VOCATIONS

VOCATIONShttp://matchup.blog.co.uk/en-UShourly82000-01-01T12:00+00:00VOCATIONShttp://matchup.blog.co.uk/http://data5.blog.de/design/preview/e9/9ec00ea7f5145292570a3815fe654f_160x200.jpgQuick Encounter; but happy endinghttp://matchup.blog.co.uk/2008/05/07/quick-encounter-but-happy-ending-4143571/2008-05-07T16:00:53+02:00 The wind further brought down the temperature as we got out of the second level of Fiumicino Airport, after an 11 hour flight from Manila to Frankfurt and 2 hours to Rome, to take the train to Roma Termini. As we dragged our luggage to the carroza towards the end of the train to evade the bulk of waiting passengers, few passengers with seemingly same intent joined us. I found myself behind a lady who was first in the queue. There was an unnecessary rush when the carroza door opened.A young man slipped before me and held the other end of my heavy luggage, another behind me where Didi was following. Two men inside were blocking the narrow entrance which left hardly any space for me to squeeze in. I noticed the man holding my luggage nudging at somebody behind my back but ignored it since there was already space to put down my luggage. As we got into the first cubicle by the door, Didi pointed to me a clean shaven Arab looking man in synthetic leather tan jacket walking nonchalantly toward the front; Didi caught the guy's hand dipped in his pant’s back pocket where his wallet was. Jokingly I commented that he was just feeling his butt. I checked my shoulder bag and found the flap unzipped. The books on learning the Italian language were still there; buon giorno uomo! <a href="http://matchup.blog.co.uk/2008/05/07/quick-encounter-but-happy-ending-4143571/#comments">Comments</a> The wind further brought down the temperature as we got out of the second level of Fiumicino Airport, after an 11 hour flight from Manila to Frankfurt and 2 hours to Rome, to take the train to Roma Termini. As we dragged our luggage to the carroza towards the end of the train to evade the bulk of waiting passengers, few passengers with seemingly same intent joined us. I found myself behind a lady who was first in the queue. There was an unnecessary rush when the carroza door opened.A young man slipped before me and held the other end of my heavy luggage, another behind me where Didi was following. Two men inside were blocking the narrow entrance which left hardly any space for me to squeeze in. I noticed the man holding my luggage nudging at somebody behind my back but ignored it since there was already space to put down my luggage. As we got into the first cubicle by the door, Didi pointed to me a clean shaven Arab looking man in synthetic leather tan jacket walking nonchalantly toward the front; Didi caught the guy's hand dipped in his pant’s back pocket where his wallet was. Jokingly I commented that he was just feeling his butt. I checked my shoulder bag and found the flap unzipped. The books on learning the Italian language were still there; buon giorno uomo!

Comments

]]>Publishing a Vocation Magazinehttp://matchup.blog.co.uk/2008/04/03/publishing-a-vocation-magazine-3991863/2008-04-03T18:57:43+02:00 Whew! Finally 12 articles came in for editing, 3 more expected and ...on to the publisher. Which means I have to raise the money to get my Vocation Magazine printed. I'm happy with what the contributors wrote - fit to a tee of what we discussed, though one was somewhat disappointingly off but her writing style compensated for it. My cover story is "Your Life, Your Choice" and the rest of the articles hinge on vocation choices. An exciting one is a reflection on the eve of ordination of a young priest; the wisdom, commitment, joy, struggle, hope and humility showed in a page write up. I get into the deep of missionary work from a nun who have travelled in Southeast Asia and ended up in Texas, teaching, doing hospice work. A candid article from a housewife who, unprepared, get into a married life with vision of wine and roses hued with love; and with hope their boat will sail to reach destination. And there is one, the mother of an intelligent and handsome boy, a reluctant seminarian, who wrote about the disappointments and surprises in the family. This Sunday, we will photo shoot the cover with the kids attending Sunday School. I am lucky to get the photographer cum graphic artist who covered the baptism and birthday party of my 2 granchildren last Sunday. It will be a hell of a time cramping work in a day, the fact that he is leaving for Dubai soon and I for Israel very soon. <a href="http://matchup.blog.co.uk/2008/04/03/publishing-a-vocation-magazine-3991863/#comments">Comments</a> Whew! Finally 12 articles came in for editing, 3 more expected and ...on to the publisher. Which means I have to raise the money to get my Vocation Magazine printed. I'm happy with what the contributors wrote - fit to a tee of what we discussed, though one was somewhat disappointingly off but her writing style compensated for it. My cover story is "Your Life, Your Choice" and the rest of the articles hinge on vocation choices. An exciting one is a reflection on the eve of ordination of a young priest; the wisdom, commitment, joy, struggle, hope and humility showed in a page write up. I get into the deep of missionary work from a nun who have travelled in Southeast Asia and ended up in Texas, teaching, doing hospice work. A candid article from a housewife who, unprepared, get into a married life with vision of wine and roses hued with love; and with hope their boat will sail to reach destination. And there is one, the mother of an intelligent and handsome boy, a reluctant seminarian, who wrote about the disappointments and surprises in the family.
This Sunday, we will photo shoot the cover with the kids attending Sunday School. I am lucky to get the photographer cum graphic artist who covered the baptism and birthday party of my 2 granchildren last Sunday. It will be a hell of a time cramping work in a day, the fact that he is leaving for Dubai soon and I for Israel very soon.

