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While watching news from
the Philippines, I saw a
woman being interviewed
who said, ―Nilipad man ni
Peping ang aming bubong,
nilubog man ni Ondoy ang
aming bahay, pero hindi nila
kayang lunurin at liparin
ang aming pagdiriwang ng
Pasko.”
Listening to this, I said to
myself, indeed, she is right.
No storms, which could
include the financial crisis
and other crises that we now
encounter, can stop us from
celebrating Christmas
because Christmas - in the
first place - is not just about
having material things as
espoused by TV
commercials. Christmas is
about having Christ. And
when we have Christ that can
really make us joyful, for
that is
simply the
essence of
Christmas.
Christmas
is about a
chaotic
world,
where Jesus himself chose to
be born, so that it may have
life again!
Sana po ay talagang
maramdaman natin ngayong
taon ang totoong diwa ng
Pasko. At ito ay mangyayari
lamang kung patutuluyin
natin si Jesus sa ating mga
puso at sa ating buhay.
May the
blessings of
this season be
truly
experienced by
you and your
loved ones.
Maligayang Pasko sa inyong
lahat!
Fathers Joey, Ely and Jojo
Message from the Chaplaincy
Many Filipinos should be
thankful to Magic Microphone
(for Videoke) not only because it
harnessed to perfection
their hidden beautiful
voices, but more so
because it made them see
the undiscovered beauty of
the Philippines: the virgin
beauty of Palawan, the
whiteness of Boracay, the
captivating beauty of
Bohol, the unbelievable
Banawe, among others.
And indeed, because of
this Magic Mic many
Filipinos here in Vienna
have already begun
visiting those places.
I wish there is also another
Mic that will feature the
unique Filipino values:
the Bayanihan spirit, the Maria
Clara mentality, utang na loob,
palabra de honor, respect for
the elders by using Po or Opo
and pagmamano, pakikisama,
hospitality, of being joyful and
happy people despite the
hardships experienced in life,
the great religiosity, among
others. Especially this year, the
chaplaincy wishes to be that
instrument for the awareness of
these Filipinos values by
choosing them as themes for this
year‘s Simbang
Gabi.
Moreover, talking
about these Filipino
values becomes
more relevant as the
chaplaincy kicks off
with its newest
p r o g r a m ,
PASKUHAN SA
PAROKYA on 20
December. During
the Community
Mass on that day,
t h e d i f f e r e n t
organizations will
present to the
community their
own projects for the
repair and maintenance of the
church buildings.
Ultimately, this program is not
Please, sir, can I have
some more?
2
Dublin, here we come! 3
Mommy‘s thoughts 4
Dreaming of home ... 5
St. Stephen 6
The New Year—2010 6
Ako ang Simula 7
Ano ba ang araw ng
Pasko?
7
Growing in hope, joy 8
Christmas-less December 9
Notes from your Pastoral
Council
9
From joy to trust 10
In the right corner 11
Inviting the youth 11
Schedule of services and
activities
12
Inside this issue:
Dec. 2009
Vol. 5, No. 4
The Official Newsletter of the Filipino Catholic Chaplaincy, Archdiocese of Vienna, Austria
about work assignments but
developing an attitude of
involvement, of promoting true
community spirit among all
members of the Chaplaincy. This
itself is truly Filipino. This is
bayanihan spirit. This is a unique
Filipino value.
Undeniably, one cannot do away
with values when one seeks to
build a community. Precisely,
these themes can truly help us
grow together as a community.
May everyone take th is
opportunity to reflect also on our
hidden values, and for some
forgotten values, values that truly
make us a unique and lovable
people.
Building a stronger community through Filipino values
Ang ating Simbang Gabi 2009
Themes
Dec. 16–Madaling humanga & magalang
(Admiring and respectful)
Dec. 17–Maka-pamilya (Family oriented)
Dec. 18–Matiisin (Forebearing)
Dec. 19–Maka-Diyos (Religious)
Dec. 20–Magiliw sa mga panauhin Hospitable)
Dec. 21–Bayanihan spirit (Helpful,
cooperative community spirit)
Dec. 22–Masayahin (Cheerful)
Dec. 23–Mapagpasalamat (Thankful)
Dec. 24–Puno ng pag-asa (Hopeful)
Dec. 25– Pakikisama (Spirit of Camaraderie)
Page 2 Pastulan Vol. 5, No. 4
I have been mulling for weeks now
over what to write – my life over the
past year has been a whirlwind of
events, lessons and blessings that I
just couldn‟t focus on what to share.
But today I was listening to a sermon
on my way to work, and the message
delivered was my biggest lesson this
year – I took that as my sign, how
could I not share that with you! It is
such an important and life-
changing lesson this year and
I am still working to find ways
to truly live by it and incorpo-
rate it into my spirit!
The biggest lesson I learned
this year is to DREAM BIG
and believe that I will achieve
that dream! This lesson came
to me through my best friend
sharing one of the messages
that she learned at her
church. She shared about
how we underestimate the
power of God by being limited
in what we ask for!
Recently, I have been having
an inexplicable, ravenous ap-
petite – I am hungry all the
time and I crave hearty, carb-
rich, flavoursome food! While
in my subconscious I worry
about exploding into an
Oompa-loompa, the desire to
eat well is stronger than wor-
rying about the consequences
of eating. However, to my
pleasant surprise, I am in fact
losing weight!
My lifestyle may be the reason to my
unplanned weight-loss. I am busy all
the time, I am always on the go, I am
rarely at home, my mind is constantly
turning cogs, my spirit is alive, I am
experiencing new things (concerts,
theatre plays, meeting new inspiring
people), I keep in touch with all my
friends (on the „phone or in person), I
work, I am running a business, I am
networking, I am learning. I AM LIV-
ING A FULL LIFE!
Where am I going with this? Parents
will relate to this example: when your
child asks for a new toy you will un-
doubtedly want to do nothing else but
to give your child this particular toy.
When you see the joy in their faces,
you are inclined to buy the additional
accessories to prolong that joy. God is
the same and, what‟s more, He has
the power to provide whatever your
heart desires. Like a child, don‟t be
afraid to ask! We can‟t be shameful
and coy about it – go up to Him and
ask for it and some more!
But let us stick with the analogy of the
appetite and food so everyone can
relate. Because I am living a full life, I
need to sustain my body with food
(and my spirit with soul-food)! If I‟m
still hungry, I need to eat some more
to be full! Never mind the diet, don‟t
forgo dessert if you want it, and don‟t
just order a salad because you don‟t
want to look greedy! If you are going
to eat a good meal then go for the full
works! Ask for the turkey, the roast
vegetables and potatoes, the corn
bread and pecan pie… and the side
salad!
