Commission on Propagation and Devotion to St. Paul of the Cross - Compro

Commission on Propagation and Devotion to St. Paul of the Cross - Compro The Facebook site of the Commission on Devotion to St. Paul of the Cross
(COMPRO) in propagating devotion to St. Paul of the Cross Parish.

Commission on Propagation of St. Paul of the Cross or COMPRO, an ad hoc commission formed to help deepen the devotion to the patron saint to St. Paul of the Cross Parish (SSS Village, Marikina City - Diocese of Antipolo)

11/04/2016

GREATER HOPE FOR THE NATION

FOUR AND A HALF DECADES ago, the Philippine Constitution (Philconsa), in coordination with the Civil Liberties Union and the Supreme Court, sponsored a nationwide essay-writing contest on Electoral Reforms. It was right after the election of Ferdinand Marcos who then promised that ”this nation can be great again.”
More than 2,000 Filipinos, mostly lawyers, teachers and public servants took effort in writing their ideas and participated in said contest for the much neded reforms in the government particularly on election laws and procedures. Young as I was then, I did not hesitate in taking the opportunity to contribute my humble ideas “in insuring clean, honest and peaceful elections in the future to maintain the prestige of the nation.” Luckily, it came out to win one of the top ten prizes
As I was awarded a medal by no less than the President himself in appropriate ceremonies at the then Philippine Columbian, I then thought that really
“this nation can be great again.”
The entries became a good source for ideas in the 1971 Constitutional Convention and 1987 amendments. However,due to political exigencies, the changes made in the Constitution tend to serve more the vested interests rather than promote the general welfare of the nation. As a result, our country which was then among the top three in Asia, dropped to the bottom three.
In the past, the CBCP has repeatedly issued pastoral statements urging the laity to be involved and grab every opportunity in helping shape the destiny of our nation.. It is our duty and concern to be involved in the future of our children and grandchildren. In the words of the late Pres. John F.Kennedy ”Äsk not what the country can do for you but rather what you can do for your country. “ There is also that famous saying “the only thing necesary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,.”
Be that as it may, we ARE AGAIN challenged to do our “sacred duty” for our country. We can do our part in choosing “good” leaders this coming elections on May 9. One little thing we can do for our country, is to exercise our right of suffrage in accordance with our Christian values. Jesus promised us “I’ll be with you till the end of all ages.” If Jesus is with us, who can be against us in our quest to be a “great nation?”. Our 40-day journey during the last Lenten Season could be our best guide in following Jesus through the Way of the Cross. First, we must be forgiving. While dying on the Cross He asked the Father to forgive His enemies. “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” Perhaps the reason we cannot move forward is because every time we elect a new leader, we always think of vengeance instead of unifying our people. We become disoriented because of anger. One of the greatest commandments of our Lord is “love your neighbors.” All our ways become divisive if hatred rule our hearts; nothing seems to be “tuwid na daan.”
After resurrection, Our Lord always greeted the apostles and believers with the words “Peace be with You.” In order that we can share in the glory of Christ’s resurrection, we should follow the examples of Jesus on the Way of the Cross who modeled for us Love,Humility and Forgiveness.
In the words of Cardinal Tagle:”” To touch the wounds of the Risen, Crucified Jesus is to touch & see not only the wounds of others but our own wounds. Jesus shows us how we can be merciful & compassionate even to those who have wounded us. His justice is not vengeful nor retaliatory but offers instead space for new life; peace & reconciliation”. If we follow Jesus, there can be greater hope for the nation..Top of Form
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Posted by: Bert Del Castillo

