What the Pope Has Shown Me

Back in October 2014, during the Rizal Library's 6th International Conference, Fr. Ben Nebres SJ in his closing keynote challenged the participants of the conference with questions on what libraries can show the world and how librarians are capable of showing it to readers and clients. As I remember it, he talked about technology and our use of a language that is foreign to our context and culture that the purpose and the message for which we create and communicate information becomes unclear. And because he is a Jesuit, he connected this premise to the Papal visit and the current relief operations in Tacloban. It makes a lot of sense but it is difficult to understand everything in one sitting. Just like your typical Jesuit, he left and bestowed points for reflection.

My take away from his closing keynote was, as a librarian, I hold a responsibility to show my community the real and the ideal; that it is my role to help them think through, with care and creativity, which information is worth keeping and worth thrashing away. Isn't this the crux of Information Literacy?

When the Pope spoke about information overload, I connected the dots. Two Jesuits have shown me the way towards my mission as a librarian.

On a personal level, the Pope's visit gave me so much to be grateful for. Once again, I am reminded how important one's personal relationship is with God; that the God we meet in prayer and in the routines of every day is a god who knows how it is to be human. Despite the anit-Pope articles that circulated in social media right after he boarded the plane for Rome, I keep my reverence and respect for Pope Francis because, as I have experienced God in my life, I saw how the Pope would meet his parishioners where they are at. Dissing the prepared speech; being silent and offering one's mere presence; reassuring that Jesus is constant companion in life; embracing the mystery of suffering; falling into vulnerability on questions we could not answer.

So human, yet divine. This is the God I know. This is the God who surprises me.

The Fr. James Meany SJ Award

For serving ten PAASCU visits as Instructional Media accreditor since 2003, I received the James Meany Award this afternoon at the Club Filipino in Greenhills. It was conducted after the PAASCU Assembly where all accreditors gathered to discuss issues and concerns relevant to the improvement of accrediation in the country today.

Fr. Meany is one of the founders of PAASCU. It is now on it's 51st year of existence. This recognition means a lot to me because it tells me that even though I'm no longer a part of Xavier School's teaching force, I remain a Jesuit lay partner. And this I take to heart. This is an affirmation of one of the many missions I have in life, an answer to the call for universal holiness. My being a librarian is not only a profession. It is still my passion, but over the past months, it has become my vocation.

This afternoon, I met old acquaintances from past PAASCU visits. Mr. Marc Hernandez was there, of course. He was awarded for his 100th visit! I bumped into former Xavier colleagues and are we all glad that outside the confines of the Greenhills Campus, we are, retired and resigned faculty of Xavier School, still letting our light shine. I also recognized former professors from college and graduate school as well as batch mates from the Philippine Normal University. It was an afternoon of appreciation and thanksgiving.

Funny how this all happened after the feast of St. Francis Xavier. God has answered a prayer.

Second Day in Capul

The first day of the SAS Teacher Training Workshop here in Capul, Northern Samar folded up two hours ago. It had been a very fruitful day. The teachers of Capul are responsive and eager to learn. They're work ethic and self esteem are very high. What's more, they came wearing their yellow t-shirt that says: I'm Proud To Be A Teacher!

It's been a tiring day for me considering that I was restless last night. It was so warm. I made a mistake not to remind Cats to request for a generator. People in town depend on solar energy. Electrical power begins at 4PM and ends at 12 midnight. Now we all know better.

The venue for the training is in the newly constructed municipal hall which is just across the 16th century church built by the Jesuits. The name of the parish is St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish but is being run by the Catarman Diocese. I was amazed at the fortress like structure. According to Kagawad Marlon, the church was a "balwarte" and watch tower during the Spanish period. On September 14, the church will be instituted as a historic site by the National Historical Commission. Ambeth Ocampo will be present to grace the occasion. We hope to hear mass there tomorrow.

Another site we hope to visit before we leave for Manila is the lighthouse or parola. It was built by the Americans and was used during during World War II to help ships and the US Navy navigate its way into Leyte Gulf. There is more to Capul than meets the eye. Apart from these historic sites, its people are its real treasure. Their language is very unique to the region. An anthropological restoration is in the works. Tomorrow, I'll be conducting the session on Experience Stories. Talk about right timing!

Since yesterday, we had to contend ourselves wading in the pool tides. Not bad at all. It's very relaxing actually. Late this afternoon, Cats, Jojo and I did our debriefing by the shore. Once we're done, we hit the sea to wade in the low tide. The twilight view was magnificent.

Prayer for Cory*

(Inspired by Ninoy Aquino's poem and Joe Mari Chan's song)

Heavenly Father,

We have fallen in love
with the same woman three times:

We loved her first in 1983,
when she flew back home,
a grieving widow in black.
Her brood under her wings,
she wrapped her grief with faith,
and with all her heart,
she embraced our frightened, fragmented nation.

We fell in love with her a second time,
as she marched the streets,
a reluctant Moses defying our Pharoah
who demanded to “let her people go.”
She called down confetti rain,
and through her infectious courage
we crossed the yellow sea.

Today we find ourselves falling
for the same woman a third time:
Surrendering herself to You,
she gathered her pain and ours—
a wounded, bewildered, downhearted people.
Not once did she give up on us.
And in her death, suddenly,
we regain hope in ourselves.

Lord, we thank You for our love for Cory
for each time we fell in love with Cory,
we fell in love with country,
And we fell in love with You.

AMEN.

*Courtesy of Fr. Johnny Go SJ. The same prayer was used as invocation during the necrological services last night at the Manila Cathedral.

6PM at the Novitiate

Chirping crickets.
Croaking Toads.
Ribiting frogs.

And Jesuit brothers
singing their vespers.

Online Resources for Holy Week & for Ordinary Weeks

It's Palm Sunday today. For Catholics, this ushers in the Holy Week meant for reflection, silence and reconnection with God and one's self. Though Lent began last February 24 on Ash Wednesday, this coming week is its zenith as Catholics and Christians world wide move on to prayer.

As long as one finds a quiet place, one can find God in prayer and reflection. And He is online too.

The Philippine Jesuits has a running Online Retreat. Dubbed as The Silences of Lent, one can attend the retreat via the Internet. It has a priming activity to prepare retreatants to the Tridium of this coming week. It is on it's second year and the first one was quite successful with so many retreatants posting their prayers and reflections in the forum. I was one of them. I even wrote about it in my personal blog last year. I'm not telling you to take my word for it, but it worked for me so I will do the same this year inspite of the annual Holy Week recollection that my husband and I will attend on April 9.

I'm not expecting to grow a pair of wings nor expect a halo on my head to appear. I've too many sins. Attending several recollections and retreats is merely not enough to absolve a sinner like myself. Besides, conversion is a long process. God works in wondrous ways and He has been patient with me. So who knows, I might receive a grace that I do not pray for.

I also look forward to the Online Visitia Iglesia. I hope the Jesuits do another round again because, if not this Holy Week, the churches are very good spots for the pilgrims to visit in the future.

Apart from these links for this Holy Week, Sacred Space offers online prayer guides and reflections even on ordinary days and weeks. Didache is also a good source for daily prayer. Bo Sanchez, lay preacher and inspirational speaker who is almost always in blue jeans, has a blog where his writings based on the scriptures are found.

There really is no escaping God's love and presence. His invitation is open and free for all. It is only a matter of choice to take and receive it. Have a restful Holy Week -- this means, no blogging from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday. At least, for me.