10 Tips for Starting Pre-school
Step up their social life
Organise extra play dates for your child prior to starting preschool so they become comfortable with the idea of sharing and playing alongside lots of different kids.
Calm their fears with information
Anxiety about starting preschool is completely normal. Talk to your child about their fears and suggest ideas to help them cope.
Together plan a goodbye game
Come up with a special game for when it’s time to say goodbye. It could be a certain number of hugs followed by the biggest hug in the world. Never sneak out when your child is not looking as they will feel abandoned.
Read during the day
Bedtime stories are a wonderful experience for kids but sitting together during the day and reading a book for 15 minutes will help your child to learn to sit and settle.
Play listening-and-direction games
Traditional games such as Simon Says help a child to understand how to listen and follow directions.
Visit the preschool beforehand
Take a visit to the preschool before the big day arrives so your child is familiar with the surroundings.
Buy a special preschool bag
Together spend some time looking at all the different styles and options and then choose three that you’re happy with and let your child pick their own from those. Limiting the choice helps your child make a decision and also prevents disappointment when they want the bag that’s bigger than them!
Acceptance
Filed under Features on May 28, 2010.
Adapted from: http://bpmanguiran.blogspot.com/
By: Bp. Jose R. Manguiran, DD
I have to accept the fact that I have only one life to live by, never to be substituted.
I must sow this one and only life in the ground of humanity,
so that it can bear fruit to be picked up by the pilgrims of this earth.
How can the rising by RESURRECTION be possible
without the grounding by Incarnation?
Did not Christ say, “Unless a tree dies, it will not grow.”
I must accept the fact that I have no absolute control of my life;
For when I take a ride in a bus, in a car, in a boat, in an airplane, in a tricycle, my life is in hands of the driver.
If I trust my life at the hands of the drivers frail as they are,
I have but to trust God who is the absolute pilot of my life.
I believe that when I am in the deepest state of misfortune and suffering
I cannot invite others to join with me in my anguish;
I am alone to bear the weight of pain.
However, when I am in the sate of joy,
Many, I believe, are willing to share with me
the laughter and feastings.
This is a hard fact, a human lot to be accepted willingly.
I believe that my apostolate, however great I might think of it,
is really a very small contribution compared to the vast apostolate of the Church.
But, however tiny it is, however unnoticeable my share is,
it must be done; it is necessary for without the tiny grains of sand,
no beach can be formed to launch a thousand ships across the ocean.
I believe that in the evening of life, some spectra of my energy
have to fade away, never to be retrieved.
I must be humble enough to admit that I have to lose myself.
If I rise the next day, it is God’s hand that pushes me on
to face the challenges of living.
I should continue to conduct my life in accordance to my decision.
When I accept all what life entails, then death is no longer a stranger but a friend.
A friend, as usual, will accompany me to where I belong.
Fatima Shrine Receives Golden Rose
Filed under Features on May 23, 2010.
FATIMA, Portugal, MAY 12, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI’s first stop today upon arriving by helicopter to Fatima today was to the Chapel of Apparitions to pray and to give Our Lady a Golden Rose.
The Pope knelt before the image of Our Lady of Fatima, recalling the “invisible hand” that saved the life of Pope John Paul II in 1981 when he was shot by Alí Agca in St. Peter’s Square. The assassination attempt took place on May 13, the anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady in Fatima.
Benedict XVI noted how John Paul II visited Fatima three times, attributing to the intercession of Mary the fact that the bullet wounds were not fatal. In 1982, the Polish Pope placed the bullet that shot him in the crown of the image of Our Lady.
“It is a profound consolation to know that you are crowned not only with the silver and gold of our joys and hopes, but also with the ‘bullet’ of our anxieties and sufferings,” Benedict XVI said in his prayer.
The Holy Father also noted that he brought with him a Golden Rose “as a homage of gratitude from the Pope for the marvels that the Almighty has worked through you in the hearts of so many who come as pilgrims to this your maternal home.”
The Golden Rose is a papal decoration conferred on prominent Catholic personalities; it has gone through a significant evolution.
Initially, kings and dignitaries received it, later it was conferred almost exclusively on queens and, more recently, on Our Lady. The distinction was created by Pope Leo IX in 1049.
In more recent times, after the Second Vatican Council, the papal decoration has become almost exclusively a gift from popes to Our Lady.
This was the 10th Golden Rose that the Pontiff has given to Our Lady in the more than five years of his Pontificate.
