Pope Benedict XVI announces resignation

POPE BENEDICT XVI will resign on February 28. The surprised announcement was made by him last Monday citing old age (85 years old) as the reason. In a speech delivered in Latin at a meeting of cardinals in the Vatican, the German-born leader of the world’s 1.1 billion Catholics announced his resignation after just 8 years of his service.

Pope announces resignation in historic move 

There are no official candidates as of now but here are “papabili” (potential popes) in alphabetical order that were most frequently mentioned recently and will probably change until the conclave is held most likely in March:

- Joao Braz de Aviz (Brazil, 65) brought fresh air to the Vatican department for religious congregations when he took over in 2011. He supports the preference for the poor in Latin America's liberation theology, but not the excesses of its advocates. Possible drawbacks include his low profile.

- Timothy Dolan (USA, 62) became the voice of U.S. Catholicism after being named archbishop of New York in 2009. His humour and dynamism have impressed the Vatican, where both are often missing. But cardinals are wary of a "superpower pope" and his back-slapping style may be too American for some.

- Marc Ouellet (Canada, 68) is effectively the Vatican's top staff director as head of the Congregation for Bishops. He once said becoming pope "would be a nightmare." Though well connected within the Curia, the widespread secularism of his native Quebec could work against him.

- Gianfranco Ravasi (Italy, 70) has been Vatican culture minister since 2007 and represents the Church to the worlds of art, science, culture and even to atheists. This profile could hurt him if cardinals decide they need an experienced pastor rather than another professor as pope.

- Leonardo Sandri (Argentina, 69) is a "transatlantic" figure born in Buenos Aires to Italian parents. He held the third-highest Vatican post as its chief of staff in 2000-2007. But he has no pastoral experience and his job overseeing eastern churches is not a power position in Rome.

- Odilo Pedro Scherer (Brazilia, 63) ranks as Latin America's strongest candidate. Archbishop of Sao Paolo, largest diocese in the largest Catholic country, he is conservative in his country but would rank as a moderate elsewhere. The rapid growth of Protestant churches in Brazil could count against him.

- Christoph Schoenborn (Austria, 67) is a former student of Pope Benedict with a pastoral touch the pontiff lacks. The Vienna archbishop has ranked as papal material since editing the Church catechism in the 1990s. But some cautious reform stands and strong dissent by some Austrian priests could hurt him.

- Angelo Scola (Italy, 71) is archbishop of Milan, a springboard to the papacy, and is many Italians' bet to win. An expert on bioethics, he also knows Islam as head of a foundation to promote Muslim-Christian understanding. His dense oratory could put off cardinals seeking a charismatic communicator.

- Luis Tagle (Philippines, 55) has a charisma often compared to that of the late Pope John Paul. He is also close to Pope Benedict after working with him at the International Theological Commission. While he has many fans, he only became a cardinal in 2012 and conclaves are wary of young candidates.

- Peter Turkson (Ghana, 64) is the top African candidate. Head of the Vatican justice and peace bureau, he is spokesman for the Church's social conscience and backs world financial reform. He showed a video criticising Muslims at a recent Vatican synod, raising doubts about how he sees Islam.

Quotes: Happy Easter!!!

The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances. ~Robert Flatt

Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there. ~Clarence W. Hall

It is the hour to rend thy chains,

The blossom time of souls. ~Katherine Lee Bates

The joyful news that He is risen does not change the contemporary world. Still before us lie work, discipline, sacrifice. But the fact of Easter gives us the spiritual power to do the work, accept the discipline, and make the sacrifice. ~Henry Knox Sherrill

The traditional "Salubong"

Salubong is an Easter Sunday pre-dawn ritual that reenacts the Risen Christ's meeting with His mother. It is performed in the churchyard under a specially prepared arch where the veiled image of the Virgin Mary has been placed. A child dressed as an angel is lowered by ropes from a high platform to lift the mourning veil of the grieving Mother. The church bells are rung, and there is a procession of the images of Christ and his mother that ends up inside the church.

The participants in the procession are segregated by gender. The men and boys follow the image of Jesus Christ, while women and girls follow the image of Mary. The procession ends with the two groups meeting in the church, where Mass is said.

