Monthly Archives: December 2018

Last October, I accompanied some pilgrims to the Holy Land. The itinerary included the baptismal site along the Jordan River, mount of temptation, Jericho, Caesarea Philippi, Capernaum, Nazareth, Cana, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, and Samaria. The highlight of the pilgrimage was the visit to the Church of the Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. These two sites always have the longest lines. It took us 3 hours in line at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre before we could enter the tomb of Jesus and 2 hours…continue reading →

Advent officially began at the 6 pm mass on December 1, the first Sunday of Advent. The mass was marked by the blessing of the Advent Wreath as well as the Prayer and Lighting of the 1st Advent Candle, led by the Leongson family, nominated by the Altar Servers Liturgical Ministry. For the rest of the December 1-2 weekend, the lighting of the Advent Candle were done by: Diwanihan Kristiyano’s Cruz family; LeCom Liturgical Ministry’s dela Llana family; Christian Family Movement’s Cruz family; EMHC’s Tecson family; Mustard Seed Ministry’s Dangel family; Knights of…continue reading →

The Philippine Catholic Church will celebrate 2019 as the ‘Year of the Youth’, in the wake of the World Synod of Bishops on young people that conclude last October 28. The October 3 to 28 Synod of Bishops has as its theme, ‘Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment.’ The year-long celebration, which will start on the first Sunday of Advent on Dec. 2, will carry the theme ‘Filipino Youth in Mission: Beloved, Gifted, Empowered.’ This follows the past 12 months celebration of the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons. The Episcopal…continue reading →

Christ the King Parish Greenmeadows celebrated October as Rosary Month in a big way. On the first day, October 1, a Sunday, the Holy Rosary was recited and flowers offered at 4:20 pm. before the 5 pm Sunday mass. The Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, was prayed in all masses starting with the October 1 5 pm mass. It went: "O Mother Mary, grant that the recitation of your Rosary may be for me each day, in the midst of my manifold dutes, a bond of…continue reading →

The 2018 edition of Kingdom of Heaven Fair was successfully held last October 21, a Sunday, from 1 pm to 5 pm at the Parish Social Hall. To recall, the Kingdom of Heaven Fair, also known as ‘Holyween’ was first mounted in 2016 as the Catholic foil to the vampires, witches, zombies, monsters, devils, slasher- horror villains, and vampire themes that pervade the ‘traditional’ Halloween celebration. Displaying great collaboration and cooperation, three CTK ministries – the children’s or Mustard Seed Ministry led by Sonny and Mina Mejia, the Youth Ministry headed by Louie…continue reading →

Christ the King Parish Greenmeadows scheduled a triduum of masses for those interred in the CTK crypts. The first was at 9 am on October 31 at the Lower Crypt chapel; the second at 9 am on November 1 at the Lower Crypt; and the third and last day, November 2, saw two masses, the first at 9 am at the Lower Crypt and the second at 3 pm, at the Main Church. In observance of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, CTK crypts were open from 6am to 10pm last October…continue reading →

It was another fun night last November 17, with the organizers of the traditional Parish Youth Fiesta Kick-Off delivering on their promise of ‘a night full of fun’. Entitled ‘Color the Night’, the annual event, usually staged the weekend before the parish feast day was organized by the CTK Youth Ministry headed by Louie and Lei Abando. It officially started at 7:30 pm, with the opening remarks by CTK parish priest Fr. Steve Zabala. Fr. Steve first recognized the different delegations, from Bukas Palad, Timothy Ministry, Days With the Lord. In his opening…continue reading →

Christ the King Parish Greenmeadows celebrated its fiesta day last November 25, the Solemnity of Christ the King and the last Sunday in Ordinary Time. The special day of days was preceded by nine days of 6 pm novena masses, from November 16 to November 24, except for November 18, a Sunday, where the novena mass was at the regular 6:30 pm time. CTK invited different presiders for nine days and asked the different villages to coordinate, as follows: 1. November 16: Fr. Jeff Quintana with White Plains & WP Terraces as offerors…continue reading →

Nearly 300 Parish Pastoral Council members and involved parishioners helped celebrate the Feast of Christ the King with a Parish Fiesta Fellowship celebration dinner following the ninth novena mass last November 24 for all Parish Pastoral Council members, Eucharistic ministers, lectors- commentators, greeter-collectors, parish staff, village coordinators, and other involved parishioners. Worship Ministry head Leila Banico as overall organizer for the event saw to it that all parts of the program went on smoothly. The celebration, with the theme – ‘Concluding the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons: Renewed Servant Leaders, Renewed…continue reading →

A Solemn Eucharistic Celebration at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral on Lantana St., Cubao, at 6 pm on October 20 marked Bishop Ongtioco’s 70th birthday. It was followed with a festive dinner-program at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral High School gym. Then on the morning of December 8, Bishop Ness celebrated his 46th Presbyteral Anniversary with the mass on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Cubao Cathedral. Parish Pastoral Councils and youth representatives from the 47 different parishes of the diocese were encouraged to come in designated vicariate…continue reading →