WYD Veterans Stress Confession for Papal Visit

The Papal visit is drawing near, and even if you can or cannot go to the Papal events, how about dropping by a chapel and avail yourself of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, especially those who haven't gone for years.  You can encounter Christ through confession in persona Christi and also go to holy communion too afterwards now that you are in a state of grace as Christ comes to you in His body, blood, soul and divinity.

With permission from CBCP News and Fr. Mickey Cardenas

MANILA, Dec. 17, 2014 — In a gathering held to prepare young people for the papal visit to the Philippines in January 2015, delegates to past World Youth Day (WYD) highlighted Pope Francis’ view that “the Church should be more like a ‘field hospital after battle’ with bishops serving as true pastors and priests spending more time in confessionals, consoling wounded souls”.

Papal Pages

Pope Francis celebrated his birthday last Wednesday, December 17, and I'm personally fulfilled since we reached 49,000 hits on that day.  In this season of giving, I'm giving thanks and I know to whom.  Alam mo yun.  Birthday niya sa 25.

And since the Pope is arriving on January 15, twenty years to the day Pope St. John Paul II went to Manila for World Youth Day, I'm jumping only once on this wagon and that's to lead you to the official website of Pope Francis' trip to the Philippines, papalvisit.ph.  The latest news and press briefings are there to keep you informed on His Holiness' visit.  

Archbishop Socrates Villegas also suggested as preparation for the papal visit to give ourselves this opportunity to go to the sacraments of confession and then the Eucharist.

Sources:
Schneible, A. Tea and Cake for Pope Francis as He Celebrates 78th Birthday. Catholic News Agency. web. December 19, 2014

Qaraqosh Falls

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News reports from different sources have related that Qaraqosh, or Bahkdida, located in Northern Iraq in the Nineveh province has fallen yesterday, August 7, as the Peshmerga and other allies have deemed it incapable of defense and made it an open city.  

The photo above from Yves Gellie of Getty Images shows a baptism of local Qaraqosh Christians in 2003.

Pope Francis has issued a message calling for prayers, peace and humanitarian assistance.  

There is also a website which helps you send your prayers across, Hozana.org.

One-on-One Time with Jesus

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Fr. C. John McCloskey invites us to the sacrament of confession in this article I'm sharing.  He actually broadens the goal for us that confession is just the wrapper for the gift that God has for us which is Himself in the Eucharist.  Fr. McCloskey says that most people whom he had spoken to who converted or reverted to the Faith really wanted their sins pardoned because they were looking for Christ afterwards in communion since they are in the state of grace already.  

Stand Down

If you read the article by Paul Adams To Aim at Virtue and Fall Short Does Not a Hypocrite Make, philosophical issues are at play towards the end and is a very nice read, like reading St. John Paul II's works.  What struck me though was the fact that there are some out there that will count you out if you fall from virtue.  May mga tao na pagnagkamali ang isang tao sila ay nagiging mga referees na pagbumagsak ka na sa boksing at magbibilang na sila, ang bilang ay One-Two-Ten, tapos.  Adams called them the "gotcha crowd."

Yes there are those types.  The uncanny reality of virtue and vice is that as people, we will fall, which is the effect of the original fall.  Baptism picked us up again but we still have

We're Reaching Holy Week, Let's Pass by the Confessional

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This would be an obvious choice of topic to post but for those who did not know prior to this, popes go to confession too and have been, as do priests, and this is not really unprecedented, except being filmed like this.  Check this article from the Catholic Herald written on March 28 or on the Catholic News Agency website or Pope Francis' Facebook page.  

Cardinal Tagle on Confession and Love

By Judgefloro [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

I was able to watch this episode at home before I went to Mass that Sunday.  The Word Exposed is a Jesuit Communications show featuring Luis Cardinal Tagle giving his reflections on the liturgy of the Word for a particular Sunday.  Afterwards, he tries to answer questions taken from Facebook and other media.  Since we're about the Sacrament of Reconciliation, I got excited when I watched it.

There's a part where I liked in which he reiterated a question: "Why does the Sacrament of Confession have many names?"  Click the link to watch the video.  You can also watch his homily on the Gospel for that day which is about true free will, grace, and God's love fulfilled by Our Lord as Jesus fulfills the law as "the apex of the freedom is found in love" and "only in the heart where true love, pure love is found can we also find true freedom and true obedience to the will of God".  

