Breakfast Pictures April 2010 (Photos)

Our last breakfast until the summer break. 

On our menu:  longanisa, bacon, scrambled eggs, garlic rice, toast, coffee, tea, orange juice, milk.  

Art was exhausted that day….from all the eating.

Angels in Haiti (Vlog)

by AP

Posted on January 21, 2010 at 7:58 AM

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LAKEWOOD, Wash. (AP) — Molly Hightower’s uncle told some 600 mourners at her funeral Mass in Lakewood, Wash., that it’s easy to think of the young woman who died in the Haiti earthquake as a saint.

But the Rev. Craig Hightower said Wednesday that the 22-year-old was a complex young woman who could have done anything after graduating from the University of Portland with a triple major in psychology, sociology and French. Instead, he told the crowd at St. John Bosco Catholic Church, she decided to work for a year with some of the poorest children on the planet.

Her father, Mike Hightower of Port Orchard, says the family learned that Molly was on the fifth floor of a seven-story orphanage building when it collapsed. She helped at an orphanage and at a hospital and also worked with disabled children.

Her 24-year-old sister Jordan told the audience that the past week has sometimes felt like “the end of the world for my family.” Jordan Hightower said while her sister would understand that grief, she would then demand something better from everyone.

Dedicated to Molly Hightower

Last week, during a post-game interview after a physical game with the Boston Celtics, Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls sent his thoughts and prayers to the people of Haiti.  Along with other NBA players, like Alonzo Mourning and Samuel Dalembert, and other sports, hollywood, and political celebrities have joined hands in helping the victims of this recent tragedy to the already suffering nation, and help us all realize what life is truly about.  Unfortunately, fanatical comments, like such made by Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh, have made more headlines than the good-doers.  The media is also filled with images of the distruction, the dead, and the dying living us with nothing to the imagination and the victims no sense of respect or privacy. 

But amidst all of this catastrophe, there many acts of humanity that were left unnoticed by the press.  Everywere in the country, Haitians and other volunteers have come together to help fellow victims and pick up whatever there is left.  Many of those who perished were volunteers who had done heroic acts of kindness with hopes to change the impoverished country for the better.

I pray for those who were victims and heroes, and for the volunteers, that they may be provided with the basic needs, manpower, comfort, and hope.  God bless Haiti.

 

 

Simbang Gabi 2009 (Vlog)

One of my favorite festivities growing up in the Philippines is the Simbang Gabi (Misa de Gallo or Advent Pre-Dawn Mass), a nine-day novena leading up to the Christmas Eve Mass representing Mary’s wait for the birth of Jesus. I remember being awaken by musical bands, carolers, church bells, fireworks, and bright Christmas lights and parols. After mass, we would stop at food stalls in the churchyard for Christmas treats such as hot ginger tea and a variety of rice and coconut cakes like the puto bungbong and bibingka. But what I miss the most is the fact that this was a family and community event. It was our chance to reconnect with our extended families, friends and the community.

Christmas in the United States on the other hand is more secular and commercially driven. The season is decorated with fairy tale characters that have nothing to do with the birth of Jesus. And instead of  frequenting the churches to prepare the souls, Americans tend to crowd the shopping malls to acessorize their Christmas trees. And then there was Iowa…The snow was infinitely beautiful. But the below zero temparature, the ice, and clean-up, together is like hell freezing over. My Christmas experiences in Iowa was, simply put, very cold.

Here in Washington, the climate is temperate and the churches encourage diversity. And in Pierce County, Simbang Gabi is shared and held in nine different churches. The celebration kicks off with the Commisioning in St. James Cathedral in Seattle. Then it continues at different venue each night. This year, our church and St. Frances Cabrini again jointly hosted one of the events, this time, in St. John Bosco. Each church processes their own unique parol at the beginning of the Mass.  It is also enhanced by traditional Filipino Advent songs by a choir made up of volunteers from participating churches.   Finally, each celebration is concluded with a salo-salo, a gathering showcasing favorite Filipino dishes.

 

 

 

Again, it is an opportunity for us Filipinos here in the U.S. to share and reconnect with our culture, the community, our family, and, most of all, the real meaning of Christmas.

