I returned to one of my old classrooms, after leaving here 12 years ago in order to complete my first doctorate. The last time I set foot in this classroom was 2002.
So Saturday evening was a type of a homecoming for me at St. Patrick-St. Vincent's High School where I taught 9th & 10th grade Religion. During the time I was there from 1998-2002, I formally taught 500-600 kids.
Here I am posing for a selfie with 3 of my 4 kids in front of my old classroom. We had some time to spare before Mass started.
Unless otherwise noted, my son took all these pictures. This is the new Auxiliary Bishop of Sacramento, the Most Rev. Myron Cotta. He's pretty down to earth and a happy priest and bishop. He's pretty gentle, too, yet firm with what needs to be done to shepherd the flock. The new auxiliary bishop is the former Vicar General from the Fresno Diocese. This is my second time to serve with Bishop Cotta. I'm actually scheduled to serve with him again a third time in a few weeks. In both homilies that I've heard from him, he has mentioned Our Lady in each of them. This is truly inspiring for me when he makes reference to Mary in his homilies.
Before Mass, Bishop Cotta saw me talking to my eldest, John Paul, and at that point he asked about my family who were present. He walked over to where they were sitting to greet them, and I introduced my wife and kids, along with my sister-in-law, Ate Marissa, and her husband who came to Mass.
After he met them, I told Bishop Cotta that we were focusing on building up families here in Vallejo, and I told him that the family apostolate will most likely be my parish assignment. He looked happy about my saying that we were trying to support Christian family life.
The best thing I can do for the Church as a permanent deacon is to focus on my own family.
It is easier said than done of course. But that's why Christ elevated marriage to the dignity of a sacrament. The graces of the sacrament will help married couples live their vocation to matrimony.
I tried to get an extra dalmatic to wear for Mass, and I got the okay to bring the extra dalmatic from the parish. But I was only able to find one dalmatic when I was there at the parish on Friday, so I just left the one dalmatic at the parish. And I did not wear a dalmatic at the Mass at K-Cup.
Here I am to Bishop Cotta's right during the Liturgy of the Word. I chanted the "Kyrie Eleison." I had to coordinate this with the choir which was from St. Joseph's in Pinole (Oakland Diocese). I am grateful for choir directors who ask questions from the deacons about what parts the deacon will chant. The choir director appreciated that I chant the deacon parts as much as I can.
Before the Gospel is proclaimed, the deacon will receive the blessing of the priest typically.
Many people don't know that there are silent prayers that a deacon recites in a low voice during Holy Mass. One of those are the words, "Your blessing, Father," along with low bow and the Sign of the Cross while getting the priest's blessing. If a bishop is the celebrant, the deacon will kneel and ask for his blessing to proclaim the Gospel.
But I wanted to highlight how this was the first time I ever knelt before a bishop before the proclamation of the Gospel. As I knelt, I said, "Your blessing, Father." I felt unworthy but had a sense of peace as the bishop recited his words about the deacon worthily proclaiming the Gospel.
Yes, he is a bishop, but he is still a spiritual father, so instead of saying "Your blessing, Bishop," the words, "Your blessing, Father" are still used.
Anyway, the main point I actually wanted to highlight was that as he blessed me with the Sign of the Cross, and as I felt strengthened by his response to my words, "Your blessing, Father," he placed his hand on my shoulder. It was the shoulder over which my deacon stole was over.
That simple act was so profound for me! It was most likely unnoticeable to the young adults present. There was a fatherly love that was present in that simple gesture, and it moved me deeply. I hope it edified anyone that saw it. I've written about the hand placed on the shoulder in my journals. Interestingly, this same act happened during diaconate formation a few months before ordination where three separate individuals involved in my formation placed their hand on my shoulder within a certain week and on on three separate days; and it was a week that I most especially needed this. It is something I imagine Christ Himself doing to me whenever I have my moments of feeling unworthy of the diaconal office.
In the photo above, the acolyte in cassock and surplice on the right (my left) is Br. Raj Derivera, the K-Cup organizer. God willing, he will be ordained a transitional deacon soon. Please remember him in prayer. He is holding a candle as I proclaim the Gospel.
