Greetings from Uganda
Hi Greg,
This is Max and I hope you are doing well. My travels back to Uganda were smooth. It's now shortly over four weeks since I arrived and still do not have an assignment. Hopefully I will get a call from my bishop in the coming days.
I'm currently at home with mother, helping with the house work - and occasionally visiting priest friends and classmates. How is Eve doing? My prayers are with you both; and thanks again for all you did to enable my ministry while I was in Chicago.
Greetings to all my friends in the Novena group. I miss you all and I pray for you everyday. Wish you God's peace, and increased health and strength.
Max
(Note: This is from Fr. Max, a secular priest, from Uganda who came to States for his graduate studies. He stayed for a while at St. Timothy Rectory where I came to know him.)
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Friday, October 20, 2006
Why I am here?
And that's The Question!
In my everyday waking moment, a question always pops up. Why am I here? Not a complaint but clarification on the mystery of existence. And the temporary status.
Is it the desiderata? The purpose-driven life? The power of purpose? And why have I the audacity to bring this out of the open?
Recently, I met a person at Home Depot, who understood the beauty of life, of existence, of FAMILY. (Father And Mother I Love You) This person, after paragraphs of conversation, confessed that his parents are from the Philippines who left the country when he was a child. He understood Pilipino and has a heart of his birthplace. Now he is married with 2 children. The family has just moved 6 months ago from Las Vegas. He intimated that Las Vegas is only a place for vacation not to stay, live, raise children. But to retire? It's a no-no. That's his take!
I met another person sporting a southern droll. He was enthusiastic about life. He talked with great pride about what life has offered him. I listened...
And lately, I crossed paths with a religious woman who was happy to talk to my wife and me about God, Jesus, and His most blessed mother Mary. She said she has drifted and was lukewarm to his religious life that she needed a push, a motivation, persons to listen to her agony; that she is willing to listen to, to their enriching, enlightening, enhancing words on prayer, forgiveness, and gratefulness. In fact, she is very devoted to the Holy Infant who is an unfailing partner to her in her triumphs and trials.
The denouement of that shall we say the intimate talk was a question - Why are we born? Why are we here?
After the Path to Rome was the Road Back Home
During lunch time, we poised our vision to the Chicago Loop where the widely acclaimed Bayanihan Dance Troupe of the Philippines venued. Once again we were sentimental.
Our birth country's history flashed in the colorful live dances and songs performed by the young, the talented Filipinos. Reminding us that Filipinos are lively, lovely and zestful people. Product of European and western cultures. The Cross of religion and the Torch of education and Hollywood. The country that Gen. Douglas McArthur proudly proclaimed his famous " I shall return" promise.
The Philippines is the Pearl of the Orient Seas but the social cancer of graft and corruption exits. We pray that our Mother of Perpetual Help and All Saints will come to her succor.
During lunch time, we poised our vision to the Chicago Loop where the widely acclaimed Bayanihan Dance Troupe of the Philippines venued. Once again we were sentimental.
Our birth country's history flashed in the colorful live dances and songs performed by the young, the talented Filipinos. Reminding us that Filipinos are lively, lovely and zestful people. Product of European and western cultures. The Cross of religion and the Torch of education and Hollywood. The country that Gen. Douglas McArthur proudly proclaimed his famous " I shall return" promise.
The Philippines is the Pearl of the Orient Seas but the social cancer of graft and corruption exits. We pray that our Mother of Perpetual Help and All Saints will come to her succor.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Path To Rome International Conference - Chicago 2006
Oct.06 - 08, 2006
My wife and I attended. Met friends who were relgion friendly.Truth seekers came from all over the States and abroad. They were all enlightened. We discovered that the Catholic Religion is getting stronger and stronger unexpectedly. We learned that knowledgeable protestants sought shelter to the Catholic Church while the weak and non-knowledgeable Catholics departed from the Universal and True Church- Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the GATES of hell shall not prevail...
Path To Rome conference series was held at the Wyndham O'hare Hotel, Oct. 6 to 8, 2006. It is the only international conference of famous converts to the Catholic Church and is sponsored by Miles Jesu.
