Nono's take on pajero

Here goes Nono's take on the "pajero" issue.  Speaks much of how media puts words in people's mouths (as Conrado writes on the same day)?  Maybe not. 

Only knew when they were on the way back

Apparently, the Catholic University of America has co-ed campus dormitories.  I would not have thought she had these dorms, but she does in fact.  Gone with the flow, I guess.

Strangely enough, I got to know about it only recenlty, when CUA is stepping back from that practice.  She will revert back to single-sex dorms.

Welcome back.

H/T:  Kathryn Jean Lopez

"Les moulins de mon cœur"

It isn't just the windmills, for sure, but alternative energy solutions need to be checked and balanced on an effective base load from conventional energy.  

We will thus be landed in the ludicrous position of having to spend an additional £10 billion on those 17 dedicated power stations, which will be kept running on "spinning reserve", 24 hours a day, just to make up for the fundamental problem of wind turbines. This is that their power continually fluctuates anywhere between full capacity to zero (where it often stood last winter, when national electricity demand was at a peak). So unless back-up power is instantly available to match any shortfall, the lights will go out.

Two things make this even more absurd. One, as the energy companies pointed out to DECC, is that it will be amazingly costly and wildly uneconomical, since the dedicated power plants will often have to run at a low rate of efficiency, burning gas but not producing electricity. This will add billions more to our fuel bills for no practical purpose. The other absurdity, as recent detailed studies have confirmed, is that gas-fired power stations running on "spinning reserve" chuck out much more CO2 than when they are running at full efficiency – thus negating any savings in CO2 emissions supposedly achieved by the windmills themselves.

Is there no longer anyone around at DECC who is familiar with these very basic practical points? The policy on which our national energy strategy is now centred is a ludicrously expensive, self-defeating joke, which will achieve no benefits whatever – even if you are among the diminishing number of people who still believe that man-made CO2 is causing catastrophic climate change.

Fr Luis+

Yesterday, they laid Fr. Luis to rest at Heritage.  The last time I saw him and spoke with him was after the get-together with Bishop Javier Echevarria at UA&P in July 2008.  I wanted to visit him last May or June when I was in Luzon, but I could not then.

I first met Fr. Luis in the summer of 1986.  That was in a seminar held at MFI's conference center in Talisay, Batangas.  It was great fun.  My first time up Mt. Batulao in Nasugbu was with him and maybe 10 others.  No more delay!  was one of his favorite cheers to us young people on that climb.

We had to hike up to Tagaytay from Talisay, continued to the rotonda and from there took a bus to Batulao resort, then hiked up to Mt. Batulao.  We arrived back inTalisay at about 9pm.

Over the years I had stayed with him also in our homes in Cebu City.  I remember him often pulling the leg of us CITE folks, especially after he celebrates Mass in school:  When are you organizing a choir?  

Thing is, we had, but you know how tech guys can generally be with respect to singing in a choir.  I don't think we ever fulfilled that "dream" of Fr. Luis for CITE.  We fulfilled other dreams he had for us, just not that one melodic dream.  Are we working on that one? Well...

Here's a photo with him, one Christmas Day.

A little more respect: How the Feast of the Sacred Heart started for me in Cagayan de Oro

Now I can write.  I am less annoyed (irritated, pissed?).

This morning, I wore a red shirt I have not worn for some time.  Because now it fits again. ;-)

I went to attend Holy Mass at the Sacred Heart Church in Cagayan de Oro.  I like to attend Mass there as the Blessed Sacrament fathers have a Eucharistic Adoration after the Mass, and we can pray afterwards with Our Lord in a big monstrance upon the altar.

Remember the red shirt?  Well, half of the Mass goers this time was in red.  I fit right in.  Of course, today is the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Church celebrates with the votive colors of red.  But I did not plan to wear red because of the feast, but because the red shirt fit.  Again.  A less worthy celebration, but a celebration nevertheless.

The Holy Mass went just fine.  Nearing the end of the Mass though, the noise level outside at the entrance was increasing.  Not yet disturbing.  At the Benediction and Adoration time after the Mass was a different story.  The noise was terrible.  Shouting, running about, etc.  The decibel level was nearing last night's Wimby Centre Court semi-finals.

Even as I had wanted to stay longer, I did not want since I would end up not praying at all, even probably angry, and anger does not make for good prayer and meditation.  It was bad enough that the morning traffic outside was increasing.

