Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit
1. There is only one God ( Rom 3:30, etc.)
2. The Father is God ( 1 Cor 8:6, etc.)
3. Jesus is God ( John 1:1, etc.)
4. The Holy Spirit is God ( 1 Cor 6:19, etc.)
5. Jesus is not the Father ( John 1:1, Luke 3:21-22, etc.)
6. Jesus is not the Spirit ( Luke 3:21-22, etc.)
7. The Father is not the Spirit ( Luke 3:21-22) )
The Trinity tells us that there are three Persons in one Divine Nature. The names Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are names of persons. God can serve as either a name for the Father or a name for the Divine Nature. Before delving into the relative meaning of Persons and Natures it will be useful to make it clear that these terms refer to distinctly different things.
I will attempt to clarify this with an analogy. My hand has five fingers, but all five fingers are parts of one hand (and the words finger and hand do not refer to the same kind of thing). It is appropriate, therefore, that I will arrive at a different number if I count fingers than hands. Likewise, Person and Nature are different things, and when I apply these words to God I find that there are three of the former and one of the later.
As useful as analogies can be to explain a concept, in all cases we find that analogies can only provide an accurate picture to a certain extent. Therefore it is useful to point out the places where they fail, and to provide a variety of them. We will then be able to proceed to an understanding by comparison and contrast. The analogy of fingers and hands breaks down in the following ways:
1. God is not composed of matter. Instead his Nature refers to the eternal perfections that he possesses: Love, Goodness, Power, etc.
2. God is not composed of parts. If God were composed of parts, then it would be necessary to have a cause for the arrangement of the parts, and something else would be fundamental.
3. There is only one Divine Nature. While there can be many hands, there can only be one Divine Nature.
One can now construct another analogy to consider the Persons and Nature of God. We can say that the persons are like dimensions, and the Nature is like three-dimensional space. The dimensions are indeed distinct realities, which we may term height, width, and depth, but we cannot call them parts, nor can we remove one dimension from the space in which we live. Three-dimensional space is composed of three inseparable dimensions. This analogy fails at a certain point to describe God as well, because there is really no way to distinguish one spatial dimension as special or different from the others.
As yet, however, we have only discussed how something can be different and yet inseparable. We cannot yet comprehend what the meanings of the words Person and Nature are. Persons are objects and sources both of communication, and of love. St. Augustine explains the passage "God is love" (1 John 4:8) by noting that if God is to be "love" for all eternity, then there must always exist Divine Persons in God to love one another. Ludwig Ott suggests that we may think of Persons as somewhat analogous to personalities, John Henry Newman suggests that we might think of them as personifications of Divine attributes (i.e. the Son is the Wisdom of the God).
The Divine Nature is that through which the Divine Persons are and through which they act. The Divine Nature is to the Divine Persons what the body is to a human person. However, as I noted before, the Divine Nature is not something material, rather it refers to the Divine Perfections as noted above.
These next few points are somewhat detached from the above discussion, but it is useful to bring them up as they are common misinterpretations.
Although the idea that the Divine Nature is Goodness, Love, etc. rules the interpretation of Divine Nature as a term meaning Divine species, the interpretation is voiced on occasion. This idea leads to the suggestion that the Divine Persons are just instances of this species. Divine Nature is not meant to be taken as a term for species in the doctrine of the Trinity, and if we do allow the term Divine species the doctrine of the Trinity only allows us to have one instance of it.
One possible misinterpretation that one could make at this point would be to think of God as something like a man with a split personality. If you can imagine a split personality as a good thing, then this may have some merit, but it does not do justice to the unity of God. Believers in the Trinity recognize that there is but one Divine Will. This does not mean that the three Persons merely agree, but that there is numerically one Divine Will (there is a wrinkle on this, however, as the Son of God, since his Incarnation, also has a human will and thus we say that there are two wills in Christ).
It might be useful to discuss John 1:1 at this point.
Once you have grasped this, it is worthwhile to note that there is an important related doctrine to the Trinity called the Incarnation. In fact, it is inseparable from the Trinity in discussions about the God. The doctrine of the Incarnation unites the apparently contradictory statements: Jesus is God, Jesus is man.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Antipolo Cathedral - Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage
When Governor Tabora died in 1632, the Blessed Image was turned over to the care of the Jesuit fathers who were then constructing a church of Antipolo. Actually, a church was to be specifically built for the Blessed Virgin in the nearby barrio of Sta. Cruz. But attempts of the Jesuit fathers to move it from the Church of Antipolo were futile because somehow, as if in protest of leaving this town, the holy image was always found on the trunk of a tree called the Tipolo which grew in the original site of the old church. Because of these manifestations, a pedestal was curved out of the trunks of the said tree, and thus the Blessed Virgin became locally known as the Virgin of Antipolo.
