Metro Manila Classical Roman Rite Pictures

Here are some pics of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Classical Roman Rite here in Metro Manila. It is celebrated by the parish priest, Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo.

Lord of the Divine Mercy Altar


Confiteor Deo Omnipotenti...

The Body of our Lord is lifted up for worship


The Blood of our Lord is lifted up for worship

I would like to thank Fr. Jojo for allowing me to take pictures of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Fr. Jojo Zerrudo is truly an inspiration and guide to us faithful who love the Classical Mass.

Metro Manila Indult Mass

The indult mass where my family and I attend to has been moved to a different parish. The location seems better and more conducive to prayer as the previous parish is very close to a public gymnasium where public events seems to always coincide with the Classical Mass. I'll be posting pictures soon.

In Memoriam

My cat Abu died yesterday in a very tragic and unfortunate accident. He was still a kitten when I found him, barely able to stand up and walk, but strong and determined. He was more than a pet, he was good friend, even more like a son. I will surely miss his companionship. I am sorry Abu, I was not there to protect you.

Abu
2006-2007

Altar Metamorphosis

This is a video of a free standing altar table "morphing" into a beautiful ad orientem altar in a matter of minutes by FSSP priests. Can the same be done in the Philippine church setting? As Fr. Z pointed out, this video could be VERY instructive for priests in other parishes.

I came across this video in NLM.

Holy Week 2007

We attended the Chrism Mass at the Manila Cathedral last Maundy Thursday. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated by no less than Cardinal Rosales. In his homily, he stressed on the unity of the Eucharist with the priesthood (Holy Orders) while often quoting on Pope Benedict XVI's Sacramentum Caritatis.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was predominantly in English and Filipino although there was little Latin (hooray!) while the good Cardinal blessed the oils, the choir chanted:

"O Redemptor, sume carmen, temet concinentium"

How i wished we sung the Gloria and Sanctus in Latin...maybe this Christmas....hopefully.

In the afternoon, we went to the province to spend Good Friday with my grandpa. I thought I had no way of getting updates regarding the Motu Proprio since I have no computer nor internet connection in the province. Luckily, using my mobile phone, I was able to browse from time to time Father Z and Shawn's blogs. Though, there was nothing new regarding the release date of the Motu Proprio except that it will come during the Easter Season or in May.

Yesterday, we went back to Manila so that we could hear the Traditional Latin Mass today, but there was a slight change in plans as my father had to urgently go back to the province so we heard Mass in Mt. Carmel Shrine Parish Church instead.

Happy Easter to everyone!

Someone who doesn't believe in the Church

There was a report that in an interview, a certain high ranking church official said that he does not believe in the Church. It is sad when there are people, specially from the higher ranks of clergy, who categorically state their disbelief in the Holy Mother the Church and that someday she will cease to exist. The reason for all the scandals happening around us is that we, the laity, are not holy enough. We should help the suffering clergy by becoming and being holy. Let us offer our sacrifices to help our suffering clergy.

Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis

The post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis has been released. Just a few observations (not in particular order):

1. Reverence to the Eucharist, sacrificial nature of the Mass

2. Proper placement of the Tabernacle in the Sanctuary

3. The Hermeneutic of Continuity not rapture.

4. Use of Latin and Gregorian Chants especially during, reading between the lines, but not limited to international gatherings. That, as Fr. Z and a few others, translates the Latin aequum est into english "it is proper, reasonable, right" that such liturgies be celebrated in Latin and that the better-known prayers be celebrated in Latin. He even asks the future seminarians to "receive the preparation needed to understand and to celebrate Mass in Latin," to use Latin texts and Gregorian chants and not to forget that the Laity can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin and sing parts of the Liturgy to Gregorian chants.

"... exceptis lectionibus, homilia et oratione fidelium, aequum est ut huiusmodi celebrationes fiant lingua Latina; similiter Latine recitentur orationes pervulgatae"

5. Active Participation does not refer to mere external activity

Though many expected, to name a few, references to the Tridentine Mass, more specifically, to its liberation, and expected that it would have some legislations in it to forcefully counter liturgical abuses, it shows what vision the Holy Father has for the Church's liturgical direction. He might have just laid the groundwork for the reform of the reform.

The Most Holy and Perfect Sacrifice

Save the Liturgy. Save the World!

Lenten Abstinence

Is it just me or practicing Catholics in Manila are getting fewer these days?

