The power of the cassock

The other day I shared this on my Facebook account:

I have just confirmed this. There is a grumpy bishop in Metro Manila! He does not want people to either:
a. Kiss his ring or
b. do the traditional mano.
One event was when an elderly lady took his hand to do the mano. The bishop grumpily said "Huwag na huwag mong madakma ang kamay ko!"
Easily heard by the priests and lay who are about to process for the start of the Mass.

And I got this reaction from an FB Friend, Clifford Chua. (He is that guy on the right of the bishop)

yung ganon na bishop dapat hagisin sa isang lugar na walang catolico, duun sila bagay. they do not understand that part of our being obedient is being respectful, and kissing of their ring, or making mano is a traditional way of showing respect. I was accompanying the Archbishop of Yangon [on the picture above, seated, the one on the left.  the bishop on the right is Archbishop Diosdado Talamayan] to Quiapo after his courtesy call to Card. Tagle. the moment we were outside the church people who saw him in sutanae with purple skullcap, many immediately came to kiss his ring. children and the sick were brought to him for blessing. the visit was was suppose to be 1/2 hour but was streched to 1 hour & 15 min when we return to our vehicle, he commented: "its gratifying to be a bishop of the Filipinos."

UPDATE:  December 5, 2013

Here is the actual photo of the adoring people who flocked to give their respects to the bishop




You can see Clifford in the photo again.

Hmmm..he seems to be at the right place at the right time the camera clicks, no?  :)

The bishop really had a great time, no?

Thanks for the photos Clifford!

***

There is this often misattributed quote from Francis and which a meme was made.

The cassock and religious habit is such a powerful tool for evangelization.  It is a powerful statement about the person's (cleric or religious) consecration to the Lord.  Which begs me to ask:  WHY ARE OUR PRIESTS TAKING OFF THEIR CASSOCKS?

This topic has been blogged here for far too long.

CASSOCKS ARE FOR PRIESTS.

HABIT ARE FOR RELIGIOUS.

NOT FOR THE LAITY.

PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS WEAR THEM ALL THE TIME.

I can think a thousand and one reasons why most priests don't wear them anymore.

Don't ask.  It is nasty.

A friend once said "It is sad to know that some priests would want to dress like a layman, and a layman dressing up like a priest."

Now don't ask me too why some laymen would want to parade wearing the cassock or habit.

That too is nasty.

Sad state.

Right Padre?

An Evening with the Cardinal

On his 12th year as a bishop, and 2nd year as Archbishop of Manila, a fund-raising concert for the RCAM housing project.

Last year, it was for the Manila Cathedral's restoration.

Manila Cathedral Basilica Restoration

A sneak preview of the restoration project the Manila Cathedral has undergone.  The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception will have a soft opening this Sunday, December 8, 2013.

Laughed so hard after seeing this

Risa Hontiveros is a VETERAN LOSER.

But we must not let our guards down.

She is still at it.

She is behind the scenes pushing for euthanasia, homosexual marriage and abortion.

Don't mind that joker on that poster.

She's finding a hard time earning extra cash.

If St. Francis Xavier were alive today...

What would most of his Jesuit brothers think of him?

"Hey Francis!  You walk around dressed in a weird Batman cape trying to convert all non-Christians!  What's important is we love one another and we save Mother Earth!"

***

For devotees of the saint, most especially graduates of Xavier School, the body of the saint will once again be displayed to the public as declared by Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao of Goa Daman and Diu.  The exposition at Old Goa will be held next year from November 22, 2014, till January 4, 2015. 

Are you buying tickets?

As you can see in the photo, the body of the saint is not incorrupt anymore as it was when it was discovered.

Here is the photo of the saint's face

The right arm of the saint is now at the Church of the Gesu in Rome.

More photos of Goa Basilica here.

GULP Exam: Mass at Imus Cathedral

What's wrong in this photo?

Answers to be given tomorrow.

Start guessing!

GULP Exam: Advent Wreaths

What's wrong with this picture?

Well, not just the "HOPE" thing hanging on the candle.

