Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
RISE
AND GiVe
HOPE
editorial
Rise
and R
give
hope
message
Messages
message
ealth in the
Lord and
Blessings of
the Holy Spirit!
A challenge to
young Carmelites
2016 will end in about a few weeks from now and it was just like
yesterday that the year began. It just shows us how time flies so fast
indeed in this rapidly changing world. The changes we experience
brought so many emerging developments especially in this new era
of multiculturalism and global economic progress, but one cannot
deny that hunger, violence and division continue to persist in a
world envisioned to be advancing through the years.
that meet the expectation of
This reality is also true to
what the Philippines is until
the Filipino people. At the
expense of human lives,
now experiencing after
violence and injustice
a change in the
became the way
administration
toward national
recently. Though
the new leaders of
progress. What
a sad reality
our country hope
indeed! This
and aim to make
heartbreaking
the Philippines
better in terms
phenomenon
is now
of its economy
and security,
challenging
yet the means
the prophetic
for achieving
spirit of
young Filipino
such dreams did
Carmelites to
not yield results
message
e thank God for such a wonderful year (2016) for bestowing on us countless blessings and graces. For the gift of
persons/vocations to Carmel, which he entrusted to our
care especially the profession of vows of our brother from Papua
New Guinea, Bro. Paul Kaptain Pakao, O.Carm. For the manifold
manifestation of his living presence among us, in each and every one
of us called to be prophets of our modern times. All of us have been
witnesses to all our successes as we live our life in Carmel.
to be agents/instrument of
hope. As St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta would
say, When there is
life, theres love, and
when theres love,
there is hope.
And as St. Therese
of the Child Jesus
would say, My
vocation is to
love. We will be
ending the extraordinary jubilee
year of mercy but we
will always remember,
the mercy/love of God
that endures
forever.
Messages
student-f riars
FY: 2016-2017
whats inside
messages
7
rising to the
challenge of
following god
13
11
hope in the midst
of difficulties
Publisher
Order of Carmelites - Province of Bl. Titus Brandsma (Philippines)
Titus Brandsma Center, No. 24 Acacia St., Brgy. Mariana
New Manila, Quezon City
Editor-In-Chief
Augusto Orlindo Bartolome II, O.Carm.
Contributors
1
peace be with you
Asst. Editor
Leo Nebril, O.Carm.
Advisers
Rev. Fr. Alaindelon Balasabas, O.Carm.
Br. Marvin Diongzon, O.Carm.
Br. Paul Rey Senturias, O.Carm.
The Cover
Table
of
Contents
feature
How?
After the dictatorial government of
Ferdinand Marcos was toppled by the
people, the government under President
Corazon Aquino opened its doors to the
peoples movement for the possible realization of peace in the country. The national
democratic movement in the country had
been waging a war in behalf of the poor,
oppressed, exploited, and marginalized
sectors since the founding of the revolutionary New Peoples Army in 1969.
However, because of the insincerity of
the Aquino government marked by the
protection given her familys estate, the
Hacienda Luisita, from inclusion in the
agrarian reform and the subsequent massacre of poor farmers right at the doorstep of Malacaan Palace, the peace talks
collapsed.
It wasnt until former president Fidel Ramos took office that some hope was given
to the peace process. In 1992, the Hague
Joint Declaration was signed. The document defined the substantive agenda for
the talks that included human rights and
international humanitarian law, socio-economic reforms, political and constitutional
reforms, end of hostilities, and the disposition of forces.3
The first major document in the agenda, the Comprehensive Agreement on the
Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIL), was
signed in 1998.
Sadly, the succeeding leadership did not
take the peace process seriously and the
signed agreements were disrespected and
not implemented.4 The peace talks were
put on hold.
As Carmelites, we
are called to follow
the footsteps of our
spiritual father Elijah,
who could not tolerate
the injustice done
against Gods people by
the idolatrous culture
of the time.
is what we as Carmelites, as
prophets of the modern
times, should bring to those
we come into contact with.
