Santuario de San Antonio Parish Office • Tel. nos. 8438830-31

Forbes Park, MakatiSeptember 25, 2016 www.ssaparish.com26th Sunday of Ordinary Time

We Care Because We Pray

FAMILY:Stewards of the Churchby Earl Leonard Sebastian

The family is the basic unit of society. Every community is conservatively described as group of families settling in one specific area. The family is also a steward of God’s greatest creation: mankind or human beings. We take care of each other, oversee each other’s well-being and love one another following God’s commandments. It is also responsible for taking care of our surroundings and its welfare.

The biggest responsibility of the family is not just raising their children according to God’s love, but also taking good care of God’s structure of human love and amongst His greatest gifts to us: the Church. St. Peter the Apostle was the Rock of the Church and was entrusted the key, but it is we the family, with the Holy Family as our role models, that must look after the

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of

a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the

man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with

his enemies in the gate.”

Psalm 127:3-5

continued on page 7

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Parish Bulletin

RANDOM THOUGHTS by Peachy Maramba

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

From the very moment of his conversion St. Francis had always chosen what he sincerely believed to be the way of the Lord, as related in the Gospels.

Thus when St. Francis read in the Gospels how from the beginning of Jesus’s ministry at Galilee he preached and said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Mt. 4:17) St. Francis made this also the first Rule for his brothers.

They, like the early disciples of Jesus would follow Christ’s injunction to “Preach as you go, telling them that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” The Kingdom of God would be their first priority and to this day the seeking first of the Kingdom of God “infuses Francis’s way with Spirit and Life.”

The Kingdom of heaven which is equivalent to the Kingdom of God refers to the time when there will be TRUE JOY because God’s Will will be as perfectly done in earth as it is in heaven.

REPENTTo achieve this great gift of God-the Kingdom of Heaven-man has to represent which calls for a complete change of heart and conduct. He has to turn one’s life from a life of rebellion to a life of obedience towards God and His will.

BE POOR IN SPIRITBut we can only do God’s will if we are poor in spirit. Jesus himself told us this in the first Beautitude in the Sermon

on the Mount when He was teaching his disciples the real values of God’s Kingdom.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

When we realize our own utter helplessness, ignorance, lack of resources and our own inability to cope with life without God and when therefore we have put our complete trust in God so that we can perfectly obey Him and do His Will then we become truly poor in spirit and citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.

So he became truly poor in spirit when he abandoned himself to the Will of god and began “to see the world as God sees it” and “risked looking for God where He said He was to be found among the least of His brothers and sister.” This is true poverty of spirit. In humility and simplicity he acted on it loving the “unloved” and kissing the lepers.

CARE FOR AND LOvE HIS CREATIONAs far as St. Francis was concerned there were only two things that mattered: the love of God (which he did with his whole soul and heart and mind) and the love of His creation: the sun, light, sky, earth, seas, grass, day and night, stars, living creatures and even Man made in God’s own image.

This intense love of St. Francis of all of God’s creation he spontaneously poured out in the most eloquent hymn of thanksgiving that we have in all

literature – “The Canticle of the Sun.”

In this most sublime yet simple but moving ecstasy of praise St. Francis, in the final poem of his life, focused on all the wondrous things God had made and praised Him through them. “All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made” Brother Sun, sister Moon and Stars, Brother Wind and Air, Sister Water, Brother Fire, Sister Earth ... even Sister Death.

Ironically St. Francis wrote all of this when he was already blind so that he could no longer see all these wondrous things.

Yet blind or not no one saw how wonderful and good this Creation was more that St. Francis who rightfully became the patron saint of Ecology. For God and the world that He created always sang to him of joy and beauty. He loved all of God’s creation not only for their own sake or his own, but because they represented their even more wondrous Maker. He loved them especially because they talked to him of God – of His goodness and generosity in gifting man with His beautiful handiwork.

St. Francis taught us that “The earth is the Lord’s.” As such we should cherish and protect it by saving it from wanton destruction and by using it wisely and well; For whoever and whatever devalues them demeans the Creator. Reverence and joy over everything and every person becomes the sign of our love of God. Truly we find God when He finds us loving, caring for and preserving His creation.

