Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel, NIV

25/05/2026

May 24, 2026
Pentecost Sunday

430PM Eucharistic Celebration
Presider: Rev Fr Alex Gobrin, CMF

First Reading Acts 2:1-11
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 104
Second Reading 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13
Gospel John 20: 19-23

Highlights from Fr Alex’s homily:

There are moments when men’s hearts become locker rooms: a room of fear, disappointment, where one no longer breathes free

The disciples were hiding, fear paralyzed them. When this happens, the future becomes uncertain.

Pentecost happens not in certainty but in trembling hearts.

The Holy Spirit does not descend on perfect people but on frightened disciples.

“Peace he with you,” Jesus said.

Jesus does not wait for the disciples to open doors. We may carry locked rooms:
hidden fears, disappointments, grief,
sickness, spiritual fatigue. Sometimes we think God cannot enter.

On Pentecost, Christ breathes on humanity.

Pentecost is among us new creation.

“In the first reading, Luke describes the descent of the Holy Spirit in tongues as of fire which rest on each of the apostles. The Holy Spirit fills them with courage.”

Fire means purification, illumination:
God’s presence.

The Spirit sets our hearts with fire, not
with anything else but love.

Many hearts become cold: towards
prayer, faith, compassion, vocation, towards one another.

Pentecost is the feast of warming, rekindling. The Spirit re-ignites us. We are invited to live this rekindling.

3 movements:
1. Allow Spirit to enter our closed doorway
2. We are asked to protect that fire - keep our faith, our homes, strong God will carry us through.
“Peace be with you “
3. Go and proclaim: be missionaries
Witness forgiveness, we are capable of something.

As the responsorial Psalm says, we
are called to be instruments that God may renew the face of the earth.

We have concrete examples, like the OMPHC Reading Program; they gather
children who cannot read. We see changes, lives changed. We see the face of the earth renewed.

We have the Parish Educationsl Assistance Program (EAP), the Scholarship program that some OMPHC parishioners support. This is renewing
the face of the earth.

The Claretian missionaries have been in Basilan for 60-70 years. It used to be a war zone. We built schools, hospitals & water systems, bridges. Now we’re seeing the fruits of our labor, enjoying
the words of Jesus, “Peace be with you.”

We allow ourselves to be instruments in renewing the face of the earth. The Spirit does not ask us to be strong, but to be open.

Trembling hearts produce miracles.

Light a candle.
Warm your families.

Pentecost is not past.
It is here and now.

Let us invite God.

“Come Holy Spirit, renew the face of my heart.”

White roses were offered before the Mass ended to honor Mama Mary as it’s still the month of May .

We thank Fr Alex, our former parish priest, for his beautiful and inspiring homily. We also thank all chapel servers and all who participated in today’s Eucharistic celebration.

25/05/2026

Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church

Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church, instituted by Pope Francis on February 11, 2018, through the decree Ecclesia Mater, and observed every year on the Monday after Pentecost, the feast traditionally regarded as the birthday of the Church. Although the liturgical memorial is relatively recent, the title itself is much older in the life and tradition of the Church. In fact, Pope Paul VI formally proclaimed Mary as “Mother of the Church” during the Second Vatican Council on November 21, 1964, after the promulgation of Lumen Gentium, whose eighth chapter is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The institution of this memorial did not introduce a new doctrine but rather gave liturgical expression to a title already deeply rooted in Scripture, tradition, and the Church’s teaching.

This celebration has strong biblical and ecclesiological foundations. One of its principal scriptural bases is John 19:26–27, where Jesus, from the Cross, says to the beloved disciple: “Behold your mother.” The Church has traditionally understood the beloved disciple as representing all disciples of Christ. Thus, Mary is entrusted not only to John but to the whole Church as spiritual mother. Another important biblical foundation is Acts 1:14, where Mary is found praying with the Apostles while awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Mary is therefore present at the birth of the Church itself, accompanying the first Christian community in prayer and hope.

The Second Vatican Council further deepened this understanding by presenting Mary within the mystery of Christ and the Church. Lumen Gentium describes her as “mother of the members of Christ” (LG 53) and as the model and figure of the Church (LG 63-65). By celebrating Mary as Mother of the Church immediately after Pentecost, the Church reminds us that Mary was present not only at the birth of Christ, but also at the birth of the Church, and that she continues to accompany the Christian community with her maternal presence, prayer, and witness of faithful discipleship.

O Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us!

24/05/2026

Gospel
John 20: 19-23

The celebration of Pentecost is the fulfillment of Jesus’s promise to His disciples that He will send them the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

Pentecost is considered to be the birthday of the Church dahil tayo ay tinipon ng Espiritu Santo ng may pagmamahal. At hind lamang pagtitipon at patnubay ang dala ng Espiritu Santo kungdi ito rin ay nagpapadala sa atin sa isang misyon at nagbibigay ng katatagan ng kalooban.

Ang pagbiyaya ng Espiritu Santo ay dala nito ang regalong tatlong gawain: ang unawa, ang gawa, at ang awa. The challenge for all of us is to be open to the Holy Spirit, to receive the Holy Spirit, to share the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and to always be connected to the Lord.