Comments

]]>An Ordination to the Presbyteratehttp://matchup.blog.co.uk/2008/01/14/an_ordination_to_the_presbyterate~3576637/2008-01-14T19:34:29+01:00 Got back before midnight. Thought we got lost in the night on our way back; only to find out we unknowingly took the shortcut on a forked road. I feel blessed! A long day and a long trip home though. Fr. Popie got relieved, what with a scheduled mass at six o'clock in the morning the following day. I was feeling high for a week after witnessing the ordination of a deacon to the priesthood, to the presbyterate. Taking the photo of the family, expectant that in a few hours the gift of calling to their family with her son after 12 years will soon happen, is a priviledge to capture. After the Liturgy of the Word, the deacon candidate was called by the Major Superior, his credentials read, presented to the officiating Bishop and publicly scrutinized. Through the powers of the Bishop, God will make the candidate real sharer in the powers of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. He will be known as Presbyter, member of the hierarchy of the Church and the closest collaborator of the Bishop in the pastoral care of the People of God. After examining the worthiness of the priest elect for the sacred office, the promise of obedience to his legitimate superior was elicited by the ordaining Bishop. Obedience, being the authenthic discipline of the Lord and the guarantee of unity in the Church. As the priest elect lay prostrate on the altar floor, the litany of saints was sung invoking the mercy of God and the help and the intercession of the whole heavenly court to support his weaknesses. The Bishop laid his hands on the priest elect followed by all the priests present to show the communion of the Presbyterate in the Priesthood of Jesus Christ - a solemn moment of the ordination. And together the solemn prayer of ordination, the very prayer that will make him God's own priest forever, was recited. The happiest moment followed when the priest elect was invested with the signs of his priestly office - the stole and the chusable. The Bishop annoints the hands of the newly ordained priest with oil - the sacred chrism - as a sign of a deep spiritual consecration to show that he is now God's unique possession and His holy channel of grace for the whole world. He is then presented the bread and wine for the Eucharistic celebration, a central act of the priest. The kiss of peace followed where the Bishop and all the priest present kissed the hands of the newly ordained priest signifying their entrance into the communion of God's ministers. The newly ordained priest then concelebrated the liturgy of the Eucharist and the communion and concluding rites. As a vocation ministry coordinator, getting immersed in an ordination rite is a fulfilling experience! And that, I wish to share with you in this blog. <a href="http://matchup.blog.co.uk/2008/01/14/an_ordination_to_the_presbyterate~3576637/#comments">Comments</a> Got back before midnight. Thought we got lost in the night on our way back; only to find out we unknowingly took the shortcut on a forked road. I feel blessed! A long day and a long trip home though. Fr. Popie got relieved, what with a scheduled mass at six o'clock in the morning the following day. I was feeling high for a week after witnessing the ordination of a deacon to the priesthood, to the presbyterate. Taking the photo of the family, expectant that in a few hours the gift of calling to their family with her son after 12 years will soon happen, is a priviledge to capture. After the Liturgy of the Word, the deacon candidate was called by the Major Superior, his credentials read, presented to the officiating Bishop and publicly scrutinized. Through the powers of the Bishop, God will make the candidate real sharer in the powers of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. He will be known as Presbyter, member of the hierarchy of the Church and the closest collaborator of the Bishop in the pastoral care of the People of God. After examining the worthiness of the priest elect for the sacred office, the promise of obedience to his legitimate superior was elicited by the ordaining Bishop. Obedience, being the authenthic discipline of the Lord and the guarantee of unity in the Church. As the priest elect lay prostrate on the altar floor, the litany of saints was sung invoking the mercy of God and the help and the intercession of the whole heavenly court to support his weaknesses. The Bishop laid his hands on the priest elect followed by all the priests present to show the communion of the Presbyterate in the Priesthood of Jesus Christ - a solemn moment of the ordination. And together the solemn prayer of ordination, the very prayer that will make him God's own priest forever, was recited. The happiest moment followed when the priest elect was invested with the signs of his priestly office - the stole and the chusable. The Bishop annoints the hands of the newly ordained priest with oil - the sacred chrism - as a sign of a deep spiritual consecration to show that he is now God's unique possession and His holy channel of grace for the whole world. He is then presented the bread and wine for the Eucharistic celebration, a central act of the priest. The kiss of peace followed where the Bishop and all the priest present kissed the hands of the newly ordained priest signifying their entrance into the communion of God's ministers. The newly ordained priest then concelebrated the liturgy of the Eucharist and the communion and concluding rites.
As a vocation ministry coordinator, getting immersed in an ordination rite is a fulfilling experience! And that, I wish to share with you in this blog.

