“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.”
TS Eliot
After the success of our country presentation, we spent a lot of time touching base with our Asia-Pacific and International counterparts. Below is a photo of the tireless Caroline Soon (Alpha Catholic Coordinator) and Fr. John, who gave an inspiring roadmap for Alpha in a Catholic Context for the next couple of years in one of the most populous areas on the planet: India.
And here's where the good Lord, in His infinite wisdom and compassion, saw fit to remind us that He also has an appropriately unfathomable sense of humor. Our original itinerary involved leaving KL at around 6 pm, getting to Singapore at around 7 pm, then rousing ourselves for a well-deserved meal the likes of which ministry workers like myself rarely get to indulge in: the world-famous Mandarin Chicken Rice.
Alas, the best-laid plans of mice and men are no match for a divine sense of humor. Our flight was delayed twice. First, our original flight was delayed by an hour, which I didn't mind at all because it gave me a chance to catch up on some work and unwind. However, when our flight did arrive, we were quickly informed (as soon as I had nestled comfortably in my seat) that due to mechanical failure our plane cannot possibly fly that evening. We finally got to leave KLIA at close to midnight, which meant that in order to catch our early morning flight from Singapore to Manila, we would only spend 5 hours at the Meritus Mandarin.
Still, Bobby de Ocampo and I were determined to have our chicken rice. As I was still reeling from his stunning pronouncement hours earlier, when he announced, in his booming baritone, "I want to see if you have balat sa pwet", I let him take the lead in formulating and executing Operation: Chicken Rice. (For non-Filipino readers, here's an account of balat sa pwet that should help you put everything in context.) Finally, at 5:30 am, we enjoyed what is, in my opinion, one of the finest street meals that I have ever enjoyed in the confines of a luxury hotel.
If you're ever in Singapore and you have some time to kill, do pass by the Chatterbox and enjoy their rightfully well-lauded chicken rice. Hopefully, God won't be in as playful a mood as He was in when we visited the Lion City.
Last Monday, I kidnapped my board of trustees in Alpha Philippines and dragged them to Kuala Lumpur to attend a special Alpha gathering hosted by Dato’ Yeoh Seok Hong and Datin Kathleen at the Ritz Carlton on behalf of Rev. Nicky Gumbel and his friends from Alpha International.
Here's a shot of my board, all of whom have been, either reluctantly or joyfully, been taken hostage by the Lord Jesus Christ:
From left to right we have the inimitable John-D Borra, former Finance Secretary Roberto F. de Ocampo, Jun Fernandez, and Alpha Philippines Chairman Salvador B. Zamora II.
Here's a shot where we took intrepid adventurer and Alpha enthusiast Bear Grylls hostage:
From left to right we have my good friend Jonathan Tse, the dashing John-D Borra, Bear Grylls, Bobby de Ocampo, and Jun Fernandez.
While the meetings in themselves were inspiring, the rest of our Asia Pacific sojourn involved, largely, perspiring. I will try to upload photos, and an account of the eight hours we spent in KLIA in another entry. Till then, allow me to express my great joy at having gone through such an amazing couple of days. More posts to come!
How does one celebrate the end of a long week spent serving the different communities that I have willingly partnered with? Certainly one does not celebrate by enumerating the many gaffes, miscues, and trials that marred otherwise successful initiatives such as the Marriage Encounter Weekend in Tagaytay, Alpha International meetings in Kuala Lumpur, or the search for the perfect chicken rice in Singapore.
Rather, let me celebrate both my happy return to the Philippines and the nerditry that I have recently come to embrace by sharing the wonderful stop motion work of Patrick Boivin. Enjoy!
My best friend, fellow ministry worker, and the only member of the Worship Central Mindanao Team to be officially recognized as both a proper noun and a verb, Ralph Lumo, shares his wonderful experiences in both Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon:
Worship is a form of communication with God. This is only possible when one is open to having a relationship with Him. Its expression is through song, music and exultation.
During National Director John Borra’s last visit to Mindanao, he brought with him Magoo del Mundo of Worship Central and members of the Building Bridges Band in order to conduct worship seminars at Malaybalay City, Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro City.
Arriving in Malaybalay at mid-day, the band conducted a seminar for the Youth Alpha members and Adult Alpha. After singing songs of praise and worship and a brief introduction on worship, the band then split the group according to their musical interests.
