PIC-PAC: Mag-MEME Tayo!

Been doing these lately. This is a very good way of spreading God's Word.

 

WELL, NOT REALLY.

CHECK OUT MAGNILAY TAYO FOR MORE OF THE HOLY MEMES!

http://facebook.com/MagnilayTayo

A PREACHER'S WORLD: Online and Offline (A Response to the First Dominican Social Media Summit)

And I consider myself as a Digital Native, and I know a lot of us are. But as we see the essence and need of reaching Jesus to everyone in the web, we are faced with a lot of struggles. Yet, we push through and bring the Fire of God's Love and Grace online and offline!

Among other IPLM members, I was chosen by a good Dominican Priest-friend to take part in the First Dominican Social Media Summit over the weekend. Being a participant in the Social Bloggers Meeting called for by the CBCP last June 2011, I have some ideas on what to be discussed on this Summit now called for by the Dominican Family Commission on Social Communication. Yet, the input we received from the speakers and the response I saw and heard from the participants are quite noticing and exciting.

First, the Input. The speakers gave different insights on the same Social Media. Since I was not able to record everything they said, I would just share some insights of what they shared with us. 

For Fr. Eric Salobir, OP, General Promoter for Social Communication of the Order, it's important to talk with the language of the present generation, to be geek with the geeks. They are bored with mere text anymore; they want something interesting - videos, pictures, etc. (something which I try to do lately.) There is also a challenge to be present, not being passive nor abrasive like the others, but leading others to Jesus like the Holy Father Dominic in a way that could easily catch their attention.

Prof. Christian Esguerra of the University of Santo Tomas, cited the essence of Social Communication in light of the Church Teachings, particularly Inter Mirifica and Communio et Proggresio. For him, citing CeP's words, Communication (...) is the giving of the self in love. He cited the need to provide the truth in everything we say and write on the web. There are the rising attacks of the Internet Trolls and the Social Mob, people who use the Social Networking Sites to bash and ridicule people, even if it should be a personal ideal. Once you post something on the web, it stays there forever, so we really should be careful with what we write, otherwise we should be silent.

Fr. Francis Lucas of the CBCP Office on Social Communications and Chairperson of the Catholic Media Network, took note of the Paradigm Shift which is happening lately on the online space. People nowadays are looking for answers to their questions, and so our job is not so easy at that. Sometimes, they are carried away by the people who are not for the REAL THING (which is Christ and his love) and instead join the wrong people which lead him to wrong ideals. He also said that even if we have the latest Social Networking Technology nowadays, it is still not a guarantee that we are doing good and right communication. In addition, we are gifts, and the Internet itself is a gift, so we should really use this gift with careful consideration on the dignity of the human person.

Second, the response. There was a part in the Summit where the different members of the Order engaged in Mass Media and Social Media shared their ministry to the people present. Just as I thought that Radyo Manaoag and the Dominican Media Board are enough, there are still a good number of ministries that we do not yet know, like Radyo Maria, Apostles Filipino Catholic Community FB Page, Sunday Psalms and Sounds over Radyo Veritas, and the famous Dr. Love show of Bro. Jun Banaag. Some use the Social Media to bring the concerns of the Mission Areas to the people, like Fr. Joemar Sibug's advocacy for Camiguin del Norte. Indeed, we are involved, and we set the world on Fire!

When I was informed of the sisters who would also join this summit, I was confused whether or not they would understand the message that today's generation is bringing us. Come to think of it, the older members of our race are not really accepting the things which our generation has. It's hard for them to comprehend what we do, like simply making an FB account.

And yet, I saw the enthusiasm of our dear religious and laity, especially the Dominican Sisters of different congregations, on these ideals. Though they live a very contemplative life, they are also seen active in different forms of Mass Media - Radio in particular. Now, as they enter the world of Social Media, they also welcome this call to be the beacons of light in a wild wild world (www). It should also be noted that some of them, too, have FB accounts!