During the General Intercessions, I had the congregation sing "Lord, hear our prayer" as a response to the petitions I listed. The deacon brings the petitions of the faithful at this part of the Mass. I unconsciously started singing the petitions. I think the congregation singing "Lord, hear our prayer" was fine, but I think next time I will simply recite the petitions but have the congregation still sing "Lord, hear our prayer." I ended up using a chant melody from the Byzantine rite, and it hasn't been well practiced yet. It was a learning process for me.
We prayed for the Holy Father, Bishops Soto and Cotta, our civil leaders to enact laws in keeping with God's Commandments, for priests and sisters, vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for young adults in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and the engaged and those discerning marriage, for Christians in persecuted lands like the Middle East and North Africa and South Asia, and for whatever intention was in the silence of their hearts.
This is the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I was amazed to see all of the young adults present kneel for the Consecration. Wow! In fact, I was so amazed to hear these young people singing with their hearts and participating throughout the Mass. I remarked to my wife later in the evening that the last time I saw a group of young adults so devout at Mass was at World Youth Day. Yes, the day was like a mini-WYD!
I normally distribute the Precious Blood, but we distributed only one species during the Rite of Communion. Again, the young adults received the Sacred Body of Our Lord with such devotion and love. A handful did not receive Holy Communion but came forward for a blessing instead. I am delighted that they know not to receive Holy Communion if they are not prepared to receive the Eucharist for whatever reason.
I was truly blessed to assist at Mass for Koinonia Kup 2014. This annual event had at least three to four dioceses represented.
It looked like the seminarians took 1st Place this year. Congrats guys!
Well, I am most grateful with everything that happened this weekend. As I close this, it is a little after midnight on Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, the birthday of Our Lady.
Happy birthday, my Queen and my Mother. Happy birthday!
So Saturday evening was a type of a homecoming for me at St. Patrick-St. Vincent's High School where I taught 9th & 10th grade Religion. During the time I was there from 1998-2002, I formally taught 500-600 kids.
Here I am posing for a selfie with 3 of my 4 kids in front of my old classroom. We had some time to spare before Mass started.
 | ||
| After 12 years, I set foot in my old classroom where I taught from 1998-2002. I started teaching high school when I was 24 years old. Below is my wife with my 4th child. Photo taken by my sister-in-law, Ate Marissa Catubig Niles.  |
Yes, I reminisced about many things I had in the room back then. I had a corner with a bunch of pictures from students. I remembered some of the pictures I had up on the walls. I thought of students who are now adults, many of them with their own families. Some of them still call me "Mr. P." to this day. I wasn't a big fan of the dividers between this classroom and the other classrooms that you see here. When we passed the library, I also thought about how I met a particular student named Jonathan there. He was to be instrumental in my life as my years passed there as a teacher.
 | ||
| His Excellency, Bishop Myron Cotta, Auxiliary Bishop of Sacramento, K-Cup 2014 @ SPSV High School |
 |
| This photo was taken by Norma Belmes, chair of my parish's Vocation Committee. It is parishioners like her and vocation committees like this that assist parishes in cultivating vocations to the priesthood and religious life. |
Unless otherwise noted, my son took all these pictures. This is the new Auxiliary Bishop of Sacramento, the Most Rev. Myron Cotta. He's pretty down to earth and a happy priest and bishop. He's pretty gentle, too, yet firm with what needs to be done to shepherd the flock. The new auxiliary bishop is the former Vicar General from the Fresno Diocese. This is my second time to serve with Bishop Cotta. I'm actually scheduled to serve with him again a third time in a few weeks. In both homilies that I've heard from him, he has mentioned Our Lady in each of them. This is truly inspiring for me when he makes reference to Mary in his homilies.
Before Mass, Bishop Cotta saw me talking to my eldest, John Paul, and at that point he asked about my family who were present. He walked over to where they were sitting to greet them, and I introduced my wife and kids, along with my sister-in-law, Ate Marissa, and her husband who came to Mass.
After he met them, I told Bishop Cotta that we were focusing on building up families here in Vallejo, and I told him that the family apostolate will most likely be my parish assignment. He looked happy about my saying that we were trying to support Christian family life.
The best thing I can do for the Church as a permanent deacon is to focus on my own family.
It is easier said than done of course. But that's why Christ elevated marriage to the dignity of a sacrament. The graces of the sacrament will help married couples live their vocation to matrimony.
