It was the greatest news we received in the evening of Oct. 14 when Cardinal Rosales announced over Radio Veritas that Imus Bishop Luis Antonio “Chito” Tagle has been appointed by the Vatican as the new Archbishop of Manila to succeed him.
It was an answered prayer for me because I prayed to Blessed John Paul II when I was in Rome on May 1 that Bishop Chito be appointed Archbishop of Manila.
When I texted Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon the news, he texted back: “The Lord be praised!” But I came to know about it when Dr. Alvin Balatbat, devotee of Our Lady of Mercy in Candaba, Pampanga, texted: “Archbishop Tagle, new Archbishop of Manila.”
The news spread like wildfire and brought joy to a lot of people. They welcomed the news that Bishop Chito Tagle is the new Manila Archbishop.
For one thing, Mona Lacanlale, president of the Eucharistic Adorers’ League, is happy because she saw how Bishop Chito takes care of the Pink Sisters in Tagaytay, saying Mass for them frequently. Fellow writer Dulce Festin-Baybay said, “everybody is happy, but his seminarians will miss him.” Not only his seminarians, but his priests in the Diocese of Imus will miss him.
Fr. Virgilio Saenz Mendoza, parish priest of Naic, Cavite, said, “we are still trying to adjust to the fact that he is not our Bishop anymore who inspired us so much to be good priests.”
Archbishop Tagle at KCON
Archbishop Tagle will speak at the Kerygma Conference 2011 (KCON) on Nov. 19 at the PICC. He will talk on “Daddy: the Pope” which is about the modern role of the Pope. He will also preside over the launching of the Golden Jubilee of Imus on Nov. 24, at the Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral.
In Quezon City, the Blessed Sacrament Fathers will welcome three theologians through ordination to the diaconate on Oct. 23, 10 a.m., at the convent and seminary at 34 Hemady St. New Manila, QC. The new deacons are Bro. Vergel Dalangin, Bro. Allan Peña and Bro. Lennen Deciar. The Father Provincial is Fr. Apolinario TY, SSS.
Staten Island concert
The auditorium of St. Joseph-St. Thomas Church in Staten Island, New York was filled to capacity for the concert featuring the Filipino priests of Staten Island and the San Lorenzo Ruiz Choir of New York on Oct. 1. The concert “Cantate” opened with the 12-member clergy chorus singing “Cantate Domino” followed by “I Believe” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
The concert’s finale, sung together by the priests, the San Lorenzo Choir, soprano Lani Misenas and tenor Rogelio Peñaverde Jr., was a rousing number “Sanlibong Buhay” which was a tribute to San Lorenzo Ruiz, whose feast day is Sept. 28.
As a benefit for the first national conference of Filipino priests in the US, to be held in LA on Nov. 7-11, the concert was able to meet its goal, thanks to the generous response of both the Filipino and American parishioners.
Fr. Erno Diaz, parish priest of St. Mary Margaret Church was the coordinator of the concert.
SM Foundation Blood Bank
In a move to lessen dependence on paid blood donations through commercial blood banks, SM Foundation and the Philippine Blood Center of the Department of Health signed a Memorandum of Agreement to establish a blood bank for SM employees and their families. SM Foundation will “bank” collected blood units to be made available free of charge to SM employees and their families.
This endeavor seeks to stop exposure of blood recipients to dreaded diseases such HIV-AIDS, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, malaria and other possible blood transfusion transmissible diseases.
Two hundred volunteers from the SM Investments Corp. participated in the blood donations at the One E-Com Center of the MOA Complex on Sept. 9, which resulted to thousands of liters of blood.
Angels Here Abound
Angels Here Abound (AHA) started in 2003 when Linda Francisco found out that Michael, a 7-year-old boy asking for alms at the Makati cemetery, was not going to school.
Linda who runs the Commodore Jose Francisco Foundation decided to put up a learning center not only to tutor the children, but also to feed them lugaw which never seems to run out (as attested by the manang Nimfa Vibal).
“May lugaw pa ba?” is the question the kids seem to ask all the time, especially those in the nursery when they come on Saturdays for their tutorial lessons. The AHA Learning Center is at 9708-C Pillila St., Barangay Valenzuela, Makati where 108 students (nursery, grade school and high school) go for tutorial supervision.
Volunteers include Jayton Zulueta who teaches English to high school students; his sister Aina Zulueta Valencia who teaches catechism and composes songs for the kids to sing; Peachy Zulueta Maxwald who helps Mom Linda Francisco run it; Jhovie Capito, nursery teacher; and Lara Mae Brucal, Grade II teacher.
Learning Lion reading system
The center adapts the “Learning Lion” reading system put together by Tisha Gonzalez Cruz. It is a game-based program that employs a creative and innovative approach to learning through games and activities. Materials have been developed to teach children to read in Filipino and English.
Tisha Cruz says, “We are hoping to sell our games in bookstores and the internet. This will cover our expenses for the past years and to have a little business.” This would support their advocacy of teaching Dumagat teachers improve their skills at teaching their own graders+ and spread out the Learning Lion reading system.
Call 0917-8522000 or 0917-5079767.