1. Micah del Mundo conducted a vocals workshop 2. Brian Abenejo tutored piano and keyboard players 3. Pee-wee Vivas taught those who played (or were interested in) guitars 4. Randell Garcia mentored the drummer.
By late afternoon, the hills of Impalambong echoed with voices and sounds of praise and it was with heavy hearts that the group had to depart for the next leg of the seminar.
After coming back from a successful trip to Malaybalay, Bukidnon; the Building Bridges Band were psyched to continue their efforts and proceeded to conduct the second of a series of worship seminars.
The whole day seminar and workshop was held at the Alpha Regional Office and Training Center. There were over 50 participants from different groups and parishes namely: Kahayag sa Diyos community, San Antonio de Padua Parish, People of God community, as well as members from various local bands and music groups.
Like all Alpha activities, we began the day with prayer and worship. The Training Center could barely contain the outpouring of praise and it seemed that the entire building was shaking to its very foundation.
As the group settled down, Magoo shared his knowledge and experience of worship. It was clear from the questions and reactions that there is almost a universal theme both with the positive aspects generated by worship and the negative perception regarding some of the more modern instruments being used by the younger generation of worship leaders: worship should always lead us to praise God.
For the workshop, the band once again divided the group according to their musical interests. It was quite clear that the participants who came from different parishes and communities were excited. Several brought their own instruments. All were eager to learn from the lively facilitators, as well as willing to share their experience in worship. Because of the number of bass players in attendance, Magoo had to teach a workshop with the bass.
Late in the afternoon, the participants all gathered together as the Building Bridges Band showed them how the different aspects of prayer, music, and band dynamics discussed earlier come together in worship. To cap a very fruitful exchange, everyone sang their hearts out in worship as another day ended, this time with new understanding and knowledge, the promise of new and exciting things to come.
Do you really want proof that there is a God? Then how is it that iconic science fiction and unadulterated cheese can coexist peacefully without ripping the space-time continuum?
Impossible? Unlike the more esoteric points of theology, like the often misunderstood Five Ways of St. Thomas Aquinas, the proof is but a click away. Enjoy!
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston offers a thoughtful summary of his opposition to the esteemed university's invitation of President Obama to their commencement rights:
I find the invitation very disappointing. Though I can understand the desire by a university to have the prestige of a commencement address by the President of the United States, the fundamental moral issue of the inestimable worth of the human person from conception to natural death is a principle that soaks all our lives as Catholics, and all our efforts at formation, especially education at Catholic places of higher learning. The President has made clear by word and deed that he will promote abortion and will remove even those limited sanctions that control this act of violence against the human person. The Bishops of the United States published a document a few years ago asking all Catholic universities to avoid giving a platform or an award to those politicians or public figures who promote the taking of unborn human life. Even given the dignity of Office of the President, this offer is still providing a platform and an award for a public figure who has been candid on his pro-abortion views. Particularly troubling is the Honorary Law Degree since it recognizes that the person is a “Teacher,” in this case of the Law. I think that this decision requires charitable but vigorous critique.
As I have written previously, I respect the office of the President of the United States, and profess my admiration for President Obama's accomplishments as a statesman:
While there is much to admire in the newly-minted US president, there is also much which invites concern. It's not enough to mollify conservative Christian elements in the US by choosing a Catholic vice-president, especially a Catholic who invites attention by asserting that "The next Republican that tells me I'm not religious I'm going to shove my rosary beads down their throat."
It's more important to, remarks regarding the use of rosaries for martial purposes notwithstanding, address the valid concerns that these elements raise.
What is President Obama's stand on reproductive health? What is his stand on abortions? Will he encourage a culture that promotes and nurtures life?
However, I cannot condone the anti-life policies that President Obama seeks to promote. It's not a political issue. It's a moral one.
Kudos to Damian Thompson, whose blog steered me to Fr. Z's entry.
"Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial. Melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul. Pessimism is at best an emotional half-holiday; joy is the uproarious labour by which all things live...Christianity satisfies suddenly and perfectly man's ancestral instinct for being the right way up; satisfies it supremely in this; that by its creed joy becomes something gigantic and sadness something special and small."
I celebrate life. Do you?
