ABC STARS Inspires

More than a cathedral, is a pregnant mother! A living temple of the Holy Spirit! A loving tabernacle of life! No other Human handiwork approaches near it! So Mommy carried you with feeling! With pride! Her overflowing love was evident We were then campaigning far and wide, "Twill be a girl" she said, wherever we went, "She follows our second three boys in a row, "She'll be our third girl, sibling number nine." Indeed, with faith, blessings overflow. Greater than all our dreams is God's design! You came on Gaudete—Rejoice!—Sunday, God chose To give us Rose Maricon, our mystic rose! 17 December 1994

Dearest Noel, Jim, Pablo, Philip, Anlu, Connie, Che, Nonnoy, Bobby, Marivic, Popon, Jay, Boy, and Tess: For a long time now, your friends have been telling you that there is no Santa Claus. That Santa is no one else but Papa. There is that song, "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus underneath the mistletoe last night." But, there is that other song, too—"he knows when you've been bad or good; so be good for goodness sake ." If Santa Claus is no one else but the fathers, then there would be millions of Santa Claus throughout the world. And how about those families where their fathers are no more? Is there no Santa Claus for them? And as you grew older, you must have wondered why I always answered, yes, there is a Santa Claus. Let's solve the mystery: Why don't we see the real Santa Claus? Because He is a spirit. If He is a spirit, then how many Santa Claus are there throughout the world? Only one. Does He personally go to all the families ...

DEDICATION To: BERNARDITA September 6, 1933-August 19, 1994 My fondest, fairest face in all the world. Beloved wife and mother of fourteen, lovely grandmother of nine (so far) and loving sister to all; whose thirty-nine years, three months and fifteen days of life upon this earth shared with me—God's gift—was the most elevating excitement of my soul. Poetry in its pristine purity. —jamc

"Mary, are you tired, my love?           "Again, no room in this inn for you!" They traveled on. A Star above           Came closer. For her time was due. "Don't worry, love, all will be fine." "They told me, there's a stable near,           "Inside a cave, beyond that pine." "I'm alright, Joseph, have no fear." The Star soon hung upon that hill.           For on a manger made of hay While angels sung and all was still           The new-born Saviour, Jesus, lay. Be born in us! O Prince of Peace! May our fraternal strife soon cease! 12 December 1987 photo credit: Presepe via photopin (license) License: (license) photo credit: Cold and Desolate via photopin (license) License: (license)

Bernardita Zalazar Carpio rarely wrote. She was a frequent speaker on such themes as 'Love, courtship and marriage", "husband-wife relationship","the family, a miniature church", and the like. She never wrote down her talks. She favored familiar, person-to-person communication. She talked, not from books, but from life. For she lived her faith. As a wife and as a mother of fourteen children who, she would emphasize as planned and prayed for, had rhythm like a poem - one girl three boys, one girl three boys, one girl three boys, to complete the dozen she prayed for on her wedding day, plus "bonuses", two boys, to make the fourteen lines of a sonnet. Our love sonnnet. One day, a lady columnist in a Manila paper wrote about 'Painless childbirth: A myth" (Philippine STAR, 20 Feb 93). Bernardita wrote columnist Domini M. Torrevillas about "the other side". Domini published the letter in her column (3 April 93) saying...

The good are going, the ungodly reign! Gerry. Ninoy. Not Pepe! (Why not Ferdie?) The morrow promises more want, more pain Don't take away our leaders! Don't let it be! We need him as we struggle towards the dawn Of self-determination. Where truth prevails. With life again revered. With justice won And peace upon us. Dissenters out of jails. You "write straight with crooked lines!" 'Tis treason Doubting. Without You, where can we go? You are our all in all! You will the reason For a leaf, a life; a friend or foe.           Yet I must ask, beyond all I intend---           Cure Pepe Lord! Because he is my friend! Ichthys, 14 Sept 84 photo credit: dawn in port via photopin (license) License: (license)

All things dark and booty-full         All rackets great and small All things rank and plunder-full         "The politician's made them all!" "We needed a 're-structuring'         Of our unjust society." The clamor "Change!" was echoed         Re-echoed to satiety. "We faced the gravest danger---         The Republic's impending fall! A 'democratic revolution'         Was launched to save us all!" The top-most politician         Then ruled us by decrees Behind him, martial power         "So as to keep the peace!" "A rule 'authoritarian'         A crisis government'" A plain dictatorship         Until his power's spent! He got a Constitution         "Approved." By a show of hands! By voters and non-voters   ...

