Philippine Holy Days of Obligation

The holy days of obligation in the Roman Catholic Church are feast days which the faithful are obliged to hear mass and abstain from servile work.

The following are dates and feast days that are holy days of obligation as indicated by the Code of Canon Law 1246.

The list of official Philippine holy days of obligation are indicated below the Code of Canon Law version which consists of only 3 days.

According to the Code of Canon Law:

The days may vary in specific countries. With prior approval from the Apostolic See, the conference of bishops can suppress some of the holy days of obligation or move them to a Sunday close to the original date. All Sundays of the year are holy days of obligation by apostolic tradition and must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation.

• Feast of Holy Mary the Mother of God – January 1. The oldest and most important of Mary’s feasts based on her privileges as the Mother of Jesus Christ the son of God.
• Epiphany – Sunday that falls between January 2 and January 8. Feast that commemorates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ.
• Feast of Saint Joseph – March 19. A feast day that celebrates the life of Christ’s foster father.
• Ascension of Christ – 40 days after Easter Sunday. Feast day that celebrates Jesus Christ’s ascension from the dead when His apostles witnesses Jesus’ body ascending into Heaven.
• Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ or Corpus Christi – Thursday after the Trinity Sunday or on the following Sunday depending on the country. Celebrates the Body of Christ consecrated in the Mass.
• Feast of Saint Peter  and Paul –  June 29. The joint feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul is traditionally celebrated by the Catholic Church as Pope’s Day, in commemoration of the martyrdom at Rome, Italy of the principal pillars of the Church
• Assumption of Mary – August 15. Celebrates Mary’s assumption into Heaven.
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception – December 8. The day Mary, the Mother of Christ was conceived without original sin.
• All Saints – November 1. Celebrates the lives of Christians who died in a state of grace.
• Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ – December 25. Christmas Day. Feast of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Official Holy Days of Obligation for the Philippines:

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has granted dispensation on all faithful who will not attend masses on days stated above with the exception of 3 days. Official holy days of obligation for the Philippines are:

• December 8 – the Feast of the Immaculate Conception
• December 25 – Christmas Day
• January 1 – the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God

About the Blessed Virgin Mary’s Birthday

Nativity Scene of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ

The Blessed Virgin Mary’s birthday or the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is celebrated on September 8 each year. If you do your math, you will find out that September 8 is exactly 9 months after December 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

The Immaculate Conception of Mary refers to Mary being conceived free from original sin. This is often confused with her virginal conception of her son Jesus. In earlier centuries, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was often celebrated with more pomp and fanfare. Like the Immaculate Conception, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an important date in Christian salvation history.

The Christians in early centuries recorded the details of Mary’s birth in documents like the Protoevangelium of James and the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary. Her birth was also documented in the Scriptures that also provide more information about Mary’s life before the Annunciation.

Names of Mary’s parents, Saint Joachim and Saint Anne were also recorded. Documents also state that Saint Joachim and Saint Anne were childless till an angel appeared to Anne and told her she would conceive. The annunciation, conception and nativity of the Blesses Virgin Mary is considered to be important feasts by Catholics as it prepares the way for the birth of Jesus Christ several years later.

The earliest known celebration of this feast goes back to the 6th century, when St. Romanos the Melodist, an Eastern Christian composed a hymn for the feast. The feast spread to Rome in the 7th century, but it a few more centuries before it was celebrated throughout the West.

Pew Study: Religious Intolerance on the Rise Worldwide

According to a private study made by Pew Research Center in the U.S., almost 1/3 of the world’s people live in countries where it is becoming more difficult to practice their religion freely. The center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life said that government restrictions and hostility from the public against religion increased from 2006 to 2009.

According to the study, the extent of violence and abuse related to religion rose in more countries during the 3-year study. The report, referred to as the “Rising Restrictions on Religion,” said that 1% of the world population live in nations where religious intolerance happened more frequently. The study made by Pew Center reviewed 198 countries.