Peace is the message that we
should bring to the poor,
oppressed, exploited, and
marginalized whom we are
pledged to serve. Peace that
is holistic. Peace that means
good health, freedom from
hunger, a comfortable
home, a full life. A peace
that brings hope. This peace
is what we, as followers of
Christ, should defend and
propagate. By doing so we
bring hope to many others
in these troubled times.
10
Feature
vocation
Rising to the
Challenge of
Following God
My Vocation Story
aving been
with the
Order of
Blessed Virgin Mary
for a duration of
seven years. Since
I left the Diocesan
seminary in 2009
and joined the Order
of Carmelite in 2010,
back in my country of
Papua New Guinea.
I feel it is good for
me now to look back
at my vocation story
and the great hope
that sustains me even
up to now.
11
My formation in the
Carmelite way of life has not
always been easy. At first
I was filled with so much
excitement. Father Jun Adeva
a Carmelite priest who was
also my formator in the
Diocesan Seminary showed
me the Carmelite way of life
through our immersions
which allowed us to live in
the midst of the poor people.
Looking back it is this
particular Carmelite charism
which attracted me to join
the Carmelites. But now that
I am here, I can describe my
vocation journey as a roller
coaster ride, with all its ups
and downs. At first, I was
fearful of entering religious
life since it would mean
separation from my family,
but now that I have seen its
value in my formation and
now that I have lived here
in the Philippines for quite
some time. I can confidently
say that I do not regret my
decision and that I now love
and appreciate the Filipino
culture. The obstacles,
hardships, and struggles that
I was confronted with are
brother Carmelites and all the people from our respective communities
who have helped me adjust and bore with me in my difficulties. To you
my brothers and sisters, thank you, for all the care and understanding.
What sustains me now, and gives me hope is my faith in God and
strong zeal to serve Him, in the midst of the people, especially the poor
and marginalized. I can say now that I am here in the Order, that I
have found peace. No more sleepless nights in thinking of my vocation
in life like before I entered the Order. My heart now rests in God and in
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. St. Augustine once said: My heart is restless
until it rests in you O God. From my personal experience, I can say that
is very true.
Indeed the journey of following God is challenging but rewarding.
But walking in faith, focused on your goal and walking that journey
together with your brothers will help you overcome all difficulties.
Gods grace will sustain all who strive to follow Him.
12
Vocation
immersion
od has
not called
me to be
successful, but to be
faithful.
These powerful words of
Mother St. Teresa caught my
attention during my 30 day
immersion in the Bukal ng
Kapayapaan Home for the
Elderly and the Abandoned, an
institution under the care of the
Missionaries of Charity Brothers
founded by St. Teresa herself.
13
We realized that in administering to the poor, we learn many valuable lessons like the value of
sharing, of how it is to be lonely, of how it is to be unwanted and unloved, of what it is to be truly
hungry and thirsty. The poor gave us more than what we have given them, they gave us their
grateful hearts.
I remember the words of Pope Francis during his encounter with the youth in Manila, he said
Learn how to beg. Learn how to receive with humility. Learn how to be evangelized by the poor, by
those we help, the sick, the orphans. They have so much to give us.
We would like to thank our respective communities to which we were immersed; for the meaningful
experiences we have had with you; you became a part of our vocation journey.
Immersion
14
Messages
special feature
15
operations and 2, 294 were the victims of the vigilante style of killings. Another heart
breaking scenario is that after the vigilantes killed their target they just left them with a
cardboard sign hanging on their dead bodies, with the words Drug Pusher ako, Huwag
Tularan (I am a Drug Pusher, dont imitate me). This cardboard sign now becomes a
part of our daily news. The number of killings earned different reactions and sentiments
from the people of this country. For some they applauded the president for his effort in
eradicating these personalities, these fellows whom the society considered as undesirable
members of the community, but for most they really were against it, because of the value
they place on the the sanctity of life. These pro-life advocates are not against the advocacy
of the president to eliminate the illegal drug trade in the country but they uphold an idea
of the importance of the human life, that killing is not the solution to the problem. The
recent survey regarding this issue shows that 94% of the respondents expressed their
belief that the suspects should be captured alive, that the life of this alleged criminals
is of much higher importance compared to this war against illegal drugs. The question
now for us is which side of the issue are we? Are we the ones who support this Extajudicial killing that already killed many of our brethren or do we support the fight against
illegal drugs, yet still desire to uphold the sanctity of human life which promotes the just
treatment of all human persons whether they may be innocent or guilty of wrongdoing?
