Love Personified

4th Sunday of Advent
December 21, 2014 – Year B
Readings: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Psalm 89; Rom 16:25-27; Lk 1:26-38
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

In three days, it will be Christmas. The children are anticipating the gifts they will receive from Santa and all the people who love them. But for the adults, especially parents, grandparents and godparents, the next three days can be a little stressful. (more…)

Never Tire of Asking Forgiveness

Second Sunday of Advent
December 7, 2014 – Year B
Readings: Is 40:1-5, 9-11; Psalm 85; 2 Pt 3:8-14; Mk 1:1-8
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

At his very first Angelus message after being elected Pope, Pope Francis said, “The Lord Jesus never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking for forgiveness.” He quoted this passage from chapter 8 of the gospel of John, where Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, do not sin anymore.” (more…)

Saved by the Cross

Exaltation of the Holy Cross
September 14, 2014 – Year A
Readings: Nm 21:4b-9; Psalm 78; Phil 2:6-11, Jn 3:13:-17
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

About 28 years ago as a newly-ordained priest, a grandmother told me her granddaughter could recite all the basic prayers in three languages: in our own local language, in English and in Spanish. So I asked her, “Do you know the Our Father?” “No,” she answered.
“Hail Mary?”
“No.”
So I said, “Your grandmother told me you know all the prayers.”
“Yes.”
“What prayer do you know?”
“In the name of the Father.” (more…)

A Personal Relationship with Jesus

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 24, 2014 – Year A
Readings: Is 22:19-23; Psalm 138; Rom 11:33-36; Mt 16:13-20
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Last week at the end of Mass, I had the honor of giving you the good news that Father Sal has been released from the Diocese of Sorsogon in the Philippines and is now a priest of our own diocese. In the process, perhaps I even taught you a new word… “incardination.”

This week, our second reading may also have taught you new word. “How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!” (more…)

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

Reflection for Nursing Home Prayer Service
August 18, 2014
Readings: Is 56:1, 6-7; Psalm 67; Rom 11:13-15, 29-32; Mt 15:21-28
by Mrs. Rita Zimmermann, Faith Formation Coordinator

Oh what faith she had! This Canaanite woman! You see, she knew she would not be welcome among those who followed Jesus as she was not a Jew, but a pagan and a woman! What courage and determination she must have had to just get up and leave her daughter to seek out the only person she knew that could help her. (more…)

True Faith Brings Happiness

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 17, 2014 – Year A
Readings: Is 56:1, 6-7; Psalm 67; Rom 11:13-15, 29-32; Mt 15:21-28
by Most Reverend Arturo Bastes, Bishop of Sorsogon, Philippines

The beautiful gospel has plenty of implications. First, this is the only recorded time that Jesus was in a non-Jewish territory. But most of all, it prophesied a very important doctrine that the gospel would be preached to all the nations, as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah in the first reading and fulfilled in the second reading during the time of St. Paul, when the gospel was preached to the Gentiles because the Jews rejected Jesus Christ, our Lord. However, St. Paul still had the hope that all the Jews would be converted to Christ someday, because they were the first chosen people of God. (more…)

Recognizing the Pearls among Us

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 27, 2014 – Year A
Readings: 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12; Psalm 119; Rom 8:28-30; Mt 13:44-52
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

The first thing that struck me when I read the Scriptures for today was all of the “choices.” Life is full of choices. We are presented with them constantly. Some are easy and inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Others are much more important and, at the time, we may not even realize the impact that they will have in our life. (more…)