'Ot! » Places http://www.vinceleste.com/blog The Itinerant's Path Sat, 17 Jul 2010 14:48:37 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Funeral Mass to Laughter http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2007/funeral-mass-to-laughter/ http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2007/funeral-mass-to-laughter/#comments Sun, 07 Jan 2007 11:41:00 +0000 brVince http://iretreat.wordpress.com/2007/01/07/funeral-mass-to-laughter/ This was yesterday’s event. I got a good chance to see these people. di pa kumpleto ito :D

More of this here and here… and soon here…

Pic grabbed from ate Nona… S’ya kasi ang may kuha nito…

]]> http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2007/funeral-mass-to-laughter/feed/ 8 Thanksgiving day: 190th Year of God's Faithfulness http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2007/thanksgiving-day-190th-year-of-gods-faithfulness/ http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2007/thanksgiving-day-190th-year-of-gods-faithfulness/#comments Tue, 02 Jan 2007 11:37:00 +0000 brVince http://iretreat.wordpress.com/2007/01/02/thanksgiving-day-190th-year-of-gods-faithfulness/ We just celebrated our foundation day. We had the thanksgiving Eucharist this afternoon. It was another year of fruitfulness in the Church and faithfulness to God. We thank the founding people and his contemporary brothers.

Today, in 1817, in La Valla, France, Marcellin Champagnat founded the Institute of Teaching Brothers. He started with two young men, Brothers Jean Marie and Louis.

Marcellin’s inspiration in founding the congregation was rooted in the need of his contemporary time. He became aware of the extreme difficulty of the people especially the young in learning how to read and write, and the urgent need of creating a society to cope with those hardships. Moreover, His experience with the Montagne boy reinforced his desire to teach them in a Christian way of education. His dream, to send the Brothers to all dioceses in the world is now becoming a reality in our contemporary times.

With our theme in today’s commemoration, “Built Wisely, Living Today!” is the realization of our foundation as congregation of teaching Brothers. But indeed, “If the Lord does not build a house, in vain do the builders labour,” A wise man builds his house on the rock, so Champagnat too, our wise Father priest, inspired us to be here today to celebrate with him in thanking God for the graciousness in finding our own giftedness in the institute.

We pray for all the Brothers in the whole Institute, all those who have gone before us, and those who, in many ways, shared their lives as Marists in spirit.

With the spirit of Champagnat and with Mary our Good Mother, our first Superior, let us begin the celebration with joyful hearts and minds.

by Br. Vince, FMS

]]> http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2007/thanksgiving-day-190th-year-of-gods-faithfulness/feed/ 0 Christmas on the Street http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/christmas-on-the-street/ http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/christmas-on-the-street/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 12:54:00 +0000 brVince http://iretreat.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/christmas-on-the-street/ My brother have just entered the classroom and related what he encountered downstairs. He was moved with pity to the beggar standing outside the building, waiting for anybody to give him anything to eat. I asked him of what did he do but replied, “Nothing happened, everybody was busy downstairs.” I started to think why, then I recalled my conversation with a boy living on the street last week.
Let me call him Teby. He is now 12 years old and living in a shelter for the street kids somewhere in Manila. We were just starting our tutorial in mathematics when he asked me if I know how to draw. I started to draw and gave the pencil to him and asked, “Please draw for me your family; your father, mother, brothers and sisters.” He started to draw his father but didn’t continue. “I don’t know how to draw,” he said. So I asked him to tell me a story. “Kuya, I ran away from home, but I still know where are they. I have older brothers and I think I have younger siblings. I have two fathers. They are living in a shanty.