When I go out to eat, I will usually
have wine, an appetiser and a main
course but if I‟m not full I will have
dessert! Why not? When I am invited
to a friend‟s home for dinner, I want to
be able to ask for a second helping if
their cooking is delicious, I want to be
able to tell them I am still hungry!
When I invite people to eat in my
home, I want them to leave full! Happy
and full! I love it when they ask for a
second helping!! They might not be
able to eat more at the moment but
even then I am delighted when they
take leftovers home in
a Tupperware con-
tainer to enjoy when
they get hungry later on
at home!
God is the same – He
wants us to be full with
His “cooking”!!! Let us
go to Him and request
dish that we are crav-
ing for, that we have
been dreaming of! Let
us ask Him to prepare
us a meal that will sat-
isfy our hunger! He
wants us to go up to
Him and ask for first,
second, and third help-
ings because we are
enjoying what He is
putting on the table!
“You prepare a table
before me… You
anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
“(Psalm 23:5)
He wants us to love it
so much that we keep
coming back for more, to tell people
about it, to show people, to bring
friends to the table, to enjoy it and
savour it, to relish in the memory of it!
However, if God takes a while cooking
up the perfect meal, don‟t go snacking
and ruining your appetite! Don‟t be
distracted by the peanuts in the bowl!
Anticipate the deliciousness of the
food that is about to be served! Trust
the process and don‟t give up on the
promise of a meal with your Father!!!
The excitement of sharing this mes-
sage with you has made me hungry
so I am off to eat some breakfast! Ge-
segnete Mahlzeit!
Meggy
Please, sir, can I have some more? (Oliver Twist)
Dec. 2009 Page 3
less people and has
2 shelter houses,
one for women
(Regina Coeli
House) and one for
men (Montfort
House), which are
maintained by vol-
unteers from all
over the world. We visited them. Our day
was made complete after a Holy Mass
celebrated by Fr. Ely and Fr. Jojo. After
buying some books and other material
from their extensive library, we moved
back to the city, stopping briefly at the
world-famous Guinness Brewery to take
some photos. Then we proceeded to Myra
House, where the first ever Legion of
Mary meeting was held on 7 September
1921. We met Brother Tom and Brother
John, who where good friends of Frank
Duff. They told us about the beginnings
of the Legion and some interesting stories
about Frank Duff. We felt very honoured
and blessed to be part of this adventure,
and to walk in their footsteps.
The next day‘s destination was Knock,
about 200 km from Dublin in county
Mayo, a very important area in Irish his-
tory. This place is not as well-known as
Lourdes or Fatima. We attended mass in
the old chapel at the back of which our
Lady, wearing a long white cloak and
with a large crown on her head, first ap-
peared on the evening of 21 August 1879
to Mary McLoughlin, the housekeeper of
the parish priest. The apparition with St.
Joseph and St. John the Evangelist was
witnessed by fifteen people in all. The
Church was at first hesitant to recognize
the apparition but the first pilgrimages
started already in 1880. The apparition
was officially approved by the Church in
1971. Pope John Paul II visited the
Marian Shrine in 1979, commemorating
the centenary of the apparition. Knock
was also visited in June 1993 by the late
Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Since that
time, more and more
people come from all
over the world to visit the
shrine and pray to our
blessed Mother.
It was incredibly cold,
rainy and windy but this
did not dampen our good spirits. The
place is much bigger than we thought.
The apparition chapel is surrounded by a
huge complex including a bed-and-
breakfast for those who would like
to stay overnight. The weather did
not really allow us to explore every-
thing, so we returned to Dublin in
our little bus. In the evening, every-
one went back to the city in little
groups or stayed at the hotel to re-
flect on the day‘s events. Some of us
went to the Temple Bar area where
we listened to a small group of street
musicians, whose style heartened us
to swing and dance. It was really a
nice experience. Others in our group
wanted to try ―authentic Irish food‖
and went off in search of an ―Irish
restaurant‖. It would have involved
eating salmon, codfish or meat pie
but, in the end, that group went back
to the Manila Café.
On Sunday, it was time to pack our lug-
gage. After listening to Holy Mass in a
church close to the hotel, we left for the
airport. Were we tired? I guess not. We
were, instead, happy because we attained
our dream of visiting Dublin, the place of
our beginnings.
Dina Godtz and Maggie Gascon
When we were young, Dublin was one of
the cities in the world that we dreamed of
visiting because of the many inspiring
stories the Irish missionaries in the Philip-
pines told us. And never did we imagine
that that dream could become a reality
when we joined the Legion of Mary in
Vienna. There was good reason after all,
since Ireland is the cradle of our group,
the country of our founder, Frank Duff.
14 Legionaries from the 2 Praesidia, with
Fr. Ely and Fr. Jojo readily approved of
the idea of undertaking this pilgrimage on
22-25 October 2009. As the day of our
departure neared, we felt so much excite-
ment. We were the noisiest group on the
'plane! Sister Charito and her husband,
Jun, who preceded us by a few days, were
waiting for us at the airport and we took
the airport bus to our hotel, close to
O‘Connell Street. After settling in, we
went around the
city, visiting
among other
places of interest
the Blessed Sac-
rament Church,
where most Filipi-
nos go to in Dublin, to thank the Lord for
our safe arrival, and Trinity College, after
which we did a little bit of souvenir shop-
ping. By the way, many Dublin tourist
guides mention that the
city is relatively small.
Don‘t believe it. Walking
distances are quite long
and several of our mem-
bers came back to the hotel
with aching knees and
burning shoe soles. Well, it
may also be that most of us
are already advancing in
age! In the evening, we all
went to the ―Manila Café‖.
Most of us had rice and
fish, and we spent a nice
evening there as a compen-
sation for the long tour of
the day. Some of us even
sang at their videoke to the
delight also of the Irish cus-
tomers.
On Friday, after an early wake-up call and
a solid Irish breakfast, we went straight to
the Legion of Mary headquarters in Ire-
land. It is situated on Morning Star Ave-
nue. Frank Duff, the founder of the Le-
gion, lived in a house a little bit further up
the street. We visited his place where
everything is as it was when he lived
there. We saw his books, letters and even
his bicycle. The Legion cares for home-
Dublin, here we come!
