PAGPADALAGANSANG ATON PAROKYAHalin sang pag-abot ko ad hoc palang ang aton pastoral council. Mayginhiwat kita nga pastoral assemblynga may mga ngalan na sang mga“suggested names” para sa atoncouncil. Ginpabutyag man ang paginventorysang mga galamiton sangconbento kag simbahan. Gintinguhapamatian reklamo sa mganagkaladula nga kutsara, buka ngapingan, kag baso. Nag-untat sa oleheang pagpadayon nga paglista si<strong>ni</strong>.Sa pinaka-olehe nga meeting nagtuhawang mga pamangkot sa mga kagamitansang parokya kag simbahan. Nakibotako sang pamangkot kay wala gidginreport sa akon sa sulod sang lima kobulan ang kahimtagan sang tanan ngamga pagkabutang sang simbahan. Saduha ka pagtinguha sang meeting walaman sang quorum. Sa si<strong>ni</strong> nga bulannagpakita ang duha ka anay katapo sangnagligad nga Finance Council nga mayila na nga pag-angkon sang mgapagkabutang sang simbahan ngaginhatag sa ila sang amo man ngafinance council. Daw nagtay-og mansang akon nga pagtoo nga may papelna sila nga kasugtanan nga may ila nanga mga pagkabutang. Akon sila ginpaandamannga handa bala kamo sa mgaindi mauntat nga pamangkot sang mgatumuloo. Ang ila sabat kay ginhatagman lang sa ila. Kag dugang pa inde akoconporme sa ila tanan mga panabat.Sa akon isip diin na bala angmatahum nga consepto sang“stewardship” sang aton simbahan?Luyag ko lang anay amat-amat ipaathagkon ano gid bala ang FinanceCouncil. Sa simple ko lang nga ihibaloindi man i<strong>ni</strong> “admi<strong>ni</strong>strative body ordecision making body.”Liwat-liwaton ko paathag angkatuyuan sang “u<strong>ni</strong>versal church.” I<strong>ni</strong>isa ka sampling halin sa Diocese ofCharlotte, U.S.A.2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>20</strong>- <strong>26</strong>, <strong>20</strong>101. The Parish Finance Council is aconsultative body of laypersons established to advisethe Pastor in matterspertai<strong>ni</strong>ng to the financialaffairs of the parish. Therelationship between the Pastorand the council is one of supportand collaboration. The authority ofthe Pastor is not dimi<strong>ni</strong>shed by theestablishment of the ParishFinance Council.2. The Parish Finance Council iscomposed of the Pastor, as an exofficiomember, and not less thanthree reputable and practicingmembers of the parishknowledgeable and skilled infinancial matters. Membership is byappointment of the Pastor. Membersserve for a three-year term and may beappointed to a second three-year term.The Chairperson is appointed for a termof one year and may be reappointed.Another sampling:“Jesuit Father Jack Morris, who hasserved in the Northwest for decadesand was a missionary in Africa,famously calls money “the lifeblood of the church.”“Jesus’ apostles had a treasurer —Judas Iscariot. Today, the churchaims for better financial advice-givers.Canon law calls for parishes to havea council of at least three experts infinancial affairs. Members are to be“outstanding in integrity.”“Appointed by the pastor, financial councilmembers are usually accountants,professional investment advisors, taxattorneys or property managers.”Buot silingon sang “support andcollaboration” magbinuligay kagmagsuporta sa kaayohan sang bilognga parokya. Ang pagsalig sa isa kagisa bilang katapo sang consejonagapalayo sa pagbinantayanay, pagisipaykag pag-angkonanay sangtagsa-tagsa. Paano naton mapauswagang “resources” sangsimbahan agud mapadayon kagmapasangkad ang mga programasang parokya? Halimbawa angkatekesis naton masalig lang bala kitasa amot sang mga tumuloo sa mgaMisa sang Domingo? Pila gid lang angmga “catechists” naton sa mga publicschools? Ginahanglan dugang nga“catechists” kag ila man mgaallowances kag mga updating.Dako pa gid ang family catechesis sapagsabat sa “sex education” ngaginaduso sang Dep Ed sa mgakabataan subong. Ipanagtag langsang simbahan ang iya pagkabutang?Ang parokya may utang pa nga dapatbayaran sa milyon ka pesos sanatapos nga “renovation project.”Indi bala may “tithing” sang una ngaginahimo sang wala pa ga<strong>ni</strong> mag-abotang aton Ginoo?Kon kaisa baliskad kag makahuluyaang matabo kon ginahimo “milkingcow” gatasan o bahin sang “personalbusiness” ang simbahan. Kon maluyao mahuyang ang “human justice”may “divine justice”, “divineretribution” man. Kon may“transparency” kita sa “<strong>Wings</strong>” ngaamay iban nga luyag magdemandasang ila “right to own churchproperties” or “share in the coffers ofthe church?” Ang isa ka abogadonagkomentar indi lang i<strong>ni</strong> “legalissue” kondi “moral issue man” AngGinoo nagsiling sa Templo sangJerusalem: Mat 21:13 “And said untothem, It is written, My house shall becalled the house of prayer; but youhave made it a den of thieves.” “Angakon balay mangin balaypalangamuyuan kag ginhimo <strong>ni</strong>nyo i<strong>ni</strong>palanagu-an sang mga makawat.”para sa inyo mga commentaryo ukon suhestyon, palihog padala si<strong>ni</strong> sa The Editor, Wing!, St. Vincent <strong>Ferrer</strong> Parish, Leganes, Iloilo. O pwede <strong>ni</strong>nyo i-email sa catholicwings@aol.com
