My association with the Philippines – its people, their history and their continuing struggle – is the most pervasive and transforming influence in my life.
KAALAGAD Gospel Reflection – Matthew 10: 16-33 16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them...
KAALAGAD Gospel Reflection – Matthew 17:1-9 1After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4Peter said to Jesus, “LORD, it...
KAALAGAD Gospel Reflection – Luke 21:5-19 5 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6 “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.” 7 So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what...
KAALAGAD Gospel Reflection – Holy Family Sunday. Luke 2:41-52 41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it...
KAALAGAD Gospel Reflection – Luke 10:38-42 38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the LORD’s feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “LORD, don’t you care that my...
KAALAGAD Gospel Reflection – Mark 10: 13-30 the children 13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you...
Who will listen to our cryAs we lie abandoned at the edge of the abyssOur land takenOur homes demolishedOur children hungryWe wander as outcasts fromDenuded forest to polluted sea fromFlooded slum to slave factoryWill you listen to our cry We hear the multitude of words from Parliament and pulpit Barren rhetoric on the need for reform Blessings on the poor as the chosen of God But we are as a...
and all those who have disappeared Fr Rudy Romano was a Filipino Redemptorist Priest – and a colleague – who advocated on behalf of the poor. He was abducted by government agents in 1985. No trace of him has been found, no one brought to account for his death. Like countless others. As fruit from the tree of lifeYou were violently plucked in the dark hoursWhen evil stalks by the light...
The Children’s Rehabilitation Centre was established during the time of Martial Law in the Philippines to care for children traumatized by the violence of the military and pro-military groups. Many of these were orphaned, witnesses to the violent death of their parents. Blessed are the children They are mine says the Lord Created in the darkness of the womb To live in the light of freedom...
Eddie was a little boy I met on Smokey Mountain on Good Friday 1986. Smokey Mountain was the Manila garbage dump situated in barangay Tondo, Manila. All day, every day, garbage trucks unloaded their cargo of rubbish on top of the “mountain” and the residents scavenged among this garbage for their livelihood. In the hot months the mountain smoldered and little fires would break out because of the...