As for me, I really saw this need to be more consistent on my ministry. Being a blogger for six years and a Fanpage moderator for two years, it's really a hell of a challenge for me to continue and keep moving for what I do. I received a lot of positive and negative feedback along the way and it's really degrading at some, yet here I am still continuing what I usually do, and I just don't know where do these things come from.

People ask me, where do I get all these ideals which I share in Ur Dose, or the drive to move Ave and Magnilay forward, and I just answer, I don't know. Divine Providence perhaps. And yes, it is. I should have stopped way back if it is not the work of Divine Providence, yet it still is. As a part of this generation, I really see the dire need to face this www with Christ's Word in a way enticing to them.

SB@B, Ur Dose, AM and MT would still be there to heed to the Church's call of being a preacher in our times. I reaffirm my vow to the Church to defend it and to set the online world on the Fire of Christ. It would always be possible as long as the drive is there; as long as the grace is there, we will move on. In God's grace, we will always answer with the Dominican motto: Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare!

CUTIES IN CHARACTERS!

Check out these characters...

Cure, right?

What if we print them on your shirt?

YES, and it will be so irresistable!

CUTIES IN CHARACTERS!!!

 

Like their page to find out how you can get one of these lovely shirts...

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Pagninilay sa LRT (A Post-Nazareno Special)

January 10, 2013
 

Samantalang nasa LRT ako papuntang trabaho kahapon, nasagi ng aking camera ang isang lalaki na naka-maroon na shirt, maong na pantalon at rubber shoes. Nakasalampak siya sa sahig, mistulang naging panandaliang kuwarto ang bahaging iyon ng tren. Makikita sa kanyang itsura na pagod na pagod siya buhat sa kanyang pinanggalingan. Sinamantala na niya ang panahon upang makatulog, makaidlip at maipahinga ang patang katawan.

Hindi lang naman siya nag-iisa, dahil sa aking paglingon ay nakakita pa ako ng mas marami pang  naka-maroon, pagod rin subalit halatang naging masaya sila sa kanilang pinagmulan. Para sa akin, iisa lamang ang nasa kanilang isip, nakatapos na naman sila ng isang taon ng pagdebosyon sa imaheng malapit na malapit sa puso ng Pilipino: ang NAZARENO.

Kung babalikan ninyo ang status ko sa Facebook noong nakaraang mga araw, sinabi kong hindi ako deboto ng Poon, at totoo naman ito sa maraming mga dahilan. Hindi ko trip ang kanilang paggigitgitan tuwing prusisyon. Ayoko na may nagbubuwis ng buhay samantalang ginaganap ang Translacion. Hindi ko rin gusto yung gawi ng iba na matapos ang prusisyon o panata ay balik sa pagka-"asal-hayop" na parang walang nangyari.

Para sa akin, hindi lamang kasi sa imahe nagtatapos ang pamimintuho kay Kristo; ito ay nagpapatuloy sa araw-araw na pakikisalamuha sa kapwa. Ito ay lumalalim sa pagdiriwang ng Eukaristiya at pagdulog sa Kumpisal. Ang kababawan ng debosyon ay dapat na magbunsod sa atin na palalimin pa ang ating pananampalataya ayon sa turo ng Salita ng Diyos at ng Simbahan.

Subalit sa aking pagmasid sa mga nangyayari, natanong ko rin ang aking sarili, bakit nga ba hindi matapos-tapos at mapatid-patid ang pagmamahal ng Pilipino sa Nazareno? Sabi nila, nakaugnay ang buhay ng Pinoy sa Nazareno, sapagkat nasasalamin sa imaheng ito ang hirap ng bawat isang dumudulog sa kanya. Nakikita rito ang hinagpis ng ating mga giliw sa araw-araw na pagharap sa buhay.

Kung ang La Naval ay tinaguriang Pista ng mga Alta Sociedad, ang tawag sa Pista ng Nazareno ay Pista ng Masa dahil lahat ay tanggap at welcome dito. Wala lang sa karaniwang deboto ang hirap at pagod upang maganap ang kanilang panata o debosyon sa Poong Naghirap para sa atin.