 

 

Christmas Party 2009 (Photos)

 

   

   

    

 

 

 

  

   

     

 

 

 

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

  

Simbang Gabi 2009 (Announcement)

Please join us in our Archdiocesan and parish-sponsored Simbang Gabi clebrations during this Advent Season.  Experience the spirituality of the season, the anticipation and expectation of the Birth of our Lord and fellowship with faith communities from throughout the Archdiocese and greater Pierce Deanery.  Bring your family and friends!

Novena Mass Schedule

Saturday, Dec 12 @11am…….St. James Cathedral  (Commissioning Mass)

Sunday, Dec 13 @ 530pm………St. Charles Brromeo

Monday, Dec 14 @ 7pm…….St. John Bosco (co-celebrant with St. Frances Cabrini)

Tuesday, Dec 15 @ 7pm…………St. Ann

Wednesday, Dec 16 @ 7pm…….Holy Cross

Thursday, Dec 17 @ 7pm……….St. Aloysius

Friday, Dec 18 @ 7pm………….. Our Lady Queen of Heaven

Saturday, Dec 19 @ 530pm…….St. Patrick

Sunday, Dec 20 @ 10am………..St. Martin of Tours

Monday, Dec 21 @ 7pm…………St. Nicholas

Reception immediately after Mass.

*click on link to view parish websites/address

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Attn. SJB parishoners:  Please bring your homemade parols on December 5 @ 4pm.  We will be voting on Dec 5 & 6  for the parol that will represent our parish during the simbang gabi celebrations.  Thank you.

Ministry Fair (Announcement)

WHAT: Ministry Fair

WHEN:  Nov. 14th after the 5pm mass and Nov 15th after the 9 and 11am mass.

WHERE:  St. John Bosco Parish Hall

WHY:  To showcase all the Stewardship group at our church.

We could use some volunteers to man our booth.  Thank you.

New Catholic Commercials

New commercials from Catholic Come Home in efforts to bring Catholics back to church.

Check out http://www.catholicscomehome.org/ for more.

For the last time, i don’t know karate (Vlog)

…nor do I use chopsticks!  Filipinos are faith, family, music, and FOOD loving people.  And regardless of our economic status, we all enjoy gatherings and karaoke in the company of our family and friends.  And thank God for the strong Filipino community here in Washington, my family and I are able to preserve some of our culture and traditions.

Last week, my wife, my kids, and I were among the role players in the Mass for San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint.  The  9-day novena, processions, and feasts complete this annual celebration, held jointly by the St. John Bosco and St. Cabrini Catholic Church Fil-Am groups.  This year’s event was done at our sister church, St. Frances Cabrini, in Lakewood, Washington.  This is the first time in years where my wife and I were not directly responsible for the preparation of the program. Whew!  However, we were still very much involved.  My kids were in the opening procession. I was in the choir.  And my wife, suprisingly, volunteered to do a prayer in Filipino.  Oh, how fun!  Mostly, all we had to do was bring our appetite.

Along with Simbang Gabi, events like this one, are useful instruments for a Filipino father like me in teaching my U.S.-born sons universal family values, spirituality, and humility.  Filipino food, Filipino stores, Filipino friends, Wowowie, and others like these, also help them appreciate heritage, culture, and diversity.  To us, being different is the norm. 

And as I attempt to explain to Elijah that the cashiers in the Filipino stores can speak English, and to Mino that he’s half Filipino and NOT “mostly Washingtonian,” my wife and I wish to continue to teach our children about loving thy neighbour and self by example.

And by the way, no dogs were eaten at the feast

Parol (Reflections)

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.—Matthew 2:9-10

Did you know that the parol is related to the Mexican pinata? It made its first appearance in Bacolor, Pampanga, on Christmas of 1904. Originally used to light the way to church during simbang gabi, it attracted country-wide attention in 1928, when the neighboring town of San Fernando featured it in a parade held in honor of the visiting then President Manuel L. Quezon and his wife. Today, they hang in windows throughout the United States and around the world. We see parols of different shapes and sizes and material. Some are even electronic. Modern-day parols are very flashy and can easily have a commercialized appeal. But let as not forget the basics; that the parol is a Philippine symbol that represents the star of Bethlehem. It is an expression of shared faith and hope and an offering to glorify the Lord.

What does the parol mean to you and your family? Do you have memories of your first or early parols? What else in your house represents faith and hope?

Grotto Trip July 2005(Photos)

Few photos from our trip to the Grotto in Portland, Oregon.