“God travels wonderful ways with human beings, but he does not comply with the views and opinions of people. God does not go the way that people want to prescribe for him; rather, his way is beyond all comprehension, free and self-determined beyond all proof. Where reason is indignant, where our nature rebels, where our piety anxiously keeps us away: that is precisely where God loves to be. There he confounds the reason of the reasonable; there he aggravates our nature, our piety—that is where he wants to be, and no one can keep him from it. Only the humble believe him and rejoice that God is so free and so marvelous that he does wonders where people despair, that he takes what is little and lowly and makes it marvelous. And that is the wonder of all wonders, that God loves the lowly…. God is not ashamed of the lowliness of human beings. God marches right in. He chooses people as his instruments and performs his wonders where one would least expect them. God is near to lowliness; he loves the lost, the neglected, the unseemly, the excluded, the weak and broken.” ― (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas).

On this holy night, while we contemplate the Infant Jesus just born and placed in the manger, we are invited to reflect. How do we welcome the tenderness of God? Do I allow myself to be taken up by God, to be embraced by him, or do I prevent him from drawing close? “But I am searching for the Lord” – we could respond. Nevertheless, what is most important is not seeking him, but rather allowing him to seek me, find me and caress me with tenderness. The question put to us simply by the Infant’s presence is: do I allow God to love me? (Pope Francis, December 24, 2014)

Let us give our concerns to our Lord Jesus, giving Him everything in our lives that needs redemption and healing. Let us celebrate His birth in Bethlehem and His coming again and into our lives as the greatest Gift of all, by gratefully receiving the gifts of life and salvation He gives. And, let us rejoice that this Gift of a Savior frees us to be as Christ to our neighbor, making a difference in the lives of others.

May the blessings of the Christ Child bring you peace and joy in this Christmas Time and in the coming New Year 2018! And may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus!

On December 22, 2017, thye typhoon “Vinta” passed through Cagayan de Oro City, causing many people to move to the evacuation centers prepared by the local government. This is how it looked the center of Cagayan de Oro in the mid-morning on Friday, December 22.

On December 8, 2017, the Immaculate Conception Parish in Aluba, Cagayan de Oro, celebrated its Patronal Feast of Immaculate Conception. The concelebrated Mass was presided by Fr. Francis Pupkowski, SCJ, while the homily was delevered by Fr. Patrick Gutib, SCJ, both from the neighbour Sacred Heart Formation House.

At the end of the Holy Eucharist, the parishioners renewed their Act of Dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, followed by floral offering and common meal.

The Immaculate Conception Parish in Aluba is being administered by the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (SCJs) since June 1, 2011. At the moment Fr. Janusz Burzawa is the Parish Priest and is assisted by Fr. Niño Etulle, Deacon Rev. Nathanael Robilla, and a seminarian on exposure Fra. Julius Socorro, SCJ.

On November 27, 2017, the Chaplaincy of St. Pope John Paul II in Talisay, Hilongos, Southern Leyte, was elevated the rank of Quasi-Parish, with a new name Miraculous Medal Parish.

According to the Canon Law:

A Parish is defined as a certain community of the Christian faithful stably constituted in a particular church, whose pastoral care is entrusted to a pastor (parochus) as its proper pastor under the authority of the diocesan bishop (Can. 515 §1). This canonical definition expresses the important elements of a parish as follows;
1. It is a community of the Christian faithful. The sacred church building does not constitute alone a parish but rather the Christian Faithful that has been called together to be nourished and to bear witness the Word of God in the community.
2. It is territorial in nature belonging to a particular church which is the diocese. Hence it does not act as an autonomous entity. It follows certain ecclesiastical boundaries in order to establish the competence of the pastor and to give convenience to the faithful.
3. It should have a proper pastor who is in charge of the pastoral care of the faithful. He should see to it that Christian faithful are well guided and nourished with the Joy of the Gospel through the pastoral and spiritual programs of the parish.
4. The pastor acts under the authority of the diocesan bishop. The pastor should always maintain his good relationship with his bishop. He should never make any decision nor action that are in contrary to the statutes and practices of the diocese especially in terms of legal matters.

Unless the law provides otherwise, a quasi-parish is equivalent to a parish; a Quasi-Parish is a definite community of the Christian faithful in a particular church, entrusted to a priest as its proper pastor but not yet erected as a parish because of particular circumstances (Can. 516 §1). The definition of the quasi-parish almost follows the same important elements as that of a parish, though it is not yet decreed as such for some pastoral reasons. It is temporary in nature for it may be a preparatory stage for a parish, if all the requirements and conditions prescribed by the diocesan bishop, through his prudent judgment, had been fulfilled.

The “Decree of Establishment”, signed by the Bishop of Maasin, Most Rev. Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD,   was read at the beginning of the Holy Eucharist by the Chancellor of the Diocese Fr. Alexes Villarubin, JCL. The concelebrated Mass was presided by Msgr. Oscar A. Cadayona, the Vicar General from Maasin. Among the concelebrants were Msgr. Antonio M. Gaviola, PC, the Pastor – Moderator of Hilongos Parish, Fr. Conrado C. Saavedra, Jr., Fr. Francis Pupkowski, SCJ, Fr. Joseph Butlig, SCJ, Fr. Patrick Gutib, SCJ, Fr. Arthur Guevara, SCJ and Fr. Christopher Alburo, SCJ.