Ate Tess Alonzo: True Crusader of the Family Rosary

Ate Tess Alonzo in Batanes wearing Vakul,
a traditional head dress of Ivatan

"I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live..." -John 11:25

I have met Ate Tess for the first when alone from Nueva Ecija I joined the 2nd General Assembly of the Family Rosary Crusade (FRC) in Pius XII Catholic Center in Paco, Manila. I have worked with her in the FRC as volunteers and chapter builder for quite a long time. I have been a witness of how she worked hard for the promotion of the Family Rosary and the cause for the Beatification of the Servant of God, Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton, CSC, FRC's founder. She is very joyful and giving her best for the work.

Ate Tess joined Tita Gennie Jota, Dirk Beda and our very own Fr. Peyton in heaven today (March 15, 2014) at around 8:30 in the morning. She now enjoys the company of our Lord Jesus and the Blessed Mother.

Ate Tess, thank you for the chance of working with you. Thank you for the wonderful memories. Thank you for the love you have given me.  Thank you for you selfless work for the Church. You will never be forgotten. You will always remain in our hearts. Vaya con Dios! Pray for us!

Ate Tess still in Batanes with me, Fr. John Phalen, CSC and Fr. Devadoss, CSC

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for the gift of Ate Tess in the Church and in the Family Rosary Crusade. Thank you for her friendship. Grant eternal rest unto her, Oh, Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. Amen.

Teach Your Children

"Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it."  -Proverbs22:6 (NLT)

I read of a story which goes like this:

Teacher: What comes after the number 8?

Boy: Number 9 Ma'am.

Teacher: Good! Good! What comes after the number 9?

Boy: Number 10 Ma'am.

Teacher: Wow! Very good! Who taught you how to count?

Boy: My father Ma'am.

Teacher: Okay, what comes after number 10?

Boy: Jack Ma'am, then the Queen, then King!

Uh oh! Dear Parents, teach your children. You are their first teachers. You are your children's inspiration. Whatever you teach them while they are still young will remain in their hearts and mind.

Prayer:

Lord, bless all the parents and make them instruments of Your Gospel to their children. Amen.

What Is A Christian?

"Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. " - 1 John 2:6 (NIV)

I heard of a story about a small boy who sat beside his mother in Church. During the homily, the priest kept asking the question "What is a Christian?" each time pounding his fist on the pulpit.

The boy, feeling nervous with the repeated questioning asked his mother, "Mommy, do you know what a Christian is?" "Yes, dear, just sit and listen," said the mother.

When the priest asked again, in a strong voice "What is a Christian?" this time pounding extra hard on the pulpit. The very nervous boy jumped and cried to the mother saying, "Tell Him na Mommy! Tell him na, please!"

Dear friends, sometimes, we knew What is a Christian. We knew Who we are but unfortunately, we just kept silent about it. 

Live it! Talk about it. Walk the Talk!

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for the times we neglected to live what is to be a true Christian. Make us courageous in living it to the end. Amen.

House of Vocation

"You are mine. Before I formed you, I knew you. And before you were born, I consecrated you. " -Jeremiah 1:5

On May 9, 2007 I had my first Solemn Mass at the Chapel of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in my hometown in Zaragoza. It was in the same chapel where I was serving in our Barangay.

After the Holy Mass, we proceeded to our residence for the reception. Before proceeding to the reception, I went straight to our small house where I was born on August 21, 1981 at 8 in the evening. It was also the house where I played the role of a priest with my brother ans sisters and cousins.

There I prayed and thank the Lord for the gift of life and of vocation. I blessed the place and ask the good Lord to keep my family in His love.

I do pray that families, homes consecrated to the Lord be seedbeds of vocation, like that of a humble home in Carmen, Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija.


Prayer:
Lord, continue to bless you Church with many vocations. Amen.

Looking For A Sign?

The Bloody Crucified Savior.

"Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?" -John 4:48 (NLT)

In my Healing Sessions not all who are coming really believe in what we are doing. There are some people who just wanted to see things. There are some who just wanted to challenge.

In one of the Healing Sessions I had in the past, just right after the Holy Mass, a man came to me and told me, "Father, I will only believe in what you do, if you can bring back to life a dead person in front of me." In which I was able to answer, "Brother, try to kill yourself now and I will also try to bring you back to life."

Jokingly aside, my dear friends, sometimes we are like that man, looking for signs and wonders before we believe in power of God. Before we commit ourselves to Him.

Is not the Cross enough sign for us? Look at the Cross and you will see Jesus, the God who became man for us to be saved. Is his unbounded love for us still not enough sign for us to love Him, to serve Him, to commit ourselves to Him?

