The Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit

The Trinity is the foundational doctrine of God in the Christian faith. Although the word itself was not used in Scripture, it can be shown that the Scripture teaches the essential truths which lead to the doctrine. In essence, the doctrine of the Trinity explains how the following apparently incompatible statements can be true:

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.

Antipolo Cathedral - Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage

Every merry month of May, the legendary town of Antipolo becomes a beehive of acitivity and vibrancy as thousands, from all walks of life, flock to this lovely place amongst the hills. To the lilting tune of native songs, people come to this town, primarily to pay homage to the miraculous Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage and, secondly, to take a breather from the heat and dust of the summer months amidst Antipolo's refreshing mountain air, rippling streams and springs.

In Antipolo, one finds the religious shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, popularly known as the Virgin of Antipolo (Birhen ng Antipolo).

The origin of our Virgin of Antipolo dates back to Spanish era in the Philippines, when galleon trade between the Philippines and Mexico were at its height On March 25, 1626, Don Juan Niño de Tabora left the shores of Mexico aboard the galleon, El Almirante, to make its voyage to the Philippines. On this trip, Governor Tabora brought along the brown image of our Blessed Virgin Mother. For three months, the El Almirante safely braved the dangers of the stormy seas and a fire aboard the ship, arriving in the ports of Manila on July 18, 1626. Governor Tabora, realizing that the galleon's safe and successful journey was due to the presence of the image of the Blessed Virgin on board the ship, called for the pompous celebration of the image's arrival. Amidst pageantry and fireworks, the religious procession started from the Church of San Ignacio, the Jesuit Church in Intramuros, up to the Manila Catholic Cathedral, which became the first house of the Blessed Virgin's image. It is said that because of the events surrounding the safe voyage of the El Almirante, the Blessed Virgin was named Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buenviaje.

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).

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

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz (c. 1600 – September 29, 1637), aka San Lorenzo de Manila, is the first Filipino saint (protomartyr) venerated in the Roman Catholic Church. He was martyred during persecution of Japanese Christians under the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 17th century.

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.

Photocatalyst and Negative Ion Bulb

Photocatalyst and Negative Ion Bulb was scattered like wildfire passing to every ears of Filipinos, the innovation has been already successful, whereas someone spent time to research it and post it without even using and feel the benefits of it. I am a user a the said bulb and it really helps me a lot, when I got the Photocatalyst and Negative Ion Bulb and used it in my tiny shop, drastic changes has been made.

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.

Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene

Quiapo Church is one of Manila's most famous churches. It is also known as the "Church of the Black Nazarene" and sometimes referred to as the "Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene." Located in Quiapo, Manila, the church houses a large black wooden statue of Christ bearing the cross (the "Black Nazarene"). This crucifix was carved in Mexico and was brought to the Philippines from Mexico by Spanish galleon in 1767.

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.

St. Anthony of Padua (Feast Day June 13)

Fernando Martins de Bulhões, venerated as Anthony of Padua or Anthony of Lisbon, (c. 1195[1] – 13 June 1231) is a Portuguese Catholic saint who was born to a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal where he lived most of his life, and who died in Padua, Italy.

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
 

About thousands of devotees who come from different parts of the Bicol Region and the country to attend the annual pintakasi, the origin of the Holy Image not altogether known. It is a mystery to a great many especially the youth.

Many believe that the Holy Image its origin in a pineapple plant which since time immemorial grew abundantly in Francia, the place where the Sanctuary in her honor stands today. There is even a painting, purposely for commercial sale of the Holy Image, representing the Blessed Virgin as coming out of a pineapple fruit. The native word for pineapple is "pinya". Pena de Francia sounds very much like Pina de Francia hence many believe that the Blessed Virgin must have really come from the pineapple fruit of France.

Pena de Francia, literally, is Rocky hill of France, where the Image of Our lady of Penafrancia is believed to have been discovered by a hermit named Simon Vela.

The discovery of the Holy Image is a wonderful story of providence whose retelling will never fail to evoke a sense of wonderment and mystery in the hearts and minds of believers and cynics alike.

On September 4, 1401, in the city of Paris, capital of France, a child was born to pious and religious parents, Rolan and Barbara. He was christened Simon.

