2009: Marian Year for Calbayog Diocese

(This columnappears in today's edition of the Leyte-Samar Daily Express)

Hi there! It’s the first day of the last week of the last month of the year. Whew! That was a mouthful, simply put, we are days away to the New Year. And it’s that time of the year when I love those DOH commercial showing the evils of paputok, gross as it may be.

It’s a tradition during this time of the year to recall images or events that made it to the headlines (during the year); and there are a lot of them. For sure the image of a shoe-buckling Dubya would be in the shortlist. Talking about that shoe-throwing incident, what if the reporter (who reportedly is being hailed a hero in his native land) didn’t get too excited and threw the shoes lower, that would have been a different story; like say, at last Dubya has got his own great (un)Presidential moments.

News had it that the Chinese (their Navy, that is) are off to what is dubbed as a historic anti-piracy mission. Movie and music producers don’t rejoice just yet. They will be after the pirates in Somalia. I guess, they are still figuring out how to go after the pirates that gave us those pirated 9-in1 (or something) DVDs, CDs and what have you.

Now here’s something I got from Jay Leno. Hilary has been nominated as State Secretary. There is probability that Bill will be called to testify in Congress (during the confirmation hearing or something). If ever Bill declares (in one such hearing) that he did not have any sexual relationship with that woman, this time the statement is for real. (Smile! It’s days to the new year.)

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In his Christmas message (or was it the homily), the Pope included the plight of the street children. Alas, this phenomenon is not solely that of the Philippines (yup, even Calbayog has her share of these children).

Suddenly it occurred to me, I mean the various TV special or news reports on poverty and / or how hard up some of our countrymen are. There is one thing striking about the images shown in these reports: kun sino pa an waray mga trabaho o dire maupay an trabaho, mao an damo an mga anak. I’m wondering if there is indeed a connection between one’s economic condition in life and one’s being able to practice responsible parenthood.

The way I see it, many of our countrymen are into responsive parenthood. (You take it from there and smile, that line is a joke)

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Year 2009 is the Diocesan Marian Year for the Diocese of Calbayog.Bishop Isabelo Abarquez will make the official declaration during the forthcoming New Year’s Vigil Mass at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral. The thrust for this celebration is “Towards 2010 and beyond: Mary and the Eucharist in the renewal of Family and Society”.

The Vigil Mass will be preceded by a Holy Hour at 8:30 pm. The activity which will be led by the Bishop himself will be followed by the procession and coronation of the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

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Congratulations to Yvone Noelle Sermense. She recently turned 18 years old. Her parents, Councilor and Mrs. Noel Sermense tendered a simple coming-out party for her over the weekend.

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Wedding Bells. Edilberto “Junjun” Cailo, Jr. recently tied the knot with Grecel Baloca. Fr. Mar Tubac, ofm presided over the wedding mass at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral.

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This is it for now. Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! Ciao!