TAKE UP YOUR CROSS____________STEVE C. FERNANDEZ, REFLECTIONSWhere Jesus is in today’s Gospel of Luke? He ispraying in a deserted place by the Sea of Galilee. Heasks His disciples who do people say He is. In replythey tell Him that to some He is John the Baptist, tosome he is Elijah, and to others He is one of theprophets who have come to life. These opi<strong>ni</strong>onswhich the people hold for their master is but indicativeof the fame which He is enjoying and the respectwhich people have for Him.After knowing the people take Him for, Jesus asksHis disciples who they think He is to them. In responsePeter, the spokesman of the group, unequivocallydeclares: “You are the Messiah.” This is whatwe know as Peter’s confession of faith which is alsomentioned in the other synoptic Gospels of Markand Matthew.The word messiah in Greek is Kristos which meansAnointed One. Peter is thinking in political terms giventhe expectation of Jews of the kind of Messiah to comedespite references in Isaiah to ma suffering Messiah tocome. Peter seen Jesus as a political or earthly kingwho would liberate Israel from the clutches of foreigndomination with Him reig<strong>ni</strong>ng as king in Jerusalem.Immediately coming on the heels of Peter’scondession, Jesus makes no bones of His impendingfate to make clear His Missiahship. He says:“The Son of Man will suffer greatly and will be rejectedby the elders, the chief priests, and the Scribersand be killed and on the third day be raised. “Withthis stun<strong>ni</strong>ng revelation of tragic things befalling Him,we just can imagine the horror and the shock wavesstriking the heart of Peter who looks at Him as theking who will restore the line of David whom Godthrough the prophet Nathan promised an everlastingthrone and dynasty. That is why Peter, scandalizedby the idea that the Messiah will suffer die, takesJesus aside and rebukes Him in Mark’s account.Indeed to the Jews the idea that the Messiah willsuffer is but unthinkable and too much to bear. Tothem such a suffering Messiah cut a preposterousfigure. But what has St. Paul to say in light of such aludicruous idea to the Jews and even to the Gentiles?“The foolishness of God is wiser than humanwisdom and the weakness of God is stronger thanhuman strength. “Yes, if the Son of man has to treadon the path of suffering, it is to reveal God’s unfathomableand in estimable love for mankind.After disclosing His destiny, Jesus gives out an invitationto His disciples and others who want to followHim. This He says: “If any one wishes to follow me,he should deny himself, take up his cross daily, andfollow me. “Jesus is saying that those who want tobe His disciples, they should follow His footsteps onthe way of the cross. They must have their ownpassion and death. Discipleships are cruciform.Surely life is not without crosses. They are but part ofour human existence. They came everyday, touchingthe young, the old, the rich, the poor, etc. They arethe things which give us pain, difficulty, sorrow, burden,etc. They may be our problems with regard toour children and even spouses, our responsibilitieswhich go with our status or stations in life, our physicalimpediments, the hardship of life, etc. They are thereto test our patience, our perseverance, our resiliency,our faith, etc.As long as we live there will always be problems forsure. We cannot be detached from the shadow ofthe cross. Perhaps it is not juts right to ask God tofree us from problems. There are you know twokinds of people here on earth who practically haveno problems those in cemeteries and those in mentalinstitution. So to ask God not to give problems is ineffect asking Him to end our life or make us insane.Instead we must pray for the grace of strength toface the problems which come our way. Becauseproblems are always