CTK Parish Newsletter 2018-4 Low
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October-december 2018 THE HERALD 2019 is Year of Another Successful CTK Unveils New Year for Kingdom the Youth Parish Logo of Heaven Fair The Philippine Catholic Church will The 2018 edition of Kingdom of Heaven celebrate 2019 as the ‘Year of the Youth’, in the wake of the World Synod of 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 Oirst 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 The new parish logo was unveiled during the Parish Fiesta Fellowship last November 24. The journey to a new logo began when Fr. Steve arrived and the problem was posed – after 40 years as a parish and 30 years with a new church, Christ the King continued on page 6 Parish Greenmeadows never had a consistent logo, with various symbols Bishops on young people that concluded and imagery being adopted at different What’s Inside last October 28. The October 3 to 28 times to capture the spirit and essence 2 Fr. Steve Zabala: With Mary This Advent Synod of Bishops has as its theme, of the parish. When the parish began, ‘Young People, the Faith, and Vocational 3 Comple<ng Advent Season and Simbang Gabi those in charge used a traditional 4 2019 is Year of the Youth 5 Devo<on to Mary Highlighted During Rosary Month continued on page 4 continued on page 16 6 Another Successful Year for Kingdom of Heaven Fair 7 CTK Commemorates the Faithful Departed CTK Celebrates November 25 Feast of Christ 8 CTK Youth Ministry KicKs Off Fiesta Celebra<on 9 CTK Celebrates Feast with Novena, Fiesta Mass the King with Nine-Day Novena and Fiesta 11 Fiesta Fellowship Honors Past CTK Parish Priests 13 Bishop Honesto F. Ong<oco Celebrates Seven Decades Christ the King Parish Greenmeadows days of 6 pm novena masses, from 14 CTK Commissions LeComs, EMHCs, GreCols for 2019 celebrated its Oiesta day last November November 16 to November 24, except for 15 Cateche<cal Ministry Organizes Kumpilang Bayan 25, the Solemnity of Christ the King and November 18, a Sunday, where the 16 Thirty Children Receive First Communion the last Sunday in Ordinary Time. The novena mass was at the regular 6:30 pm 16 CTK Unveils New Parish Logo special day of days was preceded by nine time. CTK invited different presiders for 17 Msgr. Mor<: Turning 83 and S<ll Going Strong 18 PPC Sends Four Parishioners to Life Direc<ons W’shop 19 Following Jesus with Maturity at Stewardship TalK 20 Becoming More Effec<ve Proclaimers of the Word 21 Fr. McTavish on Same Sex A\rac<on, Homosexuality 22 EMHCs Encouraged to Model A]er Mary's Virtues 23 Diocese Assembly of Social Communica<ons Ministry 24 How to Add Years to Seniors’ Lives 25 Stewardship Commi\ee Releases Gi] Fridge Magnets 26 Fr. Harold Parilla Focuses on Spiritual Maturity for Advent Recollec<on 27 CTK GM GK Project Celebrates 9th Foundaon Day 28 Fr. Gilbert Leads Advent Recollec<on for Kasambahays 29 CWL Visits Camp Karingal Ladies Dorm ‘PDLs’ 30 Ladies of Charity Quarterly Ac<vi<es 31 Basic Ecclesial Communi<es (BEC) Quarterly Ac<vi<es 31 BuKlod ng Panginoon Quarterly Ac<vi<es 32 Fr. Steve Leads Holy Land Pilgrimage 33 PPC Concludes 2019 Planning and Budge<ng 36 Mustard Seed Stages Volunteers WorKshop 36 From the Editors continued on page 9 Message From With Mary this Advent Our Parish Priest by Rev. Fr. Steven C. Zabala coming of Christ is understood in two for he has looked with favor on the senses. Oirst, Christmas is a remembrance lowliness of his servant.’ She is thankful for what the Lord has done to her. As a Last October, I of the Oirst coming of Christ - his coming Stewardship parish, we should remember accompanied some in the lesh, when he was born in a that the very basis of our spirituality is pilgrims to the Holy manger in the town of Bethlehem, 2000 gratitude for all the wondrous things and Land. The itinerary years ago; a celebration of God becoming blessings that come from Him. Look around and count your blessings, your included the a human being in the person of his only family, your work, your daily sustenance. baptismal site son, Jesus Christ. Second, Advent is a time Thank God daily. along the Jordan when our ‘minds and hearts are led to • She invites us to be generous. By saying River, mount of look forward to Christ’s Second Coming at yes to God, she shared all of herself. Her temptation, Jericho, the end of time’ (Ordo). very person was at God’s