This is the second Friday of lent and the second time i noticed a lot of people eat meat, from grilled pork to burgers to fried chicken. Where are all the people that lined up during Ash Wednesday to get their foreheads marked with a cross? It seems they all have disappeared. It's either they are ignorant of church law, or that they just don't care. What worries me more is when these two possibilities are enforced when pastors stresses to the flock that abstinence of meat is no longer necessary, but abstinence to sin is.

How can one triumph over temptation and sin when one has not yet mastered over his will, mind and body? The whole exercise of abstaining from meat is for one to master self control, by giving up meat dishes every Friday for a far more greater purpose. Remember Jesus, who spent his forty days and nights fasting in the desert, has won over temptation. Yes, it is true that He won because He is God, but don't forget that He showed us the way how to succeed in winning over temptation and sin, through sacrifice and self control.

Fasting and abstinence from meat is our tradition as Catholics. It is a treasure that is rich in teaching. Let us not put it aside by replacing it with worldly philosophies and interpretations of how to fast and abstain. It is our Catholic Faith, let us live it.

Silence

It has been quite a while since I last posted in this blog. Hopefully this year, I'll be able to publish my thoughts more often.

On the Da Vinci Code

Does exercising the Office of Love mean shepherds would allow the hungry and vicuous wolves to come close to their flock?

DVC is clearly a blasphemy to God and the Church no matter how one justifies it, no matter what angle one looks at it, in the end it is blasphemy. It is true Dan Brown claims that his work is just fiction, just to lessen the steam, but it is that same fiction that makes it blasphemous: The fiction that portrays Christ as having been married to Mary Magdalene, the fiction that portrays the Church as being a murderous organization among other things.

We, formally educated Catholics, have tolerated the errors of the secular society for the longest time. Our argument has always been that we are not affected by these errors and lies because we are educated Catholics who know the ins and outs of our faith. We tend to forget that we are not the only Catholics living in this world. How about the Catholics who are ignorant of their faith, who do not have the privilege of having access to the right information? How about the Catholics who are exploring their faith (good) but searching in the wrong place (bad)? Each and every Catholic want and is thirsty for affirmations with regards to their faith but what they find is toleration of ideologies and errors against their faith. This is the reason why we have less and
less Church attendees and more and more none practicing Catholics.

With regards to appreciating it as an art form: How could one appreciate something that is insulting and blasphemous in the first place? If I were to weigh art against faith, faith has more weight, "seventy seven times seven times!"

The Gnostics through the New Age Movements has been revived. They are building up their forces and making it felt through movies, tv shows, music, magazines and the Internet. The secular society is using the same weapons to spread its errors as well. Are we just going to sit back, relax and tolerate such developments?


"Tolerance is the virtue of a man with no convictions." GK Chesterton

To the Filipino

this is the reaction i made when i read again in another forum a fellow filipino who is ready to leave the country when the right offer comes due to discontentment with the current political situation:

Author: Do good for your family but do what is best for your country.
Q: What do you think would be best for the country at this point?
Author: Sacrifice
Q: Sir, what kind of sacrifice? Can you elaborate? I'm just curious.

A: We have to pause for a moment, reflect and step down and get back to basics.

Getting back to basics is indeed hard and would require sacrifice.

What kind of sacrifice can we do for the country? I propose some examples:

1. Be disciplined. Fall in line properly. Obey traffic rules. Be punctual. etc. It is hard to be disciplined, and means sacrifice.

2. Teach our sons and daughters and ourselves about service. This may entail sacrificing the possibility of future financial wealth. Example: We often tell our children, "Go get a nursing degree and work abroad, that way, you'll earn lots of money." Here, earning lots of money becomes the priority, the objective, instead of the true meaning of nursing which is service. Today, when you are in the hospital, you seldom see nurses get out of their way to help and assist the sick and the needy, they often pass it to hospital aides even though the patient requires immediate help. We see more and more nurses and doctors who go abroad, sadly most of them have the objective to earn more, instead of to serve their countrymen. Its not that earning money is bad, it becomes bad when it becomes the priority and making service only second.

3. If we have a lot of spare time to devote for our personal wants and needs besides work, why not give some of that time and devote it for civic oriented groups?

4. Others, would leave because of their discontent of political issues. If everybody who is discontent, but capable of serving and leading, leave, then kawawa talaga ang Pilipinas. The "crocodiles" are happy and continue to ruin the lives of the Filipino because we have failed to do our duty as citizens. We are capable of serving and leading but we run away. Stand up, be active and participate in the affairs of the State. Affairs of the State is not only the for the traditional politicians whom we all know, it is the GOD given duty of every citizen to participate actively and lively in the affairs of the State. Is this rebellion? NO! Rebellion is turning back on our duties as citizens. Here, we are just doing our job and duty to promote the common good, through common sense.

