It's December once again and Christmas is just around the corner. And to make sure we are prepared (spiritually, that is) to welcome the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, St. Joseph the Worker Parish has held an Advent Recollection on December 12 at 7pm. Our guest speaker, Rev. Fr. Julius Revesencio of the St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary in jaro, spoke on the theme, "God-with-Us: Here and Now."
The talk is aim to provide our parishioners with the better understanding of the mystery of the Incarnation, as well as a deeper awareness of God's presence in everything and everyone, especially in the challenges of our day-to-day life. The Advent Recollection is the first major activity to be mounted by the newly re-organized Education Ministry of St. Joseph the Worker Parish.
Now practically all of us in the parish ae excited and busy preparing for our annual Christmas Party with this year's theme, Paskwa sa Parokya 2008: Pagsaulog sang Paghigugma kag Pagpasalamat on December 27 at the St. Joseph Community Center. Highlight of the celebration is a Daigon (Caroling) competition participated in by seven groups representing the varioud BEC areas, Mandated Organizations and Ministries in the parish. First prize 
is P7,000, second prize is P5,000, and third prize is P3,000, with the consolation prize of P1,000 each for the four non-winning entries. This time we are tapping the various business establishments in the BEC areas covered by our parish, as well the Mandated Organizations, and some of our reliable benefactors to help us raise funds for the cash prizes. Aside from a catered dinner, numerous door prizes (courtesy of generous donors) also await the lucky participants of the evening.
Then of course there is the traditional Aguinaldo Mass every 4:30am from December 16-24 held simultaneously in three locations: the St. Joseph the Worker Church, Ungka Jaro Chapel, and Ungka Pavia Chapel. In a addition, a one-time Aguinaldo Mass is held in each of the following: Sta. Rosa (Dec. 19) ,Bungon B (Dec. 20), and Dungon A (Dec. 21). As usual, the Aguinaldo Mass is followed by "taho fellowship". But it's not what you think. Taho is the Ilonggo word for salabat, which BEC volunteers served with fresh puto manapla, courtesy of our Mandated Organization.
By the way, on my sixth month as parish priest of St. Joseph the Worker, the Parish Council has finally been re-organized and now includes the following set of officers: Mr. Felix Ojario (Parish pastoral Council), Mrs. Mila Bagaan (Parish Apostolate Council), Mrs. Emma Suerte (Parish Finance Council), Ms. Tani Nedic (Worship Ministry), Mrs. Delia Amistoso (Education Ministry), Mrs. Zenaida Talledo (BEC Coordinator), Mrs. Daisy Versola (Social Services Ministry), the husband-and-wife team of Herman and Fe Magbanua (Family and Life Ministry), Mr. Akil Buenaflor (Youth Ministry), and Ms. Ruth Perucho (Secretary). In January, we shall whole ourselves up at the Carmelite Missionaries' Retreat House in Dueñas, Iloilo for a three-day Planning and Teambuilding Worshop. Hopefully, this business-cum-bonding session will enable as to become more familiar with one another both on the personal and professional levels, and help us become a unified team. From there, we should be able to complete our re-organization, with each 'head' completing his/her own group, as well as spell out our long-term plans for the parish.
Right after the Carmelite friars returned from our OCD General Assembly in Manila last November 22, we took the opportunity to bless the new renovated men's and ladies' comfort rooms of the church building. The total number of cubicles in the ladie's room, for instance, has been increased to five (from original one!) and are now fully operational to better serve the needs of our parishioners especially during "heavy-traffic" hours when there are weddings of funeral masses in the church.
Over at the monastery, all seems to be quite on the home front as the postulants emmerse themselves in their classes and apostolate work, Fr. Eking Fuentes and his chaplaincy od the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCDS), Bro. Herman Gaylan in his ministyr, and Bro. Arnel Panique in his job as Procurator. Meanwhile, Fr. Oscar Boongaling has taken a short leave of absence to attend to some urgent personal matters.
I guess that's it for this issue. Please remember to pray for us also as we do for all of you. Madamo gid nga salamat and may God bless us all! - by Fr. Dan Lim, OCD
It's December once again and Christmas is just around the corner. And to make sure we are prepared (spiritually, that is) to welcome the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, St. Joseph the Worker Parish has held an Advent Recollection on December 12 at 7pm. Our guest speaker, Rev. Fr. Julius Revesencio of the St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary in jaro, spoke on the theme, "God-with-Us: Here and Now."
is P7,000, second prize is P5,000, and third prize is P3,000, with the consolation prize of P1,000 each for the four non-winning entries. This time we are tapping the various business establishments in the BEC areas covered by our parish, as well the Mandated Organizations, and some of our reliable benefactors to help us raise funds for the cash prizes. Aside from a catered dinner, numerous door prizes (courtesy of generous donors) also await the lucky participants of the evening.