The Holy Father, Pope Francis in his video message to an anti-death penalty congress
in Norway, emphasized his opposition to capital punishment. He declared that the
commandment You shall not kill has an absolute value and applies both to the innocent
and to the guilty. He reiterates that this kind of punishment cannot bring perfect
justice rather it fosters vengeance in the heart of the loved ones left by the convicted. To
put greater emphasis on this idea, the Holy Father said, It must not be forgotten that the
inviolable and God-given right to life also belongs to the criminal. This message from the
Pope also applies to the situation here in our country brought by this unwritten policy
on extra-judicial killings.
For his part, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, of the archdiocese of Manila here in the
Philippines, broke his silence by condemning all forms of murder from the abortion of
babies to the killings of alleged drug personalities. As much as he denounced the drug
trade in the country as a way of murdering the dreams especially of the young.
Tagle on August 28 during his program with the Church-run Radyo Veritas pushed the
Special Feature
(As long as a
person has life,
whoever he or
she is, that life is
sacred. I know
that the big issue
nowadays is the recent spate
of killings which, they say,
afflicts even those who are
not guilty, the innocent but
whether a person is guilty or
not, life should be cared for and
respected. And if a person is
guilty, give him new life the
opportunity to rise from his old
life.)
19
literary
18
reflections
right
alluring
lights
blinking colorfully
from Christmas
lanterns hanging
from doorposts
of houses; a great
number of Santa
Clause figurines and
glittering Christmas
balls of different
shapes, sizes, and
colors crowd the
shelves of every
department store;
adorable voices of
children cheerfully
singing Christmas
carols in the streets,
these and many
more are what you
can see and hear in
the Philippines once
the ber months
strike the calendar.
21
In May 2016, a new president was elected to govern the Filipino nation for another six
years. This person won the office because he holds an image of hope for many Filipinos
for his determination and strong will to change the corrupt system that imprisons the
Philippines from being truly free to become a better and more developed nation. He
promotes a drug-free country by pursuing a war on illegal drugs by heightening police
services and capturing drug users, pushers, and manufacturers for imprisonment and
rehabilitation. However, this illegal drug campaign does not really proceed as justly as
everyone hopes it would, along the process more than a thousand lives of those who
are accused to be involved in illegal drugs were taken brutally and mercilessly either by
the hands of police officers themselves during entrapment operations or by the rage of
unknown vigilantes. What is more heartbreaking in this reality is that those people who
were unjustly killed do not belong to the elite class of society but to the huge percentage
of Filipino people living in poverty and who are striving to survive one day at a time. Due
to these unwarranted killings, many children lost their fathers or mothers, many parents
lost their sons or daughters, and many spouses lost their other half. In short, many families
were broken, dreams were shattered, joy were taken away from them, and hope lost in their
sight at the expense of pursuing what seems to be the greater good. Is this Jesus way of
achieving justice? By killing those who have sinned and depriving them of renewal?
Before we celebrate Christmas, we first pass through the Advent season. During this
four week period we are called to follow the footsteps of St. John the Baptist to proclaim
repentance, forgiveness, and metanoia in preparation for the coming of Gods promise
the promise of giving us His only begotten Son who will bring into the world the reign of
His Kingdom. Advent invites us all to let go of our preoccupations and reopen our hearts
to receive Gods grace of mercy and love as we commemorate Jesus incarnation into the
world. Jesus Christs birth into humanity is the hope that the Father has given to His
children on earth. The hope that assures every one of the love of God that is freely given to
all. A hope that will usher us from our sinfulness and despair into the light of forgiveness
and acceptance. A hope that justice will truly be attained when love and mercy reign in
each others hearts.