To make the story short, he came from a broken family and was not able to resist staying with them. He left his family when he was 8 years old and walked away from home. He wandered around Manila, begging money from people and even got trouble with other street kids sniffing rugby to alleviate stomach pain due to hunger. He didn’t tell me if he was one of them. He was thankful to some people he met on the streets. One he called “nanay,” a candy and cigarette vendor who protected him one time from other kids. Another one was a security guard of a bank he called, “Kuya guard.” He gives Teby a food to eat every time he passes by the guard’s post. He can still vividly remember a man who bought him a hamburger, spaghetti and French fries. He even gave him money. When he finished his food, he collapsed. When he woke up, he found himself in a shelter for street kids. It is sad to know that his family never visited him once. But he is thankful that his life is starting to be given back to him. He is now studying as a Grade 3 pupil at the age of 12.

He is just one of more than 150,000 street kids (BIS). There are are still a lot of them who are unfortunate to have a Christmas on the street. It’s 10 days more to go before Christmas, and I have in mind to adopt one street kid even just for this Christmas as a solidarity with the people helping the street kids of Metro Manila, and most especially because of love to the children.

Note: Grammar not corrected. Tnx!

]]> http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/christmas-on-the-street/feed/ 8 Blogging from Ateneo (Part3) http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/blogging-from-ateneo-part3/ http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/blogging-from-ateneo-part3/#comments Tue, 28 Nov 2006 12:34:00 +0000 brVince http://iretreat.wordpress.com/2006/11/28/blogging-from-ateneo-part3/ Pasakalye lang….

Nahihilo pa akong umalis from our place going to Ateneo this early afternoon. I felt the need to take a nap pero I needed to reply to some emails I received and signed 10 christmas cards na ipapadala overseas.

While sitting on this concrete bench, natatawa ako dito sa mag-syota just seven meters away from me. Umiiyak si lalaki while halata ring nangingiyak si babae; magkadikit pa ang mga balakang. Sa isip ko lang, wala kayang maliligaw dito sa aking kinauupuan para tumabi? Lol! It’s been five years na wala akong special someone and the thing is, I can’t have one or to have one anymore. I vowed for it, hopefully for life. Nasulyapan kong tinuka ni lalaki si babae. Naks! Nahalata ko ang aking sarili na binabantayan ko na pala sila na kaninang-kanina lang, nag-aaway pa sila, sa palagay ko lang. Di ko napigilang ngumiti sa aking nasaksihan at doon ko na-recall ang mga kwentong teenager ni Potpot. Nasabi ko sa sarili ko, “Di bale, di nyo rin alam na masaya ako sa buhay mayroon ako” Ngumiti na lang ako at nagpasalamat.

Today is my 8th session with the counselor. Medyo matagal-tagal na rin and I’m happy naman sa mga nagdaang appointments ko. Pero kung tutuusin concern din ako sa gastos dito. For 8 times lang, umabot na ng PhP 30,000.oo Kaya pansamantala, humingi muna ako ng “pause” kumbaga at pinayagan naman dahil di naman yan ang malaking dahilan kundi ang redundancy ng process. May spiritual director na ako, may accompanitor and ito pa na professional help from outside. Mapalad nga naman ang taong maraming nagmamahal sa kanya, I feel that too. Di halaga ng pera ang pinag-uusapan kundi ako mismo, ang naging buhay ko at ang magiging buhay ko sa hinaharap. Magkikita kami uli sa December 19, doon pa rin, kaya it’s another date again… then before and after summer…

Image taken last night only….

]]> http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/blogging-from-ateneo-part3/feed/ 13 My Family Portrait http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/my-family-portrait/ http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/my-family-portrait/#comments Sun, 26 Nov 2006 11:32:00 +0000 brVince http://iretreat.wordpress.com/2006/11/26/my-family-portrait/
This is my family. We are all 12 including our animator (fraternity Superior). We came from 8 different countries; Samoa, Papua New Guinea, India, Korea, Kiribati, Pakistan, Solomon Islands, and Philippines…

