That especially in mission countries Christians may show with acts of fraternal love that the Child born in the stable at Bethlehem is the luminous hope of the world.
"may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all"- st.arnold janssen_________
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SVDWitnessing
Mission Saint
A Christmas Witness Living in China in the later part of 19th century is perhaps the worst nightmare any foreigner could ever imagine. St. Joseph Freinademetz lived all his missionary-priestly life in China. He had most of his Christmases with the Chinese who he loved and served all his life. It's so typical for any of us to celebrate Christmas with our family and community where we belong. We longed to go home in seasons like Christmas. It is in this very season that we use to have reunions, homecoming, weddings, baptisms and other important occasions in our lives.
As a missionary St. Joseph Freinademetz had all his Christmases in China with his people in Shantung. He is literally in the other side of the world not only physically but in language, culture and belief of people. His presence with the people of Shantung in China is a Christmas witnessing-- making God's presence so conrete in the lives of the people. It was for him a Christmas where found home away from home.
Our lives with our community, family and love ones this Christmas is a very good venue to withness to the Word as St. Joseph Freinademetz did. read more
Mission Inspiration
Why Hatid-Misyon? Hatid-Misyon has its URL address http://misyon.spruz.net which was officially launched last May 2008.
Hatid-Misyon is a Filipino (Tagalog) word which literally means "Herald of the Mission". Inspired by Jesus' mandate to his disciples "...make disciples of all
nations" (Mt 28:19) and the examples of Sts. Arnold Janssen and Josef Freinademitz to proclaim the Good News to all creation. Thus to
communicate the WORD to the world, we believe using the internet is one of
best and effective means to "communicate the WORD to the World".
Hatid-Misyon is aimed to communicate the WORD to the World through various
mission endeavors of missionaries especially the SVDs in an electronic or digitized form. The website offers news-updates, sharings, events, schedules and
reflections about mission and the church. It also offers interactive blog,
forums on relevant issues that affect us, group messaging such as electronic
bulletin and promotes church BEC-based software for parish offices. It has also
sunday homilies, stories and humor... visit us now at http://misyon.spruz.net
The website beneficiaries are the internet surfers (anyone) especially friends and benefactors of the
mission. It has a very positive responses and comments coming from visitors encouraging us to continue and update this electronic publication in the cyberspace.
The website caters (not represent) the mission activities of
the SVD confreres in the SVD-PHN. God bless the Mission. top
sample
Laught It Out
Never be Late
A priest was being honored at his retirement dinner after 25 years in
the parish. A leading local politician and member of the congregation
was chosen to make the presentation and give a little speech at the dinner. He was delayed so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited.
The priest began, saying, "I got my first impression of the parish from the first confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when stopped by the police, had almost murdered the officer. He had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from is place of business, had an affair with his boss's wife,
taken illegal drugs, and gave VD to his sister. I was appalled. But as the days went on I knew that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full good and loving people." Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and give his talk. "I'll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived," said the politician.
"In fact, I had the honor of being the first one to go to him in
confession." top
SVD Centennial Corner
SVD CENTENNIAL PRAYER
O Triune God, source of all blessings, you have always journeyed with us as we celebrate our 100 years of religious missionary presence in the Philippines.
We thankfully remember our first SVD Missionarieswith their pioneering spirit and commitment. The people who welcomed and gave us the opportunity to serve thecommunities that emerged through the prayers and work of our brothers, the active and contemplative sisters, priest and lay partners.
We humbly rejoice the dedication of our confreres, superiors, formators, educators and pastors at the generous support of our lay mission purpose, at the genuine response of the people we work with, at the ministries that developed in the course of time namely: Mission animation, Media Communication, Bible Apostolate, Justice, Peace and Integrity of creation.
And we faithfully renew, our community spirit, our creative hearts and our various works, our common vision to help and strengthen the local church, our involvement with the social concerns of our people and our mission to be witnesses to the Word in the world especially in our country, inspired by our founder St. Arnold Janssen, St. Joseph Freinademetz, Blessed Helena Stollenwerk, Blessed Josefa Stenmanns, the blessed martyrs, Stan, Greogory, Alloysius and Louis and through the intercession of our Blessed Virgin Mary and the other patrons of the Society of the Divine Word, we pray to you Fathe, Son, the Holy Spirit, who lives forever and ever. Amen. top
God made his plan of salvation concrete in history of
humankind thus the very story of Christmas took place in our midst more than
2000 years ago. Since then, God's mission evolved into what we call a community
of believers or the "church". It happened not by chance but by the will of God.
