I remember a conversation a group of priest had about arriving late for presiding at the celebration of the Mass. While most of us said it was so embarrassing to start the mass 10 or 15 minutes late, one of us said he was never late for mass. And we inquired how come he was able to do that when almost all of us have been late at least once? With a big smile on his face this priests said: “Well, the mass will not begin without me!” And we all laughed.

Trite as it may sound, there is an important truth that story teaches: The Eucharist and the priesthood are inseparable. They were born together. At the Last Supper Jesus instituted the two sacraments we now call Eucharist and priesthood. The link between the two is so deep and essential. Without the priesthood, there would be no Eucharist. And without the Eucharist, there is no priesthood.

This year, the theme we have chosen for our parish fiesta celebration of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is “The Eucharist and Priesthood: Gifts of God for the Life of the World.” We have chosen to include the priesthood with the Eucharist because Pope Benedict XI has declared 2009-10 as the Year of the Priest. As a parish community, it’s important that we think about and reflect upon something very familiar to us yet at the same very mystifying and perplexing.

Priests have been involved in many activities and varied concerns. Aside from baptizing babies or officiating at weddings, there are priests who also do other things. In Haiti, there is a priest who became the president of that country. Here in the Philippines, there is Fr. Joaquin Bernas considered the foremost expert on our constitution. Another priest on-leave, Ed Panlilio, is the governor of the province of Pampanga. Many other priests are doing many different things. Some are teachers or administrators of schools and universities. Others are artists and musicians. There are those who are scientists and doctors. A good number are writers as well. Whatever they are doing, there is one thing that they will always keep doing because that’s what they are about: to preside at Eucharist. Priests were ordained to offer the holy sacrifice of the mass. Pope John Paul II writes about the priesthood originating during the Last Supper, “At the Last Supper we were born as priests….We were born from the Eucharist. If we can truly say that the whole Church lives from the Eucharist…we can say the same thing about the ministerial priesthood: it is born, lives, works and bears fruit “de Eucharistia.” There can be no Eucharist without the priesthood, just as there can be no priesthood without the Eucharist.” (Letter to Priests for Holy Thursday 2004).

When we speak of priests, the one that comes to mind right away is the ordained priest. He presides at the celebration of the Eucharist every Sunday we go to church. He is the one who baptized us, gave us first communion, absolved our sins at confession, married our children and blessed our godparents during their funeral. Indeed, the ordained priest makes Christ present in a sacramental way whenever the Eucharist is celebrated. But there is also a priesthood which the church calls the priesthood of the faithful, that is, all the baptized believers.

In his homily during the first day of our parish fiesta Triduum masses, Bishop Pablo David spoke of the relationship of the Eucharist and the priesthood. He pointed out that what makes the Eucharist different from any other food is that as food is eaten we chew it, digest it and change it as a substance and nutrient that becomes part of us. With the Eucharist, we do not change it into anything but it changes us into something new and better. We become holy as we take seriously what the Eucharist challenges us to become. We become the body of Christ. And if we become another Christ that means we become the priest that Jesus is who now offers a different sacrifice. Unlike before where the offered lamb or any other animal dies and is burned, this time around the high Priest who is Christ becomes the lamb and offering who sacrifices his own self. A priest is called sacerdos in Latin and it means “a holy giving or sacrifice.” We are made holy by the Eucharist because it is the sacrifice or self-giving of Jesus who made himself both the priest and the offering at the same time.

In a unique and special way, we share in the priesthood of Christ whenever we moved away from our own little world, start seeing the world of others and how we can enter it and bring Jesus there. Whenever we allow sacrifice to be part not only of our vocabulary but the way we live and do things, we become part of Jesus our high priest. It is in this way that we share in the priesthood of Jesus because we as a people offer ourselves as spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.

