Reverend Monsignori and Fathers: Upon the approval of His Excellency, Most Rev. Jesse E. Mercado, D.D., thru the Diocesan Commission of Liturgy and Popular Religiosity, we would like to forward to you our Prayer Against the Imposition of the Death Penalty. Attached also is a similar prayer drafted by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for your consideration.
Read More
It was in or about 1660, during the early years of Christianity in the Philippines, that the “Simbang Gabi” or the “Misa de Gallo” became a Filipino religious tradition. During Advent, in preparation for the coming of Jesus at Christmas, the missionary friars held nine days of Masses to usher in the event of Christ’s birth. These Masses were celebrated in the early morning hours, typically at about 4:00 AM when the roosters crow to announce the coming of a new day.
Read More
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” (Rom 12:4-6)
In 2017, our diocese will pass the midpoint of our “Decade of New Evangelization” in preparation for the 500th anniversary of the first Eucharist and Baptism in the Philippines.
Read More
Pastoral Exhortation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines to open the Year 2017 as the Year of Parishes, Communion of Communities
BELOVED people of God:
We welcome the year 2017 in our “novena-years” of preparation for the grateful celebration in 2021 of the five hundredth anniversary of the first coming and first receiving among our people of the Gospel of Christ Jesus and of His holy Church.
That forthcoming 2021 celebration, recalling the first Mass and first baptisms in our shores, should be a new and joyous explosion in our lives of faith, hope and love throughout our country. Surely such will be our response to the free and gracious gift from the heavenly Father which made the year 1521, for us Christians first of all, a memorable and incredibly significant “new beginning” in our history.
Read More
During the Installation Mass held at the St. Peregrine Laziosi Diocesan Shrine officiated by the Bishop of the Diocese of Paranaque – Most Rev Bishop Jesse Mercado, DD, Fr. Joel Ma. Morata, OSM professed his faith and publicly expressed his fidelity and obedience to the Diocesan Bishop. Bishop Mercado then handed him the keys to the tabernacle symbolizing his acceptance of the responsibilities as the new parish priest of the St. Peregrine Laziosi Parish.
Read More
Father in heaven,
May the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth.
To you, our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise forever. Amen.
Source: The Catholic Link
Diocese of Parañaque