Our Lady appeared on 21 August 1879 in Knock, county Mayo,
Ireland. The apparition was officially approved by the Church in
1971, and the Marian Shrine is gaining in popularity among pilgrims.
Legion of Mary Pilgrimage
The Marian Legionnaires in front of Trinity College
Chapel of Apparition, Our Lady of Knock
Pastulan Page 4
Dear Anna,
You watched the news with eyes open
wide, your young mind trying to under-
stand the tragedy that was unfolding. You
listened quietly as I talked to my brother on
the ‗phone, and you heard how they lost all
their belongings when the flood waters
rose. You asked where all the water came
from and … why.
I tried my best to explain how floods come
about - how heavy rains cause the rivers
and creeks to overflow. Later on, you will
hear about deforestation and global warm-
ing. But as early as now, I want you to
learn - as a child of God - how to cope with
tragedies.
I spent my early childhood days along the
banks of the Pasig River, one of the famous
bodies of water in the Philippines. It was
the source of inspiration
for many novels, poems
and songs. For me and
my childhood friends, it
was where we had our
first swimming lessons,
where we played and
wove tales of sirenas
and syokoys, where we
gathered multi-coloured
shells to play with, or
caught something to eat
for dinner, where we
built sand castles or
patiently waited for
fishermen with their
fresh catch for sale.
But there were also
days when the river got
angry and rampaged
over its banks. I re-
member our mad scramble to get all the
goldfish from our small pond, to bring the
few precious belongings, the pigs, hens and
pets to higher ground for safety, and then to
wait until the waters would again subside.
But those hours and sometimes days spent
upstairs watching the floods were far from
boring. It was exciting to see what the rap-
idly flowing water brought with it: giant
fishes, big logs, trees, sometimes whole
houses. We somehow enjoyed those school
-free days, never mind that we couldn‘t
play on the streets, but we had the radio on
all day, and we feasted on rainy-day food:
champorado, nilagang saging, nilagang
kamote, binatog and, because Nanay could
not go to market, we had plenty of de-lata:
carne norte, portola, ligo, etc. What a
change from the usual paksiw na ayungin,
ginataang biya, sinigang or ginisang gulay.
And to keep us quiet, we were even al-
lowed to read comic books!
Of course, it was not always floods, some-
times it was just one of the many typhoons
that visit the Philippines every year. I still
remember the smell of freshness it left in
the air, and the joy we had from scavenging
for fruits that had fallen from wind-battered
trees. We loved those nights of darkness
when the electricity supply was cut due to
fallen Meralco posts, how we huddled
close together as we exchanged tales of
ghosts – manananggal, kapre, tiyanak,
bampira, atbp. They usually were very
long nights; the shadows cast by the can-
dles, the howling wind, the creaking win-
dows and the cold, all make sleep difficult.
The transistor radio was a valued necessity
during those nights as Lola Basyang started
her stories with ―Efren, huwag ka nang
malikot…” We all heeded those words,
even though we obviously were not all
named Efren. Her stories took our thoughts
and imagination into faraway lands of
beauty and love, of heroism and bravery.
On some other nights, when the rains had
stopped, we gathered in the garden as our
father pointed at the stars and got us ac-
quainted with Big and Little Dipper.
For a child, even queuing for relief goods
was exciting. We compared the contents of
the bags of goodies distributed by the
Mayor‘s Blue Ladies. On lucky days, espe-
cially if elections were nearing, there would
be packets of Chocnuts added to the obliga-
tory kilo of rice, a pack of sugar, two cans
of sardines, three candles and a box of
matches.
As I grew older, I started to realize how
much those calamities affected our parents.
When I was eleven, a very strong typhoon
sent our new house crashing to the ground.
The following year, my father had to build
a small boat to bring us to safety as the
floodwaters continued to rise. Each time,
we had to start from scratch, most things
we needed for school had to be replaced;
home furniture had to be repaired. And
there was no house insurance to claim.
As the novelty started to wane, we children
eventually start to grumble and complain
about the discomforts but we never heard
anything from our parents. After the storm
that destroyed our house, I saw my father
cry but I did not hear him ask, ―Why?‖. I
remember how your Lola –
my mother - held her rosary
as each storm signal pro-
gressed to ―three‖. But in
silence and with a strong
belief in God, my parents
always managed to bring us
back to normality. We
never had too much, but
they saw to it that we had
what we needed. Most of
all, their silent fortitude
made us feel secure. They
managed to turn every ca-
lamity into a learning ex-
perience.
My dear child, your Daddy
and I are working hard so
you won‘t have to queue
for rice. And being a child
of the 21st century, you
probably won‘t have to endure days with-
out electricity. But, like our parents, we
also strive to develop in you that sense of
security – that no typhoon, nor flood nor
any other calamity should make you doubt
God‘s love for you.
As Christmas nears, we think of all those
children affected by Ondoy, Peping and
Co. You even mentioned them in your
prayers last night. But, never mind, God in
His infinite goodness will surely bring the
smiles back to their faces. He always does.
Merry Christmas, Anak!
Love,
Mommy
Mommy‘s thoughts on...
C h r i s t m a s d e s p i t e O n d o y
Dec. 2009 Page 5
September, October, November . . . they‟ve come and they‟re gone. The months with the “BER” endings brought the cold of winter and these thoughts about “Christmas away from home”. Kabayans, we have all had our own share of the first Christmas…. So let me share mine with you, rolling back the years to…is it now about 33 years already? Yes, that‟s a long way back.
Looking back like countless Filipinas before me, it will be a (first) Christmas that most Filipinos raised on the belief that “West is best”, “white is alright” could only dream about.
Sure, for the first time in my life the lyrics of many familiar Christmas Carols will be coming true.
It was not only the first real “White Christmas”. Now I would finally get to meet “Frosty the Snowman”, I would know how it feels to have “Jack Frost nipping at my nose”, hear “chesnuts roasting on the open fire”, and perhaps even hear first hand of some Austrian boy who saw his “Mommy kissing Santa Claus”! And like many of our Kabayans, I have my share of my pictures taken in the snow – in complete winter attire – with a snowman to add background authenticity – so that folks back home would see just what a grand time I am having!
So what could possibly spoil this first Christmas for me?