During the occupation of the Japanese, the Blessed Image of our Lady of Antipolo was evacuated to the mountains of Angono, then at Santolan. The five hundred people who journeyed with the Brown Virgin all felt safe through their trips along steep mountain trails. For a while, the Blessed Virgin was housed in the Ocampo residence at Quiapo, previous to its transfer to the Quiapo Church where it stayed until October 15, 1945, when it was finally transferred to its original and permanent sanctuary at the Church of Antipolo. Every year, devotees commemorate this transfer, as they join the "Alay Lakad" from Quiapo Church to the Antipolo Cathedral starting at around 8:00 PM (30th of April) until dawn of the following day (1st of May).
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Pope John Paul - The Impossible Dream
The Venerable Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP. II, Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan Paweł II, French: Jean Paul II, German: Johannes Paul II), born Karol Józef Wojtyła (pronounced [ˈkaɾɔl ˈjuzɛv vɔi̯ˈtɨwa] ( listen); 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005) served as Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death over 26 years later. His was the second-longest documented pontificate; only Pope Pius IX served longer (St Peter the Apostle is reputed to have served for more than thirty years as the first pontiff; however documentation is too sparse to definitively support this). He has been the only Polish Pope to date, and was the first non-Italian Pope since Dutch Pope Adrian VI in the 1520s.
John Paul II has been acclaimed as one of the most influential leaders of the twentieth century. It is widely held that he was instrumental in ending communism in his native Poland and eventually all of Europe as well as significantly improving the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. Though criticised for his opposition to contraception and the ordination of women, as well as his support for the Second Vatican Council and its reform of the Liturgy, he has also been praised for his firm, orthodox Catholic stances in these areas.
He was one of the most-travelled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. He was fluent in many languages: Italian, French, German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Russian, Croatian, Esperanto, Ancient Greek and Latin as well as his native Polish. As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness, he beatified 1,340 people and canonised 483 Saints, more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the last five centuries. On 19 December 2009, John Paul II was proclaimed "Venerable" by Pope Benedict XVI
San Lorenzo Ruiz - The First and Only Filipino Saint
Lorenzo Ruiz was born in Binondo, Manila, of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother. His father taught him Chinese while his Filipino mother taught him Tagalog. Both of his parents were Roman Catholic.
Ruiz served as an altar boy at the convent of Binondo church. After being educated by the Dominican friars for a few years, Ruiz earned the title of escribano (calligrapher) because of his skillful hand and unsurpassed penmanship. He became a member of the Cofradia del Santissimo Rosario (Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary). He married and had two sons and a daughter with his Filipino wife. Life for them was generally peaceful, religious and full of contentment. In 1636, while working as a clerk at the Binondo Church, Ruiz was falsely accused of killing a Spaniard. Due to the allegation, Ruiz sought asylum on board a ship with three Dominican priests: Saint Antonio Gonzalez; Saint Guillermo Courtet; Saint Miguel de Aozaraza, a Japanese priest; Saint Vicente Shiwozuka de la Cruz; and a layman named Saint Lazaro of Kyoto, a leper. Ruiz and his companions left for Japan on June 10, 1636, with the aid of the Dominican fathers and Fr.Giovanni Yago.
The boat landed at Okinawa and the group was arrested and persecuted for their Christian religion. They were brought to Nagasaki on July 10, 1636. They were tortured through hanging by their feet, by submerging in water until near death, and by water torture. Needles were also inserted in their finger nails and they were beaten until unconscious. These methods made some of Ruiz's companions recant their faith, but Ruiz never did.
The Tokugawa shogunate was persecuting Christians by the time Ruiz had arrived in Japan. He and his companions were subsequently arrested and tortured before being sentenced to death.
On September 27, 1637, Ruiz and his companions were taken to the "Mountain of Martyrs", where they were hung upside down into a pit known as horca y hoya, or tsurushi. This mode of torture was considered as the most painful way to die at the time because it involved the use of rocks to add weight to the person being punished. The individual being tortured suffocated quickly while being crushed by his own weight. Two days after, Ruiz died from haemorrhage and suffocation. His body was cremated and his ashes were thrown into the sea.
