The Freudian Slip Of A Bacolodnon

By the time Cardinal Bergoglio, or Father Jorge as he would like to be called, assumed the Papacy, becoming therefore the new successor to the seat of Saint Peter the first Pope, the whole Catholic Church and indeed the whole world was set ablaze. Pope Francis is indeed a breath of fresh air for modern-day society, a new role model for humility and openness. I was hoping then that he would eventually decide to visit the Philippines considering what we have been through in the past 2 years. When the good news came that he would finally make his first visit to the country, I was thrilled! Now here is a chance to see Pope Francis who definitely would invigorate the Catholic Christians in The Philippines with his meekness, straightforwardness and passion for the poor. After witnessing for 5 days his Apostolic Visit, Pope Francis did not disappoint.  Weeks before the visit, I was already calling for people at my workplace, trying to form a contingent of pilgrims who will attend the fina...

Live feed from The Quiapo Church: Video streaming by Ustream GMA is showing a link of a supposed live feed of the procession: News report on the stampede which happened during the procession of the Nazarene Map of the Route of the procession View The 2012 Procession of the Black Nazarene in a larger map Like it? Share it. Get the Share on Facebook widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox ! Not seeing a widget? ( More info )Like it.

Today the Church in Quiapo is celebrating the feast of the Black Nazarene. Every year, thousands and thousands of devotees of the Black Nazarene, mostly males, would join the almost chaotic procession of the image of the Suffering Christ arrayed in kingly clothes but carrying a large cross and crowned with thorns. I attended mass yesterday at Quiapo Church and it was really very crowded. I had to settle standing outside of the Church and watch at the huge TV monitor broadcasting the mass inside. It was raining as well so it was a good thing that I brought my jacket with me. Perhaps it was my standing outside the rain that is making me quite under-the-weather today. Luckily, during communion, I was able to find my way inside the church where it was warm and also very crowded. After the mass, everyone took out their images of the Black Nazarene and their rosary beads, raised it high above their heads and the priest blessed them. Every one then rushed to touch some of these blessed objec...

Finally, after weeks of circulating rumors that Blessed Pedro Calungsod would be elevated into Sainthood, the Vatican has finally announced that Blessed Pedro Calungsod will be canonized by Pope Benedict XVI. What a blessed blessed surprise and a perfect gift by the Church to the Filipino faithful. What perfect timing as well. After the onslaught of Typhoon Sendong, the Universal Church seems to be telling us Filipinos to hold on and keep the faith by adding yet another martyr in the list of saints in the Church. Once canonized, Blessed Pedro Calungsod will be the second Filipino saint and the first saint coming from the Visayas. Here's the quote from the Website The Manila Paper regarding this wonderful news: "The Vatican has announced today that Blessed Pedro Calungsod will become Saint Pedro Calungsod. The Vatican said Pedro Calungsod, along with six others, will be canonized as a saint for the Roman Catholic Church after Pope Benedict XVI approved the promulgation of...

There is rumor circulating among local Catholics in the Philippines, particularly in online groups, that Blessed Pedro Calungsod, a Filipino martyr beatified by the late Blessed Pope John Paul II in March 5, 2000, will soon be canonized as a Saint. If true, Blessed Pedro Calungsod will be the second Filipino to be proclaimed by the Catholic Church as Saint. The First one was of course, St. Lorenzo Ruiz. Both St. Lorenzo Ruiz and Bl. Pedro Calungsod were martyrs for the Catholic Faith. Lorenzo Ruiz's famous lines, "Even if I have a thousand lives more, I will still lay it down for my Faith" marked his loyalty to this faith and God in the midst of torture and oppression while he was an "accidental" missionary in Japan. Lorenzo Ruiz escaped the Philippines together with some missionaries because he was accused of a crime he did not commit. He had to leave incognito, through the help of the missionaries. Lorenzo Ruiz was beatified by Blessed Pope John Paul II durin...