there, the Lord is also thereinviting us to come to Him that He may make thingslight or easier for us to bear.It is just a matter of facing squarely and acceptingthese unpleasant things which happens to us someof which can still be changed and some can no longerbe. IN light of this our prayer has to be like this: “Lord,give me the courage to change the things I can; thesere<strong>ni</strong>ty to accept the things I can no longer change;and the wisdom to know the difference. “These problemsor crosses of life can be used as treasure forus the life beyond to buy life everlasting.We must embrace these crosses which come ourway. They are more meritorious than the one whichwe want to take. It is because God allow them tohappen to us. They must be God’s will. Whereasthe things we want to do involve own will.If we want to follow Christ w should not say die howeverheavy and difficult load and daunting our problems maybe. All we have to do is remember Christ and u<strong>ni</strong>te oursuffering, difficulties, and sacrifices with those of His own.We need not look for martyrdom, persecution, andtragedies to follow Him or His footsteps. To face andaccept our crosses with stoical fortitude and unrelentingcourage and offer them before God is enough to showfaith in Christ. Only then can our sacrifices and sufferingtake on a salvific value.As St. Paul says, “if we arechildren of God, then we are heirs of God and fellowheirs with Christ provided we suffer with Him that wemay be glorified with Him.If we love Christ we must follow His footsteps on theway of the cross. Our suffering bravely borne is ourresponse to God’s call to share in Christ’s Pascalmystery. The bible says, “Eye has not seen nor earhas heard neither has entered into the heart of man thethings that are in store for those who love Christ”.Pagbalay sang Music Mi<strong>ni</strong>strySadtong nagligad nga Hunyo 12, <strong>20</strong>10,naghimo sang pagtililipon ang aton mgachoir diri sa aton parokya. Nagtililipon angSVF choir, Charismatic Group choir, JerusalemMass Barkdahan choir kag angnagakanta sa aton third mass nga misa ngaamo ang kombinasyon sang SVF, charismatic,JMB kag CYO. Sa si<strong>ni</strong>ng mga grupo,sobra mga 30 ka mga katapo angnagtambong agod nga mahatagan singkahigayunan nga matukod sing nagakaigoi<strong>ni</strong>ng aton nga Music Mi<strong>ni</strong>stry. Kay sa subongmaukod sila nga nagakanta sa tion sang atontagsa ka misa pero nagahimo sila sangnagkalain-lain nga grupo nga mangin timaansang indi pag-isa sang tanan. Ga<strong>ni</strong>gintinguhaan gid nga i<strong>ni</strong> matipon kagmabalay sang husto.Sa si<strong>ni</strong>ng pagtililipon, ginpaathag angistraktura kag ang status sang Music Mi<strong>ni</strong>strysang aton mapisan kag walanagapaghuway nga Lay missionary nga siBro.Gerry Monera. Ginpaathag sa ila ngai<strong>ni</strong>ng grupo sang choir dapat mangin isa langka mi<strong>ni</strong>stry nga amo ang Music Mi<strong>ni</strong>stry.Nangin dinapit nga manughambal si Sis.Serafica Tolentino,OP, principal or Deansang Domi<strong>ni</strong>can College dira sa Zarraga.Iya ginhatagan sing dugang nga ihibalo angmga katapo natuhoy pa gid sa atonpagpasanyog sang aton Mi<strong>ni</strong>stry, sa ilapagkanta kag ang mga pamatasan ngamangin maayo ka nga katapo si<strong>ni</strong>ng mi<strong>ni</strong>stry.Naghatag man sang mensahe ang atonKura Paroko sa si<strong>ni</strong>ng pagtililipon. Anghingapusan nga bahin sang pagtililipon amoang pagpi<strong>ni</strong>liay sang mangin officers sangMusic Mi<strong>ni</strong>stry agod nga talunsay sila ngamakapadayon sang ila pag-alagad nga maynagakaigo nga pagpalakad.Ginahandum nga matapos i<strong>ni</strong>ng ngapagtadlong sang Music Mi<strong>ni</strong>stry sangparokya, amat-amat man natonmatinguhaan nga matukod sang nagakaigoang mga choir sang mga barangay chapelsnga may bulanan nga Misa. Nga kasubongdiri sa aton sa banwa, amo man katahumsang ila paghimo sang ila santos nga Misa.Sa sina, ang aton mga hilikuton diri sasimbahan, maangot tanan sa mga hilikutonman sa tagsa ka barangay. Kabay ngamagbuligay kita agod aton maplastar singmaayo i<strong>ni</strong>ng aton mga mi<strong>ni</strong>stry agod manginsystematic ang aton mga hilikuton. Paagi saaton pagpakigbahin kag paghimakas,madihon gid naton i<strong>ni</strong> sing husto.<strong>June</strong> <strong>20</strong>- <strong>26</strong>, <strong>20</strong>103