Lorenzo Ruiz was beatified in Manila on February 18, 1981, by Pope John Paul II during his papal visit to Manila, the first beatification ceremony held outside the Vatican. San Lorenzo Ruiz was canonized by Pope John Paul II in the Vatican City, Rome, on October 18, 1987, making him the first Filipino saint and the first Filipino martyr.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Photocatalyst and Negative Ion Bulb
Researched by an unknown blogger was published in a blog, readers be aware because it was really misleading, he only qoutes Carl Koval's saying about the Tio2 , without knowing that Carl is also an inventor of improve photocatalyst application.
See more details about Carl Koval
http://www.patentgenius.com/patent/5439652.html
http://www.patentgenius.com/inventedby/KovalCarlAGoldenCO.html
Reading upon the line,
"..Says Koval, “When illuminated TiO2
is used to decompose organic compounds, a
large number of intermediate compounds are
usually formed. In some cases, these intermediate compounds can be more hazardous
than the compound being decomposed.” For
example, he says, the breakdown of TCE
yields trichloroacetic acid (a substance almost
as toxic as TCE) and, in the gaseous phase,
p h o s g e n e ( a c h emi c a l w a r f a r e a g e n t ) .
However, he says, this doesn’t mean that all
applications using TiO2
would be dangerous.
“In situations where this type of process was
being proposed for outdoor use, I see no
problems with it, because similar things occur
naturally in the atmosphere, and it would be
unlikely that concentrations of the hazardous
c h emi c a l w o u l d r e a c h t o x i c l e v e l s . . . .
However, [in an indoor setting] who knows
what would be formed if TiO2
photocatalysis were used to decompose plasticizers, bacteria,
and so on, and what the health effects might
be from inhaling such compounds?”
Certainly there is cause for caution, agrees
Anderson. “But given time and control over
the process,” he adds, “these daughter products do break down into environmentally
benign substances, a process which can be
monitored using a gas chromatograph.” And,
says Blake, “All oxidization processes have
the potential to produce partial oxidization
products. It comes down to a question of the
fraction of the target compounds that are
converted to the intermediate products and
how much of those produced are released
into the air or water. The amount released
will be a function of the efficiency of the
photocatalytic device and the way it is constructed and operated.”
All that being said, in the realm of envir o nme n t a l c l e a n u p t e c h n o l o g y i s T iO2
indeed the white knight riding to the rescue
or something less? Says Blake, “There is no
single technology that can address the very
wide range of contamination problems in
the environment. Most workers in the field
recognize that the photocatalytic chemistryof TiO2 has pluses and minuses that make it
attractive for some applications and not for
o the r s . The pho t o c a t a l y t i c chemi s t r y o f
TiO2
is very intriguing. It works in water or
air, it uses light instead of heat, and it is
such a simple concept. Engineering it with
the right balance of economics and performance is the challenge.”
Link here
That article was written 10 years ago, so what do you think has happened after 10 years? Does the development of Photocatalyst and Negative Ion Bulb has been changed? Those articles is just a speculation that time, the reason why it is written with a question mark (see Title: Titanium Dioxide:
Environmental White Knight?, means that it was not proven at the time, but after ICC (Import Commodity Clearance) has certified the product of Goodfaith, no question ask get your GoodLights, come and get one used it and enjoy the benefits of inhaling clean air.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene
According to historical records, Quiapo church was founded in 1586 by Franciscan Missionaries headed by Pedro Bautista. It was originally constructed of bamboo and nipa. Stone reconstructions of the church followed in 1899, but this Mexican Baroque structure burned down in 1928. The present cream-colored edifice was the result of reconstruction that took three decades to complete.
In 1586, the Quiapo district was first established by then governor general Santiago de Vera and the Fransciscans concurrently founded the church. It was led by Fr. Pedro Bautista. The church also suffered two natural calamities: a fire in 1639 and an earthquake in 1863. Fransciscans built the first church, but Seculars handled the repairs and rebuilding of succeeding structures.
Basilio Sancho de Santas Justa y Rufina, then archibishop of Manila ordered the translocation of the image of the Black Nazerene in Intramuros. It was formerly housed by San Nicolas de Tolentino, the Augustinian Recollect's main church. This event is commemorated evert 9 January.
In 1899, the third church was inagurated. In 1928, another fire damaged the building and was rebuilt by architect Juan Nakpil. An expansion was done in the 1980s.
On Fridays thousands of Catholic devotees may be seen inside the church edging forward on their knees towards the crucifix to light a candle in supplication to the Black Nazarene. Around the church is a fascinating gathering of vendors selling candles and curiosities like amulets and folk cures for obscure ailments.