St. Francis:

Chief Stewardof the LORD

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Santuario de San Antonio Pastoral TeamFr. Baltazar A. Obico, OFM - GuardianFr. Reu Jose C. Galoy, OFM - Vicar Provincial, Parish PriestFr. Mark Adame G. Bakari, OFM - BusarFr. Jesus E. Galindo, OFM - MemberFr. Efren C. Jimenez, OFM - Member

RDIP - PB Editorial Team & General InformationSuzette H. Gatmaitan – Head, RDIP-PBMarilou Consing – Editor in ChiefJavier Luis Gomez - Assistant EditorEarl Leonard Sebastian - Assistant EditorHannah Roa - Assistant EditorMarie Tycangco - Assistant EditorJeannie Bitanga – Website AdministratorAlexa Montinola - Assistant Website AdministratorEdward Lu – Art & DesignColorplus Production Group Corp. – Production

Santuario de San Antonio Parish Center Office Tel. nos. 8438830-31Email: ssap_info@yahoo.comWebsite: www.ssaparish.comWebsite email: webi@ssaparish.comFoundation website: www.santuariodesanantonio.org

Parish Pastoral Council Edmund Lim, KHS – PresidentCristina Teehankee – Vice PresidentSuzette H. Gatmaitan – Secretary

September 25, 2016

TASTE OF SILENCE by Tess Colayco

Just as Jesus went away to the desert for forty days in solitude, silence and privation, so I must go away, literally, (if only for a while) or figuratively, (into my inner self) to encounter God in a deeper way.

I need to make space in my heart for this God who calls me by name and throws Himself lavishly all the way to Calvary out of love for me. He looks at me silently, gazing thru the eyes of His beloved Son hanging on the Cross. What is He saying to me? What does He mean when He says: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”? Or speaking to His mother, “Mother, this is your son…Son, this is your mother?” If I follow Him as His faithful disciple, will He fill my life with meaning? If I decide to commit to Him, will He stand by me thru thick or thin 24/7? Who is this God who I profess to love as I do my daily periods of centering prayer, lectio divina and other contemplative

I can only hear God if I am silent for

“God’s first language is silence.” St. John of the Cross said: “The Father spoke one word, who was His Son, and this word he is always speaking in eternal silence. It is in silence that the soul must hear it.”

And so I step back for a few moments each day creating stillness in my otherwise all-too busy mind, giving God permission to speak to me. During these quiet times, I let God be God. I listen with complete openness, allowing Him to speak freely, tenderly, lovingly. It is no longer a case of: “Listen, Lord, for I am speaking” but: “Speak, Lord, for I am listening”. And He doesn’t disappoint me for He engages me in a heart to heart communication that is so affirming, changing my life forever!

In silence and stillness, God shows me His true face. It is one of a gentle and tender Father, also of a tremendous Lover pursuing his bride relentlessly, to bring me, a poor creature, into the friendship and union of divine love. But almighty and powerful as

He is, He shows me His utter humility and vulnerability, first by choosing to become man and join me in my human condition with its attendant miseries and woundedness. Then He takes it to its ultimate peak by dying a humiliating death on the Cross.

What an extraordinary God He is! Such is the God of Silence…such is the Silence of God.

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

visit us at www.cophil.org

(Tess Colayco is a member of Contemplative Outreach Philippines [COP] and of the Don Bosco, Makati, support group).

The God of Silence... The Silence of God

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WORKINGCOMMITTEE

FRANCISFEST 2016 COMMITTEE

Fr. Reu Jose C. Galoy, OFMParish Priest

Menchu O. BautistaFrancisFest 2016 Chairperson

PROGRAMAmelita Guevara, ChairpersonInday MallariIan MonsodJJ YuloEdmund Lim

LADIES’ COMMITTEECarrie Bautista, ChairpersonSabrina B. PanlilioBingBing QuirosInday Mallari

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PRODUCTION/PUBLICITY/PROMOTIONSuzette Gatmaitan, Chairperson Berna B. FilartMert LoinazMillette OcampoJean Chavez

Tina TeehankeeInday MallariPin Guingona

PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENTGirlie Sison, ChairpersonSuzette GatmaitanDee ChanEdmund LimJun RodriguezTina Teehankee

