There was one novitiate lecture that stayed in my reverie through the years. We were – to use a more secular term – ‘marooned ‘ in the Dominican Novitiate of the Annunciation (the DNA as we fondly called it which, looking back, is the right biological term when you are forming a group of individuals […]
I have not had an entry in my personal diary for so long. The significant years of our migration to Australia starting the year 2005 have been lost in the pages of my memory, and I’m trying to retrieve them especially in these slowest of times: longer nights and shorter days in winter, curled by […]
HOMILY 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 2020) A man wanted to buy an animal that could help him in the household chores. The animal merchant, after knowing the buyer’s need, brought to him a small box with a centipede and told him that it is guaranteed to accomplish whatever work assigned to […]
Question begets answer. But in the midst of a pandemic, it may be an exception. Not an exception to the rule but exception to reality. Removed from reality, I am an aberration. I depart from the usual, normal, typical, and on to obscurity, absurdity, and I dwell headlong as a menace to society. I am […]
Whenever I go to a mall, I always see the signages “No Face Mask, No Entry” and “Observe Social Distancing” Whenever I go to church, I always see the signages “No Face Mask, No Entry” and “Observe Social Distancing” Whenever I go to school, I always see the signages “No Face Mask, No Entry” and […]
As the sun sets, I face the dark night that taunts me with my goal. We grope in the gloomy facets of twilight, warm with the hope that in between the fleeting aeons we will burn in darkness; but we have yet to see ourselves — lured from a night when ugliness has no face […]
Pots, Pans and the Recipes – Filii’s Kitchen Daily Bread Houston, TX was the venue of our 7th biennial FILII-NA reunion held last June 5-11, 2019. The choice of the venue was unanimously agreed upon since our host, Fr. Roger – the parish priest, had offered the parish new Life Center for our accommodations. As […]
Seven clicks into Highway 403 from the Starbucks franchise in Matheson, I got off the Erin Mills exit and took a beeline to the first street on my right. Two successive left turns, then one right turn followed by another left turn, and house #241 on Fudge Terrace Avenue on my right finally came into […]
Suddenly, the world turns upside down and the people are in quandary, brought about by the looming dangers of the pandemic. COVID-19 according to WHO is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. The virus manifests as mild to moderate illness symptoms associated with cough, sore throat, and headaches and could potentially and […]
HOMILY14th Sunday in Ordinary TimeJuly 2020 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. –Matthew 11:25-26 Children are among the most […]
“Rational people don’t risk what they have and need for what they don’t have and don’t need.” –Warren Buffett Pay yourself first is the next money principle we are going to discuss today. Hello and welcome back to “Money Talk,” a series of discussions on financial independence here at Epistoliorum. I think it’s fitting […]
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” —Mark Twain This travel quote reminds me of a personal story. While traveling on a boat from Romblon to Boracay in the mid-’80s, I’ve met a French traveler named Christophe. He showed me minimalism before I’ve […]
The title is a double entendre when thinking of that aspect of security – online security that is. The global pandemic has forced on us the need to safeguard our well-being while still maximizing our productivity and throughput in our careers and/or day jobs. “Work from home” took an all-new meaning from what it was […]
On a good sunny day in summer, when the weather bureau issued no warning alert on extreme heat and high humidity, I would drive and park my car in our neighborhood’s Rathwood Park along the Rathburn road. Then I would spend a good hour walking repetitively around the whole circular length of the park, sometimes […]
The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has wrought sweeping, horrible havoc all over the globe. No nation on the face of the earth remains unscathed by it physically, socially, economically, religiously, and, if I may add, spiritually. Nobody stays free from the hardship, fear, and uncertainty which the flagrant virus brings in its wake. […]
“PINAKAMAMAHAL KONG PILIPINAS! TINIMBANG KA, NGUNIT KULANG!” Anak, ano ba ang gusto mong marinig? Di ba gusto mong gamutin kita? Lahat ng paghihilom nang anumang sugat ay nagsisimula sa pagiging totoo. MAGPAKATOTOO KA! Kailan ka pa natutong magmura? Kailan ka pa natutong mang-api ng kapwa mo? Itinuro ko ba sa iyong magnakaw ka? Mahal kita, […]
All these years, I never really appreciated Father’s Day for the simple reason that I thought it didn’t apply to me for the longest time until about nine months ago when I finally had a son myself. I never thought of the folly of it until I came about a quotation from Clarence Kelland that says, […]
My descent from the back of a carabao Water buffalo – rice paddies – sugar cane plantation – scythe – farm bolo or machete – unleashed dogs – kerosene lamp – farmers planting or harvesting – chicken and swine roaming freely. These are some of the many images pictured vividly in my humble beginning. Images […]
It’s both a great honor and a humbling experience to represent Filii North America. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, we have raised $2,390 for some of our brothers in the Philippines. We’ve learned that about 12 have benefited from our generosity. The recipients were the most adversely affected by COVID-19. Fray Mike Plana shared with us […]
In my line of work, one important aspect of continuous improvement is outlining lessons learned. This serves a variety of purposes: it streamlines operations by knowing what works, what doesn’t and the probability of each of them happening; it serves as a template for other projects to avoid certain pitfalls by mining a treasure-trove of […]
What have I been busy about during this quarantine? Besides minding my daily religious observances, I’ve been reading critically the draft of an undergraduate thesis submitted to my advisorship. The thesis delves into the role of humor in establishing a peaceful community. That the faculty-leadership approved me for this particular function is to my speculation […]
When I became aware of my existence; When I felt inexpressible joy being with friends; When I first marveled at the beauty of creation… When I took the first step in the journey of life; When I met stumbling blocks on a thorny path; When I became indecisive which way to go… When I was […]
Gospel Reflections by Fr. Enrico Gonzales, O.P. Does the Ascension of Jesus prove that heaven is somewhere above the clouds? Let’s look at this mystery, not as a GPS which will help us locate God’s abode somewhere up there. Let’s view it in relation to the mystery we’re celebrating this Sunday: The Pentecost — The […]
HOMILY: 13TH Sunday in Ordinary Time There was once a pig and a hen who became very close friends because they lived in the same barn. They heard that there was going to be a feeding program for the poor in their parish. After thinking about it, the hen suggested to the pig: “Why don’t we […]