02/03/2016

GENEROSITY
God is good! All the time!
”Generosity created the universe. God is the author of life. He formed us from the dust of the earth and breathe into us the breath of life. God looked at His creation and saw that it was”VERY GOOD”(Gen1:31) Creation is good because God is generous.”
God’s generosity taught us to be merciful not only in forgiveness but also in how we see the world. View the world as a place in need of God’s healing, mercy and goodness. Notice those who are hurting and those who are broken. God’s goodness invites us to be attentive to the ”least, the lost and the last.” Note that 10% of the country’s populace own 90% of the nation’s land and material riches while 53% of the populace crawl in poverty.God created all the things we need on this earth but men caused it to be unevenly distributed. Poverty has been one of the major issues every election during the past five(5) decades, yet up to this time no constructive reform or measure has been implemented. If we are really serious in helping the poor as our politicians claim, it is about time that each one of us actively participate in choosing our leaders who can lead us to greatness.By electing leaders with a heart for generosity, two (2) reform measures are likely to be legislated with people support during the next Congress which may eventually solve poverty by evenly distributing the nation’s resources and earnings to every locality. Thus the plight of the poor could be attended more closely, efficiently and effectively.
1. A)Socio-economic reform by requiring all corporations with net annual income of more than 50% of its capital, shall allocate 30% of its annual income for profit-sharing to its employees.
(this measure can motivate and enhance efficiency of the employees B)measure to provide for the development of agriculture and farming to give work for more farmers and low-income earners.
2. Introduce Constitutional reform by adopting a federal system of government. Empowering local govenment units could enhance efficiency because of closer supervision, and systematic governance and fair budget allocation. It will bring out rapid progress widely as its region (or state) would strive hard to develop and be competetive with other regions thus reaping fair share of the nation’s goods. It will also minimize if not completely eradicate corruption as disbursements can be monitored closely and any anomaly can be easily discovered by the local COA auditors. Even justice can be speedily dispensed with thru local judiciary reform.

Our Lady of Fatima and St. Paul of the Cross, pray for us that we become more generous and forgiving.

31/12/2015

Happy 2016. On the very first day of the new year, it is best to keep the Passion of Jesus ?Christ always in your hearts. He is with us till the end of all ages.

03/06/2015

SACRED BOND

During this month of June, we often become witnesses to the solemn ritual of “two people becoming one.” When a man and a woman vow to love each other before the altar “till death do us (they) part, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health” – that is marriage. That is the mystery of two persons becoming “one in Christ.” So they are no longer two but one; total giving of self to one another. It is the work of God. “What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder” (Mark 10:8-9). Marriage therefore is a Sacred Bond.

In his Letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul advised wives and husbands:

• “Submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Christ.
• “Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord. For a
husband has authority over his wife just as Christ has authority over the church; and Christ is Himself, the savior of the church, His body. And so wives must submit themselves completely to their husbands just as the church submits itself to Christ.
• “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave His life
for it. x x x ”

St. Paul even gave advice to children and parents to insure harmony in a family and strengthen the bond of husbands and wives as parents:

• “Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents, for this is the right
thing to do. ‘Respect your father and mother’ is the first commandment
that has a promise added: ‘so that all may go well with you, and you may
live a long time in the land.’

• “Parents, do not treat your children in such a way as to make them angry.
Instead, raise them with Christian discipline and instruction.”

St. Paul really emphasized the great importance of marriage as a sacrament and of the family as the domestic church. Even St. John Paul II valued the family as the institution where “humanity passes from generation to generation”.

Our Lady of Fatima and St. Paul of the Cross, pray for us that we may fully understand and believe the value of Marriage as a Sacrament and strengthen the family as an institution.

16/05/2015

Today, St. Paul of the Cross Parish (SPCP) is celebrating its 40th Year (Ruby) Anniversary (formally inaugurated - May 18, 1975). It coincides with the 40th year of Alay-Kapuwa dedicated to the poor. The Diocese of Antipolo as well as SPCP have preferential for the poor. Our patron, St. Paul of the Cross, whose charism is for us "to keep the Passion of Jesus Christ always in our hearts" also dedicated his life in serving the poor,. May we always keep the Passion of Jesus Christ with us. If we are with Jesus, who can be against us. Be a devotee of St. Paul of the Cross who will intercede for us in the name of Jesus,

