parishworks! 1 Vol. 6 No. 38 December 18, 2010 website: http://www.saaparish.com and http://www.facebook.com/saaparish Pastor’s Message Msgr. Sunga Celebrates All are Immanuels 67th Bday by: Rev. Msgr. Emmanuel Suñga Dear Parishioners: Christmas is near. It is a period for so many Christ to come out (not Santa Claus) to manifest concretely God’s love for many needy persons. The world needs so many Immanuels today Our beloved Pastor Msgr. Emmanuel V. Sunga When Helen Keller was two years old a serious celebrated his 67th birthday at Hagonoy, Bulacan with his illness destroyed both her sight and her hearing. family, friends and parishioners from different parishes. Imagine not being able to see or hear. When she was seven, a teacher named Anne Sullivan tackled This year, members of the youth ministry and altar turn to page 3 servers of St. Andrew with the participation of Fr. Jeffrey turn to page 2 SUNDAY GOSPEL First Simbang Gabi opens the Year of the Youth MT 1:18-24 The Logo of the Double Celebrationmeaning of the logo explained @ page 4 The Cross stands for Jesus Christ our Lord, Brother of the young, the center of youth ministry. Its central position signifies the fundamental role of Jesus in the Double Celebration. Its standing firm resonates with the Scripture theme of the Double Celebration: “Stand firm in the faith… Do all your work in love.” The yellow color depicts that Jesus is the light of the world, especially of the youth, and that he is the model for youth ministry. Its inclined stance towards the three human figures gives emphasis to the Incarnation, the prime basis and motive for youth ministry. The three (3) human figures reaching out to and holding the Cross symbolize the youth who yearn for meaning and fullness in the Lord. They also represent the Catholic youth ministry in the Philippines with its three goals of establishing and strengthening the youths’ relationship with Christ, providing opportunities for personal growth, and encouraging community involvement. Their colors yellow, orange and red signify the following about the Filipino youth: their energy and passion, their diversity, as well as their vital importance in the life of the Church and society. Their one direction represents the journey of youth ministry towards one vision, despite its various forms and settings. The number twenty-five (25) depicts the number of years since the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Youth was created. The creation of the commission and of other youth ministries in the dioceses and in other levels is a grace from God and a gift of the Catholic Church in the Philippines to the young. The inclination of the number to the Cross show that these years were lived in constant striving to be faithful to the Lord and His preferential love for the youth. The blue circle at the background symbolizes the fullness of life which the Church, through her youth ministry, would like to offer to the youth. The color blue also stands for Mary, our mother and model for young people on loving surrender to God’ s will, she who is present in every young person’s journey with Christ. It also represents the spirit of ecclesial communion, with everyone in the Church taking part, in which the Double Celebration and youth ministry are undertaken. 2 Monsi’s Bday... from page 1 Jamias (a.k.a. Bossing) did an Eat Bulaga game show “ Blessed Francis Mary Monsi’s so-called favorite noon time show” wherein they impersonated famous local and foreign artists as special Schervier guests and Va Va Voom girls of the game show. Feast day: 15 December It was truly a day filled with love and laughter! This woman who once wanted to become a Trappistine nun was instead led by God to establish a community of sisters who care for the sick and aged in the United States and throughout the world Mary Frances Schervier was born 1819, into a wealthy family in Aachen, Germany. Her father, Johann Heinrich Schervier was a wealthy needle factory owner and the vice-mayor of Aachen. Her mother, Maria Louise Migeon, was the god-daughter of Emperor Francis I of Austria. After her mother’s and two sisters death from tuberculosis, Mary Frances established a reputation for generosity to the poor. In 1844 she became a Secular Franciscan. The next year she and four companions established a religious community devoted to caring for the poor. In 1851 the Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis (a variant of the original name) were approved by the local bishop; the community soon spread. The irst U.S. foundation was turn to page 3 made in 1858. Mother Frances visited the United States in 1863 and Prex Christmas Party helped her sisters nurse soldiers wounded in the Civil War. She visited the United States again in 1868. When 2010 Philip Hoever was establishing the Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis, she encouraged him. In 1868, Mother Frances wrote to all her sisters, reminding them of Jesus’ words: “You are my friends if you do what I command you.... I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another” (John 15:14,17) She continued: “If we do this faithfully and zealously, we will experience the truth of the words of our father St. Francis who says that love lightens all difficulties and sweetens all bitterness. We will likewise partake of the blessing which St. Francis promised to all his children, both present and future, after having admonished them to love one another even as he had loved them and continues to love them.” When Mother Frances died in1876, there were 2,500 members of her community worldwide. The number has kept growing. They are still engaged in operating hospitals and homes for the aged. Mother Mary Frances was beatified in 1974. One exciting evening with all the past PREX graduates of SAAP. Fun, Fun Fun. parishworks! 3 P astor’s Messasge from page 1... the apparently impossible job of making contact with In the case of the birth announcement of Jesus in Helen’s mind through the sense of touch. Anne Sullivan Matthew’s gospel, it gives also the significance of His worked out a sort of alphabet by which she spelled words birth by on Helen’s hand. Gradually the child was able to connect words with objects. Once started Helen, made rapid progress. Within three years she could read and write a. applying to him a series of titles like Immanuel, in Braille. At the age of ten she determined to perfect Son of David, Son of God, Christ, Nazarene. her speech. At sixteen she entered Radcliffe College b. defining his origin and goal from which she graduated with honors in 1904. she became one of the most highly educated women of her c. noting the presence and guidance of the Holy time. Anne Sullivan was constantly at her side until the spirit dedicated teacher passed away in 1936. d. connecting with the prophetic anticipation of the Today’s Good News tells us that Jesus cured a man Old Testament of his blindness. Jesus did everything he could for that blind man. Since He was God, Christ gave him his sight. But Jesus mentioned something that also makes our Anne Sullivan did everything she could for Helen Keller. own birth and coming to this world so providential and She was sent by God precisely for this mission. She made special i.e. planned by God in spite of our sinfulness God’s presence so vivid in Helen’s life. She was indeed and frailties. “Amen, I say to you, among those born of an Immanuel for her. woman there has been none greater than John the Baptist, Like Anne Sullivan we are all sent to this world to be “YET THE LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN another Christ i.e. another Messiah in fulfilling our task IS GREATER THAN HE” (Matthew 11:11) and mission in bringing the Father’s kingdom here on The word LEAST in biblical language can mean, earth to so many Helen Kellers. the poor, the sinners and the children. Why are they or In the gospel narrative the birth announcement of we greater than John? It is because of our inabilities due Jesus follows the pattern of those cases of some Old to our sinfulness to cope of what is required from us so Testament personalities like Isaac, Samuel, Samson, John much so that we depend totally and completely to the Baptizer. Their birth announcements God. This will be true if we will only open ourselves and completely accept God in ourselves, thereby making us all an Immanuel. This loving and gracious GOD IS a. are made by an angel (or other messenger of God) WITH US. b. give the name the persons will have Can we truly say now that this true to each one of us c. give the special role the person will play in the specially this Christmas? economy of salvation. Monsi’s Bday... from page 2 Fr. Jeffrey Jamias together with the MOAS, prepared a special number 4 Year of the Youth from page 1... in the Philippines to the young. The inclination of the The Logo of the Double number to the Cross show that these years were lived Celebration in constant striving to be faithful to the Lord and His preferential love for the youth. The blue circle at the background symbolizes the The Cross stands for Jesus Christ our Lord, Brother fullness of life which the Church,through her youth of the young, the center of youth ministry.