The study also indicated that religious intolerance in countries already deemed restrictive grew in hostility while nations that were already liberal towards religion became even more tolerant than before. A significant rise in hostility against religion by the public was found more evident in China, Thailand, Nigeria, Britain and Vietnam. Government restrictions rose in France and Egypt.

The research based their study on laws and government policies that restrict or ban faiths and preaching, placed preferential treatment to certain religions and prohibiting conversions to other religions. Public hostility was measured in terms of sectarian violence, discrimination towards or forbidding religious attire, harassment and intimidation.

Nations found most restrictive or hostile toward religions include Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Egypt, Iran, Myanmar, China, Turkey, Russia, Nigeria, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. People were detained, beaten, killed, displaced, imprisoned and had their properties destroyed by governments in 101 countries in 2009 compared to only 91 countries the previous year.

View the full report here.

Jaro Mass Schedule – Parish of Our Lady Of Fatima

Parish of Our Lady of Fatima, Alta Tierra, Jaro

Parish of Our Lady of Fatima

Location: Alta Tierra, Jaro, Iloilo

Mass Times:

Sunday

07:00 am – 8:00 am (Hiligaynon)

09:00 am – 10:00 am (English)

06:00 pm – 7:00 pm (English)

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

05:30 am – 06:00 am (Hiligaynon)

Wednesday and Friday

05:30 am – 06:00 am (Hiligaynon)

06:00 pm – 06:30 pm (English) 1st Friday only

Saturday

05:30 am – 06:00 am (Hiligaynon)

05:00 pm – 06:00 pm (English)

Pope John Paul II Beatified In Rome On May 1 (video)

The Vatican moves Pope John Paul II a step closer to sainthood at a beatification ceremony held in Rome. Pope Benedict XVI declared John Paul “blessed” in front of over a million people in Rome, the biggest crowd since John Paul’s funeral in 2005.

Pope Benedict proclaimed John Paul blessed in Latin in a solemn ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2011. A tapestry depicting John Paul was unveiled seconds after he was proclaimed blessed to the cheers of the huge crowd.

St. Peter’s Square was packed with people all the way back to the Tiber River, a kilometer away. The crowd was estimated to be over a million people, many of them camped out during the night before the ceremony.

Many in attendance came from Poland, John Paul’s native country. Dozens of red and white Polish flags were seen above the crowd. French nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand received a place of honor.

John Paul’s beatification stemmed from Sister Marie’s miracle. Sister Marie attributed a miraculous cure from her Parkinson’s disease to John Paul’s intercession with God.

After the proclamation, Sister Marie held up a vial of blood taken from John Paul a few days before his death. The blood was taken in case a transfusion was needed.

John Paul was beatified on May 1, the day that celebrates the Feast of Divine Mercy, which coincides with an important worker’s holiday in the communist world. Many give John Paul credit for the fall of communism in Eastern Europe.

The Vatican will have to attribute another miracle to John Paul’s intercession before he can be proclaimed a saint.

Watch the actual proclamation below:

Miag-ao Church – Parish of Sto. Tomas de Villanova

Miag-ao Church Parish of Sto. Tomas de Villanova

Miag-ao Church – Parish of Sto Tomas de Villanova

Location: Miag-ao, Iloilo

Telephone no.: (033) 315-8001

Confession: Wednesday 12 noon and 4:00pm – 5:00pm

Mass Times:

Sunday:

05:30 am – 06:30 am

07:15 am – 08:15am

09:00 am – 10:00 am

05:00 pm – 06:00 pm

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

05:30 am – 06:30 am

Wednesday, Saturday and 1st Friday

05:30 am – 06:30 am

05:00 pm – 06:00 pm

Guimbal Church Mass Schedule – Parish of St. Nicolas of Tolentino

Guimbal Church Parish of St. Nicolas of Tolentino

Guimbal Church – Parish of St. Nicolas of Tolentino

Location: Guimbal, Iloilo

Tel no.: (033) 315-5400

Confessions: Wednesday 4:00 pm

Mass Times:

Sunday

05:00 am – 06:00 am

08:00 am – 09:00 am

05:00 pm – 06:00 pm

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

06:00 am – 06:45 am

Wednesday and Saturday

06:00 am – 06:45 am

05:15 pm – 6:00 pm

Pope John Paul’s Body Exhumed Prior To Beatification

Pope John Paul II’s coffin was exhumed last Friday prior to his beatification as thousands of people began arriving in Rome to witness one of the biggest events since John Paul’s funeral in 2005.