]]> http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/my-family-portrait/feed/ 11 Inter-Religious Dialogue with Moslems in Taguig http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/inter-religious-dialogue-with-moslems-in-taguig/ http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/inter-religious-dialogue-with-moslems-in-taguig/#comments Sat, 25 Nov 2006 11:58:00 +0000 brVince http://iretreat.wordpress.com/2006/11/25/inter-religious-dialogue-with-moslems-in-taguig/
“Nadapa pa ako sa harap ng Jolibee sa Taguig dahil binigyan ako ng libreng 13 cups na kanin. Tanong ng manager, “Ilan ba kayong lalaki?” “Ha? 13 po kami…” hayun at nagbigay nga… kaduda-duda sya! Lol!”
Introduction lang po yun :D
Last night, I slept late already preparing the printed materials I photocopied. Every set contained a copy of Pope’s encyclical letters and decalogues for inter religious dialogue, and some documents produced after so many dialogues happened in the apst years. Sorry for me that I’ve not spent enough time reading them but for sure, those who will be given will read those documents.

It was not my first time to attend such activities. When I was in Mindanao, I joined as member of the Secretariat during the IRD initiated by the Association of Major Superiors in the Philippines, with the speaker, a Redemptorist Brother, Carl Gaspar, for me, a famous missionary in Mindanao where he lived most of his life. He came from Luzon area. That was two years ago, but memorable since it was joined by different groups of people, from Lumad to Moslem participants from Central Mindanao and Zamboanga, even those from basilan and Jolo. I can still remember that every individual’s biases creates the gap in every dialogue. The hesitance depends on the experiences of the participants yet, it was a very good opportunity to be reconciled, not only with every race and religion but with self… Self that created such fear for dialogue, might be failed or might be misunderstood.

Early this morning, I left the house at 15 past five and had my breakfast at Jolibee Cubao. I was little bit dizzy and confused of the place: street people still sleeping… I was challenged with the indifferences I saw from the faces of bystanders; I was one of them… Riding a bus going to MOA, I once again scanned my map book just to be sure that I will not be lost on the way since I have to be there at exactly seven o’oclock. Fortunately, sharp seven, I arrived at the Catholic Church near MOA. Being the Bursar (treasurer) of the JSF (Junior-Seminarian Forum in Metro Manila and nearby Province) I started collecting the participants contribution for stipend and for other expenses. There were 33 participants, 17 were sister-nuns. After an hour, we left the meeting place for Maharlika Village, Taguig.

Maharlika village is where most of the Moslem live and they have a big mosque, Blue Mosque. That was the first palce we visited and I really admired their hospitality. I felt the atmosphere inviting me to feel at home, which indeed, i felt at home as if Im in Mindanao again, particularly in Jolo. An Imam invited us to come in and there, the magnifecient structure was amazing. A Moslem scholar met us and presented their religion and had an open forum afterwards. Peaceful and fulfulling activity. The Imam was a very open and bright scholar, moderate and not fundamentalist. I met one of the peopel there who happend to be a Tausug, and I was happy to speak in Tausug language again. After that, we went straight to Pasig, and while on the way, I asked the driver to stop since I have to buy our additioanl food at Jolibee. There, nadapa nga ako. Nakakahiya sa mga nakakita, Lol! Tinawanan ako ng madreng kasama ko sa pamimili.

The afternoon session was the processing and reintegration of our experiences. I shared also about our one of the schools in the South that we have a mosque, though its a Catholic school, and even in Jolo, we cut the time short every Friday to let them attend their D’waa. Then we concluded with thanskgiving eucharist.

Umuwi ako ng maaga, pero napadpad sa Shangrila para magliwaliw ng kunti kasama ang iba pang mga religious. Eskapo ng kunti kumbaga kaya ginabi pa rin ng uwi sa bahay…

]]> http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/inter-religious-dialogue-with-moslems-in-taguig/feed/ 4 Abstract Memory http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/abstract-memory/ http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/abstract-memory/#comments Wed, 22 Nov 2006 13:44:00 +0000 brVince http://iretreat.wordpress.com/2006/11/22/abstract-memory/ The memory with Baguio is still in my mind. It was exciting when we were still on our way up to the place where we stayed… frustrating nga lang na noong pabalik na kami, naitanong ko kung bakit inabot kami ng sampung oras sa daan… sasabihin ko ba na ok lang naman ang drayber superyor ko?