Likewise, this Advent encourages young Filipino Carmelites to fight for the right of life,
to side with the struggles of those who are treated unjustly, and to be the visible images of
hope that Jesus assures us through his incarnation, that justice for those who have died
and for those who are still alive will truly be attained in this world if we accompany our
hope and prayer with mercy, compassion and humble service to each other as brothers and
sisters. Life is worth fighting for, because we believe that life is bestowed upon us as gifts
from the God who is alive. This is the hope that we bring to the people a hope that tells
them that there is a God, alive and merciful, who cares for us and who knows our pains,
so there is no cause for despair and hopelessness.
Reflections
22
reflections
Living In
the Inserted
Community
23
house and in the midst of the poor is also in line with the Carmelite charism of being united with the
minores, those who are considered the least in our society. Jesus was born into poverty, he lived in
poverty and was poor until the day He died. Sometimes it seems that the church has forgotten this.
People in the immersion area live a happy life sharing what little they have, and to see them smiling
everyday especially the children, thats what made my vocation stronger in the face of struggles .These
kind of people gives meaning in what I do and they inspire me.
Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me
(Matthew 25:40).
Jesus not only spoke these words, but he also lived them. The spirit of Gods love for people in
poverty was embodied in his life. There was absolutely no gap between what Jesus said and how he
lived. A devoted follower of Jesus, Pope Francis is proclaiming the word of God, living the word of
God, and showing all of us how to do the same. As I hear the popes message and somehow witness
his life, I can either turn the other way and ignore his words and actions, or I can join him in the
effort to embody the living word. It is not easy but I choose to do so out of faith for the God I serve.
The God who hears the cry of the outcasts in our society.
be instruments of hope by rising
ever since the creation of the
A Challenge... p.3
world God has never abandoned from our comforts and fears and
to us so that we can experience
us and remains to love us despite proclaiming Gods reign of love,
in human form His infinite love, our infidelity and sinfulness. His
justice and peace to our country
and who remains to be with us
promise of giving us everlasting
and to the rest of the world. May
in the Holy Spirit.
life to be with Him has been
God bless us all in our efforts of
fulfilled in the life and ministry
Christmas is also coming
becoming bringers of hope to
of His Son, our Lord, Jesus
at hand. And every time we
Christ. We, as young Carmelites, our suffering brethren. A joyful
celebrate the Christmas season
profess our allegiance to Christ, Christmas and a blessed New
we are constantly reminded that to follow his teachings, and to
Year to us all.
art
Reflections
24
news
25
Responding to Gods
call with hope
literary
Literary
26
abstracts
Thesis Title:
PEACE BE WITH YOU: DAMAYAN
AS A PASTORAL ACCOMPANIMENT
PROGRAM FOR GRIEVING
LOVED ONES BASED ON JOHN 20: 19-31
The research study aims to focus on the inquiry of whether the grieving parishioners of San Isidro
Labrador Parish, Brgy. Bagong Silangan, Quezon City perceive the need of accompaniment and what
pastoral accompaniment program can then be drawn to help accompany them, in times of the death
of a loved one.
The research widens the appreciation of the parishioners in their experience of grieving/mourning
through faith in Jesus which can be a basis for coming up with an effective pastoral accompaniment
program that will respond to their needs-be it in the material, psycho-emotional, social and spiritual
aspects. It also intends to deepen the celebration of sacraments related to it. Moreover, this paper
hopes to be helpful in understanding and exploring the role of momentary grieving in intensifying
their deep warmth and affection for their loved ones who have passed away and discover also the
fruits of it in their lives after the moment of grief. By taking the step into the whole grieving process
of the parishioners, this work aims to provide a sound explanation of the experiential and theological
reflection of the experience of loss and newness of the apostles as they were accompanied by Jesus.
To deeply understand the grief experience of the bereaved respondents, the research employs a
case study analysis. It uses the descriptive research method and framework based on an experiential,
phenomenological and dialogical process also known as The Pastoral Cycle. The approach helps to
bring to the surface the different grief and mourning experiences of the bereaved, as well as, their
damay (sympathy) and transformation encounter after the moment of grief. The gathered data will be
obtained through survey questionnaire and focused group discussion.