So who were causing the ruckus?  Kids.

Kids.  Don't get so worked up with kids.  No, I am not.  They are immature, less responsible, although I can say that there were probably high school students there as well.  

But they are kids.  I can let that pass.  But, WHERE ARE THE TEACHERS?  WHERE ARE THE ADULTS OF THIS SCHOOL?  

As I walked out, I saw a man who looked like he was an adult, a big man, in dress pants and long-sleeved shirt.  He looked like he would be responsible enough.

So I asked him if these were his students, and he affirmed that.  Then I let him really have it.

(Silly, not that way.)  I told him that Our Lord was there on the altar, at the same time pointing towards Our Lord.   I added that they could show a little more love, and at least reduce the noise, so that the others who wanted to pray can do so.  And I said thanks.  Bless that man for listening.

I walked away, thinking about Our Lord.  He is indeed Lord, having all the patience there on the altar.  A truly Sacred Heart.

Me?  I lost it, and rightly so, because I am far from holy.  Should I just have walked away without saying anything?  I doubt there was anyone else who spoke up, although there were those who looked back at what the noise was all about earlier. But then slowly turned their heads back to Our Lord on the altar.

I hope that man took something from what I told him.  I hope he gets to tell the adults in that school that they teach their students how to behave in Church, even as the Mass has not started.  Especially since Our Lord was on the altar for adoration.  I hope he gets to tell the adults in his school that they be more present so that the kids have better deportment in these similar circumstances.  

It is possible.  Come to Rosevale School and see for yourself.  How much love these kids and teachers have for Our Lord!  And they have regular Mass on the third floor of one of their buildings, not even a church.

I am at awe how students and teachers from two schools in the same city act in so contrasting fashion before Mass.  I sure hope they even out DURING Mass.

I do not know how that played out in the end as I walked away.  The noises from the kids were drowned by the sounds of the cars that whizzed by.

Disclosure:  I help out in Rosevale School in many ways.  This is why I know how they do things there.  Photo was taken some weeks back.  

60 years

This year's feast of Sts Peter and Paul is more special:  it is also the 60th anniversary of the priestly ordination of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI.  We keep him in our prayers, and if we will be at Holy Mass today, offer that Mass too.  He needs our prayers.  We need them too.

It's been long in coming

And somehow, this is not the "coming" yet.  Meantime, here's a link to:

John Hawkins  

10 Ways Conservatives Should Give Liberals Exactly What They Say They Want

There are prayer requests from Dawn here and here.

Nadal: A Post-Abortive Mother’s Agony

Just another link to Dr. Nadal: on a post-abortive mom's comment.

The spin, again

News feature entitled "3 Miss Mandaue winners favor RH bill passage" explains the reasons for the three ladies' support for the RH Bill proposed in the Philippine Congress in so many paragraphs.  

A single line was attributed to the winner's rejection of the RH Bill:  On the other hand, crowned Miss Mandaue Donna Cardino opposed the RH bill because it is against the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Then again, one line says it all, and the same one line to prove her truly worthy of the prize.

Happy Mother's Day!

from Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty: “The most important person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral -- a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body.... The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God's creative miracle to bring new saints to Heaven. Only a human mother can. Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other human creature. God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation.... What on God's earth is more glorious than this: to be a mother.”

Earth Day post

What you may not know about Earth Day, I link you to Paul Kengor's "Sterilizing Those Pesky Humans:  Earth Day with Paul Ehrlich"

That same coercion is happening with Climate Change hysteria.

Happy Birthday Pope Benedict XVI

Happy Birthday Pope Benedict! Today is the big day!

I want to say a big THANK YOU on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI! I'm sure that our prayers together are benefiting the Pope, the Church and ourselves! 

Novena Prayers

Jesus, we pray for our beloved Pope and for his intentions. We pray for his personal intentions and for his April prayer intentions for the entire Church. In solidarity with the Universal Church, we ask that you grant this intention: "That the Church may offer new generations, through the believable proclamation of the Gospel, ever-new reasons of life and hope."

Heavenly Father, you commanded that we make disciples of all nations. We pray for this missionary intention given to us by the Pope: "That missionaries, with the proclamation of the Gospel and their witness of life, may bring Christ to all those who do not yet know Him."