The weather, for one thing. Ever since the cold spell began, my spirits have followed the general downward direction of the mercury. A regular wintry day usually finds me making my way to the bus stop all wrapped up in my Strumpfhose, four layers of shirt and sweater, three layers of pants, three pairs of socks, gloves,
Haube and a heavy Mantel. It takes only 5 minutes for the bus to arrive, but even less before I start to shiver to the bone. My teeth are doing an imitation of a squirrel chirp and my knees beat to a steady conga rhythm. When up comes another kabayan – who has survived three winters – who pats my shoulder and says, “Wala pa yan kabayan, you should see it get to minus thirty degrees!” My tropical hands and ears have been battered to numbness by the wintry winds –
cold in cold! And here‟s somebody who tells me it‟s going to get even worse? Those carols never mentioned you could freeze to death from a white Christmas, and somehow this spoils everything for me.
Then there‟s the language – and the whole culture that goes with it! To ears accustomed to “Merry
Christmas” and “Maligayang Pasko”, a greeting of “Frohe Weihnachten und ein gesundes Neues Jahr” simply doesn‟t jive.
Meaning that while all these “Frohes” and “Weihnachtens” may seem natural and right for Austrians, they can never be natural for me. That first time, I‟ll trade a hundred Frohe Weihnachten for one Maligayang Pasko! Give me my Simbang gabi, my media noche, my bamboo lanterns, my “Pasko ay sumapit”, and most especially, give me FAMILY and FRIENDS who share to make a financially-lacking season, a spiritually-rich celebration of LOVE and GOODWILL. I‟ll be dreaming about it as I shiver and try to “Deutsch Sprechen” all season long. I miss all of this, as I spend Christmas away from home and, yes even, after the second, third, fourth and actually every time…..
I miss the food too: the puto bumbong, the bibingka, the golden lechon. Haaay naku! Yes, do you know what? Many of my male friends agree with my sentiments as, longing for a cold glass of San Miguel beer,
they say “Prosit” over a glass of wine remembering past family reunions or being with barkada and friends at Christmas in „Pinas. As much as they miss the discussions they used to have about anything under the sun, from basketball to politics and the movie stars, I really miss the ingriedients of a Filipino Christmas and I can say that “Paskong Pinoy ist wirklich ganz anders!”
Given the track record of many Pinoys in various foreign countries, I know that in time we will survive that first Christmas away from home, but we will always be thinking about and longing for Christmas at home, a Christmas made different by close (also closed) family ties.
But then, are we not as Filipinos known to have the rare ability to hide our problems and burden behind our smiles??? One thing is for sure, it‟s here in our adopted homeland that we become closer to HIM (God), His will and way for us. Definitely, our reason to be here – far away home - is just because of “LOVE”; our own “mission of Love” to fulfill in many
different ways. Like JESUS our LORD. He had nothing but LOVE, infinite LOVE to give. That is why Christmas is different: It is special, its magic will last and overcome even homesickness, and poverty.
Let‟s not just have an eternal Merry Christmas, but a meaningful and grace-filled one, a Christmas which celebrates not only the bygone birth of Christ, but Christ being born again in our personal lives, in our family and in our social life.
Timmy de Mata
Dreaming of home on my first Christmas (in Vienna)
Pastulan Page 6
Saint Stephen (Greek: Stephanos,), known as the Protomartyr of Christianity, is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox Churches. He was one of the first in the early Church to bear the title Archdeacon.
Acts of the Apostles tells the story of how Stephen was tried by the Sanhedrin (priests) for blasphemy against Moses and God (Acts 6:11) and speaking against the Temple and the Law (Acts 6:13-14). He was stoned to death (c. A.D. 34–35) by an infuriated mob encouraged by Saul of Tarsus, the future Saint Paul: "And Saul entirely approved of putting him to death" (8:1). Stephen's final speech was presented as accusing the Jews of persecuting prophets who spoke out against their sins: "Which one of the Prophets did your fathers not persecute, and they killed the ones who prophesied the coming of the Just One, of whom now, too, you have become betrayers and murderers." (7:52)
Saint Stephen's name is simply derived from the Greek Stephanos, meaning "crown" or “wreath”, which translates into
Aramaic as Kelil. Traditionally, Saint Stephen is invested with a crown of martyrdom for Christianity; he is often depicted in art with three stones and the martyrs' palm. In Eastern Christian
iconography, he is shown as a young beardless man with a tonsure, wearing a deacon's vestments, and often holding a miniature church building or a censer.
In Western Christianity, 26 December is called "St Stephen's Day", the "feast of Stephen" of the English Christmas carol, "Good King Wenceslas". It is a public holiday in many nations that were historically Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran: Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Poland, Republika Srpska, United Kingdom (where it was also called "Boxing Day"), Ireland, Italy, Germany, Finland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In Catalonia (though not elsewhere in Spain), it is called Sant Esteve and is a bank holiday. In France, the day of Saint Étienne is a bank holiday in the Alsace-Moselle region, but not elsewhere. 26 December is also a holiday in Tuguegarao City, Philippines, which celebrates a fiesta in honor of St Stephen Protomartyr, its patron saint.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite, St. Stephen's feast day is celebrated on December 27. (This date in the Julian Calendar currently corresponds to January 9 in the Gregorian Calendar.) This day is also called the "Third Day of the Nativity".
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Stephen)
2010 A.D. Anno Domini, year of the LORD. This
has been so because it was at Christmas, the
turning point of history, that Christ entered into
and lives in time. The year of the Lord means the
time of Salvation. The kingdom has come but is
headed towards Eternity. So as years come and
go, we come closer to Eternity, our final destiny
and fulfillment. And, there‘s no stopping this
movement and direction of time.
Finally, let‘s go to the practical implication of the
meaning of TIME and the NEW YEAR. The new
year for us should mean becoming ―NEW‖, i.e., a
renewal, change, growth. Again as the Tagalog
saying has it, ―Bagong taon ay magbagong
buhay‖. As we grow old, we must also grow up
(mature) in wisdom, grace and love. We must
make a conscious effort to move towards eternity.
In the concrete, this calls for a constant daily
struggle to DISCIPLINE ourselves, to die to our
selfishness and sin.
Timmy de Mata
Why does practically everyone, regardless of age and
condition in life, welcome New Year with joy and
excitement?
The answer is no other than our ―CHRISTIAN HOPE‖.
This is certainly much more than optimism or
expectations of better ―TIMES‖. This hope is rooted in
our belief in God. As we believe in God, we go on
hoping, even against hope. And as we say in Tagalog
―Habang may buhay, may pag-asa‖.
But is this hope, one may ask, unrealistic? Is this not
just kidding or fooling oneself? Definitely, this year
will bring its share of pain, problems and
disappointments for each of us. Is hoping that 2010
will be better than 2009 much like burying one‘s head
in the sand to escape painful realities?