Let me end with the story of Bishop David at the end of his homily at the first day of our fiesta Triduum mass. A priest placed at the Adoration Chapel a quotation from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. It was a long quotation but he decided to just place the first part which says: “We hold a treasure….” A thief so it and took a peek inside the adoration chapel and saw the monstrance made of gold where the sacred host is placed. In the middle of the night, he had his chance. He broke in, took the golden monstrance but left behind the sacred host. The following morning the sacristan saw what happened and called the priest.  People who came to pray saw the monstrance was gone and they panicked. When the priest got there and checked the adoration chapel he discovered the sacred host was left behind by the thief thinking probably it was worth nothing! So to calm the parishioners the priest told them: “Don’t worry. The thief did not get the treasure. He only got the container.” The Eucharist and the priesthood are our treasures.

At every celebration of the mass, the priest makes Jesus present in a very real and unparalleled way. Those of us who come to celebrate the Eucharist and share in the priesthood of Christ, whether as an ordained or as a lay faithful, bring that presence to those we encounter.  In doing that, we make the Eucharist and the priesthood gifts of God for the life of the world. Happy Parish Fiesta to all of you!

The multiplication of loaves was mentioned in all four gospels of the bible. However, there is inconsistency in the number of bread and fish multiplied mentioned by the evangelists. In Matthew’s account, there are seven loaves of bread and two fish whereas in the accounts of John, Mark, and Luke, there are five loaves of bread and two fish. The inconsistency is also found in the number of  baskets of leftovers.  In the former there are seven baskets, in the latter, there are twelve.

It may not mathematically make sense. How can  seven loaves of bread and two fish, or five loaves and two fish, feed four thousand or five thousand mouths?

Maybe it is because they shared. The people only ate what they needed. Perhaps many of them gave their share to the others who needed it more. Or, many of them actually brought their own food and shared it with their neighbors. It is possible that because of these unwritten events, the five loaves of bread and the two fish was more than enough to feed the five thousand followers.

What is the moral of the story? That in each and  every one of us, there is an abundance of gifts that God gave to us to share. Just as the sharing between the people who followed Jesus multiplied the loaves of bread and the few pieces of fish, sharing our blessing in effect multiplies it so that many will be able to  receive and experience it.

By Ma. Teresa Torres

For those not in the know, “bilog” is a kind of endearment which U.P. parishioners, especially those from the more distant puroks or areas, have accorded to the Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice.  The term is appropriate, because the structural design is round or circular in form.  The shape is circular, with the altar located at the center, which is surrounded by the communion rail. Even the pews follow a circular contour. The roof is domed. The rotund shape, so uniquely different from the conventional and rectangular design of most churches, is considered to be a pioneering endeavour.  The UP Chapel antedated and perhaps facilitated the conceptualization and construction of the “Big Dome” or the Araneta Coliseum.

Anyway, my purpose is to stress the uniqueness and importance of our church. It is not my purpose to argue with parishioners who believe in the post-Vatican doctrine that “church” is not the physical structure but the people of God who comprise it.  I wish to add quickly that even so, the physical church has not lost its relevance or lustre as a place of worship, where Mass and all other feasts of the Church are celebrated, including the solemnizing of the sacraments. In fact, from both historical and aesthetic perspectives, we continue to wonder at the beauty and grandeur of well-preserved churches such as San Agustin in Intramuros and St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.  Our church has been accorded the status of a historical shrine by the National Historical Commission, particularly because the unique church design and engineering, including the art pieces in it, are the handiwork of national artists.

In fairness to the good work of previous parish priests who did their best to maintain the church and its premises, there was a perception some years back that there was apparent deterioration as depicted in a series of articles run by Architect Paolo Alcazaren in his column, “City Sense” in the Philippine Star sometime in 2007. Maintenance and rehabilitation has been one of the priority projects of the current parish priest, Rev Fr Raymond L.  Arre. In the very fist year of his term as parish priest, Fr Raymond launched a fund-raising project called “Shellter project” that generated some six million pesos, a large chunk of which went into the rehabilitation of the water leaks in the domed roof, the repainting of the outer shell as well as the inner ceiling and acoustical shell.

