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  On the Divino Rostro I Lord, show us the light of your face! (Psalm 4:7) As the Feast of the Divino Rostro is at hand, it is good to review the history of the devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus in Bicol, that we filially call on as the Divino Rostro whose Feast we celebrate hand in hand with the Solemnity of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. The devotion started in 1882 introduced by Fr. Pedro de la Torre who hailed from Osa de la Vega, Spain, and was then the Vicar General and Provisor (Chancellor) of the then Diocesis of Nueva Caceres. On August 26 of that year, news reached Naga City that Colera Morbo , a dreaded fatal disease that affects the intestines and causes excessive vomiting and diarrhea, had entered the capital city of Manila. Immediately, then Bishop Casimiro Herrera ordered that the miraculous image of the Virgin of Peñafrancia be brought to the Cathedral from her sanctuary to intercede for the whole community in beseeching Heaven that the Diocese be spared from the pa...

  On Ecclesiology: The Mystery of the Church II Recent scandals, particularly, abuse by clerics, have led many to lose faith in the Church. In the distant but not lost history of the Church, there were even worse scandals that rocked the Church. In the 11 th  Century, Theophylactus of Tusculum became Pope Benedict IX at 12 years of age, who was thrice elected and thrice deposed for unspeakable deeds such as murder, torture and theft. In the 14 th  Century, there was the Great Western Schism when there were Three Popes at the same time. Further compounded by Bishops and Priests who live in debauchery, Catholics who commit heinous crimes, and even Leaders who studied in the best Catholic Schools but are marked by corruption, it is only relevant that we ask, “Is the Catholic Church truly Holy?” The Church is one complex reality. She is a hundred percent human and a hundred percent divine. These two elements inseparably united in Her explain why She is both an earthly and h...

On Ecclesiology: The Mystery of the Church We continue our doing Ecclesiology by doing Mystagogy. After our review of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, we enter into the Mystery of the Church. Many might consider this as irrelevant, and would focus more on worldly concerns such as health particularly in this time of a pandemic, and jobs to provide for the basic needs in order to live. However, not to enter into this mystery is a snare that will lead to the shallowness of life that has often led to corruption, stealing and cheating. This also explains why a lot of people end up exhausted and unhappy despite having all the comforts the world has to offer. Remember the Saints, especially the Martyrs? Amidst the evils in the world, of pain, suffering and death, they had peace and joy because they had faith in the salvation brought about by Jesus Christ that He entrusted to His Church. It is, in fact, in living the Mystery of the Church amidst the basic necessities of life, th...

  On Ecclesiology: Part II In the First Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic Faith, the proper name “the Holy, Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church” was used. However in Lumen Gentium  of Vatican II, the adjective “Roman” was dropped that is why in the Catechism of the Catholic Church promulgated by Pope St. John Paul II in 1992, there is also no mention of a “Roman Catholic Church”. There is only the Catholic Church. But in this Catholic Church, there are various Churches who remain in communion with the Pope but have preserved their ancient Rites. Thus, there are distinctions according to Rites: Roman or Latin, Alexandrian, Antiochene, Armenian, Byzantine and Chaldean. Why was “Roman” used in the first place? To have a clearer understanding of this, we remember first that Jesus Christ established His Church founded on the Apostles. And when the Church grew on account of the preaching of the Apostles, Particular Churches were born. When Saints Peter and P...

  On Ecclesiology After the Catechesis on the Sacraments of Initiation, it is now good to talk about the Church so that we will at least know what we have entered into. We remember, one of the effects of Baptism is that the baptized has become a member of the Church. And so let us do some Ecclesiology, meaning, a study of the Church. This finds importance especially when there is a proliferation of churches or when we find ourselves in a place where Catholics are a minority. To know what our Church really is, it is good to read the Vatican II Document on the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church known by its incipit “ Lumen Gentium ”, [Christ is] the Light of Nations. This document answers the question, “what constitutes the Church?”. Just like a country, school or organization, that is defined by a Constitution, it is best to know what defines us as a Church. What, where and who we are, what do we do, and how and why we do it. In short, Lumen Gentium  teaches us the Identity ...

  On the Mystagogy of Confirmation Pope Francis speaks of one of the effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation that it fosters a sense of unity in the Church. He says “ the Sacrament of Confirmation is ordinarily conferred by the diocesan Bishop, who, as a successor of the Apostles, is charged with fostering the Church’s unity through the rich diversity of the Spirit’s gifts” . Even if a delegated Priest administers the Sacrament, the Chrism used to anoint, must have been blessed by the Bishop during the Mass of the Chrism on Holy Thursday. Unity with the Bishop demonstrates the effects of Confirmation that unites us to the Church, to her apostolic origins, and to her mission of bearing witness to Christ . Before the actual conferral of the Sacrament of Confirmation, there must first be a renewal of baptismal vows and profession of faith. In infant baptism, the parents and godparents answered for the child. In Confirmation, the confirmand now makes the vows and profession of faith...