Every January 9, devotees flock to Quiapo in hopes of touching the life sized statue of the Black Nazarene who is believed to have inexplicable and miraculous powers. Some people have claimed that the reason the Black Nazarene is so popular with the Filipinos is because it was the first religious image to which Filipinos could relate, owing to its dark skin tone. Regardless of the reason for its popularity, the Black Nazarene continues to be a beacon of hope for people who want to receive absolution for their sins.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
St. Anthony of Padua (Feast Day June 13)
Fernando Martins de Bulhões, who later, upon admission into the Franciscan Order, would take up the name António (Anthony), was born in Lisbon to Martim Vicente de Bulhões and Teresa Pais Taveira (brother of Pedro Martins de Bulhões, ancestor of the Bulhão or Bulhões family), in a very rich family of the nobility who wanted him to become educated; however, these were not his wishes. His family arranged sound education for him at the local cathedral school. Against the wishes of his family, he entered the Augustinian Abbey of St. Vincent on the outskirts of Lisbon. The Canons Regular of St. Augustine, of which he was a member, were famous for their dedication to scholarly pursuits. Anthony studied Scripture and the Latin classics.
After his ordination, Anthony was placed in charge of hospitality in his abbey. In this role, in 1219, he came in contact with five Franciscans who were on their way to Morocco to preach to the Muslims there. Anthony was strongly attracted to the simple Gospel lifestyle of the Franciscan friars. In February 1220, news arrived that the five Franciscans had been martyred in Morocco. Anthony meditated on the heroism of these Franciscans. He wanted to obey God's call to leave everything and follow Him. Anthony obtained permission from his Augustinian superiors to join the Franciscan Order.
On the return trip to Portugal, his ship was driven by storm upon the coast of Sicily and he landed at Messina. From Sicily he made his way to Assisi and sought admission into a monastery in Italy, but met with difficulty on account of his sickly appearance. He was finally assigned, out of pure compassion, to the rural hospice of San Paolo near Forlì, Romagna, Italy, a choice made after considering his poor health. There he appears to have lived as a hermit and was put to work in the kitchen.
One day, on the occasion of an ordination, a great many visiting Dominican friars were present, there was some misunderstanding over who should preach. The Franciscans naturally expected that one of the Dominicans would occupy the pulpit, for they were renowned for their preaching; the Dominicans, on the other hand, had come unprepared, thinking that a Franciscan would be the homilist.
In this quandary, the head of the hermitage, who had no one among his own humble friars suitable for the occasion, called upon Anthony, who he suspected was most qualified, and engineered him to speak whatever the Holy Spirit should put into his mouth. Anthony objected but was overruled, and his sermon created a deep impression. Not only his rich voice and arresting manner, but the entire theme and substance of his discourse and his moving eloquence, held the attention of his hearers.
At that point, Anthony was commissioned by Brother Gratian, the minister provincial, to preach the Gospel throughout the area of Lombardy, in northern Italy. From then on his skills were used to the utmost by the Church. Occasionally he took another post, as a teacher, for instance, at the universities of Montpellier and Toulouse in southern France, but it was as a preacher that Anthony revealed his supreme gift.
In 1226, after attending the Franciscan chapter at Arles, France, and preaching in the French region of Provence, Anthony returned to Italy and served as envoy from the general chapter to Pope Gregory IX. At the Papal court, his preaching was hailed as a "jewel case of the Bible" and he was commissioned to produce "Sermons for Feast Days."
Anthony became ill with dropsy and, in 1231, went to the woodland retreat at Camposampiero with two other friars for a respite. There Anthony lived in a cell built for him under the branches of a walnut tree. Saint Anthony died on the way back to Padua on 13 June 1231 at the Poor Clare convent at Arcella, aged 36.
When he died, it is said that the children cried in the streets and that all the bells of the churches rang of their own accord, rung by angels come to earth to honour the death of the saint. He is buried in a chapel, and to this day his tongue is in a reliquary, and is incorrupt although he is not an incorruptible. The tongue glistens and looks as if it is still alive and moist.
Anthony of Lisbon (or Padua) is known to have become the "quickest" saint in the history of the Catholic Church because he was canonized by Pope Gregory IX less than one year after his death on the 30th of May of 1232.
His fame spread as much as the Portuguese envangelization and he has been known as the most celebrated of the followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. He is the patron saint of Padua, of Italy and of many other places in Portugal and in the countries of the former Portuguese Empire. He is especially invoked for the recovery of lost things.
Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on January 16, 1946, he is sometimes called "Evangelical Doctor".