The other nine were given to the Shrine of Jasna Góra in Poland (2006), the Basilica of Aparecida in Brazil (2007), the Mariazell Basilica in Austria (2007), the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. (2008), Our Lady of Bonaria in Cagliari, Italy (2008), Our Lady of Pompeii, Italy (2008), Our Lady of Europe in Gibraltar (2009), and the “Virgen de la Cabeza” (literally, Virgin of the Head) of the Diocese of Jaen, Spain (2009), and the Shrine of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu (2010).
http://www.zenit.org/article-29242?l=english
PPCRV: History and Heritage
Filed under Features on May 14, 2010.
The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), a non-partisan non-government organization initiated by the Catholic Church and its laity, was born as a response to transform the electoral culture of the country. The PPCRV community is comprised of volunteers from all walks of life who share the same passions, beliefs, and desire for change.
The history of PPCRV traces back to the Second Plenary Council (PCP-II) in 1991, when for the first time, the laity was invited to participate in the council. Ambassador Henrietta T. de Villa, then President of the laity, was tasked by Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi, the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines at that time, to round up lay delegates to attend the council together with the cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priest consulters. The laypeople had by this time realized that they too had a calling for a similar vocation and special assignment in the world. Inspired to be proactive, they were all determined to get involved especially with the forthcoming synchronized national elections, the first held after the Marcos dictatorship was dismantled.
Ambassador De Villa recalls the dinner she had with Cardinal Sin, COMELEC Commissioner Haydee Yorac, and about 30 other church workers. That night, Yorac disclosed an intelligence report, saying that loose firearms circulating among the political warlords and their private armies would number more than the soldiers in the AFP and the Philippine Constabulary. Political killings and election anomalies would still be as bad as if there had been a dictatorship unless the church, being the only credible institution left that people believe in, would come together to put up with a systematic organized community response. Right away, Cardinal Sin being a man of action, assigned Ambassador de Villa to come up with a plan in a week’s time.
In response to Cardinal Sin’s challenge, Ambassador de Villa invited key persons such as Justice Artemio Panganiban, Bayani Valenzuela, Nandy Pacheco, and other parish leaders and church workers, and together, they came up with the core and vision of the movement. They created the organization name and campaign tools, which included a voters’ prayer and standards for choosing candidates. Thus, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, or PPCRV, was born and became a national movement on October 19, 1991. With around 6 months to prepare for the 1992 elections, the organization grew, getting active involvement from various dioceses.
PPCRV believes that the poor are the most exploited during election time, and that the youth sector, comprising a significant portion of the voting population, need attention and formation towards responsible voting. Tapping these two sectors, PPCRV is an advocate for voters’ education and social awareness issues. The group makes use of meaningful slogans, voters’ prayer, stylized comics, forum and the like. To make sure that the votes are correctly counted, they also monitor the election process through poll watching. Since 1991, they have been given accreditation as COMELEC’s citizens’ arm. The organization continues its mission through the spirit of volunteerism even up to the recently-concluded 2010 elections.
To the PPCRV, THANK YOU!!!
http://www.ppcrv.org/global/module.php?LM=news.detail&pid=1267421652838
Laiko sets criteria in choice of candidates
Filed under Features on May 7, 2010.
http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/13142
MANILA, May 2, 2010—An association of Catholic lay groups has spoken amid the din of the electoral campaign, urging its fellow lay faithful to apply one basic criterion in their choice of candidates in the coming election.
In a statement aptly titled “We Make Our Voices Heard”, the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas, has appealed to the public to look for a “fundamental quality for leaders of our country—that of Wisdom, based on fear of the Lord.”
“Let us choose candidates who, by their words, actions and priorities, clearly show their fear of God and obedience to His commandments,” the statement partly read.
A candidate who has fear of the Lord, “respects and stands up for life,” “honest, and will not tolerate corruption” and “genuinely loves the poor,” it said.
“[But] even as we choose candidates who possess these qualities and require that they be strict with themselves in upholding these values, they, however, must not be quick to condemn others who do not have the same qualities. Instead, we look for leaders who are transformational, who will unify and lead others by example,” the statement further read.
Affirming the stand of the Church on the kind of values to look for in a candidate, Laiko urged fellow faithful to “elect only those who have made clear their belief in the sacredness of life and vow to protect it.”
“We believe that the stand of candidates on issues that concern life, marriage and family is fundamental as it goes into the core of their being and faith in the Creator of Life,” it said.
It also reminded fellow voters to choose candidates who have a track record of clean and honest service in the community and have transparent program of governance that will benefit the poor.
Laiko serves as the secretariat of the Episcopal Commission on the Laity of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
The association is composed of Archdiocesan/Diocesan Councils of the Laity, National Lay Organizations, National Movements and Church-oriented groupings. It promotes nationwide initiatives and coordinates national programs of the laity. (Pinky Barrientos, FSP/CBCPNews)
Ermita Church Named a Marian Shrine
Filed under Features on April 30, 2010.