They were quite well off; their property was more than sufficient to maintain a family of four. Early in youth, however, Simon despised wealth although his parents could well afford his wishes. He was rather of a religious turn of mind and was wont to kneel before the altar of the household shrine to pray. He was no ordinary boy who, instead of taking part in boyish games and pranks, found delight in things spiritual. Nothing the religious bent of their child, the parents sent him to school at age of ten to study grammar and, alter, philosophy to prepare him for the priesthood. Not being bright, however, he was not able to finish his studies and was not ordained therefore to the priesthood. When he was old enough, his parents advised him to marry, but marriage offered no allurement to him as he made a vow to the Holy Virgin to devote his life to works of piety.

When his parents and his only sister died, Simon inherited all their property. To avoid trouble which he thought might ensue from his possession of such wealth, he sold his patrimony and donated the proceeds to the church, the poor and the destitute, and to charitable institutions. He then applied for a position as chamber boy in a convent of Franciscan church in Paris.

HISTORY OF OUR LADY OF PENAFRANCIA

 

Simon frequented the church and would spend hours in prayer before the altar of the Virgin Mary. Many times, in his deep meditation, he would ask the Holy Virgin to inspire him what he might do to please her. Once, while he was absorbed in the spiritual contemplation of the beauty of the Holy Mother, he lost consciousness. His prayer then found its answer for he heard a clear voice that tried to rouse him from slumber: “Simon, wake up; be on the watch…. From now on your name will be Simon Vela. Go to Peña de Francia west of his country, and there you will find the shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

On the morning of the next day, Simon confessed what he had heard the night before to Father Ortuño, guardia of the convent. The wise father advised him not to divulge the secret to anyone for the priest feared that it might have been the voice of the temptation or the effervescence of a fevered mind. Apparently, Father Ortuño learned of Simon Vela’s losing consciousness, and may have thought that the voice and the message were but vapid figments of the imagination.

Several days after, Simon was praying as usual before the altar of the Holy Virgin, when he heard again the voice saying: “Simon, go to Peña de Francia and there you will find what you have been longing to see.” The next day he asked for the blessing of Father Ortuño and set out to search for the place called Peña de Francia.

For five (5) years Simon Vela traveled far and wide among caves, hills and mountains, in search of Peña de Francia but he could not find the place. He wanted to give up the search, and was in fact already on his way back to Paris, when one night he heard the same voice once more saying: “Simon, do not give up the search; do not give up what you have begun. Persevere and your labors will be recomposed.” This suddenly buoyed up his spirits and so he resumed his search the next day.

Simon went to the Church of Santiago de Galicia. And while he was passing the market place of Salamanca, he saw to men quarreling. One was seriously wounded and fell at Simon’s side. The offender was caught by the crowd who milled around them and he brazenly remarked: “Had I killed my enemy, I would have escaped to Peña de Francia where no one, not even the king, could find me.” Simon was overjoyed when he heard this for now he knew that such a place did actually exist.

Several hours afterwards he resumed his way to the church of San Martin. On his way he met a man selling charcoal. Simon asked the man where he came from a place called Peña de Francia. This was the second time that Simon heard the name of the place mentioned. He then begged the man to guide him to the place called Peña de Francia but for some reason the latter refused to do so.

Simon traced the road through which he thought the man has passed. He then reached a villa called San Martin de Castañar on May 14, 1434. He went to church and after the mass a man to kindly indicate where Peña de Francia was. The man took Simon Vela to a place some distance from the church and pointed to him a hill in the far distance saying that the hill was the Peña de Francia he was looking for. Simon was very grateful and thanked God for having found the man who showed him the place of his dream.

Simon then set out for the place indicated and, after a long weary journey, came to a steep rocky hill. By this time his supply of provision had already been depleted and he was beginning to feel the pangs of hunger. The climb over the hill had considerably weakened him but he lost no heart for he knew deep within him that God had not forsaken him to a fruitless and useless search. And indeed how right he was for on the road otherwise abandoned he found a packet containing a loaf of bread and piece of meat. This relieved him so much until night overtook him and he sought shelter in a cave. Inside he prayed for guidance and soon he was lost in deep slumber.