  On the Sacrament of Confirmation In his Catechesis on the Sacrament of Confirmation, Pope Francis speaks on the effects of the sacrament received. Primarily, the Gift of the Holy Spirit “ enables us in turn to become a gift for others” . In this Jubilee of the 500 th  Year of Christianity in the Philippines when we are exhorted to do Mission as “Gifted to Give”, we remind ourselves of the Gift of the Holy Spirit we received in the Sacrament of Confirmation so that we in turn may give ourselves as a gift to others as we share and participate in the life and mission of the Church. More than just a requirement for the Sacraments of Matrimony and Holy Orders, the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation is a necessity for the completion of baptismal grace. The Sacrament, as it were,  “confirms” the baptismal anointing. In the Archdiocese of Caceres where most Catholics receive Infant Baptism then receive First Communion while in Grade III, the Sacrament of Confirmation...

  On Sponsors of Baptism We are always delighted when our Ninong or Ninang gives us a gift during Christmas. And so often, parents would choose Sponsors who are well-to-do and are known to be generous. They, the Ninong and Ninang, usually volunteer to “sponsor” or take care of the fees, give gifts, and even shoulder the expenses for the celebration. Sometimes too, parents would choose Sponsors as a reward for friendship. But more than that, the spiritual bond created should be given a priority. This is why, the Code of Canon Law devotes a whole chapter on the Sponsors of Baptism that specifies the qualifications, duties and obligations of a Sponsor, to guide the Parents, with the help of the Pastor, in choosing a Sponsor. It is good to review them here. The primary function of a Sponsor is to stand witness to the conferral of the Sacrament of Baptism. This finds special importance since Baptism is conferred only once and if records are lost, the testimony under oath by the sponso...

  On Adult Baptism Adult Baptism was the norm at the beginning of the Church. On the day the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles, St. Luke reported that around three thousand were baptized. When whole households were accepting the Faith, children and infants, as members of a household, were being baptized too. As the Church grew, infant baptism became the norm because Christian parents obliged themselves to have their child baptized as soon as possible. In fact, the Code of Canon Law prescribes that infants must be baptized within the first few weeks after birth. In the Philippines, especially in barangays, it has been the custom to wait for the Patronal Feast of the Parish or the Barangay for the mass celebration of infant baptism. And so Adult Baptism was relegated to the background and was reserved to a very few who were not baptized as infants and those unbaptized who desire to receive the Catholic Faith. Still, it is good to know the principles of Adult Baptism. In the Can...

  On the Mystagogy of Baptism Sacraments are signs instituted by Christ to bestow Grace. Regardless of the merits and disposition of the minister or the recipient, but because of God’s goodness and generosity, the Sacraments, as instruments of God, effect Grace. This is the principle “ ex opere operato ”. That is why in Infant Baptism, even if the faith of the child is not ascertained, and regardless of whether the baby is awake or asleep, calm or crying, the efficacy of the Sacrament of Baptism is certain: the child is cleansed from original sin, born in the Holy Spirit, given a new life in Christ, made a child of God and heir to the Kingdom of Heaven, and incorporated into the Church which is the Mystical Body of Christ. By Baptism too, the recipient is imprinted with an indelible spiritual mark or character, that seals her/his belonging to Christ that cannot be removed nor erased even by sin. The essential Sign of Baptism in the Roman Catholic Church is water poured on the hea...

  On the Lamb of God In every celebration of the Holy Mass, a crucifix is always present whether on the altar table itself or at the Sanctuary because the Holy Mass is a memorial of the ultimate sacrifice offered by Jesus on the Cross for the redemption of mankind. In Genesis, we read of Cain and Abel offering sacrifices to God. Cain offered from the fruits of the land while Abel offered a lamb, the best firstling of his flock. Seeing the heart of the one who offers, God found favor with the offering of Abel. In Exodus, we read of Moses being told by God to instruct the Israelites to choose lambs without blemish to be sacrificed and whose blood was to be painted at the lintels and doorposts of their homes. This saved them from the tenth plague. In Leviticus, we read of God appointing the Tenth Day of the Seventh Month to be the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). As an act of expiation and propitiation, the community offers a bullock and two goats as a sin-offering and a ram as ...

  On the Most Blessed Sacrament Around the year 750, a Basilian Monk was celebrating Mass at the Church of St. Longinus in Lanciano, Italy, and as he had said the words of consecration, the host and wine physically changed into flesh and blood. That monk was more into science than faith and had doubts on the doctrine of Transubstantiation and the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Until the present time, the flesh and blood have remained incorrupt even without refrigeration and preservatives. The flesh, which is of human cardiac tissue, and the type AB blood, are placed in a beautiful silver and glass monstrance at the Church of San Francesco in Lanciano. The dogma of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist states that at the words of consecration during the Holy Mass, Jesus becomes truly present, flesh and blood, in the eucharisted bread and wine. Not just symbolically nor metaphorically, but Real Presence. Not that the presence of Jesus in a congregation gathered in...