What does one notice nowadays in the physical qualities of the church?  A gleaming white outer dome in lieu of its mossy look, a white-as-snow inner shell, improved acoustics and communication system, well-lighted stations of the cross murals by Manansala, plant and flower-laden ledges on significant occasions, and  improved ventilation by installing clusters of quiet electric fans oscillating in various directions.  These fans are located in the aisles and are meant to replace the old and noisy fans which get in the way of the liturgy.

I am sharing these impressions partly to help document recent occurrences in the parish. I also believe that improving the physical aspects of the church help create an appropriate climate for worship. (For feedback, please email npilar@ndcp.edu.ph or parishoftheholyscarifice@yahoo.com.)

For those not in the know, “bilog” is a kind of endearment which U.P. parishioners, especially those from the more distant puroks or areas, have accorded to the Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice.  The term is appropriate, because the structural design is round or circular in form.  The shape is circular, with the altar located at the center, which is surrounded by the communion rail. Even the pews follow a circular contour. The roof is domed. The rotund shape, so uniquely different from the conventional and rectangular design of most churches, is considered to be a pioneering endeavour.  The UP Chapel antedated and perhaps facilitated the conceptualization and construction of the “Big Dome” or the Araneta Coliseum.

Anyway, my purpose is to stress the uniqueness and importance of our church. It is not my purpose to argue with parishioners who believe in the post-Vatican doctrine that “church” is not the physical structure but the people of God who comprise it.  I wish to add quickly that even so, the physical church has not lost its relevance or lustre as a place of worship, where Mass and all other feasts of the Church are celebrated, including the solemnizing of the sacraments. In fact, from both historical and aesthetic perspectives, we continue to wonder at the beauty and grandeur of well-preserved churches such as San Agustin in Intramuros and St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.  Our church has been accorded the status of a historical shrine by the National Historical Commission, particularly because the unique church design and engineering, including the art pieces in it, are the handiwork of national artists.

In fairness to the good work of previous parish priests who did their best to maintain the church and its premises, there was a perception some years back that there was apparent deterioration as depicted in a series of articles run by Architect Paolo Alcazaren in his column, “City Sense” in the Philippine Star sometime in 2007. Maintenance and rehabilitation has been one of the priority projects of the current parish priest, Rev Fr Raymond L.  Arre. In the very fist year of his term as parish priest, Fr Raymond launched a fund-raising project called “Shellter project” that generated some six million pesos, a large chunk of which went into the rehabilitation of the water leaks in the domed roof, the repainting of the outer shell as well as the inner ceiling and acoustical shell.

What does one notice nowadays in the physical qualities of the church?  A gleaming white outer dome in lieu of its mossy look, a white-as-snow inner shell, improved acoustics and communication system, well-lighted stations of the cross murals by Manansala, plant and flower-laden ledges on significant occasions, and  improved ventilation by installing clusters of quiet electric fans oscillating in various directions.  These fans are located in the aisles and are meant to replace the old and noisy fans which get in the way of the liturgy.

I am sharing these impressions partly to help document recent occurrences in the parish. I also believe that improving the physical aspects of the church help create an appropriate climate for worship. (For feedback, please email npilar@ndcp.edu.ph or parishoftheholyscarifice@yahoo.com.)

By Nes Pilar

This article is especially written for students. Listen up all you ambitious, competitive, grade-conscious students, as I am about to share with you the most useful news you would want to hear as you begin the new academic year (or for freshies, as you begin your UP life). Have you ever dreamed of becoming the most brilliant student, one who is praised and respected by both professors and students? What is it about these students whose names appear every semester in their respective colleges’ list of University Scholars and College Scholars? Why can they make it? Why are they so lucky? Guess what friends—it is may be luck that works in their lives. But if you think you are one unlucky creature, don’t despair for you too can be as shining, glowing and sparkling as those lucky ones. Let them embrace the luck they have for you have something grander and more fantastic to embrace. But first let me tell you how I met this being you will soon want to embrace.