Ang sa akin lang naman ay sana, naging masaya nga talaga dahil naaalala ko pa itong iginuhit kong illustration using pastel and black paper…. Masaya pa rin ang buhay na sa katunayan, ang hirap at pasakit, frustrations at pagkabagot, ay dala lang ng panahong nagsasabing may mga dapat baguhin sa aking pananaw paminsan-minsan…

]]> http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/abstract-memory/feed/ 12 Another funny thing today? http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/another-funny-thing-today/ http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/another-funny-thing-today/#comments Tue, 14 Nov 2006 13:14:00 +0000 brVince http://iretreat.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/another-funny-thing-today/ When I was on my way to SM North, I was texting ate Sash where can I find her. And finally I arrived safely though anxious since it was my first time to be there. I asked a security guard about the Block, where is it, and he said that its on the next building while pointing the way. I did find my way and asked another guard where is the block and he answer, ‘Ito’ ‘Ha? Saan?’ I asked again. “Itong building na ito” what a question I had! Nalito at napahiya ang probinsyaning mini. While I was waiting for ate Sash, di ko sya makita-kita since she said na pumayat na s’ya and I was looking to this lady near the elevator, she is sexy and hmm, though short (hehehe) ok, mahaba ang buhok. I thought she was ate Sash, iba pala, but ok, tell you, pumayat nga si ate Sash than last time na nagkita kami sa fiesta last month. hmm, yun lang ate, hehehe. have a nice weekdays while working!

Anddd, supposed you saw me drolling nang nakatitig sa isang babae na dumaan sa harapan natin, anong gagawin mo, ate?

]]> http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/another-funny-thing-today/feed/ 4 Asylum, Tell Me Why, Resillience and Recedo http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/asylum-tell-me-why-resillience-and-recedo-2/ http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/asylum-tell-me-why-resillience-and-recedo-2/#comments Sat, 11 Nov 2006 07:10:00 +0000 brVince http://iretreat.wordpress.com/2006/11/11/asylum-tell-me-why-resillience-and-recedo/ Asilo, asylum, was the place I just visited this morning. It is somewhere in Manila; managed by the Nuns since as early as 1890s if I’ve not mistaken. It will be my new challenging apostolate after being transfered from Payatas dumpsite and a settlement area in Marikina. It was not the place of my choice and I even asked to be assigned at White Cross where the infants and little kids are. Most of them, abandoned infants and orphaned children up to six years of age. I supposed, it was the worst assignment I can have. But I was obedient to be in an asylum, but same reality with White Cross. Little bit of frustration and excitement I felt. But when I arrived at the place, everything changed. The place looked old, a spanish-designed structures including the chapel where I paid homage upon arrival; a courtesy call, natural to most of us. Changes must have taken place when I was oriented with the place where I will be staying, to be with the kids from six to 12 years of age. They came from different places here in Metro Manila, from distorted families, some are from Tondo and Paco. There I learned and was touched with the stories behind those children. Deafining and shattering stories that I’ve heard before but never encountered personally. It was a triggering point for me to have flashbacks of my own shattered life before.

Eight children will be with me for couple of months starting next week; four boys and four girls, aged nine to 12. One of them was just found out to be a special child who has a short span of attention, orphaned and the worst, a sexually and physically abused child by his own father. Deafining and shattering that I was triggered of my own issues and yet I was able to calm down; the gift of resilience, a newly found spirituality to withstand during the times of difficulties. Most of them came from broken families and from streets, some came from very poor families to the extent that neigbors referred them to the Asilo. The negative effects of their former environment are very obvious that I was able to felt it, not just thinking of what happened to them. Most of them are living in their own world of imagination sometimes, have difficulty expressing themselves and they need to learn how to read and write and most of all to be loved. Some are attention-seeker in a negative way and have special need; care and compassion. One kid was brought by her 83 years old grandmother for she cannot take care of her anymore because the parents’ whereabout is unknown.