Early in the morning of the next day, Simon began the search for the shrine in every cave where he had slept the night before. He felt distressed and discouraged for his seemed as distant as it was when he started. He knelt and prayed for strange and courage. And soon he heard the same voice he had heard before sounding clearly through the cave: “Simon, be awake: do not sleep.”

Simon continued the search with more zeal in the morning of the next day. At a distance on a rocky hill, he saw a glaring and dazzling light filling the place with its brilliance. Trembling with joy, he approached it and there he found the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus in her arms sittings on a golden throne. He Knelt before her and prayed with all the fervor of his soul. Overflowing with ineffable joy he said: “Oh, Lady, the dream of my soul, the inspiration of men and women! My labors are now ended. Many years have I traveled far and wide to seek you and to drink in the beauty of your eyes! Do not forsake me: be my protection.”

In sympathy for Simon, the Lady answered: “Simon, rejoice! Your constancy will be rewarded. Your dream will be realized. Your labors are now ended. Take heed and keep in your heart what I wish you to do. Dig in this spot and take what you can see and place it on the summit of this rocky hill. Build on this hill a beautiful dwelling. You are to begin it and others will come to finish it.. This must come to pass as it has been the wish of my child.” Then the Lady suddenly disappeared and Simon was left standing alone and rooted in the spot with wonder and awe.

 

On the morning of May, 1434, on the spot where the apparition of the Holy Virgin disappeared, Simon began the work of digging and excavating. He, however, heard the same voice again saying: “Simon, do not attempt to undertake that big task alone. Undertake it in the presence and with the help of two, three, or more persons.” Evidently this was to avert any doubt or suspicion from people as to a veracity of the miracle and the credibility of Simon. So Simon went to San Martin de Castañar, a nearby town from the spot, and asked five men to help him. They were Antonio Sanchez, the parish scribe of the place

These men thought that they were digging for hidden treasure but they were informed that they were going to dig for the objects worthier than world goods their hearts could cherish. They dug and dug, clearly following directions from divine inspiration, and, finally, on May 19,1434, after removing a huge stone, they found imbedded among the rocks, the most coveted image of the Holy Virgin with the Child in her arms.

Right then and there, all these men received special graces from the Lady. Simon Vela’s wound in the wound in the head was instantly cured; Pascual Sanchez’ defect in the eye disappeared; Juan Fernandez was relieved of a stomach trouble that has been nagging him for ten years; Antonio Fernandez who deaf began to hear; and, finally, Benito Sanchez’ finger which was defective from birth, recovered its normal stage. The official document of these miracles and this discovery, duly signed by those present and the Notary Public of the place, is reserved in the archives of San Martin de Castañar to serve as eloquent, if mute, witness to the past, present, and future generations of the veracity of this wonder

Contrary to what its name seems to indicate and the claim of some writers, therefore, the Peñafrancia devotion is not of French origin. It started in the place where the holy image was discovered and that is on the slopes of Sierra de Francia, a mountain range situated between Spain’s two famous provinces: Salamanca and Caceres.

It is a noteworthy coincidence that while the primitive image was found near Caceres in Spain, its most venerated reproduction has come to stay in the Archdiocese of Caceres.Which brings us to the story equally touching and wonderful as the story of the original image found in Caceres, Spain of the Virgin of Peñafrancia venerated in the Archdiocese of Caceres in a shrine located in a place locally named Francia.

Way back in the seventeenth century, a Spanish family came to the Philippines and settled in the port of Cavite. They were from San Martin de Castañar. They had a son named Miguel de Cobarrubias.

Miguel grew up under the influence of the Dominican Fathers of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila where he was an intern student in that venerable institution. He studied grammar, philosophy, and theology in preparation for the priesthood. He had with him an image of Our Lady of Peña de Francia and he had been since youth an ardent devotee of this miraculous image.

While he was a student in the university, he was a victim of frequent illness. In some cases he suffered from serious diseases. He used to complain of unexplained pains which often paralyzed his normal movements.Fortunately for him. However, he had this holy image to whom he would have recourse in moments of great pain, anguish, and adversity. He recalled that by putting the image on the part of his body that ailed him most, he would recover from his illness.