Comments

]]>October - Vocation Monthhttp://matchup.blog.co.uk/2007/09/21/october_vocation_month~3019445/2007-09-21T20:39:50+02:00 October is worlwide observance of vocation in the Christiandom. And it is observed from the Vatican to the Diocese, Vicariate and down to the Parishes. Not only it seeks prayers and attendance to Holy Hour from the faithful, the Ministry for Vocation in each Parish are encourage to hold conferences with the youth and young professional on vocation awareness. The Diocese of Paranaque (Philippines) sent out a circular (DOP Circular No. 2007-066)enjoining all parishes under their jurisdiction to conduct special prayers for vocations every Thursday and hold special Holy Hours for vocations during the month. Moreover, a list of Seminaries was included for graduating elementary, high school and college students and young professionals. The Ministry for Vocations of the Our Lady of Beautiful Love Parish in Merville Paranaque started early with vocation promotion in September. Two conferences were held with the altar boys and the teens from the Youth Ministry. We have one altar boy enrolled for high school in a seminary; another with an intent after finishing high school this school year. "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest" (Luke 10:2, Matthew 9:37-38). I urge readers/viewers to say a prayer for more more priests or contact us (email: <a href="mailto:rtdeang@yahoo.com;">rtdeang@yahoo.com;</a> parish tel. (632) 824 2688) if you are a volunteer benefactor. God Bless to all! <a href="http://matchup.blog.co.uk/2007/09/21/october_vocation_month~3019445/#comments">Comments</a> October is worlwide observance of vocation in the Christiandom. And it is observed from the Vatican to the Diocese, Vicariate and down to the Parishes. Not only it seeks prayers and attendance to Holy Hour from the faithful, the Ministry for Vocation in each Parish are encourage to hold conferences with the youth and young professional on vocation awareness. The Diocese of Paranaque (Philippines) sent out a circular (DOP Circular No. 2007-066)enjoining all parishes under their jurisdiction to conduct special prayers for vocations every Thursday and hold special Holy Hours for vocations during the month. Moreover, a list of Seminaries was included for graduating elementary, high school and college students and young professionals. The Ministry for Vocations of the Our Lady of Beautiful Love Parish in Merville Paranaque started early with vocation promotion in September. Two conferences were held with the altar boys and the teens from the Youth Ministry.
We have one altar boy enrolled for high school in a seminary; another with an intent after finishing high school this school year. "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest" (Luke 10:2, Matthew 9:37-38). I urge readers/viewers to say a prayer for more more priests or contact us (email: rtdeang@yahoo.com; parish tel. (632) 824 2688) if you are a volunteer benefactor. God Bless to all!