It was around 6 in the afternoon on a certain Tuesday dated the 14^th of July this year when I heard this news which I am sharing with you. As I listen to our new Campus Ministry Head, Fr. Mike Ty, I am slowly hearing the best news I need to learn as I start the academic year. For ambitious, competitive and grade conscious people like me, (yes, I admit to being a grade conscious kid who computes my grade average every end of each semester to mark my target grades in the remaining subjects of my curriculum. GC, right?) I realize that although it may help to have some vision of the grades we want to achieve for each of our subjects, nothing beats entrusting the Holy Spirit to work his magic in our works so these would be even better than we dreamed it would be. We do not need luck to help us become dazzlingly brilliant creatures worthy of admiration and respect from our professors and fellow students. It is the Holy Spirit whom we need to help us grow into the best person we can be.

As Fr. Mike puts it, if only we let the Holy Spirit join us in our dance of pursuing a good academic life, our dreams of honor, of a gold medal, of a certificate are actually just simple dreams which are easily attainable. They are easy enough to attain that you might as well ask for bigger dreams. Sky is the limit, if your genie is the Holy Spirit.

In the end, all our worries are useless. All our problems, issues and hang ups are no more than a speck of dust that we can easily brush off if we have the Holy Spirit guiding us in our everyday lives. When we think about it thoroughly, the very big question that we ask of life is actually to have, quoting Fr. Mike, “an untroubled heart”, a heart of calm and peace. And this untroubled heart comes from having the Holy Spirit dance with us, “from having a deep relationship with God”. It is only when we embrace God’s love through a deep relationship with Him that we can have our biggest dream fulfilled.

By Kristine Turado

I remember when I was little, I used to pronounce kindergarten as “kindergarden”. My computer is currently highlighting the quoted word with a red underline and I’m sure your computer would do that too. Yes, indeed kindergarden is unacceptable. It is a wrong spelling (or a mistaken diction in my case). However, further research informs me that I may be excused for this error. This is because the word kindergarten actually means “child’s garden” in German. So please excuse me since the word kindergarden is apparently faithful to the origin of the word kindergarten.

Today, hearing the word kindergarten does not make us think of a child’s garden anymore. Today we think of kindergarten as a first school. It is a learning institution. And we think in such manner for good reason. Kindergarten is exactly the place young children should be if they want to learn in preparation for formal education. The kindergarten program started and developed thanks to Friedrich Froebel of Germany who thought that play comes with learning. This theory of two in one package—i.e. play inevitably comes with learning – endures even in modern times. That is why we see plenty of advertisements from the internet or televisions promising a colorful and happy atmosphere for little kids to spend half of each of their weekdays just playing, having fun and learning new things.

All these learning experience and fun play, plus an extra bonus are exactly what the Parish pre-school named Parish of the Holy Sacrifice Outreach Program (PHSOP) offers. PHSOP is not a new institution. It has been established for years already. It has continuously developed and re-invented itself to meet the changing times of the new generations it caters to. But its purpose has not changed. It remains true to its vision of being a Christ-centered venue for the holistic development of young children. Its mission is “to provide a quality child-centered education founded on the values taught by the Gospels and the Catholic Tradition of the Holy Sacrifice Parish Community.” This pre-school shall be a transitory bridge for children to extend their world at home with their family and accommodate more friends, playmates, experiences and challenges. The pre-school, complementing their home environment, shall be the children’s extended avenue for growth physically, socially and spiritually. PHSOP aims at providing opportunities for children to form their reading and comprehension skills, addition and other simple basic arithmetic skills, creative talents, motor abilities, social skills and communication skills. Along with these is the aim of enriching the children’s knowledge of God, thereby enriching the children’s relationship with Him, their parents, teachers and fellow students.

