A Voice of Sandakan Girl to Home

Dear all in the Diocese of Sandakan,

How have you been doing? I hope that you are all fine and happy. I am fine and happy and just recovered from my knee injury.

Today, 30^th June 2010 is a historical event for the Philippines. Today is the 15^th presidential inauguration for the newly elected president, Benigno Aquino III. In our morning mass earlier today, we offered up to God our prayer for the new elected president, hoping that he will make a change in the Philippines.

So it has been a month being in IFFA. In just a month I have learn to discover and unfold myself little by little. It is quite challenging for me because to learn to accept the past is very difficult unless we are willing to really let it go and be open to let God enter our life. It is rather funny as I flashed back the moment I told myself that I had let go everything in order for me to really focus in this formation yet God has HIS own way helping me dig up things that I do not want to remember. I can say that the formation I undergo now is all about me. I must first know myself, I must know who is God to me and I must first accept myself as being me before going for my mission.

Along my formation I learn to accept my fellow friends from other countries, formation team and the staff of IFFA. Living as a community here in IFFA is hard at first because we came from diverse part of Asia and culture. Yet the formation is inviting me to be open, to trust and respect.

In IFFA it is all about community. Each of us is scheduled to do out duty like cooking for the community, cleaning up the formation house, disposing the garbage and leading the evening prayer. Every once a month we will be having a community prayer. Every Tuesday and Wednesday we will be having class at St Vincent, School of Theology and every Monday, Thursday and Friday will be the in-house formation. Every Saturday is our weekly integration where we will reflect on the happenings of the whole week.

There are so many things to share. Hhhmmm the most significant experience to me is the “Self – Discovery and Uniqueness”. As I shared earlier it is about discovering me as me. In this session we reflected how life is when we are pretending to be somebody, someone else to hide the real us. I remembered wearing a mask to cover the hurts and difficulties that has been burdening me. It was painful. Did I really let go? No, I did not let go. There a point where I shared to the formation team that I hated the question. But as I reflected it again it is God’s way to heal me. I only have to trust and open to HIM. (^ v ^)….. God to me is the “EYES” to my life who will always keep watch over me. My new insight in this session is I am not a MISTAKE! I was created according to HIS image. No one can look down on me, only if I permit that person to do so and only in God that I can seek the special in me. I am a gift and I am a blessing! Wow….

Let me share you our class in St Vincent, School of Theology. All IFFA students took the four Gospel and Theology for Beginners subject. To be honest to understand the scriptures is hard. Ha ha ha ha ha our first day in class, we learn about Mathew 1: 1-17, the genealogy. Oh gosh only that verses we end up two hours and a half to truly understand the passage. Just imagine how much time we need for the whole bible…!!! For our Theology class we learn about God in our everyday living. What I like so much about this class is it is full of inspiration. I never think of God in my everyday doing like brushing me teeth, taking my bath, walking, drink water and etc… HE is everywhere, anywhere in my everyday life. I wonder if other people realize it…

I am looking forward to this formation. I really need your support and prayers. May your prayers be accompany me throughout this formation year. Once again thank you and may God Bless a special person like you every day. Till then Goodbye and have a nice day.

Here are some picture taken during my one month formation here in IFFA.

Anna Amandus
IFFA, Batch 2010-2011

Word of the Month (June 2010)

Luke 15: 3-7


So he told them this parable:

"Which one of you with a hundred sheep, if he lost one, would fail to leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, I have found my sheep that was lost.'

In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine upright people who have no need of repentance."

Word of the Month (May 2010)

John 17: 20-26


After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said,

"I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

"Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."

IFFAsia Mission Internship in Malaysia (Updated Version)

On behalf of the students and staff of the Institute of Formation Fondacio Asia (IFF Asia) we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for your kindness to have welcomed them into your homes and parish, the input and guidance you gave them, and your prayers and thoughts that accompany them.

