Saturday, December 25, 2010

Purposed Changes for Our Food Collection Program to Begin in January 2011

1. We set up a collection box in the narthex that people can donate none perishable food to at any time.

2. We set up a section of our Social Ministry shelves in the store room for a small food bank to be given to ROL parishioners whenever they are in need.

3. We also let it be known in the parish that we collect perishable food items for distribution to parishioners in need. I have had parishioners approach me and say they have perishable food items they would like to contribute. These could be monitored on a daily basis. If they are reaching end of life, we can give them to the Lighthouse on a daily basis.We can keep the perishable food items in the refrigerator in the conference room.

4. This small scale food bank, for ROL parishioners in need, will be run casually. If we have food and someone needs it, we give it, no questions asked, and no accounting. It can be given out by the people in the office (Laura, Carey, Nadine, Father Paul) Bob or Liz by phone request.

5. Anyone who would like to take a more active part in this program, or know of someone in the parish who would, jump on board. Give me your feedback. Bob at matthew25@clearwire.net

Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas 2010

Easing world poverty with spare change By Elizabeth Balao | Special to the Herald

Why are so many third world farmers impoverished? It is not only because of primitive conditions and natural disasters. Many farmers are the victims of corrupt financial systems. Columban Father Shay Cullen, who spent time with farmers in remote areas of the Philippines, explained the reality in the March 2009 issue of World Mission, a Catholic magazine.

He wrote: “The farmers are impoverished because they give one-third of their crop to the landowner and pay the high cost of terminator seeds that have to be bought annually because they are designed not to reproduce themselves. They have to be bought yearly with the matching chemical fertilizer and pesticides made by a multi-national corporation.”

He went on to expose the rotten and corrupt system of government and Philippine lending institutions. “This unjust system is the greatest cause of poverty,” he said.

Father Cullen established a foundation to help farmers redirect their efforts from rice to fresh produce and livestock through micro-financing, a system developed in Bangladesh by the 2006 Nobel peace prize winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus that empowers poor people to help themselves.

I went on a humanitarian trip to the remotest areas in Cagayan Valley in the Philippines in October of 2009 invited by the Catholic priest who serves there, Father Manuel Vicente Catral. I witnessed the extreme poverty of farmers and their families.

Father Catral and I decided to look for a solution to the suffering. He suggested the very same idea I had been researching — micro-lending. And so was born our project, “Hope in a Jar.”

Hope in a Jar is a head start to self-sufficiency. It is a project to fund the livelihoods of farmers, single parents, and others who are victims of natural disasters, social discrimination, abuse, political corruption and other conditions that create poverty. It is not a dole out, but an opportunity for the poor to stand on their own, with the promise of success and pay back.

Fathers Catral, Geronimo, Sabban and Banggay are four young, energetic, dedicated Catholic priests whose parishes are in the remotest parts of the Cagayan Valley Province. They have initiated a micro-financing program to give their parishioners a chance for a better life and self-sufficiency.

Through modest donations from generous people in California and Hawaii over the past three years, Father Catral has saved $5,000. He will use that money to start a micro-lending program where the poor can borrow, with minimal interest, small amounts of money to invest in a business venture.

With a $200 loan, at 1 percent to 2 percent interest, a farmer, housewife, single parent or self-supporting college student can start a livelihood by growing vegetables, or raising pigs, chickens or fish, or opening a food stand.

Similar programs have been successful in the neighboring provinces of Ilocos and Isabela. Inspired by the achievements of these local entrepreneurs, Father Catral plans to spearhead his project with the help of volunteers.

Here is where Hope in a Jar comes in. We are asking anyone who wants to help to gather up all the loose change laying around the house, in your car, in your drawers and on your desk at work, and put it in an empty jar or any glass container.

Send the money, through the Philippine National Bank, to Rev. Fr. Manuel Vicente Catral, PNB Tuguegarao, advising him of the remittance number by sending a message to his e-mail address, mavic7079@yahoo.com.

Or you may drop off your jars at Blessed Sacrament Church on Pauoa Road on Sundays, 9-11 a.m., where a volunteer will be at the main door to accept the jars. Write your name, address and telephone number to receive a receipt after the change is counted.

