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Fr.
Charles
Puthota
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Fr.
Charles
Puthota
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May
16,
2021
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Dear
St.
Elizabeth
Parishioners,
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500
Years
of
Christianity
in the
Philippines,
Our
Parish
Celebration:
As you
may be
aware,
the
Church
in the
Philippines
and
the
Filipino
diaspora
around
the
world
are
celebrating
"500
Years
of
Christianity
in the
Philippines."
With
joy
and
gratitude,
we
observe
this
occasion
at St.
Elizabeth
Church
this
Sunday
May
16,
2021
at the
11:30
a.m.
Mass
presided
over
by our
Archbishop
Salvatore
Cordileone.
You
may
recall
that
Pope
Francis
celebrated
a
special
Mass
at St.
Peter's
Basilica
on
March
14 in
Rome
to
mark
the
500th
anniversary
of
Christianity
in the
Philippines
and
urged
the
Filipinos
to
"persevere
in the
work
of
evangelization."
Joined
him at
the
Mass
were
several
representatives
of the
Filipino
Church,
including
Cardinal
Luis
Antonio
Tagle,
the
former
Archbishop
of
Manila
who is
now
prefect
of the
Congregation
for
the
Evangelization
of
Peoples.
Pope
Francis
recalled
that
when
the
Christian
message
first
arrived
in the
Philippines
five
centuries
ago,
"You
received
the
joy of
the
Gospel:
the
good
news
that
God so
loved
us
that
he
gave
his
Son
for
us.
And
this
joy is
evident
in
your
people.
We see
it in
your
eyes,
on
your
faces,
in
your
songs
and in
your
prayers…
I want
to
thank
you
for
the
joy
you
bring
to the
whole
world
and to
our
Christian
communities."
The
Catholic
Church
in the
Philippines
inaugurated
the
year-long
celebration
on
Easter
Sunday
April
04,
2021
to
last
through
the
end of
April
2022.
The
theme
of the
jubilee
celebration
is
"Gifted
to
Give."
"It
was
500
years
ago,
in
1521,
that
the
Portuguese
explorer
Ferdinand
Magellan,
representing
the
Spanish
Empire,
arrived
in the
Visayan
region
of the
Philippines.
Thus
began
the
process
of
European
colonization,
which
eventually
led to
the
establishment
of
Christianity.
To
this
day,
the
Philippines
remains
the
only
major
predominantly
Catholic
nation
in
Asia"
says
Fr.
Ricky
Manalo.
Congratulations
to the
Filipino
community
at St.
Elizabeth
Parish
and in
the
Archdiocese
who
are
marking
this
500th
anniversary
with
pride,
joy,
and
gratitude!
I want
to
thank
you
for
all
the
blessings
of God
that
you
bring
to our
community
at St.
Elizabeth.
Your
faith,
joy,
kindness,
generosity,
and
hospitality
are an
inspiration
to the
whole
parish
community---and
to me
personally
as
well.
Thank
you,
Archbishop:
Our
Archbishop's
presence
at our
parish
this
Sunday
says a
lot
about
his
regard
for
our
parish
and
the
Filipino
faithful
here
and in
the
whole
Archdiocese.
His
readiness
to
lead
our
prayerful,
joy-filled
celebration
at
Mass
is
much
appreciated.
On
behalf
of St.
Elizabeth
parish,
I
would
like
to
thank
our
Archbishop.
Ascension
Sunday:
Having
accomplished
his
Father's
redemptive
mission,
Jesus
now
goes
back
to the
Father.
He
does
not
leave
us
orphans,
though.
He
will
send
us the
Holy
Spirit,
which
we
will
celebrate
next
Sunday.
He has
also
assured
us
that
he
will
be
with
us
always,
even
to the
end of
time.
During
Jesus'
public
ministry,
he
could
not go
to
every
place
and
every
nation.
Now he
wants
us to
go and
share
the
good
news
with
everyone
in the
world.
We are
the
messengers.
Not
only
are we
messengers.
We are
witnesses.
All of
us who
have
experienced
Jesus
as our
way,
the
truth,
and
the
life,
we are
to go
and
witness
to
others.
In our
words
and
deeds,
in our
values
and
vision,
we are
to
make
Christ
known
to the
world.
This
is the
meaning
of the
feast
of
Ascension.
Jesus
has
passed
on the
baton
to us.
We
have
to
carry
it to
others.
The
relay
race
is on.
We are
to do
our
part
in
taking
Christ
to our
own
family
and
friends,
and
beyond.
We are
"missionary
disciples."
The
angels
said
at his
Ascension:
"Men
of
Galilee,
why
are
you
standing
there
looking
at the
sky?
This
Jesus
who
has
been
taken
up
from
you
into
heaven
will
return
in the
same
way as
you
have
seen
him
going
into
heaven."
Until
Jesus
comes
back
to
fulfill
the
destiny
of the
whole
universe,
which
we
call
his
Second
Coming,
we
have a
mission
to
accomplish
as
Christians.
We
have
love
to
share,
forgiveness
to
offer,
mercy
to
show,
justice
to
establish,
and
dignity
to
uphold.
We
have
the
hungry
to
feed,
naked
to
clothe,
strangers
to
welcome,
prisoners
to
visit,
homeless
to
shelter.
Jesus
needs
us. We
are
his
eyes
and
heart,
his
hands
and
feet.
The
message
of the
Ascension
is for
us to
continue
and
complete
the
mission
of
Christ.
Are we
ready
and
willing?
Inspirational
Quotes:
- 1.
"Try
not
to
become
a
person
of
success.
Rather
become
a
person
of
value."
---
Albert
Einstein.
- 2.
"It's
fun
to
do
the
impossible."
---
Walt
Disney.
- 3.
"To
reach
a
port,
we
must
sail---sail,
not
tie
at
anchor---sail,
not
drift."
---
Franklin
D.
Roosevelt.
Jokes:
- 1.
Dad
writes
on
son's
Facebook
wall:
"Dear
Son,
How
are
you?
All
are
fine
here.
We
miss
you
a
lot.
Please!
Turn
off
the
computer
&
come
down
for
dinner!!!".
- 2.
Man
to
miser:
Why
do
you
always
remove
the
batteries
from
the
clock
and
keep
them
outside?
Miser:
I
want
to
extend
the
battery
life
and
hence
I
put
them
in
the
clock
only
when
I
want
to
see
the
time.
-
3.
Employee:
I
got
to
have
salary
increment.
Three
other
companies
are
after
me.
Boss:
Really?
Which
are
the
three
companies?
Employee:
The
electric
company,
the
telephone
company
and
the
gas
company.
- 4.
Criminal:
Your
money
or
your
life
…Benny:
[Pause.]
Criminal:
Look,
bud.
I
said
your
money
or
your
life.
Benny:
I'm
thinking
it
over.
Wishing
you
God's
abiding
presence,
intimate
grace,
and
abundant
love,
to you
and
your
families,
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