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Each Heartbeat of Christ: An Eternity Yearning For Love" by Melchora Elena "Bobbie" D. Mabilog

ll of us are being called by the Lord to serve Him. However, the Lord being infinitely powerful, we must realize that He can already accomplish all the work that needs to be done. So, why do we serve the Lord?

During the apparition of Mary in Fatima, one of the three children, little Francisco, who, once so playful, transformed with the contemplative disposition of a priest. This is because, after the apparition, Francisco had visions of Christ, seeing His bloody hands and feet propped up onto the Cross by iron nails, 7 to 9 inches long. His head drenched in blood, dripping out from stems of thorny bushes made into a crown. But, Francisco did not only see Christ. More than that, Francisco felt Christ's longingness for people's compassion— for love. After this moment, Francisco constantly exclaimed to his family that He felt the bleeding heart of Christ. Francisco would weep for Christ and tell them, "He needs to be consoled". Francisco then spent his days alone, being with Christ. Though only a little boy he now knew of Christ's sorrow due to man's ignorance of Him. Francisco declared that his newfound duty was to be with Christ every minute of his shortlived mortal life.With this, we do not only serve God for temporalities of assisting in mass or volunteer work. Rather, we wish to serve because when we give our time and effort to Him, we are actually filling the holes we puncture in His heart due to our sins and infidelity. Christ gave His all for us. Meanwhile, when we acquire power and wealth and taste the comforts and pleasures of earthly life, it is so difficult for us to renounce these. I am not even talking of complete renunciation. I am referring to little personal sacrifices we no longer choose to make because we would rather keep to ourselves in the little nooks we have built. Imagine! GOD, the KING of all the universe, already possesses all the happiness and comforts of eternity, yet He refused such to become a simple man born in a simple family because He wanted to redeem us from sin! Unfortunately, we merely ignore Him, or even at His face do wrong against our brother or cause harm to ourselves, piercing our Lord's Sacred Heart even further.God is not unlike our parents or guardians who perceive something that we cannot. They need us to trust them because they love us and do not want to see us suffer. "Anak! Makinig ka sa akin!" It is not unusual that we injure our relationship when they see and tell the truth we blind ourselves to. I pray we no longer give deaf ears to the All-Knowing One. (Cont’d in p. 4…)

ST. BENEDICT PARISH T h e O f f i c i a l N e w s l e t t e r o f S B P D i o c e s e o f I m u s

“The brothers should serve one another for such

service increases reward and fosters love."

~ Rule of St. Benedict Chapter 35:1-2

What’s Inside: A Letter from our Parish Priest 2 Why Do I Serve.. P. Rivera 2 Serving Through Music.. N. Tanlapco 3 Serving As A Greeter.. C. Quiray 3 News Bits 3 Mass Schedules, Announcements 4

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Prayer and blessing of Lay Ministers before serving at Sunday Mass with Fr. Conrad Amon

Why Do I Serve At Mass? By: Princess Rivera

ocation comes from the Latin word vocare – meaning to call. When asked by a fellow parishioner “Why do I serve in mass?” I understood the question to be, “Who called you to serve in mass?”

The answer is. My mother.

I was only ten or eleven when my mother “volunteered” me to read in church when the designated lector was absent. Although I didn’t do too well, she nevertheless prodded me to do so each Sunday and the Sundays thereafter, regardless what I thought of it. (Children of the 80s hardly had any say, anyway). But what I didn’t know was, what began as stark obedience, opened the door for the Lord to nourish and guide me in a relationship with Him that would eventually grow into a desire to serve.

Now near my forties, with no mother to force me into a white dress, or push me to the sides of the church to read, I go eagerly, awaiting for the opportunity to continue this personal relationship with the Lord. This is not to say that I am good at what I do. The many priests of whom I have served with know the several bloopers I make. And each Sunday that I am called to read, my heart never fails to beat so hard like I’ve swallowed a full drummer for breakfast. But each time I fall into nervousness, I am comforted with the truth – I am only the messenger. Jesus is the message.

With this sharing, I invite everyone to tune into God’s call. And fear not. God is with us. He doesn’t ask us to be perfect. He only asks us to give our best. He doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies who He calls.

Getting To Know St. Benedict

In Benedict’s dining room, where everyone serves and everyone washes feet and everyone returns the utensils clean and intact for the next person’s use, love and service become the fulcrum of community life. For St. Benedict, to live in community is to serve one another; to love is to serve. We may think we are a community or assume we are a family but if we do not serve one another we are, at best, a collection of people who live alone together.