Each year on the weekend of the last Sunday in August, Boston's North End holds a feast in honor of St. Anthony. Referred to as the "Feast of all Feasts", St. Anthony's Feast in Boston's North End was begun in 1919 by Italian immigrants from Montefalcione, a small town near Naples, where the tradition of honoring St. Anthony goes back to 1688. The feast has become the largest Italian religious festival in the United States.
In 1746 the 1,000 bed Santo António (Saint Anthony) Hospital was completed in Porto, the Portugal Wine City. The hospital is located across the street from the building Lord Wellington set up, as his headquarters to eventually defeat Napoleon. Today Santo António Hospital is famous for successful liver transplants. The ancient "Santo António Hospital Chapel" is a mecca for patients seeking Santo António for the miracle of a cure, and for tourists seeking unique architecture. Visitors taking the Douro River wine boat tours look up from the river to see Santo António Hospital at the center of the city of Porto (Oporto), which is the size of the city of Denver. Santo António Hospital is located above the heart of the Wine Lodges. These "lodges" are Douro River vineyard producers of Port (Ruby, Tawney, Vintage & Crusty) , Red (Vinho Tinto) and White (Branco) wines. Saint Anthony is well celebrated after a good harvest.
On January 27, 1907 in Beaumont, Texas, a church was dedicated and named in honor of St. Anthony of Padua. The church was later designated a cathedral in 1966 with the formation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Beaumont, but was not formally consecrated. On April 28, 1974, St Anthony Cathedral was dedicated and consecrated by Bishop Warren Boudreaux. In 2006 Pope Benedict XVI granted St. Anthony Cathedral the designation of minor basilica. St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica celebrated its 100th anniversary on January 28, 2007.
Seventeenth century Spanish missionaries came across a small Native American community along what was then known as the Yanaguana River on the feast day of Saint Anthony and renamed the river and eventually a mission built nearby in his honor. This mission became the focal point of a small community that eventually grew in size and scope to become the city of San Antonio, Texas.
St. Anthony is known in Brazil and Portugal as a marriage saint, because legend has him as one who conciliated couples. His feast day, June 13, is Lisbon's municipal holiday, celebrated with parades and marriages of humble couples, and he is one of the saints celebrated in the Brazilian Festa Junina (along with John the Baptist and Saint Peter). The previous day, June 12, is the Brazilian Valentine's Day.
In Uvari, in Tamil Nadu, India, the church of St. Anthony is home to an ancient wooden statue that is said to have cured the entire crew of a Portuguese ship suffering from cholera. St Anthony is said to perform many miracles daily, and Uvari is visited by pilgrims of different religions from all over South India.
Our Lady OF Peñafrancia - Naga City, Bicol, Philippines
THE IMAGE OF OUR LADY OF PENAFRANCIA
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Feast of San Isidro Labarador
Born to poor yet very pious Catholic parents in Madrid, Spain in the year 1070, he was sent in his youth to work for a wealthy landowner named Juan de Vargas whom he worked for the rest of his life. Later, he was made bailiff of Vargas’ estate of Lower Caramanca in the vicinity of Madrid.
Isidro, in the prime of his life, married a woman named Maria Torribia and had one son, though he died in his youth. The couple took his death as a sign from God and consequently vowed to live a life of perfect continence. They then lived in separate houses and devoted their life to prayer, work, and works of mercy. His wife was later canonized a saint and known as Santa Maria de la Cabeza in Spain because her head (which is cabeza in Spanish) is often carried in processions, especially during droughts.
Deeply devout, Isidore dressed as a hermit, prayed regularly and give everything he had to the poor. Hardworking and industrious, he initially worked even on Sundays until he received light from the Lord not to do so. Adamant, he continued to work. To deter him, the Lord sent at first a plague of grasshoppers and a second time, torrential rain on the farm where he was working yet still he continued to work on Sundays.
The third and last time, the Lord sent “bad neighbours” and so Isidro finally consented to observe the Sabbath. But he had so much to do and he cannot manage the large amount of work without the Sundays so the Lord sent an angel to help him plow the fields.
Another legend relates of Isidro being accustomed to attending daily Mass and in so doing, is often late for work in the mornings. His fellow labourers found this annoying and complained to their master. Yet the master has no cause to complain because Isidro’s work was usually done on time and even much better than the other labourers. But because of the complaints, he made an investigation and checked on him.
Yes, the master found out that Isidro was always late yet he was at a quandary why his work was always finished on time and very well. Believing that somebody was doing his work for him while he was attending Mass, he went to the fields to spy on the person helping him in his work. But lo and behold, he saw an angel instead busily ploughing his fields. In due time, Isidro was accorded great respect by his master and his fellow laborers.