PHSOP caters to children aged 3-6 years old. Programs include Toddlers (3 y/o), Nursery (3.5-4 y/o), Kindergarten (4.5-5 y/o) and Preparatory (6 y/o). Interested parties may visit the PHSOP office.

By Kristine Turado

When someone dilly-dallies, we express disappointment by asking the question, “Ano’ng hinihintay mo – Pasko?,” or mockingly saying, “Pasko na!” Surely, it is often said with humor, a friendly reminder to the person directed at. On the other hand, these statements may also remind us of what the Advent season signifies.

Ano’ng hinihintay mo – Pasko? During Advent, we hear of Isaiah’s constant reminder to wayward Israel of God’s faithfulness to His promise that He will come, and of John the Baptist’s call for repentance. The same is true with us, as we share the longing for Christ’s coming. We are also asked to repent – which does not merely involve regret or external acts of penance, but a change of mind and heart. We are instructed to think differently and develop fresh attitudes concerning our conduct.

At the same time, Advent reminds us that we are a joyful people. It spurs us to renew our hope, because God comes to us in our darkness. The Virgin Mary gladly experienced His coming into her womb. The story of Mary’s happy expectancy might lead us to think that she didn’t risk the things she valued, and that she knew everything will be all right. Advent invites us to live in joyful hope, even though our situation is difficult, because it is in having this disposition that we are able to ‘risk’ ourselves for God.

Pasko na! The expression’s significance is not apparent because it literally means Christmas is here. However, Advent refers not only to the coming of the Lord into the world as man, but to His every coming. Indeed, He comes to us here and now. He comes to us when we pray, when we partake in the holy sacrifice of the Mass. He comes to us everyday in our human fellowship. Because of this, our waiting can never be passive. Our preparation consists of both “waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God.” Advent tells us to be aware of His coming in our daily lives – to make the moral choices, to have the right temperament towards the people around us, to give our best in everything we do.

It usually seems that Advent is ill-timed. We get caught up in the whirl of Christmas shopping and parties and then we find that Advent and Christmas have passed. The flurry of activities does not necessarily conflict with the meaning of this season. We also respond to the challenge of Advent if these activities move us to reconcile with others and to nurture relationships. Still, we must remember the urgency and seriousness of Advent’s message. Just as we cannot add another week to the four weeks of Advent or place a fifth candle to the Advent wreath if we’re not yet ready for Christmas, we can prepare for His approach only for the limited time that we live. We cannot dilly-dally.

Good, better, best. Never let it rest – until your good becomes better and your better becomes best.

The Pastoral Council of the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice (PPC) carries on its second year of implementing the Three-Year Master Plan formulated in 2006 with the vision that being a parish is not merely a one-time moment but a process.

The PPC started the second year with an evaluation of the year 2006-2007 activities, followed by the drafting of the year 2007-2008 Action Plan. This was held last 20-21 July 2007 at the Carmelite Missionaries Center of Spirituality in Tagaytay City and facilitated by Ms. Bing Manlapaz. Plans were formulated in both bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom approaches. This should ensure that the plans of the various organizations and areas dovetail with the goals of their respective ministries and the Parish’s Action Plan as a whole. Meanwhile, the PPC Executive Committee (PPC ExeCom) fine-tuned the plans in marathon meetings for three months.

The next step was to equip the Parish servant leaders with skills and attitudes necessary to execute the plans. Thus, the PPC undertook a teambuilding seminar three months after the evaluation and planning activity. The seminar was guided by Ms. Chona Santos of OCCI Fullness of Life Foundation, Inc. on 20-21 October 2007 at the Carmelite Missionaries Center of Spirituality in Tagaytay City. Though the seminar tackled mostly self-awareness and personality development, it was observed that such topics were also relevant to team building since knowing oneself well, enables one is to give of himself wholeheartedly.