SECURITY AND TRAFFICJayme Blanco, ChairmanCesar PoeJun Rodriguez

SPONSORSHIP/TICKETS/FINANCEEdmund Lim, ChairmanLita AscalonTina TeehankeeDee ChanMariza del RosarioFortune Ledesma

FOODEntang Carballo, ChairpersonAling Nene Castro

SOUvENIR PROGRAMSuzette Gatmaitan, ChairpersonBerna B. FilartGirlie SisonInday MallariPin Guingona

CHURCH DECORZari Poe - ChairpersonWilma HuangKaren LimpeKaren Blanco

YOUTH COMMITTEEInday Mallari, ChairpersonJJ YuloIan Monsod

vILLAGE REPRESENTATIvES Forbes Park – Micki PoeDasma – Dora CantadaUrdaneta – Entang Carballo

If God can work through me, He can work through anyone.

St. Francis of Assisi

Fr. Reu Galoy, OFM, Menchu Bautista & Edmund Lim, KHS

Francisfest Chairperson Menchu Bautista with her Ladies Committee.

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PLATINUMMenchu O. Bautista

In Memory of Lim LianS. Antonio & Betty Roxas Chua

GOLDJosephine K. Razon

SILVERJustice & Mrs. Manuel M

LazaroIn Memory of Consuelo

“Chito” Madrigal

BRONZEIn memory of Imelda O.

CojuangcoAnonymous

Mrs. Mary RufinoCarlos, Mariza & Miguel del

RosarioCatholic Women’s Club

Raymond & Marrot Moreno

PATRONMrs. Felicitas A. Arroyo

Mrs. Amelita D. GuevaraMr. & Mrs. Bernardo

LichaytooMiss Ma. Victoria Chan

Mr. & Mrs. Manuel CarmonaAnonymous

Mr. Luis J. MontinolaAnonymous

Mr. & Mrs. Miguel GuerreroMr. Leonardo Gamboa &

FamilyPaing & Mely Hechanova &

FamilyAnonymous

Mr. & Mrs. Peter LimAnonymous

Amb. Bienvenido Tantoco Sr.Philippine Union Realty

CorporationMr. & Mrs. Domingo Ordoveza

DONORMr. & Mrs. Enrico O. Bautista

Mrs. Aurora VillanuevaMrs. Myrna Lacson

Mr. & Mrs. Steven ChanMr. & Mrs. Manuel Samson

Mr. & Mrs. Noel BautistaMr. & Mrs. Jose Concepcion, Jr.

AnonymousAnonymous

Ms. Alice EduardoMr. & Mrs. Manuel Dizon

Mr. & Mrs. Emmanuel Javellosa

Mrs. Petrona B. LimMr. & Mrs. William Go

Mr. & Mrs. Jose CojuangcoMr. Edgar J. Sia II

Mr. & Mrs. Jovencio CincoAnonymous

Mr. & Mrs. Carlos RufinoMr. & Mrs. Xavier LoinazMrs. Melanie B. Lazaro

Mr. Jose S. Hizon & FamilyMr. & Mrs. Carl O. BautistaMr. & Mrs. Jose Mari Chan

Valveline Realty Dev’t. Corp.Jayjay Realty Corp.

Kanlaon Development Corporation

JM & Co., Inc.UNICOMM Ingredients Phils.,

Inc.Ms. Patricia L. Escaler/Mr.

Michael L. EscalerAurelio Montinola/Gizela

GonzalezDra. Concepcion MontoyaVCGT Realty Corporation

Ernest & Josie Rufino

FRIENDS OF ST. FRANcISMrs. Lorna Perez Laurel

AnonymousMrs. Margarita Cuyegkeng

AnonymousMrs. Isabel Wilson

Mr. & Mrs. Ramon Regala

Mr. & Mrs. Anton PeriquetPuyat Steel Corp./Mr. Edgardo

ReyesDr. & Mrs. Chi Mo Cheng

Mr. & Mrs. Edgardo CastroSt. James Ventures, Inc.