The Christian meaning of ―TIME‖ will answer this
question. There is certainly much more time than just
past, present and future. It is not simply 2010. It is
The New Year - 2010
St. Stephen
Dec. 2009 Page 7
Ako ang simula, ito nga ba ang paraan
Upang ating inang bayan ay magbago ng lubusan
Bawat isa ay simula sa tunay na katuparan
Ito raw ang siyang daan pagbabago sa lipunan
Tutuo ngang bawat isa'y may tungkulin sa 'ting bayan
Tungkulin na ituwid mo kamaliang nalalaman
Tungkulin ding alamin mo ang ugat at ang dahilan
Ang tunay na nangyayari at di hango sa tsismis lang
Isa lang ang aking tiyak pag-ibig di mawawala
Pag-ibig sa kapatiran gayon din sa ating bansa
Subok ito at nakita nang bumagyo at bumaha
Bawat isa'y nagtulungan at lahat may ginagawa
Lalo kung sumasapit dakilang araw ng pasko
Ang una mong iniisip aginaldo sa kapwa mo
Kahit ika'y maubusa'y ligaya na sa puso mo
Pagkat alam na alam mong may nagawa kang tutuo
Ngunit huwag naman sanang itulak lang sa gobyerno
Masasamang nangyayari'y, sinisisi ay palasyo
Baka gawa-gawa lamang at may halong politiko
Sa huli ang magdurusa'y walang iba kundi tayo
Marami ang naghihirap, malimit yan ang dahilan
Pagnanakaw, pangho-holdup dahilan daw sa kawalan
Mga squater sa lungsod bakit wala raw tahanan
Ang lahat ay isisisi dito sa pamahalaan
Kapatid, mag isip ka din at lahat ay pagnilayan
'di ba't ika'y bahagi rin nitong bulok na lipunan
Hindi kaya bawa't isa'y may nagawang kapalpakan
Kaya hindi makabangon ang bayan sa kalumpuhan
Tingnan natin ang mahirap, 'di ko naman nilalahat
Sa lungsod sila nagpupugad, sa probinsya ay kay sarap
Masabi lang Manilenyo, kahit sila ay maghirap
Sisisihin ay gobyerno, ngunit yabang ang nagtulak
Marami din sa 'ting Pinoy ang katulad ay si Juan
Hinihintay lang malaglag ang bayabas sa gubatan
Ang kamay na malilinis ay ni ayaw marumihan
Hangad lagi ay trabaho na may halong pasikatan
Hindi ko rin sinasabing mag impok ng kayamanan
Ang akin lang tinutumbok, ang bukas ay paghandaan
Sa ayaw man at sa gusto ay dapat nating tandaan
Ang lahat nating gagawin ay pera ang kailangan
Hindi kaya ang dahilan nitong ating kahirapan
Ay taglay na katamaran at ang ating kayabangan
O 'di kaya'y ang katulad ay limatik sa looban
Nabubuhay lang sa dugo ng gobyerno at kahanggan
Ako Ang Simula
Ano ba ang Pasko sa buhay ng tao?
Bakit lahat yata‘y hinihintay ito.
Matanda at bata‘y nasasabik dito;
Ano ang dahilan ng lahat ng ito?
Ang lahat ng tanong, walang kasagutan,
Kung anong totoo ay di natin alam;
Kaya nararapat nating pangaralan,
At ating alamin ang katotohanan.
Ito palang Pasko ay aking nalaman,
Malaki ang ating kaugnayan;
Ito ay ang araw nang pagka pagsilang,
Ng Mahal na Birhen sa Poong Maykapal.
Sa isang sabsaban na hamak na lugal;
Ang Mahal na Kristo dito isinilang,
At ang mga Pastol ang nagpapatunay
At ang Kanyang Ama at Mahal na Ina.
O, Mahal na Hesus, Ikaw‘y isinilang;
Upang iligtas Mo ang sangkatauhan,
Dahil sa Iyong pag-ibig sa tao;
Di Ka nagkakait kahit na kanino.
Panginoon, tangi naming kahilingan;
Ay tanglawan kami ng Iyong liwanag,
Upang di maligaw sa tuwid na landas,
At maging marapat sa iyong patawad.
Adelo Agbon
Ano ba ang Araw ng
Pasko?
Kumilos ka kapatid ko, baguhin mo itong mundo
Bawat isa sa simula sa tunay na pagbabago
Unahin mo ang sarili at huwag tingnan ang kung sino
Dahil dito'y unti-unting magbabago ang anyo mo
Ngunit hintay pala muna ang Pasko ay nalimutan
Ang hangad lang naman sana'y magkaisa't magmahalan
Nawa ang diwa ng Pasko ay madama ng sinuman
Bawat isa'y magsimula at magbago ng lubusan
Jun Rico
Pastulan Page 8
Growing in hope, growing in joy Notes from the Parish' Advent Recollection, 21 Nov. 2009
On the last weekend of the just-
passed liturgical year, Fr. Ben
Jerson Cañete, from the Diocese
of Tagum (Davao) took some
time off from his studies in
Biblical Theology in Rome to
be with our Community and
help us prepare for Advent.
The following notes are reproduced in Pastulan for those
who were not able to attend the recollection. They cannot
subsitute for the experience of having attended the
recollection, but are intended only to give our readers some
impulses for reflection during Advent.
For the first half of his talk, growing in hope, Fr. Ben cited
five points of reflection:
God is a generous provider—He gave us the intelligence
and freedom to choose to do what is right and good for
all
God is a suffering God—His people rejected the many
prophets that He sent, also His own Son
God is a searching God—He continues to look for His
flock viz. He sent many prophets, even if they were
killed one after another by His tenants (Mk 12:6a)
God is a God of justice— In our life, God does not
punish us, but rather He tests our faith. What happens to
us is a result of all the choices that we make.
God is a patient God—It is the faithful who are the hope
of the Church, not the priests. It is because of the former
that the Church has survived through the centuries.
The last Sunday of the liturgical year is the Feast of Christ
the King, symbolizing the triumph of Jesus in saving
mankind from its sins. On this day, we come to know the
reality of God‗s faithfulness to each of us. In Greek thinking,
hope is based on the present reality, it is within the bounds of
this world. In the Old Testament, hope is a dimension of trust
in the Almighty God. It is not based on, or restricted to, the
present reality and goes against what is possible in this
world. In St. Paul's writings, there is no uniform notion of
hope. According to St. Paul, Abraham is the model of hope
(Rom 4:18) because, hoping against hope, he believed that he
would be the father of many nations—and it came to pass!