I tried to get an extra dalmatic to wear for Mass, and I got the okay to bring the extra dalmatic from the parish. But I was only able to find one dalmatic when I was there at the parish on Friday, so I just left the one dalmatic at the parish. And I did not wear a dalmatic at the Mass at K-Cup.
Here I am to Bishop Cotta's right during the Liturgy of the Word. I chanted the "Kyrie Eleison." I had to coordinate this with the choir which was from St. Joseph's in Pinole (Oakland Diocese). I am grateful for choir directors who ask questions from the deacons about what parts the deacon will chant. The choir director appreciated that I chant the deacon parts as much as I can.
Before the Gospel is proclaimed, the deacon will receive the blessing of the priest typically.
Many people don't know that there are silent prayers that a deacon recites in a low voice during Holy Mass. One of those are the words, "Your blessing, Father," along with low bow and the Sign of the Cross while getting the priest's blessing. If a bishop is the celebrant, the deacon will kneel and ask for his blessing to proclaim the Gospel.
But I wanted to highlight how this was the first time I ever knelt before a bishop before the proclamation of the Gospel. As I knelt, I said, "Your blessing, Father." I felt unworthy but had a sense of peace as the bishop recited his words about the deacon worthily proclaiming the Gospel.
Yes, he is a bishop, but he is still a spiritual father, so instead of saying "Your blessing, Bishop," the words, "Your blessing, Father" are still used.
Anyway, the main point I actually wanted to highlight was that as he blessed me with the Sign of the Cross, and as I felt strengthened by his response to my words, "Your blessing, Father," he placed his hand on my shoulder. It was the shoulder over which my deacon stole was over.
That simple act was so profound for me! It was most likely unnoticeable to the young adults present. There was a fatherly love that was present in that simple gesture, and it moved me deeply. I hope it edified anyone that saw it. I've written about the hand placed on the shoulder in my journals. Interestingly, this same act happened during diaconate formation a few months before ordination where three separate individuals involved in my formation placed their hand on my shoulder within a certain week and on on three separate days; and it was a week that I most especially needed this. It is something I imagine Christ Himself doing to me whenever I have my moments of feeling unworthy of the diaconal office.
In the photo above, the acolyte in cassock and surplice on the right (my left) is Br. Raj Derivera, the K-Cup organizer. God willing, he will be ordained a transitional deacon soon. Please remember him in prayer. He is holding a candle as I proclaim the Gospel.
During the General Intercessions, I had the congregation sing "Lord, hear our prayer" as a response to the petitions I listed. The deacon brings the petitions of the faithful at this part of the Mass. I unconsciously started singing the petitions. I think the congregation singing "Lord, hear our prayer" was fine, but I think next time I will simply recite the petitions but have the congregation still sing "Lord, hear our prayer." I ended up using a chant melody from the Byzantine rite, and it hasn't been well practiced yet. It was a learning process for me.
We prayed for the Holy Father, Bishops Soto and Cotta, our civil leaders to enact laws in keeping with God's Commandments, for priests and sisters, vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for young adults in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and the engaged and those discerning marriage, for Christians in persecuted lands like the Middle East and North Africa and South Asia, and for whatever intention was in the silence of their hearts.
This is the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I was amazed to see all of the young adults present kneel for the Consecration. Wow! In fact, I was so amazed to hear these young people singing with their hearts and participating throughout the Mass. I remarked to my wife later in the evening that the last time I saw a group of young adults so devout at Mass was at World Youth Day. Yes, the day was like a mini-WYD!
I normally distribute the Precious Blood, but we distributed only one species during the Rite of Communion. Again, the young adults received the Sacred Body of Our Lord with such devotion and love. A handful did not receive Holy Communion but came forward for a blessing instead. I am delighted that they know not to receive Holy Communion if they are not prepared to receive the Eucharist for whatever reason.
Recession
I was truly blessed to assist at Mass for Koinonia Kup 2014. This annual event had at least three to four dioceses represented.
 |
| Koinonia Kup 2014 |
It looked like the seminarians took 1st Place this year. Congrats guys!
Well, I am most grateful with everything that happened this weekend. As I close this, it is a little after midnight on Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, the birthday of Our Lady.
Happy birthday, my Queen and my Mother. Happy birthday!
No comments:
Post a Comment