Completing the progression of activities designed to build capacities and strengthen the spirit of cooperation was the Spiritual Retreat held last 30 November-1 December 2007 at the Caleruega Retreat House in Nasugbu, Batangas. The retreat focused on (1) lay ministry as the capability to listen and to heed God’s call, (2) servant leadership as shepherding, stewardship and membership, and (3) the spirituality of leadership as one which welcomes working with others and co-laboring to get the job done. It was an experience made memorable both by the retreat master, Fr. Jose S. Topino III, and by the blessing-in-disguise when the shuttle bus broke down, which allowed the participants more time to bond with each other.

The fruits of the three successive activities are evident even just on the surface: increased attendance in PPC meetings, stronger relationships among members, and a deeper awareness of the spiritual aspect of leadership and responsibility. More significantly, the true impact of the three-part endeavor can be gleaned from the accomplishments of the different parochial ministries.

Worship Ministry

Aside from the daily tasks of the Worship Ministry in the celebration of the Eucharist, the members of the Worship Ministry attended the renewal formations required by the Diocesan Ministry for Liturgical Affairs (DMLA). The 90% attendance is a testament to the members’ desire to deepen their understanding of their unique role in liturgical rites. Having recruited and trained new members in time for the basic formation seminars conducted by the DMLA in August 2007, the various organizations of the Ministry demonstrated effectively that servant leadership also means giving others the opportunity to serve.

Last 24 November 2007, the various choirs of the Parish underwent the Ministry-initiated seminar-workshop in chorale singing with Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ. Choir members had an inspiring encounter with the prolific musician-priest who shared his insights on how church hymns are born. By knowing this, the choir members accordingly contextualized their attitude about their function in the Eucharistic celebration not only in terms of technique, but also in the spirituality of chorale singing. At the end of the seminar-workshop, the participants were even able to compose a simple song with Fr. Manoling by putting together musical lines and lyrics contributed by the participants.

The success of one of the Parish’s resident choirs, the Coro de Santa Cecilia, in an international chorale competition held last November, illustrates clearly the result of PPC support in developing the talents of its parishioners. In the coming months, the other organizations will also have their respective skills enhancement seminars, such as speech training for the lectors and commentators, and floral arrangement workshop for the Marian groups, and Mother Butlers’ Guild, and other special interest talks for greeters and collectors.

In a collaborative effort with the Worship Ministries of the other parishes within the Saint Joseph Vicariate, the Ministry assisted in organizing the Grand Christ the King Procession, which started from the Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy and ended at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish. The Parish also provided 15 lectors-commentators to proclaim the readings in each station of the procession and during the Mass. Most importantly, the Ministry was able to encourage more than 100 parishioners to participate, thus surpassing the quota of 100 parishioners per parish. The Ministry is very grateful to the parishioners for their active participation.

On top of all these, the Ministry also carried out various activities such as the Aba Ginoong Maria Concert (6 October 2007) and the Living Rosary (24 October 2007). The Confraternity of Our Lady of Lourdes, an organization under the Ministry, initiated a Healing Mass in celebration of the World Day of the Sick last 11 February 2008.

Formation Ministry

Having effected a Faith Formation Survey in 2006 to determine the formation topics strongly needed by the Parish servant leaders, the Formation Ministry took the lead role in the conceptualizing the three activities mentioned above. With the valuable assistance of the PPC ExeCom, the Ministry was also in charge of making arrangements for venue, transportation and the speakers. Beyond the preparations, a review of the entirety of the activities was conducted to further improve implementation in the future.

In addition to spearheading the three-part series of activities, the Ministry organized the Advent Recollection for all parishioners last 12-13 December 2007 at the Delaney Hall. Fr. Steven Zabala, parish priest of Mary the Immaculate Conception Parish, discussed the theme From the Crib to the Cross: The Spirituality of Sacrifice Rooted in the Eucharist. A good number of parishioners attended and were enriched by the Recollection.