From Isaíah 43:1-4 and Rom 8:24, we know that the basis for
hope is in God and that in hope we are saved. This beautiful
message is repeated in Pope Benedict XVI‗s encyclical
letters which explain that: 1) God is love, and 2) Hope saves.
The discussion in the second half of the recollection,
growing in joy, was based on the letter of St. Paul to the
Philippians, "I want you to be happy, happy in the Lord." In
the New Testament, the verb "chairo" (to rejoice) is
mentioned no less than 362 times. St. Paul cites it 136 times
in his letters, making him an apostle of joy!
In Tagalog, the words for joy are: saya, galak, tuwa, ligaya
and lugod. And there are three types of saya:
Sayang nagsasalaysay at nagpapasalamat, Phil1:3-6. If
God is a generous provider, do we thank Him for
everything even in ordinary events of our life? Are we
also generous to others? Do we remember those people
who have been instrumental to our development, who
have helped us to become what we are today? How do we
thank them?
Sayang nagtatagubilin at naghihikayat, Phil 2:2-4. If God
is a suffering God, St. Paul advises us to be honest and
just, and not allow ourselves to feel jealousy. Are we more
interested in unity than division? Do we engage in makiisa
rather than makaisa? Do we realize that true love hurts?
Sayang nagpapalakas ng loob at tumutulong, Phil 1:20-
21. If God is a patient and searching God, St. Paul
admonishes us not to lose hope, nor to stop propagating
the truth. We need to search for the wayward and
accompany them back onto the right path. We try to
remember St. Francis, whose idea of perfect joy was in
being given the opportunity to suffer like the Lord did!
The Pope of joy, Benedict XVI, wrote three books on joy:
1. Christ our joy
2. Ministers of your joy
3. Faith as trust and joy
and opines that the world is in need of joy because of
Damage that has been caused to the environment;
Social upheaval;
Breakdown of the traditional family;
Widespread culture of death (abortion, contraception,
same-sex marriages, divorce);
International instability and recession; and
Terrorist threats of recent years resulting in general
unease, anxiety and fear about the future.
The three most-known symptoms of modern times are:
Chronic boredom despite all that life has to offer;
Spiritual listlessness or acedia; and
Frequently articulated belief that life itself is without
meaning.
Pope Benedict reminds us that the history of Christianity
begins with the word "Rejoice" Phil. 4:4 and challenges us
to proclaim the culture of joy!
Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel
Nascetur pro te, Israel.
Dec. 2009 Page 9
I have always loved the Christmas season. I love the smell of a
freshly-cooked puto bumbong mixed with the crisp, cold wind of
December. I love how my nose and ears freeze when I step out
of the house… and I love how I try to warm myself up, and
cuddle with the people I love. I love the Christmas colors (which
are not necessarily limited to green and red) and the dancing
lights that brighten up even the darkest nights. I love listening to
Christmas carols, and singing along as they are blasted from
tricycles, jeepneys and even the littlest sari-sari stores. I love the
belens, the Christmas story renditions, Santa Claus, Rudolph, the
little elves, heck, even the Grinch! I love the gifts (which
includes cards, photo frames and what-nots) – however
inexpensive they may be; I love wrapping them, as much as I
love UNWRAPPING them.
But after all, thinking about Christmas makes me miss home all
the more. It makes me long for family reunions, endless videoke
nights and huge feasts. It
makes me ache for my family,
and the comfort they bring,
knowing that no matter what
happens theirs is the home I
belong to – a home that shields
you from faceless beings, from
uncertainty, from self-doubt,
and from practically
everything that the world
A Christmas-less
December?
could throw at you.
Yet I never stopped searching for Christmas. I never stopped
looking for reasons to celebrate it this year, even in the
absence of everything but food. I never realized that the
reason that I have been searching has been - all along - here
in my heart.
The Bible says, ―and you will have joy and gladness, and
many will rejoice at His birth‖.
The only reason why one should not stop rejoicing, even in
the middle of a deep sense of longing, is still the sole reason
for Christmas itself. The prophets in the book of Isaiah (9:6)
remind us what Christmas is all about:
―For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the
government will be on his shoulders. And he will be
called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace.‖
Christmas is a reminder that the troubled have a Wonderful
Counselor, the weak and the helpless a Mighty God, the
orphans an Everlasting Father, and the desperate a Prince of
Peace. It is a reminder that to us a Christ was born who will
give rest to our weary hearts and who brings salvation to our
lost souls.
I was comforted by this thought: I may be millions of miles
away from home, I may be alone this Christmas, sharing
stories with strangers perhaps, but I know that Jesus –
Christmas – will always be there to comfort my heart and
my soul precisely because Christmas is Jesus.
Kristina Tan
Walking our spiritual path
Some notes from your Pastoral Council On the first Sunday of every month
(except in summer), the Filipino
Catholic Chaplaincy‗s Pastoral Council
meets after the Community Mass to
carry out its objective of assisting the
Chaplain in organizing pastoral and
other activities for the benefit of the
parish. Of the 19 members, 7 were
elected in 2007, 2 were appointed by the
Chaplain, and 11 represent the various
re l igious o rganiza tions in the
community.
In the main, the activities organized by
the Pastoral Council aim to raise funds
to underwrite the Community‗s projects,
such as the installation and running
costs of the heating system in the Upper
Church, and the replacement of abaca
carpets in the Upper Church. These two
projects alone, undertaken soon after we
started in 2003 to use the facilities of the
Maria vom Berge Karmel parish
represent a total investment of approx.
Euro 65,000.00 and document our active
participation in parish life. Our
parishioners are aware that the funds are
generated through food festivals, the
showing of Filipino films, the
organization of cultural and musical
programmes, the undertaking of
pilgrimages and even through 'tombolas'.
What may not be so obvious is that the
Pastoral Council also occasionally
handles the hosting of visiting Filipino
musical groups. This involves
coordinating family-stays for our visiting
kababayans, providing moral and
logistical support for their often
exhausting musical programs and even
organizing concerts at short notice. Such
activities have been successful not only
because of the generous support of
families and individuals directly involved
with all the arrangements, but because of
the Community, in general, that turn up
unfailingly at such concerts to lend eager
ears and enthusiastic applause.
