Gearing up for 150!

Mary's Move

We're mounting a dance theater tonight in honor of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Sorry, you'll not be able to see us dance. But we have invited talented of young people from our various places of apostolate to do the strutting.

Join them with their groove, and let us see how the Blessed Mother moves! And yes, if in case you're curious, the admission is free. Show begins prompty at 7:30 PM.

161 days left for us to register!

A repost from Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan

Ikaw ba'y...

• Pinoy?
• 18 anyos pataas sa Mayo 10, 2010?
• Naninirahan sa Pinas?

YOU MAY REGISTER in the office of the Election Officer (EO) at the local COMELEC office in your area from Monday-Saturday including holidays falling on weekdays, from 8:00AM -5:00PM. Bring valid identification cards (IDs).

Registration period is ONLY UNTIL OCTOBER 31, 2009.

For those who will turn 18 on or before May 10, 2010, you may register not earlier than May 12, 2009.

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD.

1. Please encourage your friends to register or if old registrant to check their list as soon as possible. They may check

www.comelec.gov.ph and click precinct finder.

2. Email your feedback or problems encountered while registering at tf2010secretariat@gmail.com. Task Force 2010 (TF2010) will consolidate them and forward to COMELEC

3. You may download free voters registration materials from our website (http://www.tf2010.slb.ph/downloa...) . Post them in your community boards -- schools ? parishes. KAHIT SAAN!

4. Help / assist others to register at the local COMELEC offices. These may be the elderly, people with disabilities or indigenous groups. They need help from well-meaning Pinoys like you because they too have a voice that needs to be heard and counted in the 2010 elections. Help them be a part of that political exercise.

For inquiries or concerns, please call TF2010 Secretariat at telephone number (02) 4265968 or visit www.tf2010.slb.ph,www.tf2010.multiply.com or email tf2010secretariat@gmail.com

Manalangin. Manindigan. Makialam.

Back to blogging

I'm back from a five-day mandatory spiritual annual retreat.

Retreat?

A retreat is an important 'pause' from our ordinary life as religious. It is where the heavy schedule in the seminary is set aside, albeit for only a week, to give way to a longer time of prayer, reflection or simply, quietude.

Yes, the people of the secular world may call it a respite, a vacation.

I guess, in some respects, it really is.

This retreat made me a chance to be with myself and the person I call my God in the midst of an environment that is much suitable for prayers.

The moment did not only give me the chance to reflect, pray and meditate. It also afforded me with the opportunity to renew my ties with some friends and to keep up with them.

But if there is anything this retreat has left in me (aside from the many rosaries I was able to make), it is the thought of the year ahead.

My second and final year as a postnovice brother, and the penultimate year before the much dreaded practical training years set in.

Time out

I''l be out for the next couple of days for our annual retreat. Please join me through your prayers.

Make yourself counted

The voters' registration deadline is moved from October 31 instead of December 15, 2009.

I quote the following from the COMELEC site:

“The Commission resolved to move back the voters’ registration deadline to October 31 from December 15 in order to give us more time to prepare for the full automation of the 2010 elections,” states COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez.

Jimenez however explained that despite the registration draw back, voters will be given more opportunity to register as the poll body has recently ruled to open registration on Saturdays and Holidays as a way to encourage more student and worker registrants.

COMELEC Resolution 8585 said that “there are compelling reasons for the amendments being sought in order for the Commission to accomplish the pre-election activities in pursuit of its mandate to conduct clean, honest, orderly, peaceful, and credible May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections.”

“There is a public clamor to open registration during Saturday to accommodate the youth-students and the busy workers, who have no time to register during the weekdays,” the COMELEC en banc said.

“As they (the youth) will comprise the majority of the first time registrants, the Commission deemed it best to lift the afore-cited time limitation in Secs. 6 and to provide additional registration days and holidays falling on weekdays, except Holy Thursday and Good Friday on April 9 and 10, 2009,” the resolution furthered.

Salesians to hold Youth Ministry conference in May

Here's one good read from the website of the Bishops Conference of the Philippines.If you wish to know more about the conference, please visit the JP2 site.

See you next month!

MANILA, March 14, 2009─The Salesians of Don Bosco Philippines North Province will hold its 5th John Paul II Catechetics-Youth Ministry Conference on May 6-8, at Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati City.

The conference is a three-day contemplation and workshop on the spirituality of catechists and youth ministers.

It will focus on the teachings of the Word of God and the life and writings of St. Paul.

Fr. Conegundo Garganta, Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY), said the CBCP commission will assist the Salesians of Don Bosco during the conference.

“They asked this office to help them facilitate [the] prayer [sessions]. Those are the things they asked us to assist them during the run of the program” Garganta explained.

Garganta also said they are helping the Salesians of Don Bosco in advertising the event.

“We are collaborators because we promote the program also to other youth ministry groups, youth ministers, and youth leaders” he said.

Resource speakers will lead the participants in rejuvenating their spirits.

“Catechists’ & Youth Ministers’ Spirituality: Grounded on the Word of God” will be the topic of the talk on May 6 by Rev. Fr. Stephen Placente, SDB, Professor on Sacred Scriptures at Don Bosco Center of Studies.

Sr. Bernardita Dianzon, FSP, a Professor on Pauline Letters at Loyola School of Theology, will give a lecture on the subject “Like Paul, Catechists and Youth Ministers Make the Word of God their Own” on May 7.

Most Rev. Broderick Pabillo, DD, Auxiliary Bishop of Manila and Professor on Sacred Scripture will broaden the knowledge of participants through his topic "Leading the Youth to love and share the Word of God and to live in the Spirit" which is scheduled on May 8.

Meanwhile, ECY will also facilitate some of the conference’s workshops.

The orientation about the prayer and community life of the youth with the Brothers from Taize and the discussion on helpful pastoral care for the youth will be spearheaded by the commission.

KA-LAKBAY, a directory for Catholic Filipino Youth Ministry of the ECY, will be used as guide to the talk on pastoral care for the youth.

The three-day conference will begin with a Eucharistic celebration on May 6 by Most Rev. Leopoldo Jaucian, SVD, DD, Bishop of Bangued, while Bishop Antonio Tagle, DD of Imus, Cavite will preside the mass on the second day, May 7.

His Excellency Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, DD, Archbishop of Manila, will be the presider of the closing Eucharistic celebration on May 8. (Kate Laceda)