  On the Holy Mass: On Being Punctual at Mass “All of the Mass is important. Don’t be late!” Pope Francis. “It is not a good habit to look at the clock and say: I am on time, I will arrive after the sermon and with this fulfill the commandment,” he further said. Before Vatican II, there was a clear demarcation line defining tardiness. If one arrives after the Offertory Rite, Sunday obligation is not fulfilled and therefore must not receive communion. But after Vatican II, because of the importance of all parts of the Mass, we are told not to be late. I remember when I was still in the seminary, we were taught that to be late at Mass is a venial sin and it is a grave sin to miss a Sunday Mass. To be habitually late tells on how we value the Holy Mass itself. And if we continually say to ourselves, “It is okay to be late, God understands anyway,” we have to reevaluate the importance of the Holy Mass in our lives. If we can be punctual, even early at social functions, seeing mov...

  On the Holy Mass: Receiving Communion Once when I was in third grade, our family attended the funeral of a relative. When my turn came to receive Communion, the priest, as he held the host, asked me: Ano ini?  (What is this?) I replied, “ Hostia ”. And he exclaimed, “ Layas! ” (Be gone!) and did not give me Communion. Canon 912 of the Code of Canon Law states, “Any baptized person not impeded by law can and must be admitted to Holy Communion.” The primordial requirement for receiving Communion is the reception of the Sacrament of Baptism because it is the doorway to all other sacraments. Secondly, a baptized person must have attained the use of reason for him/her to be admitted to Holy Communion. One must be able to distinguish from ordinary food that what he/she is receiving, is the Body of Christ. Needless to say, Communion is given to persons and never to animals. It is grave sacrilege to feed pets with the sacred species. There were cases that hosts were given to roost...

  On the Holy Mass: Communion Rite The 3rd Part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist is the Communion Rite. We remember that the Holy Mass is a Banquet reminiscent of the Lord’s Supper and so the Communion Rite is where we partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. The Rite begins with the Lord’s Prayer wherein there is a petition made for daily food. And no other daily food is preeminent and efficacious than the Eucharist itself. The embolism follows prayed by the priest alone. This prayer expands the last petition of the Lord’s prayer “deliver us from evil” that is why it is also called Prayer of Deliverance. As we await the Parousia, the coming again of Jesus, we petition our Lord deliver us from all evil, to keep us free from sin and protect us from all distress. The prayer is concluded by the people with a doxology. When Jesus appeared to His Disciples in the evening of His Resurrection, His first words to them was “Peace be with you”. And so after the Prayer of Deliverance fro...

  On the Holy Mass: The Liturgy of the Eucharist The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the preparation of the gifts. Bread and wine, the material signs of the Sacrament that will become the Body and Blood of Christ, are offered and prepared at the Altar. The bread must be unleavened and the wine must come from grapes. The bread proper for the Mass is called “Host”. It is during the period of the preparation of the gifts too, that the offerings of the Faithful for the Poor and for the support of the Church are collected and brought to the sanctuary. The Prayer over the Offerings that petitions God to accept the humble sacrificial offering concludes this part. The Eucharistic Prayer, which is the center and summit of the entire celebration, now follows. The Priest, in persona Christi, begins with the Preface that invites the people to lift up their hearts to the Lord in praise and thanksgiving. We remember here that Eucharist primarily means to offer praise and thanksgiving to...

  On the Holy Mass: The Liturgy of the Word “The Holy Mass, as it were, has two parts: The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. But they form just one act of worship” (GIRM 28). The Liturgy of the Word opens the treasures of the Bible and provides food for the faithful at the table of God’s Word (SC 51). When the Apostles and Disciples began gathering on the first day of the week, they usually began with recalling the life, works and teachings of Jesus before the breaking of the bread. This prefigured the rites of the Holy Mass we celebrate on Sundays. After the time of the Apostles, the early Christians in their gatherings included a reading of the memoirs of the Apostles and writings of the Prophets. These traditions were formalized in the Roman Missal as the Liturgy of the Word. The Liturgy of the Word is primarily celebrated through the readings from the Sacred Scriptures, the written Word of God. They must come from the official Canon of the Bible approv...

On the Holy Mass The Catechism of the Catholic Church #1332 states that the Sacrament of the Eucharist is also called Holy Mass because from the “Latin missa, the liturgy in which the mystery of salvation is accomplished concludes with the sending forth (missio) of the faithful so that they may fulfill God’s will in their daily lives”. The Latin text of the Rite of Dismissal that ends the Liturgy is “Ite, missa est” which is literally translated as “Go, it [assembly] is dismissed”.  From a simple dismissal, missa was given a deeper meaning of mission that as the assembly acclaims Deo Gratias the faithful accepts their role in the life and mission of the Church inspired by the Word of God and strengthened by the Eucharist. The Holy Mass is the whole of the Liturgical Rites for the celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The early Christians called it the “breaking of bread”, recalling how Cleopas and another disciple recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread who, as it we...