EDITORIAL BOARD Publisher St. Benedict Parish Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Conrad Amon

Editorial and Creative Team Herbert Arano • Ana Dy Castillo Aina Sales Diaz • Didit S. Diaz

Geraldine Santos Contributors

Teng Constantino • Sr. Daniela, OSB Divina Inciong • Joel Santos

For comments, suggestions & ads please write us at

Ayala Westgrove Heights, South Blvd. Brgy. Inchican, Silang Cavite 4118 or at

st.benedictparishnews@gmail.com For digital copies, please visit

www.saintbenedictparishph.com

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Called To Serve A Letter From Our Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Conrad Amon

very call is for a reason and solicits a corresponding action!A father was calling his child, telling the child to give him a glass of water... it was a call to serve. A teacher calling a student to bring her message to the

teacher in the next room... it was a call to serve. Jesus called the Apostles to proclaim the Gospel... the Apostles responded to the call. They were sent to a mission, they served.Every call solicits an action from the one being called... a CALL TO SERVE.We heard the powerful words of Jesus from the Gospel of St. Matthew (4:19) calling Peter and Andrew, James and John... “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They heard the call... They followed Him... They became proclaimers of the Good News. A call to involve themselves. A call to care for the well-being of the community. It was A CALL TO SERVE.We see the same dynamics in our parish setting. From all walks of life, from the different age brackets... we all have heard that mysterious voice calling us. JESUS CALLING US TO SERVE.

Let me give you an instance and my appreciation for the sacristans. They may really be so young and the youngest in our parish community volunteers. They may have heard a call and responded generously. At a very young age, they are serving the community and God. They are the ALTAR SERVERS.Worth mentioning also are the Barangay Chapel Councils from Inchican, Carmen and Tibig and even Banaba. They are the organizers of their Chapel Community and they coordinate with the parish all the spiritual needs and activities of their communities. But they are confronted with one more challenge, the transportation expenses. There is no public transport from their community to the parish Church and special arrangement with a tricycle would cost too much. But they surely have heard that mysterious voice of Jesus calling them to serve God and their community. And whole-heartedly, they serve.

My dear sisters and brothers, have you also heard that mysterious voice inside you? It must be Jesus, calling you to serve. Be generous in your response to Him.

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Serving through Music is always a Joy By: Filomena Tanlapco

t age 7, my mother inspired me to play the piano. In those days, my piano teacher from nearby St. Scholastica's College, Manila would come to the house.

I was trained in classical piano for ten years.It was many years later when my husband, Elis, gifted me with a Kawai organ that I thought - "why not give back to the Lord what I have been trained for all these years?" It was a thought that changed my outlook on music. I enrolled in some lessons on church organ playing at UST and from there I was pretty much on my way. The first volunteer accompaniments I made at our parish church were total disasters as these meant playing with both hands and using both feet at the base. But the Lord works in ways beyond understanding. A congregation of nuns adopted me as their organist in their daily mass. I will never forget Sr. Dolor Blanco who was my mentor. She taught me the proper Liturgical songs for the seasons. It was with great sadness that we sang at the mass when she passed away a few years ago. In 2004, with my family, I moved to Westgrove where the Saturday anticipated masses were held at the Clubhouse. It was there that I first got together with Carlo Navalta (guitar). Our choir was composed of kasambahays. When the St. Benedict Church was completed, it was a natural transition to be one of the choirs that served at mass and it was then that the Minstrels was born, a choir of residents and volunteers. The Minstrels is composed of men and women whose dedication to the Music Ministry carried us through good and not so good days; when we did not seem to be in unison, or there was something amiss with the sound system. A priest remarked that we would always ask the same question after mass, "How was our singing?"But again, the Lord works in mysterious ways. We are serving the Lord by our music and this is always a joy!