Dear Jesus, we are gathered in Your name. And we of the Camarines Sur Bar proclaim Anew our commitment to the Rule of Law Over infrastructures held in awe In a regime of coercion where the strong are right--- The dominance of military might, The uselessness of writs of liberty And the labyrinthine way to normalcy. Lord, do let the Holy Paraclete Abide in us. That we may not be effete! That we may conquer the fearsome doubts we dread And we may dare where Justices fear to tread; Maintain our chapter as a forum, free, For law, and what jurisprudence ought to be; And with integrity, effectively Discharge our public responsibility. May we seek You in our quest for truth. Beyond the brazen brainwashing of our youth; The deceit upon our people; the "managed" news; The "freedom" to publish tolerated views And exposes and other happenings But, "keep off royalty and royal things." Because, in seeking, striving for what's true We are...

Our Father, almighty, hallowed be Your name. From Abra to Zamboanga we proclaim In myriad moods, Your People's trust in You O Alpha and Omega of all that's good and true! Deign to bless us in a special way This day, as we labor and pray That Your will be done in this Conven- Tion through the rule of Law and not of men. Despite diverging thoughts and words and deeds Despite diverse ideologies and creeds That our Integrated Bar, now four years old, Be ever faithful to our goals. Be bold; Be non-political; a forum, free! For law, and what jurisprudence ought to be! And with integrity, effectively Discharge our public responsibility To rich and poor, the mighty and the low- Ly; with fairplay for all --- stranger, friend or foe. Look kindly on our human failings, Lord! The countless times we live not by Your Word; As we forgive, and understand the plight Of hangers-on of power who indict Us falsely. Who equate non-political ...

MARY, there is blood upon the hills. Your sons have etched upon their guns---their kills. There's an evil wind that's blowing badness Among the winds of change. And sowing sadness In the hamlets of your land of peace. Ah, when will this wind of madness cease? For fleeting moments till these rites are done Bicolanos once again are one Gathered at the crossroad of Bicolandia On this, your annual feast of Peñafrancia. Yes, this is what we always remember This turbulent, passionate pilgrimage of September. But Mary, many are our crying ills Today, there is blood upon the hills. Many of our brothers have their tables bare There's so much greed; deceit is everywhere. Justice is a phantom in the night Banished by goons and gold and armalite. Our leader has reneged upon his word No voice but that of his mighty can be heard. No wonder there's that nagging thought that fills A growing many---blood upon the hills. O Mary dearest, of Peñafrancia Shri...

-I- The Charge: "It's the Light Brigade!" "Cannon to the right of them Cannon to the left of them Cannon in front of them Volleyed and thundered." Students to the left of M Strikers to the right of M Pressmen in front of M Volleyed and thundered, That Marcos had blundered And pressure groups plundered On contraband cargoes Despite the embargoes Of President Marcos. Manglapus to the left of M Ninoy to the right of M LPs in front of M Volleyed and thundered Of M's "hocus pocus" Of Officer Corpus Of notorious Jabidah And "the plans of Imelda"; And beleaguered was Marcos. But, exposing Meralco's Exemptions, he vowed He'll no longer be cowed By these titans who plundered And the country pondered As the Lopezes thundered And the NPs were sundered. "Savior of womanhood", Fernandez, then stood--- "FM's but one And much must be done We...

I rise, repent, till death. desire enflames the will and, reason blinded, covet and fall! 29feb60  photo credit: Roman Soldier via photopin (license) License: (license)