Do not look for another signs and wonders. His love manifested on the Cross is the greatest signs of all and the most wonderful thing that happened.


Prayer:
Lord, forgive us for the times we are closing our eyes to that wonderful sign of you love. Thank you for loving us manifested on the cross. Amen.

Priests Are Still Human

With some of the young Ivatans in Metro Manila.

"Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings--just like you!” –Acts 14:15

I want to share three stories that I have experienced:

First, when I was about to celebrate a Holy Mass in a very far mountain village, I feel I was called by nature and unfortunately there was no public Cr in the place near the chapel. I went and look for a mango tree and there I peed. When I entered the Barrio Chapel while puting alcohol on my hands before vesting for the Holy Mass, an old lady approached me and said, "Father Umiihi din po pala ang pari?"

Second, when our class in Galilee Center, Tagaytay City went for an outing in Taytay Falls, Majayjay, Laguna. WE met a family who was about to leave already. They were pulling out their tents. I was able to talk to the mother who handed me a basket of fruits which they were not able to consume. I thanked her and introduced our group as student-priests from different dioceses. At that moment, my brother priests who were just a meter away from us, was laughing so hard because one of them made a joke. The lady asked me "Ay, Father, tumatawa din pala kayo ng ganun kalakas?"

Third, when walking in in a bank. I was just in my slippers. I was trying to encash a gift-check given to me by a friend. I was in the line. The guard looked at me with suspicion because I was not dressed as the others. He made a hand signal to me to approach him which I did. He asked me what is my business in the bank. I told him I am to encash a check. He looked at the check, read the name and asked my ID. I showed him my Identification Card. When he looked at it. His eyes widen and told me "Ay, sorry po, pari po pala kayo, akala ko tao. Sorry po talaga." By the way, that is the only available ID I have that time. I renewed my passport, so I was not able to bring it instead as I usually do.

Hey, friends, yes we are priests but we are also human. We are not angels. More so we are not gods. You are not able to understand us because you do not treat us like humans as you are. 

Prayer:
Lord, remind me always that I am also human like others. May I remain himble in your sight. Amen.

Chopsticks On Relationships

Tapenlo Night with my Family in Macau

"...be like-minded, sympathetic, loving toward one another, kindly disposed, and humble. "

                                                                                                                      -1 Peter 3:8

Going home to Macau to be with my family is a very wonderful experience. We cook Filipino foods for us not to miss the Philippines that much. From time to time we eat outside to try other foods in the place. But the most common thing we do is the "Tapenlo Night". We called it Tapenlo Night because in the evening when all are in the house already, Tita Iris Pineda Samia and family will prepare tapenlo for us. 

Of course, we are in Macau so we use chopsticks. Para feel na feel. One evening as we were having it, as I was using the chopsticks, something came to my mind. I looked at the chopsticks in my hand. Then I think of relationships. Every relationship I can think of. A relationship that is not held by God will easily fall apart. People who are in a relationship must allow God to hold them together. As with the chopsticks, a relationship must be rightly held. AS with the chopsticks, one is not enough to serve its purpose. In a relationship the two must stay together for a purpose.

In relationship, we should not CHOP each other. We need to STICK to each other because in whatever relationship we are in, it is God who has put us together.

This is for friends, for families but most especially for husbands and wives.

Prayer:

Lord, keep us together in love  and with purpose and mission. Amen.

Pregnant Because of Father

One of the Monthly  Healing Sessions I had at the Quezon City Hall of Justice

"In everything, give thanks!" - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I am conducting Healing Sessions and Conferences to different places and before I was recalled back to Batanes in 2010, one of the places which has the regular monthly Healing Sessions was the Quezon City Hall of Justice.

Every time we have the Healing sessions, many were coming to be prayed over. I am not aware of their sickness or whatever they asked the Lord when I was laying my hands on them.

In one of the Healing Sessions, when I arrived just before the Holy Mass, one of the employees told me in front of many people hearing her statement, "Father, buntis na ako! Salamat sa pagpatong mo sa akin!" I smiled and told her, "Uy kamay ko lang ang pumatong sa iyo ha?"

People laughed at our conversation. And I still overheard her telling the people sitting beside her, "Totoo yun, nakakabuntis talaga si Father!"

I just laughed and told the people, It was Jesus who made a miracle. He will answer our prayers. Just have faith and you will experience miracles happening in your lives. Like what happened to her.

I started the Holy Mass with thanksgiving to the Lord for the gift of Healing asking Him, too to touch with His healing hands those who came that day.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for the miracles. Thank you for the gift of healing. Amen.

Pick Up Sticks

colored sticks used for the game

"A wise man foresees evil and hides himself..." -Proverbs 27:12

When I was a young boy in my Primary School, I enjoyed many different games and one of those was the "pick up sticks".