Heavenly Father, we pray for Pope Benedict XVI as this year's World Youth Day approaches. We pray for a New Evangelization of the youth through this year's World Youth Day. Please bless all who attend and all who follow the events from afar. Give your servant Benedict XVI the words to bring all those in attendance closer to Christ.

Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd, Benedict XVI, a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and the Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world.

[Insert your personal petitions for the Pope here]

Let us pray for Benedict, the Pope.

May the Lord preserve him,
give him a long life,
make him blessed upon the earth,
and not hand him over
to the power of his enemies.

May your hand be upon your holy servant.
And upon your son, whom you have anointed.

Our Father …
Hail Mary …
Glory Be …

Amen.

Novena for the Pope, Day 8

The Pope wants you to pray for these intentions. Every month, Pope Benedict XVI specifies two prayer intentions. So, today and tomorrow we will pray for his two intentions for the month of April as we continue to pray for the Pope's birthday! 

Novena Prayers

Jesus, we pray for our beloved Pope and for his intentions. We pray for his personal intentions and for his April prayer intentions for the entire Church. In solidarity with the Universal Church, we ask that you grant this intention: "That the Church may offer new generations, through the believable proclamation of the Gospel, ever-new reasons of life and hope."

Heavenly Father, we pray for Pope Benedict XVI as this year's World Youth Day approaches. We pray for a New Evangelization of the youth through this year's World Youth Day. Please bless all who attend and all who follow the events from afar. Give your servant Benedict XVI the words to bring all those in attendance closer to Christ.

Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd, Benedict XVI, a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and the Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world.

[Insert your personal petitions for the Pope here]

Let us pray for Benedict, the Pope.

May the Lord preserve him,
give him a long life,
make him blessed upon the earth,
and not hand him over
to the power of his enemies.

May your hand be upon your holy servant.
And upon your son, whom you have anointed.

Our Father …
Hail Mary …
Glory Be …

Amen.

Novena for the Pope, Day 7

Have you ever been to World Youth Day? I know a lot of young people heading to Madrid this summer to celebrate their Catholic faith and see Pope Benedict XVI. So, let's pray today for World Youth Day and the Pope's interaction with the young people in the world.

Novena Prayers

Heavenly Father, we pray for Pope Benedict XVI as this year's World Youth Day approaches. We pray for a New Evangelization of the youth through this year's World Youth Day. Please bless all who attend and all who follow the events from afar. Give your servant Benedict XVI the words to bring all those in attendance closer to Christ.

Jesus, you gave to us a great Pope in Benedict XVI. You blessed him with wisdom, insight and intelligence to help guide your Church on an intellectual level. We pray for his ministry as a teacher specifically through his writing. We pray that his writings about you will reach the whole world with your saving message. We pray for a deeper understanding of our faith through the Pope's writings.

Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd, Benedict XVI, a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and the Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world.

[Insert your personal petitions for the Pope here]

Let us pray for Benedict, the Pope.

May the Lord preserve him,
give him a long life,
make him blessed upon the earth,
and not hand him over
to the power of his enemies.

May your hand be upon your holy servant.
And upon your son, whom you have anointed.

Our Father …
Hail Mary …
Glory Be …

Amen.

Novena for the Pope, Day 6

Benedict XVI is a prolific author. His writings are inspirational, educational and powerful for the faithful. Today let us pray for the promulgation of Benedict XVI's writings to more and more people around the world. Let us pray that more Catholics will be attentive to what our Holy Father has to teach us about Christ and let us pray for more non-Catholics to be drawn into the beauty of the faith through his writings. (If you're interested, you can find the Pope's latest book on Jesus here: Jesus of Nazareth, Vol. II)

Novena Prayers

Jesus, you gave to us a great Pope in Benedict XVI. You blessed him with wisdom, insight and intelligence to help guide your Church on an intellectual level. We pray for his ministry as a teacher specifically through his writing. We pray that his writings about you will reach the whole world with your saving message. We pray for a deeper understanding of our faith through the Pope's writings.

Dear Lord, your servant Benedict has given his life for the Church and for You. Please protect his health as he grows older in his pontificate so that he can lead your Church with vitality.

Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd, Benedict XVI, a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and the Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world.

[Insert your personal petitions for the Pope here]

Let us pray for Benedict, the Pope.

May the Lord preserve him,
give him a long life,
make him blessed upon the earth,
and not hand him over
to the power of his enemies.