"Capable nga ako pero ayoko maging pinuno, tutulong ako in the sidelines." "Pag umalis naman ako, makakatulong ako, magpapadala ako ng dollars, nakakatulong pa din ako in the sidelines." Please, wag nyo gawing sideline ang Pilipinas! When called to lead, LEAD. When called to serve, SERVE.

"Wala ako mapapala dito, kaya aalis nalang ako." Kung ikaw lang mag isa, wala talaga, pero kung marami tayo, at karamihan magsasakripisyo, sinisigurado ko sa inyo, may mapapala lahat tayo. Totoo ang Pilipinas ay bansang pinagpala. Kaya dapat lang gawin ng bawat isa ang kanikanilang tungkulin para sa bayan, para tayong lahat ay may mapala.

Again, sacrifice for the common good, through common sense.

CATHOLICS MUST BE ENGAGED IN POLITICAL DEBATE, SAYS POPE

30-March-2006 -- Catholic News Agency

Vatican City, March 30, 2006 (CNA) - Speaking earlier today to a group of parliamentarians from Europe’s Popular Party, Pope Benedict affirmed the need for a Catholic voice in the public square that informs consciences and helps citizens act “freely and responsibly.”

The Church has come under heavy fire in recent years--particularly in the U.S.--for engaging in political debate where some say it has no place. Critics charge that many politicians worldwide seek to relegate faith life merely to the private sphere.

Benedict reminded the parliamentarians however, "that when Churches or ecclesial communities intervene in public debate, expressing reservations or recalling various principles, this does not constitute a form of intolerance or interference.”

He said that the Church’s political interventions “are aimed solely at enlightening consciences, enabling them to act freely and responsibly, according to the true demands of justice, even when this should conflict with situations of power and personal interest."

In this light, the Pope said that the main area of the Church's intervention in the public sphere "is the protection and promotion of the dignity of the person.” “…She is thereby consciously drawing particular attention to principles which are not negotiable."

Here, he listed a number of principles for which Catholics must continue to fight. Namely, these are: "Protection of life in all its stages, from the first moment of conception until natural death; recognition and promotion of the natural structure of the family, as a union between a man and a woman based on marriage, and its defense from attempts to make it juridically equivalent to radically different forms of union which in reality harm it and contribute to its destabilization, obscuring its particular character and its irreplaceable social role; and the protection of the right of parents to educate their children.”

While he admitted that "These principles are not truths of faith, even though they receive further light and confirmation from faith,” he stressed that “they are inscribed in human nature itself and therefore they are common to all humanity.”

The Pope explained that “The Church's action in promoting them is therefore not confessional in character, but is addressed to all people, irrespective of any religious affiliation they may have."
He closed by calling on the politicians "to be credible and consistent witnesses of these basic truths through your political activity, and more fundamentally through your commitment to live authentic and consistent lives."

Word of Mother Theresa

The fruit of Silence is Prayer.

The fruit of Prayer is Faith.

The fruit of Faith is Love.

The fruit of Love is Service.

The fruit of Service is Peace.

habemus papam

Two weeks ago I was saddened by the loss of our beloved Pope, John Paul II. He was an inspiration and he touched the hearts of many. His message, during the 1995 World Youth Day, to "Tell the World of His Love" inspires us to reach out to the world and proclaim the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

The week after his death and the days before the conclave was a time for deep thought and reflection, where will we go afterwards, I often asked myself. There was a deep concern as news agencies often times during the passed few days highlights issues regarding contraception, abortion, homosexuality, aids, etc, and that the decline of people going to Mass especially in Europe is often blamed on the Church because of its hardline stance. It is sad that many people do not appreciate the fullness of truth proclaimed by the Church, instead they want to manipulate the Church and let it sway where they want it. It is heresy they want for the Church.

A beacon of light appeared when Cardinal Ratzinger presented last Monday to his fellow cardinals the direction where the Church should go and where it should stand, he made the cardinals aware of the present threats to the Church and that the Church should not give in.

And indeed, in the afternoon the next day, guided by the Holy Spirit, we have received a blessing from God. The cardinals elected him, Joseph Ratzinger, to succeed Peter in guiding the flock of Christ towards the path to salvation.Congratulations and welcome Pope Benedict XVI! May the grace of God be with you always.