On another occasion, his master saw an angel ploughing on either side of him, so that Isidro's work was equal to that of three of his fellow-labourers. He is also said to have brought back to life his master's deceased daughter, and to have caused a fountain of fresh water to burst from the dry earth in order to quench his master's thirst.
Isidro has been known to love the poor and the animals. Once, a miracle happened when he was feeding a flock of starving birds. The food that he had at that time was not enough yet it was multiplied and so he was able to feed the birds until they were full. This miracle of the multiplication of food happened again when he was sharing his food with a large group of beggars.
There was a time when his son was still alive when the boy fell into a deep well but, with the prayers of his parents, the water of the well rose to the level of the ground, bringing the child with it, alive and well.
Isidro died on May 15, 1130 at 60 years of age at his birthplace close to Madrid.
After Isidro’s Death
Forty years after his death, his body was exhumed and was found to be incorrupt even though it was buried in extremely wet ground. From the cemetery, his body was transferred to the Church of St. Andrew.Isidore is said to have appeared to King Alfonso VIII of Castile, and shown him the hidden path by which he surprised the Moors and gained victory in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, on July 16, 1212.
When Philip III of Spain was cured of a deadly disease by touching the relics of the saint, the king replaced the old reliquary with a costly silver one.
After many miracles were reported owing to his intercession, his case was elevated to the Cause of the Saints. He was beatified on May 2, 1619 by Pope Paul V. Almost three years later, he was canonized by Pope Gregory XV, along with Saints Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Avila, and Philip Neri on March 12, 1622.
His master’s house was eventually converted into a museum with temporary exhibitions on Madrilenian subjects, as well as on the life of the saint. He is now widely venerated as the patron saint of peasants and day labourers and in 1947, at the request of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, he was officially named patron of farmers. His feast day falls on March 22 in all dioceses of the U.S., with proper Mass and Office.
After the Second Vatican Council, his liturgical feast was moved and is now celebrated on the 15th of May. The Traditional Roman Catholics in the U.S. and Canada still commemorates his feast day on March 22 though.
Many towns and cities were named after him. San Isidro, California and San Isidro, New Mexico; a town in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina; San Isidro, a town in Bohol, Philippines and San Isidro (a barangay in Talibon, Bohol) likewise were named after him.
San Isidro was also made a patron of numerous cities and villages, including the Spanish cities of Madrid (the capital), Leon, Saragossa, Estepona of the province of Malaga, and Seville; likewise in La Orotava, in Tenerife, (Canary Islands, Spain), in Carampa (in the district of Alcamenca, province of Victor Fajardo Ayacucho, Peru), Sabana Grande (in the southwest of Puerto Rico, U.S., La Ceiba (the capital city of the department of Atlantida in Honduras).
Reference: wikipedia.org
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Devotion to Our Mother Of Perpetual Help
Among the best known shrines are those in Boston and New York (USA), Haiti, where Our Lady of Perpetual Help is the Patroness of the country; Santiago in Chile, Curitiba, Belém and Manaus in Brazil, Tequisquiapan in Mexico; Belfast and Limerick in Ireland; Bussolengo in Italy; Torun and Cracow in Poland; Singapore and the most famous of all in Manila (Philippines).
The Perpetual Novena which began in St. Loius (USA) in 1927, has made a notable contribution to the spread of this devotion. The Novena has been called ‘Perpetual’, because it is held on a fixed day each week of the year. During the Novena devotions, the faithful not only say the traditional prayer, but they also present written petitions and thanksgivings for favours received. There is also a meditation on some aspect of the spiritual life.
Each year in the month of June, in preparation of the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, There is a Solemn Novena, nine days of prayer and reflection on the christian life.
Source: http://www.baclaranovena.org/i
Monday, November 8, 2010
The Holy Spirit - Interpreter of Scripture
Attentiveness and Study Needed (109-110)
The correct interpretation of Scripture demands attentiveness to what the human author wanted to say and to what God wanted to reveal.Discovering the human author's intention demands a study of the culture, the modes of narrating, and the different forms of writing (history, poetry, prophecy, etc.).
Three Criteria (111-114)
Scripture must be interpreted in light of the Spirit who wrote the Scriptures. Correct interpretation requires that the reader:- Be attentive to the "content and unity of the whole Scripture." God's plan (in the Old and New Testament) has a unity in Christ. "Sacred Scripture, like the ‘heart of Christ' was closed before the Passion. Since the Passion, the Scriptures have been opened" (St. Thomas Aquinas).
- Read the Scriptures within the Church's living Tradition. "According to the spiritual meaning which the Spirit grants to the Church" (Origin).