May your hand be upon your holy servant.
And upon your son, whom you have anointed.

Our Father …
Hail Mary …
Glory Be …

Amen.

Rights of Mother Earth

Could soon be equal to human rights.  

If the UN (finally) will follow the "lead" of Bolivia who recently passed a national law recognizing the rights of "Mother Earth" as equal to human rights.  Incidentally, the UN will try to get this resolved by April 22, the International Mother Earth Day.  A real good source of sacrifice and mortification as it is also Good Friday this year.  Shush, no laughing.

The UN draft says that Mother Earth also has the right to life.  That's well and good.  

But knowing that the UN is supportive of abortion rights, will it be alright to say that there could also be a right to abort whatever fruits Mother Earth may have?  Who will determine what fruits will be "inconvenient" and thus possible of termination?

My vibe is that Mother Earth will be luckier than some human mothers and babies.

Novena for the Pope, Day 5

We are past half way to completing our birthday gift for Papa Benedict. Let's keep going and praying for his Holiness the Pope! 

Novena Prayers

Dear Lord, your servant Benedict has given his life for the Church and for You. Please protect his health as he grows older in his pontificate so that he can lead your us, your Church with vitality.

Prince of Peace, we come to you today to ask for your grace of peace for our Holy Father. There are many problems in the world and in the Church that he must address everyday. We beg you for peace in the world, peace in our hearts as we face the brokenness of a fallen world and peace for the Pope as he shepherds your Church.

Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd, Benedict XVI, a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and the Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world.

[Insert your personal petitions for the Pope here]

Let us pray for Benedict, the Pope.

May the Lord preserve him,
give him a long life,
make him blessed upon the earth,
and not hand him over
to the power of his enemies.

May your hand be upon your holy servant.
And upon your son, whom you have anointed.

Our Father …
Hail Mary …
Glory Be …

Amen.

Birthday Novena for the Pope, Day 4

It's day 4 of the novena for the Pope! Let's pray today for his health. Pope Benedict XVI is not as young as he once was. At 84 he's still quite proactive which is pretty amazing. However, we need to pray that he stays healthy and strong so that he can lead the Church for many more years to come. Long Live the Pope! 

Novena Prayers

Dear Lord, your servant Benedict has given his life for the Church and for You. Please protect his health as he grows older in his pontificate so that he can lead your us, your Church with vitality.
 

Prince of Peace, we come to you today to ask for your grace of peace for our Holy Father. There are many problems in the world and in the Church that he must address everyday. We beg you for peace in the world, peace in our hearts as we face the brokenness of a fallen world and peace for the Pope as he shepherds your Church.

Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd, Benedict XVI, a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and the Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world.

[Insert your personal petitions for the Pope here]

Let us pray for Benedict, the Pope.

May the Lord preserve him,
give him a long life,
make him blessed upon the earth,
and not hand him over
to the power of his enemies.

May your hand be upon your holy servant.
And upon your son, whom you have anointed.

Our Father …
Hail Mary …
Glory Be …

Amen.

"Walang pakialam"

Lea Salonga has been quoted in the papers as saying, in a rally at Ayala Alabang against the barangay ordinance #1 (series of 2011), "Wala namang may pakialam dapat sa nangyayari sa ating mga (No one can interfere on what's happening in our) bedrooms."

Although this rally was not a rally about the proposed RH Bill now in Congress, there were many in the rally who were pro-RH Bill.

Funny, what she says, because this is precisely what the pro-life (anti-RH Bill) groups have been saying all along, that an RH Law will legislate what couples can or cannot do in their bedrooms.

Now, why does Mainstream Media not take her up on that, but aim their guns on pro-lifers who say this of the government if an RH Law is passed?  Double standard, huh?

Voluntary snip, anyone?

PETA, the People Who Eat and Torture Animals, oops, damn spellcheck; People Eating Tasty Animals, not again, damn spellcheck, is offering free vasectomy for one who will have his dog or cat neutered. 

"The best way to combat the companion-animal overpopulation crisis is to have your cat or dog neutered. And with a global population of almost 7 billion humans, more of our species could use a (voluntary) snip too."

This population explosion mythers (I think, lumping up Pro-RH and pro-aborts, and GWA's together with them isn't so bad -- dogs of a whisker?) can think of anything.  Anything towards the agenda of population control.

H/T: Jill