Excerpt of Interview of Crystallina Evert (in Manila) for Real Love Revolution

You can go to OneBillionStories.com for the complete video and see some of the pictures including the one where they took a shot from behind the stage and got everybody in the audience during Real Love Revolution 2013.  Wohoo!

From seeing failed relationships to going down a spiral not "realizing how far you are going" just to "numb the pain, to numb the reactions" and then taking a chance on attending a talk to understanding that she didn't want to feel ashamed of herself anymore, its a great message from Crystallina Evert about trusting God and knowing what love really is.  

Penitent in Advent?

By Ramon FVelasquez (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

At mass last Sunday, I was reminded in the homily why we don't say (or sing) the "Gloria" during Advent.  We are being penitent and getting ready for the Lord's Nativity that's why we do not say (or sing) the Gloria.  Just like during Lent when we remind ourselves of sins we did or our capability to do sin, we reflect and stand before our Lord with more contrition and appreciation for His coming.  It's an opportunity to sit down quicker, as I lean on one leg then to the next to ease the stress of standing, but we're getting close to Christmas.  After Christmas, Glorias will come back.

From Browsing Links to Humbling Joy

I was reading Simcha Fisher's piece Should We Burden Priests with Our Sins which followed up her post Ten Reasons You Should Get to Confession this Weekend, and it was about the other side of the confessional - what some priests felt when people go to them for the sacrament.  She recommended a link and it was an article by Fr. Mike Schmitz.

It was in contrast to what we as penitents do feel when we go to confession, being ashamed is one, oh and the feeling of relinquishing yourself as the center of the everybody because of the realization that there is truly the center of the universe and its not you.  However, it was humbling too that, as the conduit of God's grace in the sacrament, priests often see the bowed-head humility of people who have had their last confession just a few days ago or maybe in decades.  He said,

If they are seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation, it means that they are trying. That’s all that I care about. This thought is worth considering: going to Confession is a sign that you haven’t given up on Jesus.

2013 WYD Rio: Last Glimpse

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The dust settled literally as pilgrims returned to their own little piece of the world and began to recollect on their experience with other pilgrims.  However, the lingering thought, which could be reflected upon til the end of their lives if they continue to seek it, was the encounter with the vertical dimension, with the Holy Trinity and its love.  I hope so indeed.

WYD Rio Update: Next is Krakow

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World Youth Day Rio ended on an inspirational note, with our Mother Mary, as we are all invited to fear not and serve, and the Pope invited all of us, including the millions (I think) in attendance for the Mass at Copacobana beach.  The aerial shots showed the beach almost 80% packed with people.  

However, the Masses and adoration were the high points of the past week, not because of the attendance, but of Christ among us in spirit and in the Blessed Host.  

Christ Promises Much More than a World Cup - Fr. Alphonso Maria Bruno, Zenit.org


Pope's Homily at Closing Mass of World Youth Day at Copacabana Beach - Pope Francis' homily, Zenit.org

On Mary: Our Model and Mother - Pope Francis' address after the Angelus, Zenit.org

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Lk1:38). But what did she do immediately afterwards? On receiving the grace of being the Mother of the Incarnate Word, she did not keep that gift to herself; she set off, she left her home and went in haste to help her kinswoman Elizabeth, who was in need of assistance (cf. Lk1:38-39); she carried out an act of love, of charity,of practical service, bringing Jesus who was in her womb. And she did all this in haste!

Poles Thrilled to Hear Next World Youth Day in Krakow - Estefania Aquirre, Natl Catholic Register

Local WYD Day Celebration Must be Made Meaningful to Youth-Priest - Jan Dell Posion, WYD Pinoy


Baguio Diocese Hold Local WYD Celebration - Jan Dell Posion, WYD Pinoy

Resources:

Aquirre, E. Poles Thrilled to Hear Next World Youth Day in Krakow. National Catholic Register: 28 July 2013. web
Bruno, A.M. Christ Promises Much More than a World Cup. Zenit.org: 28 July 2013. web
Pope Francis. Homily on Copacobana Beach. Zenit.org: 28 July 2013. web
Pope Francis. On Mary: Our Model and Mother. Zenit.org: 28 July 2013. web
Posion, J.D. Local WYD Day Celebration Must be Made Meaningful to Youth-Priest. WYD Pinoy: 26 July 2013. web
Posion, J.D. Baguio Diocese Hold Local WYD Celebration. WYD Pinoy: 27 July 2013. web

WYD Rio Update: First Days

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We have some new updates from pilgrims of the World Youth Day activities in Brazil.