- Apply the "analogy of faith" (the coherence of all truths among themselves and within God's plan).
Three Spiritual Senses (115-119)
Scripture has both a literal sense (the words themselves) and three different spiritual senses:- Allegorical sense - Recognizing events in the light of Christ (the parting of the Red Sea) as a sign of Baptism
- Moral sense - Using as a help to act justly
- Anagogical sense - Seeing the truths in light of eternal happiness
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Kailan tayo nakaka-alaalang magpasalamat
May mga tao naman na sa kabila ng ibinigay mo na ang lahat, hindi pa rin nasisiyahan. Hindi niya nakikita ang naging epekto nito sa kanya. Minsan nga buhay na ang ipinagkaloob, parang bale wala pa rin. Iniaalay mo ng buong puso ang iyong pag-ibig, pero bakit parang may hinahanap pa, bakit parang nakukulangan pa.
Hanggang kailan ang sukdulan ng ating kasiyahan? Ganyan din sa ating Panginoon. Lumalapit lang tayo sa Kanya pag may kailangan, pag wala na tayong takbuhan at wala nang madaingan. Sa mahiwagang paraan sinasagot Niya ang ating mga daing, tinatanggap Niya ang ating mga papuri at pasasalamat. Yun eh kung nagpapasalamat talaga tayo. Nagpapasalamat tayo sa lahat ng buting ibinigay nya. Pero hindi sa lahat ng masama at problemang dinadanas natin. Minsan kailangan dumaan tayo sa mga pagsubok para mabatid natin na ito pala ang sinasabi kong mahiwagang sagot ng Diyos. Kung hindi natin malalagpasan ang pagsubok hindi natin malalaman ang ating kakulangan at kahinaan.
Sa panahon na tayo'y malakas, masigla at sagana nagpapasalamat tayo, pero sa panahon ng pighati, kalungkutan o paghihirap -- kulang na lang sumbatan natin Siya. Kung bakit ginawa naman nating maging mabuting lingkod Nya, pero bakit natin dinadanas ang hindi natin gusto o hindi natin gustong mangyari sa mga mahal natin.
Ang Panginoon sa ating paglapit sa Kanya, ay nagpapasalamat na, "Hay! Salamat na lang anak at naalala mo Ako." baka ang nasambit Nya. Sa ating pagdarasal, maikli o mahaba isa lang ang ninais Nya ang maging malaya at bukas ang ating isipan sa iniaalay Niyang pag-ibig sa ating lahat. Kaya sa anu pa man pagdurusa, pagkabigo, pagkabasag at maging kasiyahan, tagumpay at kaluwagan ng puso maging mapagsalamat, walang oras at walang pagkakataon. Parang bahagi na nang ating buhay, parang umiinom na lang ng tubig at naglalakad sa daan, na ang nasasambit natin ay salamat sa Diyos, sa pagiging kaagapay namin sa lahat ng pagsubok.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The Seven Holy Virtues
The Seven Deadly Sins
2. ENVY - may be characterized by an insatiable desire; they differ, however, for two main reasons. First, greed is largely associated with material goods, where as envy may apply more generally. Second, those who commit the sin of envy resent that another person has something they perceive themselves as lacking, and wish the other person to be deprived of it.
3. GREED - also known as avarice or covetousness, is, like lust and gluttony, a sin of excess. However, greed is applied to a very excessive or rapacious desire and pursuit of wealth, status, and power.
4. GLUTTONY - meaning to gulp down or swallow, gluttony (Latin, gula) is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of anything to the point of waste.
5. LUST or LECHERY - is usually thought of as excessive thoughts or desires of a sexual nature. It is a craving for sexual intimacy, sometimes to the point of assuming a self-indulgent character.
6. PRIDE or HUBRIS - is considered the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins, and indeed the ultimate source from which the others arise. It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to acknowledge the good work of others, and excessive love of self (especially holding self out of proper position toward God).
7. SLOTH - is defined as spiritual or emotional apathy, neglecting what God has spoken, and being physically and emotionally inactive. It can also indicate a wasting due to lack of use, concerning a person, place, thing, skill, or intangible ideal that would require maintenance, refinement, or support to continue to exist.
with Permission from: Ismael Ayles. Facebook
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Photocatalyst and Negative Ion Bulb
Researched by an unknown blogger was published in a blog, readers be aware because it was really misleading, he only qoutes Carl Koval's saying about the Tio2 , without knowing that Carl is also an inventor of improve photocatalyst application.