This image was actually found on the cover of a book on the history of the Blessed Virgin of Peñafrancia and Miguel de Cobarrubias carried this book with him all around and even in his sleep. Sometimes relief from his illness would be delayed but Miguel, the fruitful devotee of the Lady, never lost heart for he believed that the Blessed Mother, ever solicitous and maternal, purposely delayed the cure to make him repent his sins better.

So many miracles were wrought upon the holy person of Miguel de Cabarrubias but he was always wont to exclaim: “all I can say is that I am the miracle of her miracles because I firmly believe that on many occasions, I owe my life to her.”

In gratitude for the many blessings he had received from the Virgin of Peñafrancia, Miguel de Cabarrubias vowed that, when he shall be in a financial position he would erect a stone church on the bank of the Pasig River in Manila in honor of the Blessed Virgin. He looked for a sculptor to make a replica of the image of Our Lady of Peña de Francia but it took him time before he was able to find one.

Meanwhile, after his studies in theologate, Bishop Andres Gonzales of then Diocese of Nueva of Caceres, ordered Miguel to proceed to Naga City to be ordained priest. He was later given a small parochial church, and six months afterwards, was made parish priest of the Cathedral Church and, subsequently, made the Provisor and Vicar-General of the bishopric of Nueva Caceres which, at that time, covered the entire Bicol Region in its ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

It is recalled that during his trip to Nueva Caceres, a very strong and furious typhoon developed that the was riding was almost on the brink of sinking. Everybody thought that would be their fateful end. Miguel, however, was confident that he was called to a further mission and so he invoked the help of his Patroness Virgin of Peñafrancia and, thanks to his prayer and devotion, the storm subsided and everybody reached the place safe and sound.

Many other miracles were experienced by Miguel de Cabarrubias through the intercession of the Virgin of Peñafrancia and all of these were documented in his letters of 1710, 1711, and 1717 which he sent to the Chaplain of Peñafrancia of San Martin de Castañar.

Having been given a ranking position in the diocese, Father Miguel knew that his stay in this place would be longer and he realized that it would render him incapable of fulfilling his vow in the place where he originally intended to build the stone church. He therefore asked permission from his superiors to build the promised church in Nueva Caceres. The permission was granted but the first difficulty was the location on which the church would be constructed. The solution to this problem proved to be an incident drawn by the hands of providence.

It is said that the cimmarones from the base of Mount Isarog came to see Father Miguel one day and begged him to build the church or ermita on a site which would be reached in less than thirty minutes from the poblacion. Accordingly the cimmarones who have been Christianized much earlier by the Francisca missionaries, Wanted a church where they could hear mass and receive the sacraments. This made Father Miguel very happy because it opened the way to the fulfillment of his vow.

Father Miguel then promptly had a chapel made of straw and other local materials erected in the site indicated by the cimmarones. This must have been around 1710. In addition, Father Miguel asked a local sculptor to carve a statue of the Virgin Mary patterned after the picture of Our Lady of Peñafrancia who has been very instrumental in the many miracles wrought upon the person of the Father Miguel. The image was made from a santol tree.

As a practice in those times, to serve as paint and wood preservative, the blood was used to color the statue. So a dog was caught, its feet body of the dog was afterwards thrown into the river nearby. Father Miguel, at this instant, remarked: “The Virgin will work her first miracle in Caceres. She will bring back to life that innocent animal that gave blood for her.” Upon hearing his words, those who ere around laughed sarcastically. To their surprise, however, the dog began to swim and upon reaching the bank fast to the house of his master. This miracle was also witnessed by some Dominican Fathers who were then vacationing as guests of Bishop Gonzales.

The news of this miracle spread like a prairie fire. It went from mouth to mouth and from town to town. People from all places and all walks of life, suffering from various ailments, mishaps, pains ad other misfortunes both spiritual and physical, began imploring her powerful intercession. And Our Lady of Peña de Francia did not disappoint them but only because they had put so much faith on her. In no time she was proclaimed as the foremost and miraculous Patroness of Bicolandia.