From WYD Pinoy, Filipinos who have sponsor families in the Brazilian town of Petropolis exchange laughs, joyful experiences and sorrowful goodbyes as they move on from their missionary week stop-over to Rio de Janeiro in this piece.

“But what I found unique in the pre-WYD week activities in Brazil is the emphasis on educating the pilgrims about their faith, their country, their community and their environment.”

Blessed John Paul II, Jason Evert and September 7

It seems like a strange triad of people and a date but read on for a few moments.  There is great news about the confirmation of sainthood to be given to Blessed John Paul II following news a few days ago of a woman in Costa Rica who was cured through his intercession.  It only affirms our understanding of the man; his life and works are made of good fruit, like the good book shows us.  Ultimately, that is how we will be assessed at the end of all things, not on our looks or how much we have, but by the fruits.  

Some of those good fruits were in Blessed John Paul's writings such as papal encyclicals, for example Laborem Exercens (On Human Work), Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), Fides et Ratio (Faith and Reason).   Additionally, he also had his audiences where he was able to convey his work on the Theology of the Body (TOB), a collection of 129 speeches he gave during his Wednesday audiences starting in 1979.  

These audiences delve into our relationship with God, his divine plan and how it is expressed through our bodies, weak as it may be.  Coming from the TOB Institute, it gives a hearty description of the TOB.

"John Paul’s theology of the body not only paves the way for lasting renewal of marriage and the family; it enables everyone to rediscover 'the meaning of the whole of existence, the meaning of life' (TOB 46:6)".

2013 World Youth Day Rio Updates

With the approach of World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, here are local and international updates /links on the WYD festivities, most of them coming from the WYD Pinoy website.   Thanks to them.  Read their entire entries on their website.  I'm just linker, spreading the word.

Pope to hear confessions of 5 young people of different nationalities

"Pope Francis will hear the confessions five youths, three men and two women during his visit to the Vocations Fair in Quinta da Boa Vista, on the 26th of July. The young people, three Brazilians, one Venezuelan and one Italian, were surprised by the news on the day of Our Lady Help of Christians, May 24th." 

The Late Cardinal Sin and his Habit of Confessing

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Leslie Ann G. Aquino of the Manila Bulletin wrote a interesting part of the life of the Late Jaime Cardinal Sin of the Archdiocese of Manila and his personal commitment to the sacrament of reconciliation.  It was given during the the mass of the commemoration of the Cardinal's death eight years ago. 

Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio is Pope Francis

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I woke up, got to work and then found out that we have a new pontiff.  It is quite humbling that he asks of us our prayers, like a family member asking us support for the upcoming challenge.  Let's offer him our joys and sorrows as well.  Click the Urbi et Orbi link to go to the Vatican website.

I like how he was down to earth and just like anybody else when he said his first words at the balcony.  

"And now I would like to give the blessing, but first - first I ask a favour of you: before the Bishop blesses his people, I ask you to pray to the Lord that he will bless me: the prayer of the people asking the blessing for their Bishop.  Let us make, in silence, this prayer:  your prayer over me."

Pope Francis the 1st - Urbi et Orbi - March 12, 2013

Some more news and blog articles about our new Pope.

Habemus Papam! Pope Francis by Dan Burke
Cardinal Bergoglio Is the 267th Successor of St. Peter - Zenit
Pope Francis Begins Pontificate Leading Faithful in Prayer - Zenit
Nail Biting Moments - Fr. Tim Finnigan
Vatican Hail the Election of Pope Francis - NCRegister

Love, Life and Everything in Between Talk - Excerpt - by Jason Evert

I've been looking for a  Jason Evert video on Youtube and I stumbled on this one which was done here in Manila when he visited.  It's a great talk by Jason Evert on life and love, for people who are thinking of the next 6 months with someone special then finding out about eternity.  

Event: Postscript on Real Love Revolution 2012

Leah Darrow and Chris Stephanick came to the World Trade Center in Pasay City and gave us a glimpse of love that we are created to have.  To those who attended, I hope you had a fun and fulfilling time.  Click below to read the article. 

A Real Love Revolution