Serving as a Greeter By: Carina Quiray

hen Fr. Gani AvInante, our first parish priest arrived in 2011, he called a few of us parish volunteers to form a Greeters group. I was given the responsibility to head

the group whose main objective was to welcome churchgoers to Mass as they enter the House of God. We also took charge of collecting and counting mass offerings. Greeters also served as usherettes during concerts and special feast days of the church like Christmas, New Year and the St. Benedict Fiesta and weddings. Since there was no Administrative office at the time, greeters took turns in checking that wedding rules were followed. When Fr. Conrad Amon arrived in June 2015 and since I had already served as head of the greeters group for five years, I resigned to give way to new leadership. Elected was Amy Barrios, who served for two years. Several months ago Tess Miranda took over the responsibility.The Greeters group started with a handful of volunteers - mostly from Westgrove.As of December 2019 we number thirty-eight, (Cont’d on p4…)

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Jan. 03 SBP PPC - The Rectory group together with the Community of Benedictine Sisters-Westgrove performing at the annual Christmas Party

Jan. 03 SBP PPC - Communion Ministers channeling their inner ‘super heroes’.

Jan. 05 Youth Ministry - Biblia Iskwela facilitated by the youth every Saturday at barangays in our area.

Jan. 29 Catechist Ministry- First Communion for public schools from barangays in our area.

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ANNOUNCEMENT

Youth Ministry (PYM)- Malasakit Para Sa

Maliliit Every last Sunday of the month

Biblia Iskwela 3PM Saturdays at Brgys Carmen,

Inchican & Tibig

PARISH OFFICE HOURS

Tuesday 2PM - 6PM Wed - Sat 9AM - 6PM Sunday 9AM-12NN 2PM - 4PM Landline no. 0465239208 Mobile no. 09279628682 st.benedictchurchawh@yahoo.com www.saintbenedictparishph.com

Alta Veranda de Tibig Alcalde St. Brgy Tibig

Silang Cavite (046) 443.5850 | 0917.5361812 0923.7263227 | 0998.8259441 | 0998.570146

altaverandaeventsplace@gmail.com www.altaverandadetibig.com

St. Benedict Parish Monday & Saturday 7:00AM Tuesday - Friday & Saturday Anticipated 6:00PM Saturday - Neocatechuminate (except 4th Sat)8:00PM Sunday English 7:00AM, 11:00AM & 6:30PM Tagalog 9:00AM & 4:30PM Special Blessing before the end of each Mass: 1st Sunday - Birthday Celebrants 2nd Sunday - Healing 3rd Sunday - Wedding Anniversary

Tibig Chapel Saturdays 6:00PM Carmen Chapel Sundays 6:00AM Inchican Chapel Every 1st & 3rd Wed 7:00PM Sitio Banaba Every 2nd & 4th Wed 7:00PM

Novenas at St. Benedict Parish

Tuesdays - St. Benedict 5:30PM Wednesdays - Mother of Perpetual Help 5:30PM

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament Every First Friday 5:00PM

Neocatechumenate Thursday 8:00PM 1st & 3rd Sat 8:30PM 2nd Sat 8:00PM Bible Study Fridays 7:30PM-8:30PM Sunday School 11:00AM & 4:30PM For children who have not yet received Holy Communion Pre-Jordan Seminar 1st & 3rd Fridays of the month

MASS SCHEDULES & ACTIVITIES

(Cont’d from p1…) It is our natural inclination to long for love and be listened to. Imagine the kind of longingness God has! Since He is perfect in every aspect, He also experiences perfect sadness. It cannot compare to any heartache we have experienced! We should console Him and constantly be with Him. Remember the time when you were in a cold hospital room, sitting at the foot of the bed of your loved one: your heart more compassionate, open to listen, reconcile, even change. S/he is going through a lot. S/he is in need of your presence and love. Since we are all Christ's family, we need to commune together with Mary, and now be present at the foot of the Cross, to not only show God, but to make Him feel, "we are here, O Lord".

(Cont’d from p3…) with twenty members from the barangays and eighteen members from the different villages. We still welcome new members to serve in the Saturday anticipated Mass and the five Masses every Sunday.Our group meets monthly, where we pray the rosary and then have our meeting. We discuss problems and give suggestions on how to improve our duties as greeters. We also have a yearly recollection in Tagaytay for our own spiritual growth.The past few years have been fulfilling for me. I have been serving St. Benedict since my family and I transferred to Westgrove eleven years ago. I enjoy being with my family of greeters and love to see families coming to Mass. It's gratifying when people smile back when we greet them. I am probably the oldest pastoral worker and would still want to serve as long as I can. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to be of service to Him through the Greeters group.

Jan. 18 Social Service Ministry - Weekly ration of relief goods for Taal volcano evacuees delivered every Tuesday to Brgys Inchican- 9 families, Carmen- 65 families and Tibig- 118 families until February 5, 2020. SBP for its 2nd collection during masses last month was able to collect the amount of P257,670.75.

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