14/05/2015

“BALIK-TANAW”
It is almost inconceivable how the idea of having a Sunday mass would originate from a group of early morning joggers. We know jogging to be a form of physical, and not spiritual exercise. But this is how the early settlers of SSS Village thought of how to start developing a real community consciousness. The celebration of Sunday mass in the village enhanced the instant neighbors to befriend each other and became a “Community of the Children of God.” And so it happened that on October 26, 1969, the first Sunday mass in the village was celebrated on a temporary altar built by the joggers under a santol tree in a vacant lot adjacent to the NACIDA Compound in Russet Street.
It was indeed “providential” that said lot was later acquired by the Infant Jesus Academy, owned by the Mallonga Family. During the votive mass in honor of St. Paul of the Cross last Friday, May 8, 2015 we had a chance to see for ourselves the very same “santol tree” which according to Mr. Peter Mallonga, was preserved by his parents to serve as the “genuine landmark” for the community to remember “where it all started.” Through the efforts of the SSS Village Christian Movement, the dream to have a parish became a reality when His Eminence, Jaime Cardinal L. Sin signed the decree separating the SSS village community from its “mother parish,” the Immaculate Concepcion. The new parish, St. Paul of the Cross, was formally inaugurated on May 18, 1975 simultaneous with the installation of its first parish priest, Rev. Fr. Herbert Eberly.
In launching of the 40th Year Anniversary of the parish, a video presentation on the brief history of the parish was shown, followed by the recitation of the Holy Rosary, a testimonial talk by Kuya Bert del Castillo, and a dance number provided by the Marikina Dance Guild. The program was emceed by Ate Dolor Dacanay, president of the Commission on the Propagation of Devotion to St. Paul of the Cross (COMPRO). Fr. Eymard Balatbat celebrated the mass at 6:00 pm followed by kissing of the relic and the procession leading to the Main Church where a short fellowship was held

01/05/2015

Prayer really makes the impossible - possible. We prayed for the life of the Filipina who is actually victim of drug syndicate and in God's grace, reprieve was granted. If we ask the intercession of saints, like St. Paul of the Cross, our prayers may be granted if it is for the good of the people concerned.

09/04/2015

THE ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS PARISH IS CELEBRATING THIS YEAR ITS 40TH YEAR (RUBY) ANNIVERSARY. IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1975, TWO CENTURIES AFTER THE DEATH OF ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS, THE FOUNDER OF THE PASSIONIST CONGREGATION..THIS YEAR (YEAR OF THE POOR) IS ALSO THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ALAY-KAPUWA. "KEEP THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS!

09/04/2015

EVERYDAY WE CAN REALIZE AND FEEL GOD HAS RISEN SO LONG AS WE "KEEP THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS." EVERYTHING IN OUR LIVES WILL GO WELL IF JESUS IS WITH US, SO KEEP HIS PASSION ALWAYS IN ORDER NOT TO GO ASTRAY!

31/03/2015

THROWBACK
Nowadays, more and more people tend to dig their files looking back at old events and photos for sharing to relatives, friends and co-parishioners for “throwback.” This is a good indication that we are learning to value the past as the beginning of, and /or the link for, the present times. As they say in Tagalog, “ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makararating sa paroroonan.” This also finds bearing on the builders’ maxim that “the strength of a structure is in its foundation.”
Speaking of foundation, it is quite interesting to know when, why, and how our spiritual journey as a parish began. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), a “parish is a definite community of the Christian faithful established on a stable basis within a particular church; the pastoral care of the parish is entrusted to a pastor as its own shepherd under the authority of the diocesan bishop.” It is the place where all the parishioners can gather together for the Sunday celebration of the Holy Eucharist. “The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation.” (CCC par. 1181)
In 1967, the government thru the Social Security System (SSS) engaged in a housing project aimed at providing affordable housing units for to its members. The first phase, consisted of 500 units were raffled from among more than 5,000 qualified applicants. In 1968, some lucky winners started occupying the completed housing units. The early settlers thought of asking the permission of the parish priest of Immaculate Concepcion Parish at Bayan-bayanan, Concepcion l to allow the holding of Sunday masses in the village. The petition was granted as the first community Sunday Eucharistic celebration was held on October 26, 1969 officiated by a guest priest from the Society of Divine Word. This was the beginning of the villagers’ regular participation to the Sunday Eucharist as a community. Thereafter, regular Sunday masses were held under the shade of big trees at the compound of the former NACIDA on Russet Street.
In 1971, a chapel was constructed through the help and generosity of Mr. Jose Tuazon Sr. and his family. It was originally named as St. Joseph Chapel. On April 21, 1975, His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin, D.D., signed a decree creating a new parish for SSS Village separating the area from the Immaculate Conception Parish and entrusted the pastoral care to the Passionist Fathers of the Philippines. The new parish was named in honor of St. Paul of the Cross, the founder of the Passionist Congregation. Originally, it covered SSS Villages Phase I to III, Rancho Estate I, II, III and IV, Hacienda Heights, La Milagrosa, Marist Village, La Colina, Meteor, Marikina Heights and Monterey. Then on May 18, 1975, simultaneous with the inauguration of the New Church, Rev. Fr. Herbert Eberly, C.P., was installed as the first parish priest by then Bishop Gaudencio Rosales, D.D. of the East Rizal District. It was the beginning of the Spiritual Journey of the community as a parish. Every parish celebrates two important feast days of its own, a name feast for its Patron Saint and the baptism feast (the inauguration or dedication of the parish.)
On February 2, 2004, the Passionists’ administration of the parish ended. A new chapter in the journey of the parish began as it was turned over to the care of the Dioceses of Antipolo. This year, 2015 marks the 10th year of the parish under the shepherding of Diocesan priests – first under Rev. Fr. Ric Eguia and at present under Rev. Fr. Eymard Balatbat.
Significantly, on May 18, 2015, the St. Paul of the Cross Parish will celebrate its 40th Year Anniversary. To us Catholics, it is of prime importance to “celebrate the life of the local church and re-emphasize to the people the importance of the gathering place for God’s holy people.
Our Lady of Fatima and St. Paul of the Cross, pray for us that we become aware that the place where we pray each Sunday as a parish is sacred as the threshold