24/05/2026

18/05/2026

May 17, 2026
Solemnity of the Ascension of The Lord

430PM Eucharistic Celebration
Presider: Rev Fr Jimmy Htwe, CMF

First Reading Acts 1:1-11
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 47
Second Reading Ephesians 1:17-2
Gospel Matthew 28:16-20

Highlights from Fr Jimmy’s homily:

Gospel quote
Matthew 28:19-20
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

The Gospel today speaks about the great commissioning of the disciples.

They were asked not only to baptize, but to bring people to the way Jesus lived.

That’s the heart of the great commission.

Who’s responsible for this? This is not only for the disciples, not only for the priests, the deacons, the Pope, the religious etc who have to carry out this mission but rather all of us as baptized Christians.

Through baptism, we are called to be prophets, to live and to witness the Gospel, to carry out the command that Jesus gave, to carry on the mission that He started.

Every time we forgive, we reconcile, we show compassion, we teach the commandments, then we become true disciples.

Let us ask ourselves how we are carrying out the mission and the commandment of Jesus.

Let us ask God for courage and inspiration to carry on and carry out Jesus’s mission in our lives.

We thank Fr Jimmy for this wonderful homily that reminds us of our role as baptized Christians.

Flower offering followed after the announcements were done.

We also thank all chapel servers and all parishioners who participated in today’s Mass. Special thanks also to our flower offering and altar flowers sponsors for today.

17/05/2026

Gospel
Matthew 28:16-20

16/05/2026

14/05/2026

May 13, 2026
Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima

7PM Eucharistic Celebration
Presider: Rev Fr Kevin Mark Rendor, CMF

Today we celebrate the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima.

Devotees of our Lady gathered at the chapel at 530 in the afternoon and prayed the Rosary together.

As it’s a Wednesday, the Praying of the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help was done before the Eucharistic celebration.

In his homily, Fr Kevin told us that the saying “In God’s time,” manifests our surrender.

There may be certain events in our lives that are hard to understand. But we have to keep in mind that God always has better plans. When our prayers are not answered it may be that “hindi pa napapanahon,” or “hindi ito makakabuti sa atin.”

Mary did not fully understand either what was being asked of her but she gave her Fiat and said, “let it be done to me according to Your word.”

Let us emulate this act of surrender. God continues to unfold his plans day by day. Let us allow God to unfold His plans for us. It is in surrender that we become obedient and when we become obedient, miracles happen.

Flower offering was done before the final blessing as a sign of honoring our blessed Mother on her feast day as Our Lady of Fatima.

We thank Fr Kevin for celebrating Mass with us and for his beautiful homily. We also thank all parishioners and our flower sponsors for today’s flowers.

To Jesus through Mary!

13/05/2026

Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima

On May 13, 1917, during a time of war and suffering, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal — Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta — bringing a message of prayer, penance, conversion, and peace.

Our Lady of Fatima reminds us that amidst the struggles and uncertainties of the world, we are called to return to God through sincere prayer and faith. She especially encouraged the daily praying of the Holy Rosary as a powerful source of grace, hope, and peace.

Today, may we reflect on her message and entrust our families, communities, and the whole world to the loving care of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

“In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.”

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

Prayer to the Blessed Trinity
(as taught to Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta)

“Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifferences by which He Himself is offended. Through the infinite merits of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.”

Our Lady of the Rosary, you are the Immaculate Conception, the Queen of Heaven and Earth, and the Mother of God. Please pray for me, that I will heed the messages that you revealed at Fátima. Pray that I will live a life of continuous sacrifice of prayer, so as to make reparation for the sins and sacrileges committed against your most Immaculate Heart and the Sacred Heart of your divine Son. Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

(Sources : Discover hubpages.com; My catholic.life; catholicworldmission.org; catholic culture.org;
enwikipedia.org; Catholic online.news)

10/05/2026

May 10, 2026
430PM Eucharistic Celebration
6th Sunday of Easter
Mother’s Day
2nd Sunday Flower offering

Gospel
John 14: 15-21

In the Gospel today, Jesus tells us:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Fr CJ in his homily spoke about how we can truly love or love in an authentic manner:

1. Authentic love is love that is shown to everyone not choosing whom to love.
God’s love doesn’t choose, salvation is for all so we should also love everyone.

2. Authentic love is when we bring love to others. People should see that we bring peace, love and hope. We remain in hope and give hope despite the hardships we encounter.

3. Authentic love is to love like the way a mother loves. It is all-giving, unconditional and authentic.

Fr CJ asked all the mothers in church to stand up, asked the Mass attendees to clap for them and greeted them a Happy Mother’s Day.

He concluded that that’s how we should love - as what the Gospel tells us today - we should continue following the commandments of God and show our love of God and neighbor.

As it’s Mother’s Day today, a special blessing was given to all mothers before the Mass ended.

Flower offering to Mama Mary followed shortly after the blessing.

We thank Fr CJ for celebrating Mass with us and for telling us how to love authentically. We also thank all parishioners, our chapel servers and the flower sponsors for today.

10/05/2026

Gospel
John 14:15-21