Mrs. Ofelia RectoMr. & Mrs. Rainerio Reyes

Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Ledesma, Jr.Anonymous

Mrs. Chloe C. Romulo PeriquetMrs. Erlinda Panlilio

Amb. Antonio M. Lagdameo Sr.Mrs. Leticia Syquia

Mrs. Margarita B. Canto & Family

Atty. & Mrs. Augusto MartirezMrs. Carmelita SamsonMrs. Monique C. La’O

Mr. & Mrs. Edgar CoronelAtty. & Mrs. Avelino Cruz

Mr. & Mrs. Vicente PanlilioMrs. Julie Ong

Amb. Cristina Ponce-EnrileMrs. Angelita Lilles

Atienza FamilyMrs. Suzie Moya Benitez &

FamilyAtty. Ricardo RomuloMr. & Mrs. Steve Sy

Mrs. Mercy Lee & FamilyMr. Johnny Montinola

Morris FamilyIn Memory of Ramon & Cecilia

Batungbakal Anonymous

Mr. & Mrs. Teodoro TagleMrs. Conchita Tagle

Mrs. Maria Lourdes TuasonMr. Rante Aguila

Mr. & Mrs. Jose Ma. Concepcion

Mr. & Mrs. Joey de VeneciaRRR Holdings, Inc.

Mrs. Erlinda VelascoMr. & Mrs. William Velhagen

Mrs. Dely FernandezMr. Sony Lopez-Gonzalez &

FamilyMr. & Mrs. Rufino Tiangco

Mr. & Mrs. Ernesto R. Lagdameo

Rosie O. Valencia & Dr. Elpidio I. Valencia

Bellville Development Inc.Mr. & Mrs. Cesar

BuenaventuraAnonymous

Mr. & Mrs. Martin O. BautistaMs. Catherine Lim

Mrs. Menchu A. ConcepcionMr. Victoriano ChungMonark Foundation

Mrs. Angeli B. PicacheRaul & Dora Cantada

Mrs. Rosanna VergaraMs. Henrietta T. Ocampo

Mr. & Mrs. Renato ApacibleAnonymous

Mr. & Mrs. Henry SeeJohnny & Rose Lopez

Mrs. Flor TolosaMs. Adela Lim Hernandez

YOUThAlec C. Bautista

Martina C. BautistaYouth of San Antonio

cORPORATE SPONSORS

co-Presentor Balibago Waterworks System,

Inc.

Major SponsorGANET corporation

Minor SponsorAGchEM Manufacturing

corporation/Mr. Daniel R. Maramba

Liberty Foundation, Inc.TAGUM Agriculture Dev’t.

co., Inc. c/o Nenita FloirendoUcc coffee Shops Phils., Inc.

“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received –

only what you have given.”

Francis of AssisiDonors as of Sept. 20, 2016

Parish Bulletin

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September 25, 2016

well-being of the Church.

Every brick and pillar of the Church, whether it be in the Sanctuario de San Antonio Parish or in other churches, has a very formidable foundation, pillar with solid bricks because of blood, sweat and tears of every person involved in the parish. Every member of the family, the parishioners and even the priest celebrating the sacraments in Church.

It is a norm in every parish to have trials and encounter tough situations. They say what does not kill makes you stronger. It establishes a solid bond and makes the parish a stronger unit. The parish has been tested through time. Parishioners may come and go, priests may leave for another country and province, but there will always come new ones.

Different sacraments are celebrated in the Parish, from baptism until marriage. The Church has also been a sanctuary for those who have been lost, forgotten and are looking for a new direction and sense of purpose and acceptance in their lives. Like the Shepherd who found his lost sheep and the woman her lost coin, we should welcome back those who have been lost and clothe as a part of the family.

Being stewards of the Church, it is our responsibility and duty to protect its welfare and not let any external forces destroy or internally from within. It is a gift given to us by God which we should take care of and hand it down to the next generation.

FAMILY: Stewards of the Church from page 1

FRANCISFEST BENEFICIARIES: PRESERvATION & IMPROvEMENT OF OUR PARISH CHURCH

Santuario de San Antonio 2016

Santuario de San Antonio circa 1980

Santuario de San Antonio interior 2016

Santuario de San Antonio interiror circa 1950

Santuario de San Antonio ceiling circa 1950

Santuario de San Antonio Intramuros pre-WWII. Statue

shown is currently in Santuario de San Antonio Forbes

quadrangle.

“OUTSIDE vIEWING PACKAGES AvAILABLE”Globe 0915-5283835 • Smart 0918-9901800

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