24/02/2015

SACRED PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST
It was July 2010 when the Commission on Propagation of the Devotion to St. Paul of the Cross (“COMPRO”) was created in our parish purposely to broaden, intensify and deepen the devotion to our patron saint. It was felt then that after 35 years since the parish was founded, still very few parishioners knew well St. Paul of the Cross.
Unlike in other parishes where we seek the intercession of their patron saints for Perpetual Help, Good Health or Healing for the Sick. Spiritual Guidance, Hope for Desperate Cases, Passing School Examination, Obtaining Wisdom in Decisions and other needs, we in the St. Paul of the Cross Parish are being asked by our patron to “keep always in our hearts the Passion of Jesus Christ.” By always remembering the pains and suffering of Jesus Christ, we will understand how He sacrificed to save us. God loves us so much and for that Divine Love He sent His Son to us. Jesus was “born, suffered and died” for our salvation. That is, above all, how significant the Passion of Jesus Christ to which our patron is asking us to stay focus on.
I remember when we were still children, our parents instilled on us the daily habit of reading the “Mahal na Payson ni Hesucristo” throughout the season of Lent. (Pope Francis was right in saying that it is in the family where we first learned about love.) We are blessed that in our country we had the “Passion” (Pasyon) published in the vernacular since April 20, 1884, the origin of the traditional “Pabasa.” We also have the “Senakulo” wherein the life, passion and death of Jesus Christ is dramatized on stage. More so, we have the annual Holy Week Procession that reminds us of the Lord’s sufferings through the images of Jesus in the Calvary with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the apostles and other saints who were with the Lord in the time of His great sufferings.
As we prepare for the 40th Year (RUBY) Anniversary of our parish, let us ask Our Blessed Virgin Mary and our patron St. Paul of the Cross to pray for us that we may always have hope even in the midst of pain and sufferings and be worthy of the promises of Christ who lived, suffered, died and rose again for our salvation.

07/12/2014

tHIS YEAR, YEAR OF THE POOR MARKS THE 40TH YEAR OF ALAY-KAPUWA IN THE DIOCESE OF ANTIPOLO - WHAT A COINCIDENCE? ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS, HAVE A STRONG ATTACHMENT TO PEOPLE POOR IN SPIRIT, THE 40TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS PARISH ALSO WILL BE CELEBRATED DURING THE YEAR OF THE POOR. THE APOSTOLIC VISIT OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS IS ALSO DURING THE YEAR OF THE POOR. TRULY, WHAT A COINCIDENCE! tHESE JUST MEAN TO SAY THAT GOD IS CALLING US TO TRANSFORM. RENEW AND STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH. REKINDLE OUR ENTHUSIASM IN WORKING FOR AND BEING WITH THE LORD, ESPECIALLY, LOVING THE POOR IN SPIRIT.

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