It was a very simple game but need to use eyes and mind for us to pick up a stick without making other sticks move.

In life we do choices. We have many choices but we cannot control the consequences of those choices we make.

Reality: When we pick up one end of the stick, we pick up the other. Every choice has a corresponding consequence. Be it good or bad.

Be careful in making choices. Open our eyes, look and see what it will bring us. Use our mind. Think of what will happen because of our choices.

Better pray before moving anything. Before making the choice.


Prayer:
Lord, help me decide on things that matters to me. Amen.

To God be The Glory

With Ces Datu, now Mrs. Bocobo of TV5 as my co-host.

"He must increase, but I must decrease. " -John 3:30

Having seen in the television as guest and as host when still a seminarian, having been heard over radio as an anchor, having been featured in the broadsheet and many other websites, I thought I was "sikat na." When one time I was going home to Nueva Ecija by bus.

I boarded an ES Transport Bus stationed in Cubao. It was almost full, so I stood straight in front to look for a nice seat for me to take, when I noticed ever body was looking at me with their eyes wide open. I was tempted to say "hello" to everyone, thinking they might be surprise that a celebrity was in front of them taking a bus ride with them. When a young girl told me, "Excuse me po kuya, we are not able to see the movie".

Uh, oh! They were looking at me as if they wanted to tell me in chorus, "Hey, don't just stand there the movie is good and we are not able to see it because you're standing just in front of it!"

That experience humbled me. I was too proud of myself. 

That experience made me realize that everything I do must give glory to God. Everything I said must introduce Christ to people and no myself.

Yes, in everything, "To God be the Glory!"

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for those humbling experiences that I encounter. May I always give glory to Your Holy Name and not to myself. Amen.

Simple Joys

Seminarians find joy in playing "jolens"

"Be joyful always." -1 Corinthians 5:16

In one of my visits to the Claretian Seminary in Quezon City where my cousin Joao is studying. I noticed a group of seminarians from Burma playing "jolens". According to my cousin, they were ages 22 and above. I told myself, "Ah, simple joys!"

I really admire these seminarians, being far from their families in Burma, having no relatives here in the Philippines, having no visitors coming for them somehow will add to the loneliness they may feel in the seminary. But you will see them very happy playing and being with the company of each other. 

Indeed, in life, aside from prayers and God's grace we also need to find even little joys in all we do.

Prayer:

Lord, let my life be not complicated. Make me joyful even in simple things. Amen.

Call to Serve and Be Thankful

With my cousin, Seminarian Joao Miguel Pineda Samia at the Claretian
Seminary in Quezon City, Philippines.

"Serve the Lord with gladness." -Psalm 100:2

I always visit my cousin, Joao Miguel Pineda Samia, a Claretian in their seminary in Quezon City. Every time I visit him aside from sharing foods we also share our thoughts and reflections on our vocation and on how we can truly respond to God's invitation to the priesthood. Me as a priest and he as a young seminarian.

In one of my visits to him, I will never forget his statement that has a an impact to me:

"Kuya, I just realized that as we wake up every morning, life is really a gift from God and life itself is already an enough reason for us to be thankful to God and a reason to serve Him."

Indeed, my cousin is right. When God wakes up every morning, we should be thankful and that thanksgiving must lead us into serving Him in whatever way we can. In whatever capacity we have.

Thank you Wowie for this very timely reminder. Praying for you always. Kuya loves you!

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for my life. I want to give it all to you in love, thanksgiving and service. Amen.

Going Against The Current

Fr. Zenki surfing in Baler, Aurora

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." 

                                                                                               -1 Corinthians 16:13

I once invited by a priest-friend to visit Baler, Aurora and stayed there for a night. Just to have rest from his very busy schedules in his parish. While there he still do many stuffs like editing presentations for his Parish's upcoming events.

Since I have nothing to do and knowing that Baler is known for its surfing escapades I tried surfing myself. I had my instructor who taught me techniques.

When I was able to do it with my instructor's assistance I just realized how good it was to be able to do it. How beautiful to go with the waves of the sea. It was fulfilling.

But going back to that experience, I realized that it is different when it comes to living the faith. In surfing, it is good to go with the waves, in faith it is important that we go against the waves, we go against the current. You will enjoy living the faith if you learn how to go against the "uso".

The message of faith is to stand up for what is right even if we are standing alone. To speak the truth when all speak of lies.

Live the Faith to the fullest! Enjoy living with Jesus!


Prayer:
Lord, help me to live my faith and give me the courage to go against the world of sin. Yes, Lord, You and I against the world. Against sin. Amen.