The Children of Mary (COM), an organization under the Ministry, also held the Basic Mariology Seminar last 20 October 2007. The seminar, conducted thrice a year, is one of the organization’s formation programs which are intended to spur its participants to involvement with the Parish as servant leaders.

Catechetical Ministry

The Catechetical Ministry, a ministry in close coordination with the Formation Ministry, handles the Parish catechetical program and teaches catechesis to 150 children in the Parish every Sunday morning since July 2007. In turn, the participants of the Sunday school, mostly from the areas or students of the UP Integrated School, take care of the Children’s Mass every second and fourth Sunday of the month. Culminating activities of the program will be held on 9 March 2008, when children in the third grade level will receive their first Holy Communion, and children in the sixth grade level will also graduate from the program. The involvement of two graduates of the program as junior catechists is not only an indication of the program’s success but also a source of encouragement to the 12 volunteer catechists. The Ministry is also preparing for the Kumpilang Bayan to be held this May.

To be continued …

There are various ministries in the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice that provide individuals a fairly wide range of opportunities to serve the Church and the community. Choosing a ministry really depends on an individual’s perception of his own charism, talents, time and the depth of commitment one is able and willing to give. Of great importance, the individual must realize that joining a ministry means embracing a life of service to the Lord.

At the Parish, the Worship Ministry is deemed the most challenging and visible of all ministries, because it has the biggest number of members and organizations to coordinate and because its primary responsibility is to bring people closer to God through enlivened and inspiring Eucharistic celebrations.

The Worship Ministry is a dynamic community of Eucharist-centered servant leaders from different walks of life, demonstrating different talents and charisms, but unified by the same Spirit, and rendering different workings but serving one Lord. Comprising the Ministry are some nineteen groups, namely: Lectors and Commentators Group (LCG), Special Ministers of Holy Communion (SMHC), Greeters and Collectors, Altar Servers, Mother Butler Group, Confraternity of Our Lady of Lourdes, Legion of Mary, Apostleship of Prayer, and 11 chorale groups.

The LCG takes on the role of God’s heralds in proclaiming the Word of the Lord during Mass. To prepare each lector to assume this role, the new members undergo the required Basic Formation Seminar conducted by the Diocesan Ministry for Liturgical Affairs. Likewise, the regular members of the LCG are required to undergo the yearly renewal and formation seminar at the Chancery of the Diocese of Cubao. To further hone the skills of the members and to deepen their spirituality as proclaimers of the Word, speech enhancement workshops and in-house formation seminars are annually programmed as part of the activities under the Worship Ministry. Prospective lectors are called to be persons of prayer with good public speaking skills.

The mission of the SMHC is to assist the priest at Mass and to assume the role of Christ’s hands in the distribution of His Body and Blood to the faithful. Its members also bring Christ’s loving gift of His Body to those who are incapacitated to attend Mass because of illness or infirmity.

The altar servers assist the priest during liturgical celebrations. Their responsibilities range from carrying the Cross and candles during processions to assisting in various tasks at the altar table during the Mass.

As so-called ministers of hospitality, the task of the Greeters and Collectors Group is to encourage the Mass-goers to feel that their presence in the Eucharistic celebration is important. The Greeters and Collectors are needed to welcome the parishioners, usher the handicapped to their seats, take up collections, coordinate the congregation during Communion, and help clean up after the Mass.

The choirs are responsible for leading the sung worship at all liturgical celebrations. Through their music and hymns, they set the tone for a joyful celebration and provide the inspiration to the congregation’s expression of faith, praise and thanksgiving to the Lord.

The other groups in the Ministry have equally important roles in making each celebration a worthy offering to a loving God.

Indeed, the Worship Ministry is a happy collaboration of varied personalities who have chosen to take up the call to be servant leaders and assume various roles to serve the Church. Sometimes the tasks are daunting, but hurdling this challenge brings about a personal transformation and a sublime sense of spiritual gratification that Ministry members experience.