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales has declared the Ermita Church in Manila as Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Senora de Guia back in 2005.
Nuestra Senora de Guia, the patron saint of Ermita Church is the oldest Marian image in the country. It was discovered along Manila’s shoreline by soldiers of conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi on May 19, 1571 after Legaspi took over possession of the city in honor of King Felipe II of Spain.
Historical accounts revealed that the soldiers witnessed natives rendering pagan worship to a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary placed on top of a truck surrounded by pandan trees. Since that time it was said that the “Virgen de Guia began to shed rays of charity in ever so many miracles she wrought in behalf of the people, especially the navigators. It is in this light that she was given the tile Guia, which means guide.
Some were also saying that the image must have been one of those brought to the country by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 and must have been sent by the Cebu native chiefs as a gift to one of the rajahs in Manila.
But it was on Aug. 9, 1578 that the King of Spain declared Nuestra Senora de Guia as the “Sworn Patroness” of Manila by reason of the continual favors that she lavished on the city.
A church can become a shrine if it meets the following criteria: it has historical significance, there’s an extraordinary devotion to the patron of the church, it is visited not only by parishioners but also by people from other parts of the archdiocese, it has the capacity to accommodate a large number of pilgrims, and existence of a special social dimension of the devotion of the place or a social action program that promotes full human development of people.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/man/2005/12/11/news/ermita.church.named.a.marian.shrine.html
Easter Message
Filed under Features on April 25, 2010.
(Easter Message of the CBCP President)
WARMEST Easter Greetings to one and all!
The “Exultet,” in its attempt to capture the joy of Easter, triumphantly proclaims: “Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor, radiant in the brightness of your King! Christ has conquered (death)! Glory fills you! Darkness vanishes forever!…”
This traditional Easter Proclamation faithfully preserves and spreads the jubilant spirit of our Christian forefathers who personally witnessed the astonishing event of Christ’s rising from the dead. In fact, this remarkable event in human history is the summit of the Good News that Jesus preached—Christ our Lord conquered the power of death through His glorious resurrection. The Apostle Paul, so consumed by this mysterious victory of life, declares in faith: “O death, where is your sting (1 Cor. 15:55)?” Truly, Christ has radically eradicated the ultimate source of fear, darkness, and human despair—Death
Noticeably, many Filipinos today are still cynical about progress and development. With the ascending rate of poverty, electoral deceit, crime and violence, graft and corruption, abuse of natural resources and other forms of social evil, naturally only a few can speak of hope for a better Philippines. The vast majority wallow in abject poverty. Electoral processes are manipulated by some influential politicians. Suffrage is curtailed by vote-buying-and-selling, various forms of threat, and erratic understanding of Utang na loob.
Extrajudicial killings and massacre have become rampant. Our rainforests have turned into barren deserts due to illegal logging and indiscriminate mining. These are but only some of the gruesome faces of evil leaving the nation in dire misery and hopelessness. Even so, why should we fear? In his annual Easter Message, Urbi et Orbi, the Holy Father Benedict XVI says: “By his rising the Lord has not taken away suffering and evil from the world but has vanquished them at their roots by the superabundance of his grace.” By his death Jesus has crushed and triumphed over the iron-clad law of death, eliminating its poisonous root for ever.
However dark the horizon may seem, today we celebrate the radiant triumph of Easter joy. We are now children of resurrection! Let no one yield to dismay and lack of trust! We hold in our hearts the very foundation of Hope. Christ is risen! Christ is alive in our midst; truly present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. In and with Him, the journey through life gets brighter, not darker. People going through great crisis find comfort in His presence. He comes to us as answer to our tears over death.
In this season of Easter, as we continue to contemplate the Lord’s resurrection, we let the Holy Spirit bring us to that glorious event where we may encounter the risen Lord again and relive the joyful hope of Easter. May we, who truly experience this life-giving hope, light, and love of Christ, also become rays of hope for the despairing. lighted candles amidst darkness, and compassion for the abandoned. God bless us all!
+NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, JCD
President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Bishop of Tandag
April 3 2010
Bishops Worldwide Affirm Support for Pope
Filed under Features on April 17, 2010.
Excerpt from: http://www.zenit.org/article-28845?l=english
Decry Campaign to Discredit the Church
Countless bishops from across the globe have weighed in to support Benedict XVI as he is slandered by media accusations regarding the sex abuse scandal.
They agree that a campaign in under way to discredit the Church and they are calling Catholics to prayer and communion with the Vicar of Christ.
“The visible head of the Mystical Body of Christ has been mistreated by enemies of the Church, with unheard of lack of respect for the truth and with a display of incredible cynicism,” remarked Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, archbishop of Lima, at the chrism Mass he celebrated Wednesday. “Behind it all we can see an attack on the Church to harm her.