Speakers were: Msgr.Stuart W. Swetland, STD, who became a Catholic while studying at Oxford. Has B.A. and M.A. in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford; a Div. and M.A. from Mt. Saint Mary's Seminary and S.T.L. and S.T.D. from John Paul 11 Institute for studies on Marriage and Family, Pontifical Lateran University. Currently serves as Director of St. John's Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and chaplain to Catholic Students at the University of Illinois and Parkland College.
Steven W. Mosher, a convert to Catholicsm is the author of best selling A Mother's Ordeal: One Woman's Fight Against China's One-Child Policy. His other books are: Hegemon: China's Plan to Dominate Asia and the World; China Attacks; China Misperceived: American Illusions and Chinese Reality; Journey to the forbidden China and Broken Earth: The Rural Chinese. Steve is president of the non-profit Population Research Institute and widely recognized as one of the world's leading authorities on the population question.
Deacon Alex Jones, a lifelong Pentecostal who was converted to Catholicsm in 2001. He was the senior minister of 2 churches in the city of Detroit: Zion Congregational church of God in Christ (1975-82), the 2nd oldest Pentecostal church in Michigan, and Marantha Christian Church (1982-2000), an evangelical/charismatic church. While reading the Apostolic Fathers and subsequent church history, he discovered the Church to be charismatic/liturgical, hierarchical and Eucharistic-centered. The more he read, the more he came to conclude that the present day Catholic Church - and the Holy Mass - is the same exact"worship service" from the very early Church.These discoveries lead to a 2-year journey in the Catholic Church that converted 54 members of his previous congregation including 11 members of his own family to the Catholic Church. He has a Masters of Arts in Pastoral Studies and is employed by the Archdiocese of Detroit as the Evangelization Coordinator. Was ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Archdiocese of Detroit on Oct. 1, 2005 and continues to preach with his fiery passion about Christ and the Church.
Michelle McGhan, a young Mormon convert to the Catholic Church after a long search which began in her early twenties. Discovering the fullness of Faith in the Catholic Church she was never persuaded by her family and friends to remain a Mormon but remain firm in her commitment to the Truth. She said,"If God exists, then there are real and absolute triths about Him. Truths that neither we, nor anyone else can change. And, if you take the time to study, you will find, as I did, that those real, unchanging absolute truths are here in the Catholic Church". Michelle is currently a second grade teacher in Arizona.
Mrs. Linda Poindexter,who was converted to the Catholic Church, was raised in the religion of Disciples of Christ until 1959. Then she became a member of the Episcopal religion; became a deacon and then as an Episcopal priest. She was married to John M. Poindexter, Retired Rear Admiral of the United States Navy, who served as National Security Advisor to former President Ronald Reagan. She has traveled throughout the United States, enjoys swimming, tennis,sailing, birdwatching, needlework and reading. She is also a fan of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team.
Oct.06 - 08, 2006
My wife and I attended. Met friends who were relgion friendly.Truth seekers came from all over the States and abroad. They were all enlightened. We discovered that the Catholic Religion is getting stronger and stronger unexpectedly. We learned that knowledgeable protestants sought shelter to the Catholic Church while the weak and non-knowledgeable Catholics departed from the Universal and True Church- Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the GATES of hell shall not prevail...
Path To Rome conference series was held at the Wyndham O'hare Hotel, Oct. 6 to 8, 2006. It is the only international conference of famous converts to the Catholic Church and is sponsored by Miles Jesu.
Speakers were: Msgr.Stuart W. Swetland, STD, who became a Catholic while studying at Oxford. Has B.A. and M.A. in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford; a Div. and M.A. from Mt. Saint Mary's Seminary and S.T.L. and S.T.D. from John Paul 11 Institute for studies on Marriage and Family, Pontifical Lateran University. Currently serves as Director of St. John's Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and chaplain to Catholic Students at the University of Illinois and Parkland College.
Steven W. Mosher, a convert to Catholicsm is the author of best selling A Mother's Ordeal: One Woman's Fight Against China's One-Child Policy. His other books are: Hegemon: China's Plan to Dominate Asia and the World; China Attacks; China Misperceived: American Illusions and Chinese Reality; Journey to the forbidden China and Broken Earth: The Rural Chinese. Steve is president of the non-profit Population Research Institute and widely recognized as one of the world's leading authorities on the population question.