The official coronation of Our lady of Peñafrancia our Patroness of Bicolandia took place on September 2, 1924, offiaciated by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Guillermo ______ their Apostolic to the Delegate. The image therefore of Our lady of Peñafrancia enshrined in her sanctuary in Calle Balatas is about 275 years old. It is an antique statue that has even become the object of desire for many an antique collector. On the morning of August 15, 1981, this miraculous image was stolen from her shrine at the Peñafrancia Church. The entire region was shocked by this news and every devotee of Our Ina could not believe that such a dastardly and sacrilegious act could be perpetuated. Immediately a network for the massive search of the image was military and civilians alike. In the course of following leads to the theft, a policeman was killed and a police lieutenant was wounded when the jeepney they were riding in were ambused by heavily armed men somewhere in Bolo Sur, Sipocot, Camarines Sur.

It seemed that the search would be futile altogether and people almost resigned to the sorry fate of having lost a most beloved image. Most of the leads proved a haux. Meanwhile the approaching feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia necessitated an image to be borne during the translation and the colorful fluvial procession. One was made at the instant of church authorities and another image was donated by the First Lady.

A little over a year later, the region was shocked, with equal unbelief, with the news that the image has been returned to Rt. Rev. Msgr. Florencio Yllana, P.A.,Liaison Officer of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and former Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Peñafrancia here in Naga City. On September 8, 1982, Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, the motorcade from Manila bearing the Image arrived in Naga City at the height of typhoon Ruping. The inclement weather did not deter thousands of devotees who braved the raging winds and the devastating floods to welcome the image of Our beloved Ina. At 10:00 in the evening of the same day, the image was safely enshrined at the Metropolitan Cathedral where a pontifical concelebrated mass offered in thanksgiving for the return and safe arrival of the image.

The image is now enshrined at the Basilica Minore at Calle Balatas in the City of Naga. She has returned to her flock and her people have gratefully built her a home worthy of her dignity, honor, and maternal position.

The Feast of San Isidro Labarador

In the Philippines, aside from the mentioned town of Bohol, the saint is venerated and his feast day celebrated. In Nabas, a municipality of Aklan province in the Visayas, he is greatly honoured with the yearlyNabas Bariw Festivalfrom May 12-15. The festival showcases the town’s hat, mat and other bariw products as well as the town’s unique tourism sites and natural attractions.

Likewise in Talavera, Nueva Ecija, he is greatly honoured with weeklong festivities ending on the 15th. Activities include daily novenas, Masses, processions, entertainment events and a fair (or perya). He is also venerated with a Pahiyas Festivalin Lucban, Quezon. Honor is accorded to him in Trinidad, Bohol and the barangays of Mahayag (in the town of San Miguel) and in Talibon.

San Isidro is often depicted as kneeling and praying while an angel is ploughing the fields behind him. He is shown much larger than the angel and cattle with a church in the background. One unique church in Bohol is the San Isidro church in Mahayag, San Miguel, Bohol. Behind the Eucharistic table is not a wall with altars but a small hilly garden planted with vegetables, banana and flowering plants. San Isidro is shown kneeling and praying in the garden while the wall behind the garden depicts an angel ploughing the fields.

San Isidro Labrador is invoked for concerns affecting livestock, agriculture, and good weather and even for picnics.

San Isidro Labrador in Spanish is otherwise known as Saint Isidore the Laborer or Isidore the Farmer. This saint is greatly loved by majority of the Filipinos and is venerated in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries.

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

Devotion to Our Mother Of Perpetual Help

According to tradition when handing over the Icon to the Redemptorsit in 1866. Pope Pius IX expressed the desire that they should make her known to the world. From that time until the present, devotion to the Mother of Perpetual Help has spread all over the world. Thousands of copies of the Picture have been dispatched throughout the world and there are many shrines where copies of the original Icon are venerated and regarded as miraculous.

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

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:

1. 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).
2. Read the Scriptures within the Church's living Tradition. "According to the spiritual meaning which the Spirit grants to the Church" (Origin).
3. 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:

1. Allegorical sense - Recognizing events in the light of Christ (the parting of the Red Sea) as a sign of Baptism
2. Moral sense - Using as a help to act justly
3. Anagogical sense - Seeing the truths in light of eternal happiness

All interpretation is subject to the Church and exegetes must help the Church form a firmer judgment. "I believe in the Gospel because of the authority of the Church" (St. Augustine).