“We, his children, cannot remain silent. Prayer is the main weapon that the Holy Spirit puts at his disposal.
“Let us pray for the Pope, for the Church, for the bishops, for priests and for consecrated life. [...] Let us seek personal sanctity with greater force.”
The episcopal conference from Paraguay sent a letter to Benedict XVI affirming “support, communion and solidarity.”
The bishops expressed their “communion with the Pope, at this moment of pain because of the attacks he receives in his character of pastor of the universal Church” — attacks that seek “to weaken his voice and moral authority.”
Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, expressed his closeness to the Pope on Tuesday, during the homily of a Mass with members of the Italian Parliament.
“Thank you, Holy Father!” he said. “With the whole Church, and in a particularly eminent way in the present times, we are with Peter, with the great gift that God has given us in his Successor, our greatly loved Pope Benedict XVI.”
Let us offer more prayers for our Holy Father these days as he just celebrated his birthday last April 16 and his upcoming anniversary to the pontificate this April 19. Benedict XVI, we love you!
The Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Marilao, Bulacan
Filed under Features on April 9, 2010.
A Blog Entry by Fr. Abe CRS
http://thesplendorofthechurch.blogspot.com/2009/07/shrine-of-divine-mercy-in-marilao.html
It is an annual tradition for the Arganiosa Family to visit altogether the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Marilao, Bulacan. In order to praise and worship the Lord for His great love is without end as well as to thank Him for all the blessings that we have received throughout the year.
Last December 2008, during the Christmas Octave we went on pilgrimage again since my elder Sister, Ate Luz Arganiosa, arrived from abroad where she is working. She wanted to consecrate herself and her work before the Divine Mercy and to the Blessed Mother and so we all joined together to visit the Shrine.
The National Shrine of Divine Mercy is not too large. I think its sitting capacity can only accommodate about 200-250 people. However, it is very special for Catholics because it is the National Shrine of Divine Mercy which is very popular in the country because at 3:00 pm everyday the nation stops for few minutes for the recitation of the Divine Mercy prayer.
It was almost noon when we arrived at the Shrine because we passed by the St. Joseph Parish in San Jose del Monte City so the number of worshippers were fewer then. That is why I was able to enjoy the serenity and beauty of the place. I was able to visit almost every corner and check on each of its works of arts and religious images. I was overwhelmed by its simplicity and richness in faith expressions.
The Stations of the Cross in the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Bulacan are located at the right side of the Church. There is a wall leading to the Garden and there these images depicting Our Lord’s passion are plastered. These are very beautiful and moving representations of the life of the Lord, like a summary of the history of Redemption in artform.
Tayabas Readers Bring Art to Palm Fronds
Filed under Features on March 27, 2010.
for Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon
LUCENA CITY, Philippines—At the break of dawn Saturday, weavers of “palaspas” (palm fronds) from the rural village of Palale in nearby Tayabas town flocked to this city and took their usual positions on the sidewalk near the St. Ferdinand Cathedral here.
There, they display their skills in braiding fresh palm fronds for Palm Sunday rites.
“We’ve been doing this since we were still children,” said Joyce Pureza, a fresh college graduate from the Southern Luzon State University in Lucban.
“This is a religious art legacy that has been passed on to us by our elders which we will also pass on to the next generation.
”Beside her is cousin Nolyn Caagbay, who was just starting her summer vacation after her first year in the College of Agriculture in the same state university.
“Some of us peddle braided palm leaves house-to-house. But we always just stay here on the sidewalk to wait for our regular buyers,” Caagbay said.
Rowela Raca and her 12-year-old daughter Ronalie have their own place on the sidewalk.
“This is my first time to sell palm leaves,” the shy girl said.Caagbay said their village has become famous because of palm weavers.
“The experts in our place can turn palm leaves into beautiful original designs,” she said.
Palm trees are common in Palale, about 20 minutes drive from Tayabas on the way to Mauban.
Palale palm frond vendors said the manner by which they braid palm leaves reflects their faith.
The palm fronds, one vendor said, should be worth more than what buyers were willing to pay for them.
“They (buyers) treat palm leaves as another item in the market,” said the vendor.
Some buyers, however, can see the artwork that went into preparing the palm leaves.
They pay more, said the vendor.
“Despite the hard times, the Filipinos still remain very religious,” said the vendor.
In Lucena City, Bishop Emilio Marquez of the Diocese of Lucena blesses palms not inside the Cathedral but in the parking lot inside the church patio.
After the blessing, the faithful bring home the blessed palm leaf.
This often becomes a fixture near the main door of the house and windowsills in the belief that the palm fronds could ward off evil spirits.
Greetings in the name of our LORD JESUS!