Comments

]]>Vocation awarenesshttp://matchup.blog.co.uk/2007/09/19/vocation_awareness~3006123/2007-09-19T14:38:41+02:00 With so many interesting things surrounding us everyday, we sort of bask into life and have fun. That's great, once in a while. But sometimes we have to make a choice of what we want. Nope, I don't want you to take life too seriously (for you never get out of it alive anyway). But have you ever wondered what you want among the life choices - a lifestyle? Getting married is the most popular. Staying single and involved in ministry work? Or consecrate your life to God as diocesan priest, or religious priest, nun or brother? Either way is as good as the other, so long as you pursue it to the hilt, to the best you could. We cannot afford to be mediocre, nor average; we face the challenge and at the end of the day, we say, I got it well. It is a choice <a href="http://matchup.blog.co.uk/2007/09/19/vocation_awareness~3006123/#comments">Comments</a> With so many interesting things surrounding us everyday, we sort of bask into life and have fun. That's great, once in a while. But sometimes we have to make a choice of what we want. Nope, I don't want you to take life too seriously (for you never get out of it alive anyway).
But have you ever wondered what you want among the life choices - a lifestyle? Getting married is the most popular. Staying single and involved in ministry work? Or consecrate your life to God as diocesan priest, or religious priest, nun or brother? Either way is as good as the other, so long as you pursue it to the hilt, to the best you could. We cannot afford to be mediocre, nor average; we face the challenge and at the end of the day, we say, I got it well. It is a choice

Comments

]]>Sharinghttp://matchup.blog.co.uk/2006/08/08/sharing~1022111/2006-08-08T08:09:18+02:00 I rationalize that God created an Eden for me to keep my sanity in a foreign land, years away from my family. But like Adan and Eve, unwittingly I got caught in a trap. For two years I was spiritually dead for a sin committed, a sin I would not tell anyone, not even to a priest. I did not violate man's law in that country but God's. At that state of spirituality, I still joined other Christians in attending masses but did not partake in the banquet of the Lord. It didn't bother me much as I was preoccupied with the demands and pressures of graduate school. The penance for my sin was inevitable. My wife learned about it when she came to help me packed my things for home. I was at the post office mailing some of my books when a phone call came in. Our world caved in when I got back. My son and daughter, at their young age, could not understand the coldness in the heated apartment; it must be the abnormal blizzard happening in springtime in Michigan, they must have thought. Our sufferings became worst during the years that followed. Distrust, arguments and threats of separation capped our life. Hurt ego and rationalization clashed, understanding was non existent; peace was nowhere to be found. Between running away and letting time to heal it, I chose the latter....It cost me too many years. I confessed my sin to three different priests as though I committed the same sin three times. Things improved but I know it's just the veneer. There's still the rerun of unpleasant events. Talking to each other ended up in arguments; in days to weeks of silence. I seeked the Lord, offered our problems, prayed more often, that I've never done before. I read more about Him, not as an intellectual pursuit but of spiritual gain. I joined a community in praying and singing praise to Him. He called us for service. We found ourselves immersed in church projects, formation seminars, a weekend of marriage encounter, renewals and apostolate works, one after another. From the confines of our home and ourselves, we moved out to the community to get involved in the service of the Lord. We found the real meaning of humility, forgiveness and the trappings of sin. THE LORD SHOWED US THE WAY. The Lord has shown me the way to redemption from my death from sin. Brothers and sisters, join me in prayer and praise to the Lord. <a href="http://matchup.blog.co.uk/2006/08/08/sharing~1022111/#comments">Comments</a> I rationalize that God created an Eden for me to keep my sanity in a foreign land, years away from my family. But like Adan and Eve, unwittingly I got caught in a trap.