disposal, totally Caesarea Philippi, Capernaum, Nazareth, cooperating with God’s grand plan of Cana, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, Christmas has a more festive character. salvation. What can we give back to God as an offering when everything we have and Samaria. The Philippines is regarded as celebrating belongs to him? What are we willing to the longest Christmas. When the ‘ber’ give of ourselves so that God can fulill his The highlight of the pilgrimage was the months begin (September to December), plan for us? May our generosity build visit to the Church of the Sepulchre in Christmas decor and songs start to appear lives and bring a smile to other people Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in the malls. Thus, the Advent season is especially the poor. in Bethlehem. These two sites always characterized by parties, shopping, gift • Lastly, Mary invites us to pray. After the have the longest lines. It took us 3 hours giving, rafles, games and houses shepherds told her about the amazing things the angels told them about the in line at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre brightened up by Christmas lights, baby Jesus, we are told that ‘Mary before we could enter the tomb of Jesus lanterns and trees. treasured all these words and pondered and 2 hours in the Church of the Nativity them in her heart.’ (Luke 2:19) At some before we could touch the birth spot of Originally though, Advent was a period of point, we need to pause. Spend some time fasting to accompany repentance and in prayer and just be in God’s presence our Lord, located right below the altar of reOlecting about our life. the Church. prayer leading to Christmas. The Council of Tours (567AD) instructed monks to fast Below is Saint John Paul II’s prayer to the A silver star marks the exact spot of daily in the month of December. Advent Blessed Virgin during Advent: Christ’s birthplace. Two staircases was referred to as a ‘little Lent’ for its May the Virgin Mary help us to open the (entrance and exit) descend a few feet similarity with Lenten fast and penitence. doors of our hearts to Christ, Redeemer into the site where pilgrims kneel and kiss As it evolved, fasting would cease being a of man and of history; may she teach us the birth spot. The spot has a Latin text requirement for Advent but the to be humble, because God looKs upon ‘Hic De Virgine Maria Jesus Christus Natus component of repentance was retained. the lowly; may she enable us to grow in Est' which means ‘Here Jesus Christ was The sober Advent became a joyful understanding the value of prayer, of born to the Virgin Mary’. preparation for Christmas. inner silence, of listening to God’s Word; may she spur us to seek God’s will deeply ‘Born to the Virgin Mary.’ With this Mary and Advent and sincerely, even when this upsets our statement, I suddenly realized that the How can Mary guide us in our Advent plans; may she encourage us while we Virgin Mary can guide us in our Advent preparation? wait for the Lord, sharing our <me and energies with those in need.Mother of preparation. While John the Baptist was • Mary invites us to prepare a room for oficially appointed to prepare for the God, Virgin of expecta<on, grant that the the Lord Jesus. She urges all of us to God-who-comes will find us ready to coming of the Messiah, Mary has done the look inward and allow Jesus, as he was receive the abundance of his mercy. May most immediate preparation - offering born in the her womb, to be born in our hearts. Mary Most Holy, ‘Woman of the her womb as the Oirst home of the baby Eucharist’ and Virgin of Advent, prepare Jesus for his Oirst nine months on earth, • She invites us to repentance and us all to joyfully welcome Christ’s coming inding a place to give birth to the child, sancti>ication. Mary was immaculately conceived because God wants to prepare and to celebrate worthily his sacramental taking him to safety when Herod ordered a clean womb for the baby Jesus. Christ’s presence in the mystery of the Eucharist. all babies two years and below to be coming must also clean and purify our killed, bringing him to the temple, Oinding heart. His grace must melt and cleanse My Personal Thanks him there when he got lost and doing all our hearts that have been hardened by To end, allow me to offer you, the CTK her motherly duties to the baby such as hatred, unforgiveness, and evil.