But most of them are doing well and cooperative to live a normal life even though they are still inside the Asilo. Some of them start to be hopeful and learned about their talents in dancing, singing, arts and little virtues like helping the other children in their daily housechores. I am also hopeful of their future, I am glad. I even saw the spirituality of resiliency that will give them courage and endurance to live life to the full, not someday but at this moment. I have learned that on the process of being with them, it’s not only help they need but to feel the compassion from others, the presence that others may offer to them. They want to live not only to eat, want to play not to wander. I am looking forward for the more difficult responsibility given to me but the resilience I have learned will help me and most of all entrusting these things to the Lord before I became and came to be here in this way of life. Others will take care of the children at White Cross and this place of Asilo will tell me more about me and the people around me through these children I will be with. Answers to my questions and reflections will be cleared and hopefully to be fulfill the everyday call in my life of discernment.

“Would you tell me why?

As an expression of my own questions in life about the injustices in many forms in our lives, especially in the lives of the children, I included a Youtube movie clip and the Lyrics of the song “Tell Me Why” by Declan.

Tell Me Why
Declan Galbraith

In my dream,children sing
A song of love for every boy and girl
The sky is blue and fields are green:
And laughter is the language of the world
Then i wake and all i see
Is a world full of people in need

Chorus:
Tell me why(why) does it have to be like this?
Tell me why (why) is there something i have missed?
Tell me why (why) cos i don’t understand
When so many need somebody
We don’t give a helping hand Tell me why?

Everyday i ask myself
What will i have to do to be a man?
Do i have to stand and fight
To prove to everybody who i am?
Is that what my life is for
To waste in a world full of war?

(children)tell me why?(declan)tell me why?
(children)tell me why?(declan)tell me why
(together) just tell me why, why, why?

chorus chant:
Tell me why (why,why,does the tiger run)
Tell me why(why why do we shoot the gun)
Tell me why (why,why do we never learn)
Can someone tell us why we let the forest burn?
(why,why do we say we care)
Tell me why(why,why)

]]> http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/asylum-tell-me-why-resillience-and-recedo-2/feed/ 8 Year Ender: Redefining BLOG and Why Do I Blog http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/year-ender-redefining-blog-and-why-do-i-blog/ http://www.vinceleste.com/blog/2006/year-ender-redefining-blog-and-why-do-i-blog/#comments Sun, 05 Nov 2006 11:19:00 +0000 brVince http://iretreat.wordpress.com/2006/11/05/year-ender-redefining-blog-and-why-do-i-blog/ It was October of 2005 when I started to write a blog. Unknown to me what is the standard defination of blog, I just started to write whatever I wanted to write that comes to my mind. It’s been a year that I always changed my blog address for many reasons. Now that I finally understand what does it mean to blog, I finally decided to collect once again all the thoughts I had since I started.

The first weblog I had was entilted “Skeptic*” which means, “a person who questions the validity or authenticity of something purporting to be factual.” It was powered by Calliope. The first article “Invitation” is a reprint from an unknown paper that I just copied and posted as my first item. This was followed by my original compostion about my own understanding of my own Vows of Obedience, on how I live it as part of my daily ramblings that somehow affects my Growth of Fatih in the life I have chosen to follow. Part of my experience here in Manila is being invited to attend a National Convention of all Religious Brothers from the whole country. I was Looking forward to it. In many instances, I had always a feeling of being happy and sometimes, I caught myself thinking, giving reason to my simple joy, I’m Thinking Aloud. As part of my blogging, somebody asked about myself but somehow I can’t just tell my identity as a Brother unless I introduce first my own congregation. I wrote about us The Brothers. finally, I reached the final end of 2005 and celebrated my first Christmas here in Manila. And part of our activity was a recollection. I blogged my Year-end Recolection in an analogy: The Empty jar, that represents myself at the end of 2005. Two days after that was the foundation day of our Institute/congregation and I made the Introduction as I was tasked as a Commentator during the thanksgiving Day. For three months, I blogged with Skeptic’s.