Deacon Alex Jones, a lifelong Pentecostal who was converted to Catholicsm in 2001. He was the senior minister of 2 churches in the city of Detroit: Zion Congregational church of God in Christ (1975-82), the 2nd oldest Pentecostal church in Michigan, and Marantha Christian Church (1982-2000), an evangelical/charismatic church. While reading the Apostolic Fathers and subsequent church history, he discovered the Church to be charismatic/liturgical, hierarchical and Eucharistic-centered. The more he read, the more he came to conclude that the present day Catholic Church - and the Holy Mass - is the same exact"worship service" from the very early Church.These discoveries lead to a 2-year journey in the Catholic Church that converted 54 members of his previous congregation including 11 members of his own family to the Catholic Church. He has a Masters of Arts in Pastoral Studies and is employed by the Archdiocese of Detroit as the Evangelization Coordinator. Was ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Archdiocese of Detroit on Oct. 1, 2005 and continues to preach with his fiery passion about Christ and the Church.
Michelle McGhan, a young Mormon convert to the Catholic Church after a long search which began in her early twenties. Discovering the fullness of Faith in the Catholic Church she was never persuaded by her family and friends to remain a Mormon but remain firm in her commitment to the Truth. She said,"If God exists, then there are real and absolute triths about Him. Truths that neither we, nor anyone else can change. And, if you take the time to study, you will find, as I did, that those real, unchanging absolute truths are here in the Catholic Church". Michelle is currently a second grade teacher in Arizona.
Mrs. Linda Poindexter,who was converted to the Catholic Church, was raised in the religion of Disciples of Christ until 1959. Then she became a member of the Episcopal religion; became a deacon and then as an Episcopal priest. She was married to John M. Poindexter, Retired Rear Admiral of the United States Navy, who served as National Security Advisor to former President Ronald Reagan. She has traveled throughout the United States, enjoys swimming, tennis,sailing, birdwatching, needlework and reading. She is also a fan of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Oct.2,2006/ Tuesday
Tempus fugit! Time flies.
Pope Paul VI said, "Tell your sons, your nephews, your grandsons; tell the people that the pope loves the Kights of Columbus. The glory of the Knights of Columbus is not based on humanitarian works alone. Even more admirable have been your insistence upon the supremacy of God and your fidelity to the Vicar of Christ. In truth you can call yourselves 'brothers' because you call God your Father and have declared yourselves ready to do his will and serve his cause...the Knights of Columbus an immense force for good."
In the pre-vatican II days, the mass was in Latin. As an altar boy, I have to memorize and mumble the Ad Deum que laitificat juventutem meam... as a response to the priest's Latin intro to begin the mass. Little did I know that I would someday become a member of "the world's largest lay Catholic family service organization. And tonight, I became one of the three new members of "these men they call Knights."
It started with an invitation to attend a meeting.
Myrna approached me and said, "Remo is going to call you as the meeting starts at seven."
"OK, I'll wait for his call." And we drove home.
"You can go, but you better eat first," said my wife as we arrived home.
Tempus fugit! And time flies. I became a member of the First Degree of Knights of Columbus, Father A. Ryan Council No. 5025, this 2nd day of October, 2006.
Tempus fugit! Time flies.
Pope Paul VI said, "Tell your sons, your nephews, your grandsons; tell the people that the pope loves the Kights of Columbus. The glory of the Knights of Columbus is not based on humanitarian works alone. Even more admirable have been your insistence upon the supremacy of God and your fidelity to the Vicar of Christ. In truth you can call yourselves 'brothers' because you call God your Father and have declared yourselves ready to do his will and serve his cause...the Knights of Columbus an immense force for good."
In the pre-vatican II days, the mass was in Latin. As an altar boy, I have to memorize and mumble the Ad Deum que laitificat juventutem meam... as a response to the priest's Latin intro to begin the mass. Little did I know that I would someday become a member of "the world's largest lay Catholic family service organization. And tonight, I became one of the three new members of "these men they call Knights."
It started with an invitation to attend a meeting.
Myrna approached me and said, "Remo is going to call you as the meeting starts at seven."
"OK, I'll wait for his call." And we drove home.
"You can go, but you better eat first," said my wife as we arrived home.
Tempus fugit! And time flies. I became a member of the First Degree of Knights of Columbus, Father A. Ryan Council No. 5025, this 2nd day of October, 2006.
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