Let the discussion begin.  I'll post the answers tomorrow.

GULP Alert: What do we have here Father?

I guess the presentation was really so old it called for an overheard projector!  Haha...

The projector is on the altar, with all other items that the Lord knows what they are.

Whenever I see priests using these projectors when they preach, it is as if, they are admitting that they are not effective preachers and they need the "help" of these technologies to preach during Mass.

Why not?

Yeah why not?

But still.

You can be effective if you know how to drive home the message EVEN without the use of these technologies.

This is the Mass.

Not a retreat.

Not a seminar.

Not a classroom discussion.

The MASS.

And keep that damn thing off the portable altar!

It is not supposed to be there!

He is still at it!

At yesterday's annual Grand Marian Procession, this g?y was again seen.

What will be his defense this time?

The Benedictine Style Altar Arrangement

Seen at the "Solemn Consecration and Dedication" of San Pedro Apostol Parish in the Diocese of San Pablo Laguna.

It's funny how this kind of arrangement is discouraged by Jennifer and her minions. They say only what is needed for the Mass should be on the altar. 

What about a projector? Hahaha!

The INC newsletter caught lying.

What else is new?

I have seen them declare that Jesus Christ loves His flock and He does not want them to suffer eternal damnation.

YET!

They always declare that the Church of Christ apostatized in the 1st century and was only brought back to the pristine teachings of Christ when the rapist Felix Manalo Ysagun declared himself an "angel" of God after his leadership of the cult was in jeopardy.

Rapist Felix was still alive when the first schism happened.

If Christ really cared for His flock, why would He lie when He said that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."  And Christ also said "I will be with you to the end of days."

And they claim they have the assurance of eternal salvation.

Guess my INC friends can start asking for a refund no?

Batasang Pambansa consecrated to Mary

Wow!

It took a while but still...WOW!

Good thing this was done.

So let the haters, start........hating!

***

MANILA, Nov. 28, 2013—Some members of Congress and its employees yesterday consecrated the legislative branch of the Philippines in Quezon City to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in a bid to make amends for the likely effects of the highly controversial Reproductive Health law now known as Republic Act 10354.

Head of the Marian Movement of Priests Philippines, Monsignor Cesar Pagulayan led the act of consecration after a Holy Mass which he believes is an ‘appropriate time’ amid the natural calamities that have recently happened in the country.

“So that’s the concern and I think it would be a good help for those who are working in Congress, if not our Congressmen, to look at Mary during these difficult times,” said Pagulayan.

Pagulayan added that for those people who have faith and are able to read the signs of the times they might be able to make connections with the recent series of calamities.

“And I guess it is really our faith that will make us understand how we should behave right now because if we cannot be changed and our hearts cannot be changed by what has happened in Zamboanga, Bohol and Eastern Visayas, then we already have hardened hearts,” he said.

Marian medals [Miraculous medals?  What kind?] were given to attendees of the consecration.

The Universal Church on Nov. 28 celebrates the feast day of Saint Catherine Laboure the Marian visionary who relayed the request from the Blessed Virgin Mary to create the Miraculous Medal worn by millions of Christians, both Roman Catholic and non-denominational.  [November 27 is the feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, in case we forget.]

Pending final decision of the Supreme Court, calls to declare as unconstitutional were aired against the reproductive health (RH) law, where pork barrel was believed to have been used as “incentive” for legislators to push its approval.

Pagulayan further reiterated that, “we need Mary to touch our heart in order for us to see God speaking to us in the daily events that are going through.

On June 8, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines held a simultaneous national consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary spearheaded by Digos Bishop Guillermo Afable, who headed the ad hoc committee of national consecration. (Raymond Bandril)


***

We need this consecration since Congress is planning to pass a lot of pieces of legislation that literally came off the desk of Lucifer himself!

Abortion, euthanasia, same sex "marriage" are already being cooked up by these legislators who are drooling to have our country experience the moral and demographic winter or may I say "slow death" that Europe is already experiencing.

This is what atheism brings to the country.

EMPTINESS.