort is like Heavens Joy. Bringing Christ to all in
our hand is a gift of Love by God that need to be shared.
(Benedict Aguirre)
Sa paagi ning pagpakomunyon sa mga may helang,
nabubuhayan ang sakong espiritu asin pagkamoot sa
kagurangnan. Nagtutubod ako na saro man ining paagui
na ako nakakabalos sa Diyos, nakakapahiling ning
pagpasalamat sa mga biyaya na sakong nareresibe sa
saiya. Mga dai ko malingawan na eksperiyensya:
1. Ogwang sarong gurang, na sa kahaluyan ko
siyang tgpapakumonyon, sarong semana bago
siya dagos na nagpaaram sa kinaban, saka
lang sako nagngirit. Siguro paagui niya ning
pagpasalamat asin pagpaaram.
2. Ogwa man saro na sa kada pagpakumunyon,
tghahagad niya na sya sakong pangadyian asin
bago ako maghali, siya napray over asin ako
tgbeblessan.
3. Ogwa man saro na ako sinabihan, ang
pagpakomunyon ko garo man lang daa ako
nagpepreparar ning kwarto sa harong ning
kagurangnan. (Janthe Espiritu)
Compiled by Sophia Dipon

News Update
The New Normal: Highlights of the Guidelines
of DOH in the Places of Worship
Now that the majority of the Provinces in the Philippines
are placed under Modified General Community Quarantine,
the Government through the Inter Agency Task Force have
recommended some health measures and standards to protect and
shield individuals, families and communities got infected of the
unseen enemy- the NCOV 19 Virus. These measures is now what we
call the “new normal”, a norm that we will strictly practice in public
including Churches and Places of Worship, until the cure or vaccine
for COVID-19 disease is developed. This new norms will allow
operation of essential services and guide the mobility of people.
Physical Distancing
Physical distancing means maintaining a space between
yourself and the other person when outside of your home. DOH
recommends at least 2 meters from other people. Physical distancing
strictly prohibits gathering in groups.
Wearing of masks
The wearing of masks is made mandatory in public, this is to
prevent the spread of NCoV 19 virus, when a person is speaking,
coughing or sneezing in close proximity with another person. Is the
washable face mask recommended? We can also use the washable
mask to protect ourselves, since we reserve the supply of surgical
masks to the front liners who are in very close proximity to patients
who are classified as either, probable, suspect and persons confirmed
with COVID-19 disease, specially we have a shortage of surgical
mask.
Hand washing and disinfecting
According to WHO clean hands protect people from being
infected. During the ECQ and even GCQ or MGCQ, washing of
hands with soap is recommended to be done frequently, a proper
hand washing steps were also provided in social media platforms
“If anyone is sick, let him call on the elders of the church.
They shall pray for him, anointing him with oil in the name of the
Lord. The prayer said in faith will save the sick person. The Lord will
raise him up and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven”
(James 5:14-15).
Although with mobility restrictions due to the General
Community Quarantine protocol, Fr. Mijares and Fr. Mojica of
Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Jude Thaddeus visited some
10 sick parishioners in Sitio Magdalena on May 11, 2020. These sick
persons are not yet at the point of death but have been longing and
waiting to receive the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.
for people to remember, by singing the Happy Birthday song twice.
This is the best way of disinfecting oneself. The use of alcohol as
disinfectant is also recommended specially when water and soap is
not available.
Respiratory Hygiene
DOH recommends the following measures as correct coughing
etiquettes; cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing with
elbow or tissue, afterwhich, tissue must be dispensed of properly.
In Churches and Public places, it is recommended for the
following to be strictly developed and practiced:
1.Ensure availability of resources for Infection, Prevention and
Control (IPC) for COVID-19
2. Development of clear IPC Policies
3. Train church staff and servers to high touch areas that will be
cleaned and disinfected regularly
4. Provide adequate space to allow physical distance among
church goers
5. provide adequate infrastructure for water supply, waste water
and solid waste services
6. Installing hand hygiene facility in the Church and chapels at
the entry point, Note: tap can be turned off with arm or foot
7. There should be a disability accessible hand hygiene
optionThese new norms according to DOH will help in slowing
the COVID-19 infection, while the Government is still firming
up our health care system to accommodate number of confirmed
persons and until the cure for COVID-19 is made available. As
a strategy, the Government is strengthening the 3 T’s (Testing,
tracing and Treating) to mitigate deaths and increase recoveries.
Everyone is oblige to adhere with the standard health measures
and Infection Prevention and control for COVID-19.
By Eleanor Peña
Rediscovering Pastoral Care for the Sick
As observed by Fr. Mojica, there was so much peace and joy on
the faces of the sick persons after anointing
them with oil in the name of the Lord. With the word of God, they
learned to trust Him, for they were given assurance, the promise of
love and God’s presence in their life. The joy in their heart is but the
fruit of peace , the peace of Christ, as seen on their faces.
With the priests praying for them and anointing them with oil,
Fr. Mijares observed that they “are given again a sort of physical
hope and felt again the need for the spiritual power of God. Also,
thru Anointing, they felt they are part and that they belong to the
parish and to the Body of Christ, the church”.
Here are some discoveries and realizations after the sick received
the sacrament of Anointing by the priests:
There was healing- not much of physical but more of spiritual
healing which can contribute to physical healing.