No matter what, Christmas is going to happen every year in
the lives of those who believe. In the midst of all kinds of crisis that
envelopes our country be it moral, economic, social, cultural and etc there is
much hope.The urgent mission that we
ought to bring to one another is not so much material prosperity but seed of
hope in each person. Our very mission in the midst of uncertainties is to be a
sign of hope to one another.
Christmas reminds us that God dwells among us that He is
with us the Emmanuel. As St. Paul
in one of his letters would admonish the faithful of his time, "If God is with
us, who will be against us".The very
mention of God being with us is Christmas per se. Christmas is hope.
In the midst of all our political, economic and social
expectations, let our mission this Christmas be-- a sign of hope to one another
and be a Christmas to them!
Epiphany Sunday Gospel
Which Way to Jesus?
In the stories of Jesus' birth, two special groups of people came to visit the new-born babe: the
shepherds and the magi. The church has no special feast to commemorate the visit of the shepherds but we
have this special feast of Epiphany today to celebrate the visit of the magi. Why is that? It is because the visit
of the magi is an eye-opener. The shepherds learnt of the birth of Jesus through a direct revelation from angels
appearing in the midnight sky. This is direct and supernatural revelation. Many of us have no problem with
that. The magi, on the other hand, learnt of the birth of Jesus by observing a star. The star did not say anything
to them. They had to interpret this natural sign of the star to know what it meant and where it led. If we
remember that the magi or the three wise men were nature worshippers, people who divined God's will by
reading the movements of the stars and other heavenly bodies, then we can see how the visit of the magi
challenges some of our popular beliefs.
Like the palm fruit farmers, religious people of all persuasions tend to think that their religious tradition
is the only way to God. This is what some of us hear when we hear such words of Jesus as: "I am the way,
and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). We hastily
conclude that the way of God equals the way of our religious tradition. Yet the word of God cautions us against
such a narrow interpretation. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says
the Lord" (Isaiah 55:8). That is why we are fascinated with the story of the visit of the magi. It is a unique
story that opens our eyes to the fact that God is not limited to any one religious tradition.read more
Daily Mission
the time had come
Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17 The British author John Stott, describes how his life changed. One Sunday night he knelt beside his bed. It wasn't a sudden impluse, but the result of serious soul searching. He knew that the time had come for him to open himself totally to Jesus Christ. There in the darkness of his room, he examined his conscience and thanked Jesus for making it possible to have his sins forgiven. Basic Christianity: John Stott, the next day he wrote in his journal: "Behold, Jesus stands at the door and knocks. I have heard him and now he has come into my house. He has cleansed it and now rules it."
What in my life needs changing?
It is one thing to see the land of peace and another thing to tread the road that leads to it.St. Augustine: Confessions 7:21
The church's core mission never changes, but how it's
accomplished is up for revision.
-Wayne Pohl
Calling and Waiting for Eucharistic Celebration
Glimpses of Cordillera
The Cordillera has been a mission frontier since the coming of the first missionaries in the area (c.1900). Its good to have a glimpse of the Cordillera where the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) in the Philippines had its root (particularly in Abra). Now, the SVD are also in other remote mission areas of Cordillera (ie. Kalinga, Apayao, Mt.Province and Ifugao)
SpringWidgets Church News - Headlines Church news updates
Q: I get distracted easily in my spiritual life but I do wantto grow closer to the Lord. What can I do to help me get back on track?
A: Well, distraction is part of our existence and can't be avoided. But there are things we can do to as you said "get back on track". One, try to create a prayerful environment. You can't grow closer to God by staying in front of the TV all day. Got to your room and have some peace and quiet, kneeling in the alter even or go to Adoration chapel. Two, you can offer all those things that distract you in prayer to God's glory. Either pray to the Lord about the things bothering you or just surrender it to Him for His glory. And lastly, you can use guided or memorize prayers (eg. Our Father or Hail Mary etc) only if pray it heart and not by mouth. top
M i s s i o n I n t e n t i o n
Hatid-Misyon has its URL address http://misyon.spruz.net