For two years I was spiritually dead for a sin committed, a sin I would not tell anyone, not even to a priest. I did not violate man's law in that country but God's. At that state of spirituality, I still joined other Christians in attending masses but did not partake in the banquet of the Lord. It didn't bother me much as I was preoccupied with the demands and pressures of graduate school.

The penance for my sin was inevitable. My wife learned about it when she came to help me packed my things for home. I was at the post office mailing some of my books when a phone call came in. Our world caved in when I got back. My son and daughter, at their young age, could not understand the coldness in the heated apartment; it must be the abnormal blizzard happening in springtime in Michigan, they must have thought.

Our sufferings became worst during the years that followed. Distrust, arguments and threats of separation capped our life. Hurt ego and rationalization clashed, understanding was non existent; peace was nowhere to be found. Between running away and letting time to heal it, I chose the latter....It cost me too many years.

I confessed my sin to three different priests as though I committed the same sin three times. Things improved but I know it's just the veneer. There's still the rerun of unpleasant events. Talking to each other ended up in arguments; in days to weeks of silence.

I seeked the Lord, offered our problems, prayed more often, that I've never done before. I read more about Him, not as an intellectual pursuit but of spiritual gain. I joined a community in praying and singing praise to Him.

He called us for service. We found ourselves immersed in church projects, formation seminars, a weekend of marriage encounter, renewals and apostolate works, one after another. From the confines of our home and ourselves, we moved out to the community to get involved in the service of the Lord. We found the real meaning of humility, forgiveness and the trappings of sin. THE LORD SHOWED US THE WAY.

The Lord has shown me the way to redemption from my death from sin.

Brothers and sisters, join me in prayer and praise to the Lord.

Comments

]]>Lifehttp://matchup.blog.co.uk/2006/08/06/life~1017117/2006-08-06T07:36:48+02:00 Life's first half contains the capacity to enjoy with lesser chance. the second half consists of chance with lesser capacity. On either situation don't loose your illusions; when they are gone, you may still exist but you have ceased to live. <a href="http://matchup.blog.co.uk/2006/08/06/life~1017117/#comments">Comments</a> Life's first half contains the capacity to enjoy with lesser chance. the second half consists of chance with lesser capacity. On either situation don't loose your illusions; when they are gone, you may still exist but you have ceased to live.

Comments

]]>Birthdayshttp://matchup.blog.co.uk/2006/06/28/birthdays~917739/2006-06-28T11:26:35+02:00 Sydney where the Opera House is just a come on picture in the tourists' brochure, becomes a reality when my eldest daughter moved into the city to work as a programmer (now as CIO); since then, every last quarter of the year I spent, with my wife, 1-3 months of vacation in that beautiful city. When my group of consultants to the UNEP firmed up our meeting skeds the first week of April in relation to meetings of other user levels of our output, I got the fringe benefit of spending my birthday in different countries of the world. The first in Melbourne, Australia followed by US in San Francisco, Argentina in Buenos Aires and Croatia in Dubrovnic - an open-ended opportunity. Birthdays, to most people especially the young ones, means celebrations capped with food, wine, gifts, families and friends. Few have missed that birthdays are celebrations of life, of love and a time of thanksgiving to the One who gives us the blessings of health and quality life. Let's give this a thought, a deeper meaning, seek for our purpose of living. <a href="http://matchup.blog.co.uk/2006/06/28/birthdays~917739/#comments">Comments</a> Sydney where the Opera House is just a come on picture in the tourists' brochure, becomes a reality when my eldest daughter moved into the city to work as a programmer (now as CIO); since then, every last quarter of the year I spent, with my wife, 1-3 months of vacation in that beautiful city. When my group of consultants to the UNEP firmed up our meeting skeds the first week of April in relation to meetings of other user levels of our output, I got the fringe benefit of spending my birthday in different countries of the world. The first in Melbourne, Australia followed by US in San Francisco, Argentina in Buenos Aires and Croatia in Dubrovnic - an open-ended opportunity.

Birthdays, to most people especially the young ones, means celebrations capped with food, wine, gifts, families and friends. Few have missed that birthdays are celebrations of life, of love and a time of thanksgiving to the One who gives us the blessings of health and quality life.

Let's give this a thought, a deeper meaning, seek for our purpose of living.

Comments

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