With Anointing, there is an increase of sanctifying grace for the
sick. With the pandemic crisis, they have so many issues and concerns
bothering them. But when they received the sacrament of Anointing,
Healing, forgiveness, love and joy entered their life. In union with
God, there is no reason to worry, no reason to be weak in facing
temptations, in avoiding sins and trials in life. By Melba Vera Cruz

Santa Elena, Santa Krus
asin Santakrusan
(Enot na Parte)
Sarong bantog asin
makolór na debosyon
kan satong Simbahan sa
bulan nin Mayo iyo an
Santakrusan. Maniribaiba
an pagkasabot asin
pagpahayag kan debosyon
na ini sa mga probinsya kan Pilipinas. Para
sa iba, ini parte kan Flores de Mayo, sarong
pag-taóng onra ki Maria, an Ina kan Dyos.
Nin huli ta an bulan nin Mayo, bulan nin
pagbukad kan mga burak, ginigiromdom
kan Simbahan si Maria paagi kan pagdulot
nin mga burak sa palibot kan saiyang
imahen. Sa “katapusan” kan siyam na
aldaw na pag-debosyon ki Maria, ginigibo
an Reyna Elena, o an pagpili nin mga
babae sa parokya na marepresentar sa
maniriba-ibang kalidad ni Santa Elena,
an ina kan Emperador na si Constantino
(+337). Sa ibang lugar inaapod ining
Santakrusan susog sa sarong tradisyon na si
Santa Elena an nakakua kan tunay na krus
ni Hesus. Iyo ini an enot na pagkasabot kan
Santakrusan. Sa ibang parte kan Pilipinas
an Santakrusan iyo an Aurora, sarong
prusisyon kan Mahal na Krus na ginigibo
pagkabanggi sa maniriba-ibang banwaan
o barangay. May kinakanta na mga gozos
asin dalit siring man mga pamibi arog kan
alabasyon. Pano nin kaogmahan asin tunay
sinisibutan an tulong gawe nin pagdebosyon
na sinasabing minana pa sa mga Kastila.
Mag-untok muna kita nin kadikit na
panahon mantang nagrarani an maogmang
selebrasyon kan mga ini, asin paghurophoropan
an patugmadan kan satuyang mga
tinutubod. An gabos minaikot sa pigura kan
Mahal na Krus. Ano an mga ginikanan kan
pagdebosyon sa krus kan Kagurangnan asin
pano ini nakaabot sa présenteng gawe?
Masasabing an pag-debosyon sa Mahal
na Krus halos kasabay kan pagpuon kan
mga perigrinahe sa Tierra Santa. Pakatapos
runuton kan mga Romano an mga rebelyon
kan mga Judio, kaiba na digdi mismo an
syudad kan Herusalem, minawot kan
Emperador na si Adriano (114-138 AD)
na sanglian an ngaran kan Judea bilang
“Syria Palestina” asin an Jerusalem bilang
“Aelia Capitolina” tanganing mapara sa
memorya kan mga Judio asin Kristyano
an importansya kan lugar asin tanganing
dai na sinda magtalubo pa. Bunga kan
katuyuhan na ini iyo an pag-raót sa Templo
kan Jerusalem (70 AD), an pag-patag kan
Bukid nin Kalbaryo asin an pag-tugdok
kan sarong templo ni Venus sa tuktok
kaini. Pinatupas nya man an bukid kun
sain sinasabing makukua an lolobngan ni
Hesus dangan nagtugdok man duman nin
templo sa onra ni Jupiter Capitolinus. An
pagpatugdok kan mga paganong templo iyo
lugod an nagin dahilan kun tano nailikay
an mga sagradong lugar na ini para sa mga
Kristyano sa ano man na katibaadan.
Kan magin Emperador si Constantino
(312 AD), tinugutan an mga Kristyano
na magpahayag sa publiko kan saindang
pagtubod. Susog sa historiador na si
Eusebio kan Caesaria, si Constantino
nakumbinsi kan saiyang ina na si Elena
na magin Kristyano asin ini nagpabunyag
sa huring parte kan saiyang buhay. Ini an
dahilan kun tano si Constantino nagpuon
na magsusog kan mga sagradong lugar sa
Tierra Santa. Kan taon 326, ipinagaba
niya an templo ni Jupiter Capitolinus asin
ipinagibo an presenteng Simbahan kan
Banal na Lulongan Sa Jerusalem (Church
of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem). Siring
man ipinagaba an templo ni Venus sa
Bukid nin Kalbaryo asin nakua giraray
an lugar kan pinagpakuan ki Hesus.
Sinuratan kan Emperador si Macario,
Obispo kan Jerusalem, na hanapon an Krus
ni Kristo. Sa mga panahon man na idto,
minawot man ni Elena na dumanan an
mga sagradong lugar kun kaya apisar kan
saiyang edad, siya nag-istar nin duwang
taon sa Palestina.
Sa puntong ini, masasabi nyato
na an pagkakua kan sinasabing Krus
ni Kristo asin an pagigin imbwelto ni
Santa Elena parehong totoong nangyari
susog sa mga natadang dokumentong. Sa
sunod, pag-uurulayan ta kun pano nagin
parte kan duwang klaseng alamat an
mga pangyayaring ini sa kasaysayan kan
Simbahan. By Fr. Francis Tordilla