See more details about Carl Koval
http://www.patentgenius.com/patent/5439652.html
http://www.patentgenius.com/inventedby/KovalCarlAGoldenCO.html
Reading upon the line,
"..Says Koval, “When illuminated TiO2
is used to decompose organic compounds, a
large number of intermediate compounds are
usually formed. In some cases, these intermediate compounds can be more hazardous
than the compound being decomposed.” For
example, he says, the breakdown of TCE
yields trichloroacetic acid (a substance almost
as toxic as TCE) and, in the gaseous phase,
p h o s g e n e ( a c h emi c a l w a r f a r e a g e n t ) .
However, he says, this doesn’t mean that all
applications using TiO2
would be dangerous.
“In situations where this type of process was
being proposed for outdoor use, I see no
problems with it, because similar things occur
naturally in the atmosphere, and it would be
unlikely that concentrations of the hazardous
c h emi c a l w o u l d r e a c h t o x i c l e v e l s . . . .
However, [in an indoor setting] who knows
what would be formed if TiO2
photocatalysis were used to decompose plasticizers, bacteria,
and so on, and what the health effects might
be from inhaling such compounds?”
Certainly there is cause for caution, agrees
Anderson. “But given time and control over
the process,” he adds, “these daughter products do break down into environmentally
benign substances, a process which can be
monitored using a gas chromatograph.” And,
says Blake, “All oxidization processes have
the potential to produce partial oxidization
products. It comes down to a question of the
fraction of the target compounds that are
converted to the intermediate products and
how much of those produced are released
into the air or water. The amount released
will be a function of the efficiency of the
photocatalytic device and the way it is constructed and operated.”
All that being said, in the realm of envir o nme n t a l c l e a n u p t e c h n o l o g y i s T iO2
indeed the white knight riding to the rescue
or something less? Says Blake, “There is no
single technology that can address the very
wide range of contamination problems in
the environment. Most workers in the field
recognize that the photocatalytic chemistryof TiO2 has pluses and minuses that make it
attractive for some applications and not for
o the r s . The pho t o c a t a l y t i c chemi s t r y o f
TiO2
is very intriguing. It works in water or
air, it uses light instead of heat, and it is
such a simple concept. Engineering it with
the right balance of economics and performance is the challenge.”
Link here
That article was written 10 years ago, so what do you think has happened after 10 years? Does the development of Photocatalyst and Negative Ion Bulb has been changed? Those articles is just a speculation that time, the reason why it is written with a question mark (see Title: Titanium Dioxide:
Environmental White Knight?, means that it was not proven at the time, but after ICC (Import Commodity Clearance) has certified the product of Goodfaith, no question ask get your GoodLights, come and get one used it and enjoy the benefits of inhaling clean air.
Friday, September 3, 2010
10 Great Quotes from Jesus of Nazareth
Of the more direct teachings of Jesus, most of them are contained in what is known as the sermon on the mount, which is a veritable goldmine of counter-cultural wisdom.
1. Love Your Enemies!
OK, you have to admit this is a pretty radical concept...
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? (Matthew 5:43-47 )
2. Don't Worry About The Future
Sometimes insightful sayings seem obvious once you hear them - I think that is the case here. Live in the moment you're in!
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:34)
3. How To Treat Others
“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
4. The Most Important Commandment
“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40)
5. Spiritual Greatness
In the topsy-turvy world of the Kingdom of God it seems the usual understanding of things is reversed. Here is yet another example:
“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)
6. Gaining The World, Losing Your Soul
Here Jesus highlights that the eternal and spiritual dimension is more important than the temporal physical one. Those who choose to follow His teaching will make physical sacrifices for spiritual rewards.
Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38)
7. The Kingdom Of God Is Not Physical
Christian faith should not be militant, things like the crusades were not in line with what Jesus taught, or even the concept of christendom. He also taught that the Kingdom of God was in the hearts of men.
The statement below was said in response to questioning in his trial before the roman govenor.
“My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)
8. God Loves Everyone
This very well known passage is actually a quote from Jesus.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
9. Ask, Seek, Knock
“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10)
10. His Claim To Be God
While it seems Jesus didn't make a point of telling everyone that he was God, he did make it clear on a few recorded occasions. This quote is taken from Jesus' court trial, from which the resulting conviction of 'blasphemy' led to his crucifixion.
I include this quote, not because it's a great teaching, but because it affects how one perceives his teaching. It's hard to think of Jesus as [just] a good moral teacher when you know that he thought himself to be God. Either he is a weirdo, or he is God!
Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:63-64)
Submitted by Ross Kendall on Mon, 21/05/2007 - 11:36pm.