Unsatisfied of my first weblog and I decided to study the basic way of blogging yet I considered myself as unfortunate in terms of studying new things especially that I was preoccupied of my studies and I was in transition from rural to urban setting. I just came from a “silent” place and came here to expose myself and be challenged in an outside world. But the availability of internet gave me a lot of opportunities. 24 hours of broadband connection and computer gave me the idea to make use of it to according to what is right and helpful to me. Once again, I was motivated to try again but with Blogger while I was still blogging with Calliope on that same year 2005, December. Not being to far from the first idea, I gave a second blog a title called Touchstones, (polisher)I just added “minds” that always remind me of being a thinker according to the result of my enneagram test as typical number 5 since when I was still a novice. I reposted the first article I had from my previous blog, Skeptic; the first article I had. I wrote an article about the success of the Global Visionaries, a group of young professionals from Metro Manila and abroad, who gathered themselves through Filipino Friend Finder. I became part of the group and was able to convince them to visit my own area of Apostolate, working with the children in a settlement area in Marikina City. Indeed it was a Christmas celebration with the kids that made us happy and with the children as well. Another article was about Going to Heaven. It was a cracked joke, a conversation between an adult an children on how we reach heaven. The kid was right that left the adult wonder how to reach heaven in a real sense. Next article was about Saying Yes - about the meaning of our lives in terms of commitment and self surrender. Once again, As I stated above, during the month of December, I gradually moved to Blogger, and again I reposted my Year-end Recollection Reflection. Sometimes, my life is not always at top, and there were instances of being down. I was given my my spiritual director a formula prayer of discernment and I posted it, too. This was followed with some feelings of Agony and left me thinking, being provoked and finally, I was able to determine why, because of a departure of a close friend of mine. After some experiences of feeling down, there were events that made me feeling up, too. That was the day of Consecration; once again. And there was silence. I even posted my abstract drawing using a pastel and oslo as my medium, it depicted how abstract life is sometimes, actually it was all about me. Indeed life is just like a cycle, when melancholy and serenity come then followed by renewed experiences where realization comes that God is always present; Life’s color. As I continued blogging, I also reflected about being a light to others. Somehow, my blogging was getting clearer to me, why do I blog and how useful it is to blog. It was becoming a purpose of sharing what I have, the experienceswith the kids, with my self and with others by letting God works in all things. I started to write about what are related to my formation, about what I have learned about the spirituality of living, how joyful it is to live in spite of pain sometimes, they give meaning actually. These made me sings and inspired to post lyrics of singers like Kym. One of my experiences in my apostolate affected me and it questioned who I am to the kids, and yet it became a challenge for me to look at my own self as a Brother, though this gives me inspiration sometimes. Before I shifted to WordPress. I was still able to post my own reflection about my sexuality and my struggle listening to my Theology teacher
about the experience of Wilderness in our lives.

I stopped blogging for a while and made infrequent visits but I felt the need of expressing myself in a way that I will enjoy and I thought, I found it by using WP. So I started blogging again. Month of September and still gradually ending my WP blogging this November.

These were the blogs I have posted with WP. Thanks to WP for the experience of blogging and being with the community of bloggers. As of now, I’m still blogging but with Blogger: Recedo (L): I retreat…; it’s being at Blogger once again. Thanks to the frequent visitors and readers who shared their comments with me, reacting and clarifying things, blogging with me. I salute you all; you came first before me.

Definitions from Dictionary.Com
Skeptic - a person who questions the validity or authenticity of something purporting to be factual.
Touchstone
s - A hard black stone, such as jasper or basalt, formerly used to test the quality of gold or silver by comparing the streak left on the stone by one of these metals with that of a standard alloy.
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