For more information, call Elizabeth Balao at 599-7623. She is a Blessed Sacrament parishioner and also the coordinator of the Adopt a Classroom project for the poor children of the Cagayan Valley. Following her own transparency and accountability policy, Baloa does not accept cash donations for her projects.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

2011 National Migration Week - January 2 - 8


2011 National Migration Week - January 2 - 8
Loving Father,
in your infinite compassion, we seek your divine protection for refugee children who are often alone and afraid. Provide solace to those who have been witnesses to violence and destruction, who have lost parents, family, friends, home, and all they cherish due to war or persecution.
Comfort them in their sorrow, and bring help in their time of need. Show mercy to unaccompanied migrant children, too, Lord. Reunite them with their families and loved ones. Guide those children who are strangers in a foreign land to a place of peace and safety.
Comfort them in their sorrow, and bring help in their time of need. Show us how we might reach out to these precious and vulnerable children. Open our hearts to migrant and refugee children in need, so that we might see in them your own migrant Son.
Give us courage to stand up in their defense against those who would do them harm. For this we pray through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Family Promise of Hawaii

Family Promise of Hawaii

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The hard working ladies of the office - Lauralie B. Loughlin & Carey L. Tomimatsu

Thank you Laura for all you have given. Welcome Carey.

Thank you Ursula

Thank you Ursula for organizing our Giving Tree Project

Friday, December 10, 2010

Attention at Liturgy

We support one another's faith by the kind of response we give to the Lord in our worship. That response needs to be active, alive, and enthusiastic. We make a difference to one another by the way we are attentive to what is happening at Mass. We can build one another up by the reverence we show. Eucharistic ministers certainly notice the reverence of people as they come to receive the Lord in communion. We can also weaken one another just by our inattention, our look of boredom, our non-participation. We have an affect on one another even when we don't always know it. Our responses and actions during liturgy are part of our ministry to one another as members of the Body of Christ.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

"Hail Mary, Full of Grace The Lord is with you"

Wednesday, December 8, 2010 - white
2nd week of Advent
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Monday, December 6, 2010

Confirmation I and II: December 5, 2010: Second Sunday of Advent – Read the Gospel: Mt 3:1-1224:37-44

Journal: How did you live out last week’s Gospel message? What was tough? What was rewarding?

Maybe this Advent we should trim and burn some tree limbs, not just trim our Christmas trees.
John the Baptist seems to sternly warn religious leaders that people who ignore his call to change will face a fiery judgment. They’ll be like rotten trees cut down and burned.
I think John liked to shock people. But for good reason. He lived in a world full of poverty and injustice. He wanted people to face how their sins were hurting the world. Don’t let John’s harsh words scare you. True, our sinful habits and attitudes are like rotten trees or bare branches. Things like selfishness and prejudice take away our happiness, hurt others, and keep us from working for a just world. But Jesus can help us trim these “tree limbs” from our lives. I know a young man who decided as a teenager to change his life in a plane ride home from a Catholic conference. He hadn’t been treating girls he’d dated with respect. He’d been hanging out with the wrong crowd. Jesus, he said, showed him what to change and gave him the confidence to do it. He’s a lot happier now.
We light candles in Advent to remember that Christ can bring light (guidance and warmth) to the darkness in our lives and in the world. We also remember that Christ’s light can burn away what hold us back from our full potential. Take time in advent to feel God’s compassion in the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Or talk with a teacher, friend, or parent about things you’d like to change. You’ll realize, as you trim your Christmas tree, that Jesus is gently trimming your soul.

Journal: What can you change about yourself this Advent to make the world a brighter place? Be specific.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Great Christmas Gifts from Resurrection of the Lord Parishinors

Here are a couple of great gift ideas from two of our creative parishioners at Resurrection of the Lord; Lynne Cullen's work of religious poetry and Wesley Taira's CD of religious music. Lynne has said that the profits from her book sales go to Resurrection of the Lord Catholic Church. Wesley, who is in the Permanent Deaconate Program, uses his earnings to help finance his Deaconate training.

To purchase these fine products, follow the links below:

The Orange Flame Within, by Lynne M. Cullen

"Psalms for Healing", by Wesley Taira

Friday, December 3, 2010

Sharing The Joy of The Resurrection

On Good Friday, April 2, 2010 Maria Ordonez, Lourdes Clemente and Marissa Ordonez delivered Easter gifts to the residents of Pearl City Nursing Home. The gifts were plastic eggs in multi-color, decorated and wrapped with colored netting cloth tied together by fine ribbons with a "Happy Easter!" greeting. The total number given away was one hundred forty (140) These were placed on the resident's food tray the morning of Easter Sunday. "Doing something simple for fellow Christians who are unable to partake of any formal chuch Easter celebration and bringing to them the news of Jesus' resurrection was a heartwarming experience. The time, money and talent used were God-given gifts that must be shared to others, It was truly a project worthy of the undertaking."