The Vatican confirmed that the coffin was removed from the crypts below St. Peter’s Basilica as Vatican officials looked on and prayed. Also present at the ceremony were John Paul’s closest aides.

Among those present included Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, who was John Paul’s secretary and right hand man for decades and the Polish nuns who managed the papal household for 27 years.

John Paul’s wooden coffin will be placed in front of the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica and will remain there after Sunday’s beatification until all visitors have had the chance to view it.

It will be moved to a crypt under an altar near Michelangelo’s Pieta sculpture. The old marble slab used to cover his first burial place will be shipped to Poland.

The pope will be beatified on May 1, 2011 which also happens to be the most important feast in the communist world. May 1 celebrates the feast of the Divine Mercy. John Paul has been given credit by many who believe his papacy played a key role in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe.

The beatification on Sunday moves John Paul a step closer to sainthood. Rome is swamped with the largest crowd since the death and funeral of John Paul in 2005, when millions came to pay tribute.

Several thousands of people are expected to attend the mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday when Pope Benedict XVI will pronounce John Paul “blessed” in Latin.

His beatification is a result of a miraculous cure of a French nun, Marie Simon-Pierre Normand, from Parkinson’s disease. According to Sister Marie, her cure was due to John Paul’s intercession with God.

Before John Paul is declared a saint, one more miracle needs to be attributed to him.

Holy Week Trivia IV – Easter Trivia

1. Catholics celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on this day.

2. It is celebrated at the end of 40 days of prayer, fasting and alms giving known as Lent.

3. The Catholic Church places importance in receiving communion during this season. The Church urges all Catholics to confess before receiving the Easter communion.

4. People converting to the Catholic faith are traditionally baptized at the Easter Vigil service, on Holy Saturday before Easter Sunday, usually sometime after sunset.

5. Easter is a movable feast and does not have a specific date each year. Easter usually falls on a Sunday between March 22 to April 25.

6. Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant religious Easter celebrations have common elements such as baptisms, the Eucharist, Feasting, and greetings such as “Christ is risen!’

7. The liturgical color of Easter is white until it changes to red on Pentecost.

8. The Roman Catholic Church considers the Easter Vigil as the most important Mass of the Liturgical year.

9. In Roman Catholic tradition, Easter Vigil contains 4 parts: the Service of the Light, the Liturgy of the Word, Christian Initiation and Renewal of Baptismal Vows, and the Holy Eucharist.

10. Easter season begins with the Easter Vigil after nightfall before Easter Sunday. The Easter season lasts 50 days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost.

Holy Week Trivia III – Good Friday Facts And Trivia

Good Friday commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion and death on the cross. Here are some interesting facts and trivia connected to Good Friday:

1. Good Friday is a Catholic observance of Jesus’ passion, crucifixion and death on the cross.

2. Originally a day of fasting. Catholics now abstain from eating meat on this day.

3. The procession from Gethsemane to the sanctuary of the cross started in Jerusalem in the 4th century. This was the basis of today’s 14 stations of the cross.

4. Many countries with a Christian tradition make Good Friday an official non-working holiday.

5. Catholics read the passion of Christ and practice the veneration of the cross.

6. Some Christian countries ban consumption of alcohol during Good Friday.

7. Germany bans public dancing on this day.

8. In Bermuda kites are flown to symbolize the cross and Jesus’ ascension into heaven.

9. Liturgical color for Good Friday was formerly black, but is now red.

10. Good Friday is celebrated between March 20 to April 23 and is the Friday before Easter.