Pabasa ng Pasyon, a traditional religious practice

The pasyon is a verse narrative about the life and suffering of Jesus Christ. The verses are structured in five-line stanzas, with each line containing eight syllables. The pasyon is commonly sung during Holy Week, starting Holy Monday. The reading of the pasyon is a traditional religious practice in the Philippines and people gather around the reader of the pasyon to listen and reflect. It is seen by many of its practitioners as a vow or panata.

The first version of the Tagalog pasyon was written by Gaspar Aquino de Belen in 1704. It was entitled Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong Panginoon Natin na Tola (The poem of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ). Belen's pasyon went through at least four revisions, with the fifth edition printed in 1760.

The tradition of chanting the pasyon is not rooted to the Spanish language that the songs were originally written in. but is connected to the singing of epics during cultural celebrations among indigenous Filipinos. The pasyon is usually chanted a capella though occasionally the chanters may be accompanied by guitars or a rondalla band.

Visita Iglesia on Maundy Thursday

In the Philippines, Maundy Thursday is the time for what we called “Visita Iglesia” where devotees visit different churches. You also see people that instead of commuting or bringing their vehicles, they used to walk on the way to different churches as a way of sacrifice. Also, business establishments cease operations from Holy Thursday to Black Saturday. Most malls, however, only cease their operations on Holy Thursday and Good Friday and only open on Black Saturday. Terrestrial television and radio stations either go completely off-air during that period or operate limited hours where they broadcast special shows, usually themed for the Holy Week, which is not on their usual schedule. (Cable channels usually continue their normal telecasts as usual.) Newspapers usually have no issues during those days.

WIKIPEDIA:  Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great & Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles as described in the Canonical gospels. It is the fifth day of Holy Week, and is preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday.

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. It marks the beginning of the Lenten Season. This day can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10. It is the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of repentance while the minister recites: "Remember (O man) that you are dust, and to dust you shall return", or "Repent, and believe the Gospel."

Since the 2010 Elections is nearing, I hope that this Lenten Season all local and national candidates will find time to discern and assess their political existence and the purity of their intentions.

Velarde endorses Villar-Legarda???

It is early Monday morning and as I iron the uniform of hubby I heard this news over the radio. Is it true that Bro. Mike Velarde endorsed the standard bearer of Nacionalista Party Senator Manny Villar and his running mate Senator Loren Legarda @ El Shaddai prayer rally in Central Park, Hong Kong?

I just read an article in the internet about this news and I believed that as a Filipino and a voter said religious leader is entitled to such pronouncement. But I do believe too that his not encouraging his followers for a block vote. We are all given by God the freedom and freewill to choose and I know every follower will make use of that.

Election is one of the times where we can exercise our right to vote and freedom to choose.

Eraño "Ka Erdie" Manalo died @ 84

The executive minister of Iglesia Ni Cristo, Eraño “Ka Erdie” Manalo, died Monday in his home. His death was believed brought on by cardiopulmonary arrest. Died at the age of 84, Ka Erdie’s son Eduardo “Ka Eddie Boy” Manalo is believed to assume the position of his late father. Ka Erdie assumed as executive minister upon his father’s death, Felix Manalo, who founded the religious organization on July 27, 1914.

The INC Central Temple along Commonwealth was jam-packed with believers and politicians who want to pay their last respect on country’s one of the most influential leaders.

Feast of Saint John the Baptist

Yesterday was the feast of St. John the Baptist (Joannes Baptista, John the Baptizer, John the Forerunner, Juan Bautista, Yahya the Baptizer). I have known this feast when my grandparents and parents got a stall in San Juan City almost 2 decades ago. The celebration has always been fun and people are all in the streets to greet everyone with water. Aside from that, the city held their annual street dancing.

But not all the cities and towns celebrate it that way. Some have the traditional procession while others lined up many dressed lechon to commemorate the birth of their patron saint. Among some of the places that celebrate the feast aside from San Juan are Negros Occidental, Silay City, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and Balayan, Batangas.

Travel Philippines: Our Lady of Peñafrancia Basilica

Hubby just came back last Friday from a 4 day business trip in the Bicol Region specifically in Naga and Legazpi cities. He visited their 2 radio stations there in preparation for their annual maintenance this coming Holy Week and for other technical concerns. Before he left I told him to take pictures of prominent landmarks in the cities so I can share it in my blog. Among the photos he was fortunate to take on his short visit is the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Basilica located at Balatas Road, 4400 in Naga City. Below are pictures and short information about the said basilica.

The Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church was built in 1711 by Rev. Miguel Covarrubias and it houses the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. He constructed this church in fullfillment of the vow he made during his youth. The second church was built in 1750 by Bishop Isidoro de Arevalo, repaired and improved in 1876-1877 by Bishop Francisco Gainza. The image was solemnly crowned by the Rt. Rev. Guillermo Piano on September 20, 1924.

The concept for the building the Basilica Minore came from Archbishop Pedro P. Santos in 1960. Construction began on April 18, 1976, but was delayed for a number of years due to finance problems and was not completed until September, 1981.

On May 22, 1982 it was dedicated as The Church of Nuestra Señora de Peña de Francia and it wasn't until May 22, 1985 that the Church was given the title of "Basilica Minore" from Rome after a request from the third Archbishop of Caceres, Leonardo Z. Legaspi.

The Peñafrancia Basilica Minore houses an image of the virgin Mary that was sculpted in 1710. It was commissioned by Miguel de Cobarrubias who moved to the Philippines from Spain with his family and believed that the virgin Mary had helped him numerous times in his life.

2009 feast of Most Holy Black Nazarene

As I was doing this post, I am watching ABS-CBN’s coverage of the 2009 feast of the Most Holy Black Nazarene. I saw in the late news that the statue was in the Quirino Grandstand where believers and devotees lined up to see “Señor” up close and wipe the statue with bare hand or a piece of cloth.

I remember my father when he still used to join the procession bare-footed (sign of humility) together with his group. The group members will gather in a specific place in Bangkusay (a place in Tondo) carrying with them a replica of Señor then walk towards Quiapo bare-footed. I know the hardships of going in such kind of a procession, as how father told it to us, but for all the devotees it is a way for them to thank “Señor” for all the blessings and miracles that happened and will happen in their lives. On the part of the rest of the family, we usually prepared what we called “caridad.” It can be food, candies, drinks, or something to give to those who joined the procession for free.

My father ceased joining the procession during his 50’s but he always attend a special mass every fiesta. The 2009 fiesta is more meaningful because aside from the fact that January 9 falls on Friday which is the regular day of “Señor, the organizers and the parish of Quiapo decided that the procession of the image from the Quirino Grandstand back to the Church of the Black Nazarene will take the route used during the 400th year celebration of the fiesta last 2006. VIVA SEÑOR!!!

Additional links for reading pleasure:

• Black Nazarene (history and more)
• Security measures for 2009 fiesta
  

Our Lady of Manaoag in Pangasinan

Hubby just came home from a 4-day business trip in Dagupan. He had some technical concerns to deal with the antennae of their newly established radio station, DWQT Home Radio 89 dot 3 Dagupan.

During their propagation, hubby together with his technical supervisor and the station manager went to places to check on the signal, they got to drop by on the Our Lady of Manaoag Church. Two or three years ago, our family visited the church in time for its fiesta when we had our vacation in Baguio. It was a religious shrine with countless miraculous tales and healing powers located in Manaoag, Pangasinan. The church housed the different clothing, crowns and accessories of Manaoag made of precious jewels. It has also a Candle Gallery for visitors. It is a common observance among people to light candles and say their prayers and wishes to the Blessed Mother.

From Baguio, I think we drove less than two hours to reach the renowned church and image. Hubby is planning to visit Hundred Islands in Alaminos on summer so for sure we can drop by again in the Our Lady of Manaoag.

Ramadan

September is the month for Ramadan among our Muslim brothers and sisters. A religious observance being observed on the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar believed to be the month where Qur’an was revealed to Angel Gabriel then later on to Prophet Muhammad. It is a month for fasting wherein Muslim participants do not eat or drink anything from dawn until sunset. A time to offer for more prayer, asking forgiveness for the sins of the past, asking for guidance in the future, and asking for help with refraining from every day evils and trying to purify oneself through self-restraint and good deeds.

Ramadan is the name of the ninth month which is an Arabic word for intense heat, scorched ground and shortness of rations and also considered the most venerated and blessed month of the Islamic year. Laylat al-Qadr that falls during an odd night in the last 10 days of Ramadan is considered to be the most holy night of the year. Ramadan ends with the holiday Eid ul-Fitr wherein feasts are being held and Muslims are encouraged to fast for a further six days after the month following Ramadan which is called Shawwal.