 

 

Sabi nga ng isang kaibigan ko, 'Sa grupo ng mga mamamasan, walang siraan, lahat nagtutulungan, lahat nagbibigayan.' Kung sa bagay, hindi naman silang lahat ay mga walang-hiya o basagulero, karamihan ay buhat talaga sa iba't-ibang lugar, dala-dala ang mga problema sa buhay at nagbabakasakaling mapakinggan ng Poong Nazareno. Damayan ang nararamdaman nila dahil alam nilang may Diyos na makikinig sa kanila. Pagtutulungan na maiangat ang pagmamahal sa Diyos higit sa lahat.

Subalit, sa kabilang banda, nariyan rin ang mga mapagsamantala na ginagamit ang pagkakataon, hindi upang ibahagi ang pagmamahal ng Diyos sa iba, kundi upang maghasik ng lagim sa kasalanang kanilang ginagawa. Yung iba na nagmamarunong na magaling daw sa pag-salya subalit mamali-mali rin ang ginagawa at nakakasakit ng iba. At nariyan rin ang ibang ginagawang status symbol ang pagiging mamamasan upang sabihing nasa Simbahan sila, kahit na sa totoo ay panay kalokohan pa rin ang nasa isipan nila.

Dito papasok ang aking tanong: Hanggang panlabas nga lang ba tayo sa pamimintuho sa Poon? Kung ganito, ay walang pinagkaiba ang gawi natin sa mga paganong sinasanto ang rebulto at hindi naman talaga isinasabuhay ang ginagawang pagdebosyon, basta ang mahalaga ay nagawa nila ang gusto nilang gawin at iyun na.

Subalit para sa taong nagdedebosyon at talagang nagpapalalim pa ng pananampalataya niya, yung sumasama sa mga ganitong okasyon at hindi humihinto rito kundi palaging dumudulog sa Diyos sa Banal na Misa at iba
pang gawaing ispirituwal, tulad nga ng sinabi ni Hesus, 'Nalalapit nang maghari sa iyo ang Kaharian ng Diyos.' Ang imahen ng Poong Nazareno ay dapat na magdala sa atin sa lalong pagpapakilala ng Pananampalataya na siya mismo ang nagpakilala sa atin. Sa kanyang paghihirap ay ating nakamit ang kaligtasan, na ating ipinagbubunyi bilang isang Simbahan.

Samantalang nakatingin ako sa kanya habang umuusad ang LRT papuntang Cubao, nabakas ko sa pagod ng matandang lalaking iyon na masaya siya na naganap niya ang dapat niyang gawin. At alam kong ito ang nagbigay sa kanya ng higit na pagkilala bilang isang Kristiyano. Hindi pa dito magtatapos, dalangin ko, ang mga pagpapalang ibibigay sa kanya ng Poong Nazareno.

 

 

TIWALA LANG SA 2013!!!

SAMA-SAMA SA SAYA AT LUHA, 

BIYAYA NG PANGINOON LAGING MATATANGGAP!

ANUMANG PAGSUBOK ANG HARAPIN, 

BAGYO AT BAHANG MATINDI,

KAKAYANIN, BASTA MAGTUTULUNGAN 

AT MALAKAS ANG PANANALIG!

PAGPAPALA NG DIYOS AY HIGIT NA DI-TULAD

SA MGA PROBLEMANG HINAHARAP.

HINDI NATIN MAKAKALIMUTAN ANG PAGDADAMAYAN,

SAMA-SAMA SA HIRAP AT GINHAWA!

HUWAG MATAKOT SA DADAANING HIRAP,

MAGING MATATAG SA LAHAT NG DUSA!

DAHIL KAPAG KASAMA NATIN SI HESUS, SI MARIA, AT ANG BAWAT ISA,

LAGI NATING MASASABI, 

KERI LANG! 

KAYA IYAN! 

TIWALA LANG!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013!!!

***The poem was actually written impromptu along with the countdown for 2013. Each line was written separately during the course of the one-hour countdown.