Even less visible is the support that our
Community provides to our Austrian host
community for such matters as providing
assistance as needed by their community,
at weekly masses for the inmates of the
near-by old folks‗ home, and providing
handy-man help with various tasks
around the church buildings.
The worn-out felt carpets have been
replaced in all rooms on the third floor
of the convent, as well as in some of
the rooms on the second floor. This is
also true for the Gruppenraum in the
basement.
Other parishes look with envy as they
observe our services fully-attended by
families (comprising infants through
grandp aren t s) and wh ere the
congregation sings WITH the choir
throughout the mass.
As we journey through our spiritual
path in our chosen home, aware that
paths are seldom smooth & straight, let
us be grateful to the Lord for the
opportunities that He has given us to be
ONE community, and let us pray that
the bonds that hold us become even
stronger with time.
Pastulan Page 10
Each year, the community takes on a theme quoted from Scriptures to become the community´s guiding verse. And at the close of year, we look back to the prophetic theme being realized in the year that has passed.
Our theme for 2008 was taken from Zephaniah, and the Lord instructed us to keep on being joyful by fixing our eyes on Him after coming from a year of great trials and lamentations. And as 2008 ended, the Lord revealed to us that in 2009, we have to trust in Him more, as stated in Isaiah 12:2. Praise God for His great revelation, because as we trusted Him, we experienced more of Him and His blessings with the victories that He has allowed us to experience!
This year, CFC FFL Vienna lived out the
theme "Trusting in the Lord by being more committed to our 7 Core Values". We believe that there is no better way of showing our full trust in Him than by carrying out our mission and vision of renewing the family and defending life by being faithful to our 7 Core Values.
We have solidified our being Christ-centered not only with the implementation of our formation tracks by having consistent and regular monthly teachings for members and leaders and by institutionalizing the celebration of the Eucharist before each General Assembly (GA). We also have implemented the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every First Friday just before the GA. So truly, the community gathers to worship God not only with our community´s form of praise and worship but by celebrating God´s presence in the Holy Eucharist and with extended adoration of His Real Presence with the exposition and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
We have intensified our being evangelistic and missionary by the conduct of our twice yearly CLS here in Vienna, and the strengthening of the provincial mission areas. As CFC FFL Vienna continues to be the mission center for Europe, we have helped a number of other countries by sending mission teams to them. We have helped out in establishing CFC FFL in Plymouth, UK and in Prague, Czech Republic. There are other cities lined up for work before the year ends.
We had our Family Enrichment Retreat at the middle of this year. as well as Family Day during the summer. We also transitioned many of our members from
From joy to trust one ministry to another. Kids moving on to Youth, Youth to Singles, Singles to Couples or Handmaids. A good harvest of more than 30 youths and 40 kids was produced this year for the CFC Youth for Family and Life (YFL) and the CFC Kids for Family and Life (KFL). These were all in accordance with our Focus on the Family.
As the community grew in numbers, we also kept growing in our relationship with each other. Having fun together during fellowships and celebrations is one way to foster harmony among brethren, but we went beyond that this year by solidifying our identity as a community by involving more people to go on mission. A good number of members in addition to leaders were able to go to different m i s s i o n a r e a s l o c a l l y a n d internationally. We had a one-of-a-kind celebration of this year's anniversary with a special praisefest designed to strengthen relationships. It was preceded by the celebration of Holy Mass by our Spiritual Director, Fr. Joey Demoy.
In gratitude for God´s blessings that allow us to live in abundance here in Vienna, we lived out our core value of
giving a preferential option to the poor by campaigning to help out our Restoration Villages in the Philippines, and supporting the efforts of various chaplaincies who work with the poor. We also responded well to the needs of our brethren who were struck by the different typhoons that ravaged the Philippines. We sent a very good donation to Ondoy and Peping victims through our CFC FFL's "A Drop of
Love Campaign".
This year, we emphasized the call to leaders to be servants. To enforce it,
we intensified the teachings for leaders and even changed the terms for headship. The title of Head (Cluster Head,Chapter Head, Household Head, etc.) was changed to Servant (Cluster Servant, Chapter Servant, Household Servant, etc.)
We also have continued to improve our relations with the Church by participating more in its life. The presence of CFC FFL was greatly felt in the Familien Wallfahrt held in August and sponsored by the Archdiocese of Vienna. A great number of CFC FFL members were also present during the Maria-Namens-Feier in September. We sent delegates to the congress on ”Apostelgeschichte 2010” organized by the Archdiocese and held at the Stephansdom with different parishes and communities present last October. We were also able to invite Bishop Precioso Cantillas of Maasin Leyte, the Cha i r o f the Episcopa l Commission for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples to visit us here in Vienna. He celebrated Holy Mass and gave 3 talks on different occasions.
A distinguishing change brought about by the crisis in community a few years ago is that CFC FFL is now very Marian. The community is consecrated to Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Grace and the consecration prayer is said in every meeting whether at assemblies or at households. The rosary is now
very much part of our meetings and our daily prayers. We also have established the intercessory prayer group to pray and intercede not only for the community but also for our priests and for the church. This happens every Thursday at the Donaucity Church at 5 p.m. and is followed by Holy Mass at 6 p.m. We follow the format of the Cenacles, organized by Fr. Stefano Gobbi and we use the Blue Book (To the Priests, Our Lady's Beloved Sons) for reflections.
So, it was a very busy year of trusting the Lord. And truly,
He never fails us as we trust Him with all our hearts. He gave us a fitting reward in the recognition by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and the renewal of the Vatican Appointment of our Servant General, the founder of Couples for Christ, Frank Padilla and his wife Gerry Padilla to the Pontifical Council of the Family. This has brought joy unto us, as we see it as the Lord looking upon the community with gladness and affirming us as we continue to trust in Him.
Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life
Dec. 2009 Page 11
Dear Fr. Jojo,
For several years now, we have
been setting up our own belen in
the Upper Church, to be viewed
from the start of the Simbang Gabi
until the Feast of the Sto. Niño.
However, until now, I am still
wondering where and when this
practice of belen started. Also,
what is its significance for us?
Thank you for your clarification.
Miss Inquirer
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --
Dear Miss Inquirer:
The earliest known scene of the Nativity dates back to the fourth century,
probably about 343 AD. It is carved in stone and was discovered in 1877 in
the catacombs of San Sebastiano in Rome. In that same city, in the church of
St. Mary Major, a replica of the cave of Bethlehem was constructed in the
fifth century and, from the eighth century onward, the relics of the manger of
Jesus which supposedly were brought from Bethlehem, were venerated
there. The decisive impulse for the popularity of the manger came from St.
Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) who in 1223 organized an open air re-
enactment of the Nativity scene in Greccio (Italy). From then on, the
Franciscan Friars, and later on also the Jesuits, began to propagate the crib
and in a short time, it conquered the world. The art of crib-making reached
its high point at the end of the 17th century.
As to its significance, we can say that the crib can offer us a clear audio-
visual of the Nativity scene; thus, it can easily open our minds and hearts to
a more meaningful celebration of Christmas. This representation should,
however, not be regarded as a thing of the past, something that happened
two thousand years ago. Rather, it should make us realize that Christmas
happens every day, in the innocent children born into great poverty,
challenging us to see Christ in them and thus reach out to them. The crib can
truly give us a clear insight, to see Christ in our brothers and sisters who are
suffering.
(Reference: Bernhard Raas, Liturgical Year, Vol. , Philippines: Logos Publication, Inc.)
Fr. Jojo
In the right corner
€5,630 for Ondoy & Peping victims
The Community's collections for the victims of tropical storms Ondoy and
Peping amounted to €5,630.00 and were remitted to Caritas Philippines
for appropriate distribution.
Please bring used clothes (except winter items!) to the Parish Office until
mid-January 2010; we will ship them to calamity victims.
Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat!
The Young Shepherds
invite all Parish youth
FACILITATORS:
Ian Abila 06991 219 4559
Iggy Alberto 0676 788 7759
Almar Rosimo 06991 947 1202
You are cordially invited to join Father Joey′s special programme to strengthen youth-to-parish bonds, and
prepare for your active participation – e.g. as lectors – during the celebration of our Community Mass. We
would be happy if you could join us in the Pfarrsaal: 2–4 p.m., on the 1st & 3rd Saturdays of the month.
Our Christmas celebration will be held on Sunday, December 27 in the Pfarrsaal. We plan to start at 6
p.m., and we sincerely hope that you and your friends will come!
Come one, come all!
"Mano po 6:
My mother" Starring Sharon Cuneta
Saturday, 10 Jan. 2010, 15:30h
Cineplexx (Reichsbrücke)
Pastulan Page 12
We’re on the Web!
www.fcc-vienna.org
Please visit the Website frequently for church announcements, news, photos
from our events, information about our church organizations, private advertise-
ments, etc. Please feel free to send your comments and suggestions for
improvement to: webmaster@fcc-vienna.org
PASTULAN—The Official Newsletter of the Filipino Catholic Chaplaincy (African, Asian and Latin American Catholic Communities, Archdiocese of Vienna, Austria)
Pfarre Maria vom Berge Karmel, Stefan Fadinger Platz 1, A-1100 Vienna
Tel.: +43 1 617 2346 Fax.: +43 1 526 7316 email: fccpastulan@yahoo.com
Fr. Jose S. Demoy (Chaplain)
Fr. Ely Dalanon (Asst. Chaplain)
Fr. Cyril Villareal (Asst. Chaplain)
STAFF: Marizel Aguirre, MT Brittinger, Angie Castor-
Estrada, Rhona Rectra
PHOTOGRAPHERS: George Florendo, Lito Ramos
Please note that unless otherwise indicated, the venue for all our services and activities is: Maria vom Berge Karmel Church
Stefan Fadinger Platz 1, A-1100 Vienna.
The closest (bus) station is "Gussriegelstrasse" and can be reached by taking:
Bus 65A from U1 "Reumannplatz", or
Bus 15A from U4 "Meidling Hauptstrasse" or U3 "Enkplatz"
Or, take tram no. 1 to the end station "Stefan Fadinger Platz"
Donaucity Church Donaucity-Strasse 2, A-1220 Vienna U1 "Kaisermühlen/VIC"
Mariahilf Church Barnabitengasse 14, A-1060 Vienna U3 "Neubaugasse""
St. Stephen′s Cathedral Stephansplatz 1, A-1010 Vienna U1 and U3 "Stephansplatz"
From our calendar
Day Time Service / Activity
15-23 Dec.
19:00h Simbang Gabi Also at Donaucity Church
20 Dec. 12:00h Paskuhan sa Parokya
17:00h Simbang Gabi At Donaucity Church
24 Dec. 19:30h Vigil Mass, Nativity of Our Lord
21:00h Vigil Mass, Nativity of Our Lord Donaucity Church
25 Dec. 11:00h Mass, Nativity of Our Lord
17:00h !! No mass at Donaucity Church !!
27 Dec. 11:00h
Feast of the Holy Family and Blessing of Families
17:00h Feast of the Holy Family and Blessing of Families, Donaucity Church
31 Dec. 20:00h
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Anticipated Mass)
21:00h Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Anticipated Mass) Donaucity Church
01 Jan. 11:00h
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Joint mass with Austrian parish (English)
17:00h !! No mass at Donaucity Church !!
17 Jan. 11:00h Feast of the Sto Niño, with Agape and Programme
28 Jan.– 6 Feb. 2010 Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
17 Feb. 12:30h Ash Wednesday Mass, Donaucity Church
18:30h Ash Wednesday Mass, Lainzpfarre
27 Mar. 09:00-16:00h Lenten Recollection
28 Mar. 11:00h Palm Sunday Mass
17:00h Palm Sunday Mass Donaucity Church
1 Apr. 08:00h
Holy Thursday, Way of the Cross (location to be advised)
19:00h Last Supper Mass and Vigil
2 Apr. 07:00h
Good Friday, Way of the Cross (location to be advised)
19:00h Good Friday Liturgy
3 Apr. 20:00h Easter Vigil
4 Apr. 11:00h Easter Sunday and Community Day
17:00h !! No mass at Donaucity Church
28 Apr – 5 May 2010 Pilgrimage to Greece
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land 15 – 22 May 2010 R e
g u
l a
r s
e r
v i
c e
s
Sundays 10:30h — 11:15h
Confession
11:00h Community Mass
17:00h Community Mass, Donaucity Church
Wednesdays 12:30h Mass and Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Donaucity Church
18:30h Mass and Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Mariahilf Church
18:30h First Friday, Mass and Novena to the Divine Mercy
Fridays
18:30h Last Friday, Mass and Novena to Our Lady of Peñafrancia
Saturdays 19:00h Anticipated Mass, St. Stephen′s Cathedral
YOU, your family, and your
friends are cordially invited
to join our Community
services and activities!
Recommended