Visitors from Portugal

This afternoon, I had the joy to receive visitors from Portugal.

I mentioned in my last post that one of the special highlights for the pilgrimage was to celebrate Mass at the Chapel of Apparition in Fatima on March 16. Antonio Marto (a relative of the Blessed Francisco and Jacinta Marto) was a guard at the shrine who served at the Mass. He came to visit me with his friends from Portugal.

Antonio Marto attended St. Patrick’s Elementary School in Vancouver as a young boy, and he is a friend of couple of staff members of St. Patrick’s High School and Elementary School.

 

One of his friends who is visiting Vancouver is Dinis Brites, a professional singer, who will be performing this Saturday in Vancouver.

HERE is his site. He also showed me a song he sang in honor of Our Lady of Fatima posted on Facebook.

It was a joy for me to give him special blessing and a relic medal.

May they have a wonderful visit in Vancouver!

Personal Highlights

I wanted to update the blog for a while. But after my pilgrimage to Europe, I had such terrible jet-lag, that I was not able to do much. I am certainly getting older!!!

A sincere thanks to those who wished me happy birthday last Wednesday (March 23).

   

It was a great joy for me to baptize 2 little children and to confirm their mom on March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation. I myself was confirmed on March 25, 1989.

Please visit my corner at www.fll.cc for my latest upload of article, Sunday sermons, and prayer groups talks.

www.fatheranthonyho.ca

Our trip to Europe was good. The most special highlight for me was to celebrate Mass at the Chapel of Apparition in Fatima, and at the Grotto in Lourdes. Please visit my on-line photo album.

https://picasaweb.google.com/fatheranthonyho/PilgrimageToFatimaSpainLourdes?feat=directlink

Mass at Chapel of Apparition in Fatima on March 16.

 

Grotto in Lourdes.

Please click HERE to listen to my Sunday Sermon in Lourdes (March 20).

Blog Closed (March 13-22)

I will be away from tomorrow (March 13) to March 22 on pilgrimage in Portugal, Spain and France.

March 13: On the plane to Lisbon

March 14: Arrive Lisbon (Birth place of St. Anthony)

March 15: Santarem (Eucharistic Miracle Site) & Fatima

March 16: Fatima (Our Lady appeared in 1917)

March 17: Mass at Cathedral of Salamanca

March 18: Avila (St. Teresa of Avila)

March 19: Loyola (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

March 20-21: Lourdes (Our Lady appeared in 1858)

March 22: On the plane to Vancouver

Please click HERE for our itinerary.

Personal Highlights

March 5: Funeral Mass for a lady who had great devotion to St. Anthony (I placed the relic of St. Anthony on the altar during the funeral Mass).

Also on March 5: Attended Gala Dinner of Chinese Marriage Encounter.

March 6 & 7: Meetings for my 3 prayer groups with veneration of holy relics (especially relics of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity.

March 8: Some members of the Sunday Chinese prayer group returned from Holy Land. Someone gave me a crucifix with relic.

 

Please check out my corner at www.fll.cc for the latest upload of articles, talks, and sermons.

www.fatheranthonyho.ca

Fountain of Love and Life (Vancouver Production)

「生命恩泉」今個星期日(3月6日) 下午4:35 新時代電視播出首個温哥華創作的環節----「愛心廚房」。

敬請觀看！

Filipino Bishops spoke up for LIFE

The Bishops in the Philippines issued a pastoral letter clearly opposing the so-called “Reproductive Health” or “Responsible Parenthood” (RH) bill.

It is wonderful to see the shepherds of the Church teaching the truths clearly and boldly.

The letter pointed out:

• Twenty five years ago in 1986 we Catholic Bishops made a prophetic moral judgment on political leadership…Today we come to a new national crossroads and we now have to make a similar moral choice. Our President rallied the country with the election cry, “Kung walang corrupt walang mahirap.” As religious leaders we believe that there is a greater form of corruption, namely, moral corruption which is really the root of all corruption. On the present issue, it would be morally corrupt to disregard the moral implications of the RH bill.
• Advocates contend that the RH bill promotes reproductive health. The RH Bill certainly does not. It does not protect the health of the sacred human life that is being formed or born. The very name “contraceptive” already reveals the anti-life nature of the means that the RH bill promotes. These artificial means are fatal to human life, either preventing it from fruition or actually destroying it. Moreover, scientists have known for a long time that contraceptives may cause cancer. Contraceptives are hazardous to a woman’s health.
• Advocates also say that the RH bill will reduce abortion rates. But many scientific analysts themselves wonder why prevalent contraceptive use sometimes raises the abortion rate. In truth, contraceptives provide a false sense of security that takes away the inhibition to sexual activity. Scientists have noted numerous cases of contraceptive failure. Abortion is resorted to, an act that all religious traditions would judge as sinful. “Safe sex” to diminish abortion rate is false propaganda.
• Advocates moreover say that the RH bill will prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. This goes against the grain of many available scientific data. In some countries where condom use is prevalent, HIV/ AIDS continues to spread. Condoms provide a false security that strongly entices individuals towards increased sexual activity, increasing likewise the incidence of HIV/AIDS. “Safe sex” to prevent HIV /AIDS is false propaganda.
• Advocates also say that the RH bill is necessary to stop overpopulation and to escape from poverty. Our own government statistical office has concluded that there is no overpopulation in the Philippines but only the over-concentration of population in a number of urban centers….The causes of our poverty are: flawed philosophies of development, misguided economic policies, greed, corruption, social inequities, lack of access to education, poor economic and social services, poor infrastructures, etc. World organizations estimate that in our country more than P400 billion pesos are lost yearly to corruption. The conclusion is unavoidable: for our country to escape from poverty, we have to address the real causes of poverty and not population.

Please read the whole pastoral letter HERE.

Let us keep the people in the Philippines in our prayers. In our parish (St. Patrick’s, Vancouver, Canada) we have over 80% Filipinos. It is wonderful to see the Filipino culture emphasizes on religion, family, and education.

May the light of life overcomes the darkness of evil in this beautiful Catholic country.

New Missal Translation will be like rediscover buried treasure

Bishop Peter Elliott, the author of my favorite liturgical book, Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite, wrote an excellent article on the new English translation of the Missal.

Bishop Elliott pointed out:

• The Bishops in the early seventies were anxious to get the “new missal” to the people as quickly as possible. But the translation they hastily approved was distorted because it was based on a flawed principle of translation known as ‘dynamic equivalence’.
• In the East, mystery in worship is maintained largely by the ikonostasis, the icon screen across the sanctuary. In the West, the Latin language functioned as a kind of ikonostasis of language….It is possible to translate the Mass into our vernacular while retaining much of that sense of linguistic mystery, as may already be seen in the work of the current project.
• Liturgiam authenticam and guidance from Vox Clara have freed us from that obsession with instant comprehension, or immediate, accessible meaning which destroyed real meaning.
  The new ICEL translations reflect not only accuracy but reverence for the mystery of God, indeed the centrality of God, which is the meaning of Christian worship.

Please take the time to read the whole article HERE.

Happy Feast of St. Casimir

March 4 is the Feast of St. Casimir, Patron of Poland.

This 15th century saint was the son of Casimir III, King of Poland. He maintained his purity in the court environment through prayers and mortifications.

He had a great devotion to Mary and frequently recited the “Hymn of St. Casimir”. (Omni die dic Mariae/ Daily Daily Sing to Mary)

Daily, daily sing to Mary,
Sing, my soul, her praises due.
All her feasts, her actions worship
With the heart's devotion true.

Lost in wond'ring contemplation,
Be her Majesty confess'd.
Call her Mother, call her Virgin,
Happy Mother, Virgin blest.

She is mighty to deliver.
Call her, trust her lovingly.
When the tempest rages round thee,
She will calm the troubled sea.
Gifts of heaven she has given,
Noble Lady, to our race.
She, the Queen, who decks her subjects
With the light of God's own grace.

Sing, my tongue, the Virgin's trophies
Who for us her Maker bore.
For the curse of old inflicted,
Peace and blessing to restore.
Sing in songs of peace unending,
Sing the world's majestic Queen.
Weary not nor faint in telling.
All the gifts she gives to men.

Snow! Snow! Snow!

Last weekend I was in Squamish for the grade 12 girls’ retreat. I heard Confessions on Saturday night and celebrated Mass for the students on Sunday afternoon.

On Sunday morning, I had the joy to celebrate Mass at Queen of Peace Dominican Monastery. Due to heavy snow, 2 Sisters picked me up from the camp with a 4-Runner.

Please visit my corner at fll.cc to listen or download the sermon I preached at the monastery. (You can also read my latest article and listen to my latest radio talk and prayer group talk on-line).

After Mass, the 2 Sisters brought me to their new 82 acres property.

There is currently a 40 years old house there, and the plan is to build a new monastery, chapel, and guest house.

There is about 1 km from the gate to building.

The future chapel will be on the top of the hill.

40 years old house with workshops, and will be used as House of Novices.

Woods for fire upstairs.

Upstairs dinning room and view.

Setting up for Mass for the Grade 12 girls. I prayed that some of the girls will become nuns.