From a scriptural and theological point of view, the research study seeks its affirmation on the
importance of Jesus accompaniment in ones life by accepting the peace of resurrection. Like the
healing experience of the grieving disciples in the resurrection narrative of the Gospel of John, the
peace of the Risen Jesus may also become the source of healing for those who are living in grief as long
they put completely their trust and faith in him.
abstracts
Thesis Title:
DOCUMENTARY IMAGES AS A FORM
OF NEW EVANGELIZATION
IN THE CONTEXT OF FILIFINO FAITH
Since its commercial introduction in 1839, photography has permeated aspects of human life
as a source and repository of information about human experiences (Wells 2009, 11). Scientists,
journalists, sociologists, psychologists, and artists among others have used photography in expressing
and communicating their ideas. Photography has also served as a medium for scientific pursuits and
for attaining objective knowledge. It has been prized for its precision and for producing empirical
and verifiable facts that can be of use in the natural and social sciences. Furthermore the invention of
photography has been viewed as a culmination of Western visual representation and a breakthrough
in the visual arts. From its conception in the nineteenth century to the postmodern period,
photography has been integrated in various works of art and has been used by many artists as a visual
representation in their artistic creations. As such, some of the issues and problems which scientific
disciplines like Philosophy of art, and Aesthetics address, emanate from photography.
Moreover, in the advent of digital technology, photographys use as a tool and aid for scientific and
artistic pursuits has been changed. As a visual representation, photography is no longer used solely
for remembering but as a tool for communication and self-presentation. In this regard, this paper
explores photography in view of the development of digital technology and its implications in the
church. Particularly, it discusses how digital technology shifted photographys use as a form of selfpresentation through digital self-portraits and documentary photos. Furthermore, this research aims
to contribute on the discussion of documentary images as a new form of evangelization in the context
of Filipino faith.
The findings of the study reveal the need of a pastoral accompaniment program for the bereaved
parishioners in San Isidro Labrador Parish. This articulated need becomes the basis also for the
researcher to come up a new pastoral accompaniment program intended for grieving faithful. The
careful evaluation and assessment on the program may help respond the needs of the community
holistically.
27
The researcher recommends DAMAYAN (Dalangin, Akapin, Malasakit, Akuin, Yaman, Akayin,
Nabuhay Muli) as a pastoral accompaniment program that will ensure to respond the needs of
the grieving faithful who lost a loved one in terms of their material, psycho-emotional, social and
spiritual needs. By encouraging the parishioners to be involved in the program through the spirit of
DAMAYAN, the study may help accompany the faithful in their experience of grief towards healing.
The Brown Prophets
Abstract
28
abstracts
Thesis Title:
LIVING OUT CARMELITE SPIRITUALITY:
CEBU LAY CARMEL EXPERIENCE
The Carmelite presence in the Philippines gave birth to many accomplishments. There are so
many groups that have been included in the Carmelite family. One of these groups is the Third Order
Carmelites (TOC). It is one of the biggest group of lay people composed of professors, small business
personalities, government and private employees and others coming from different fields of endeavor.
The TOC has existed for over 20 years in our Carmelite community in Nasipit, Talamban, Cebu, City.
These people are following the Rule of Life crafted by St. Albert of Jerusalem and have dedicated
their lives to it. This is a good sign that Lay people are aware that they are sharers of the mission of the
church, which is to spread Gods Kingdom.
This study uses interview as a method to personally capture the ideas they are sharing. The
researcher conducted a survey among selected members of this group to be interviewed. The
researcher also used focused group discussion to make sure the outcome of the study would be
presented as clearly as possible.
The outcome of this study can be used to clarify the role of the laity in the community and in
the bigger sphere of the church, and at the same time, promote them as they share their unique
contribution, as a fruit of their participation in the life of the church.
Proposals and challenges are also posted by the researcher to help make these lay people live a
stronger, more dynamic faith as a group.
29