As you know these young people and staff are being trained by Fondacio – Christians for the world to serve in various missions in their countries and in the Asian region. This solidarity and communion among churches and Christians are very important.

As our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI says in his message for the World Mission Sunday 2009, “The Church's mission is to spread hope “contagiously” among all peoples... The universal mission should become a fundamental constant in the life of the Church... The whole Church must be committed to the missio ad gentes... Missionary zeal has always been a sign of the vitality of our Churches”.

We truly appreciate your support and generosity to missions. We are blessed by your gift and look forward to an on-going friendship and collaboration. Be assured of our prayers too.

Sincerely,

IFFAsia Director

Charles Bertille

Word of the Month (April 2010)

Mark 16: 9-15


Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation."

Fondacio Going Out To Meet The World 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oiuvZl1Z6M

IFFAsia Mission Internship in Malaysia-2010

http://www.ucanews.com/2010/03/23/youths-learn-about-interfaith-migrant-issues

ASIA - Youths learn about interfaith, migrant issues

Published Date: March 23, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR (UCAN) — A one-month Church-run program in Malaysia focusing on interfaith and migrant issues has been an eye-opener for 14 mostly young Asian participants.

“I realize now that they are so many refugees living in another country, and my mind is now open to this reality,” said 27-year-old Pale from Myanmar.

Pale saw for the first time, the situation that refugees from Myanmar, as well as other undocumented migrants, face in Malaysia.

Pale was one of the delegates from China, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam and Zambia who attended the immersion program organized by the Institute of Formation, Fondacio Asia (IFFAsia) in Kuala Lumpur.

Fondacio is an international lay Catholic organization based in France. It established IFFAsia in Quezon City, Philippines, in 2006.

The immersion program, which ended recently, was the last phase of a 10-month program to train participants to be youth leaders in their own Church communities.

During the immersion program, the first of its kind for the organization, participants learnt about the two pressing issues the Malaysian Church is facing – interfaith dialogue and ministry to migrants and refugees.

Learning about other religions

Josephine Tey from the Kuala Lumpur Archdiocesan Office for Human Development (AOHD) facilitated a program on refugees and migrants while Father Michael Chua from the Church of Visitation in Seremban facilitated an interreligious workshop.

During the workshop, participants had a dialogue session with Patricia Martinez, a Malaysian who researches and gives talks on Islam in Southeast Asia, and also visited Sikh and Hindu temples.

Han Lina, 27, from China, said she was moved by the beauty of the different religions. She shared that the situation in China is not conducive for interreligious dialogue.

“All the while, I thought that one must be baptized for one to be saved, and that there is no salvation outside the Church,” she said. “But after the formation program and experiencing this interreligious workshop, I have a new understanding of salvation.”

According to IFFAsia director Charles Bertille, organizers chose Malaysia for the formation program as they felt it was a good place in the region “for our Asian students to experience interfaith and migrants and refugees issues.”

During the program, participants stayed with host families in three parishes, and also part in parish evangelization activities.

AS09187/1594 March 23, 2010 41 EM-lines (377 words)

Word of the Month (March 2010)

Luke 10: 25-37


Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?"

He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."

And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?"

He said, "The one who showed him mercy."

Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

"Go and See" - Asian Pastoral Gathering 2010

“Go and See”. This was the theme of the 5th Pastoral Gathering held last Jan. 29 – Feb. 2, 2010 at the Sacred Heart Novitiate.

Charles Bertille gave a very meaningful reflection on Mark 6:34-44, the guiding text for the theme. It truly speaks to all the participants, as pastors of the community today.

A. The Situation
The disciples follow Jesus to a deserted place, a difficult area with no conveniences. When Jesus suggests for them to share food with the people, they have a very strong reaction. The disciples understand that it means spending money. What he invites them to do is to see what they can share. Then Jesus asks them to check again what they have. It seems unreasonable that the people only have 5 loaves and 2 fishes as they surely will have some food on them since they travel far. The disciples only seem to give a minimum as a response. But, Jesus takes this response and engages them.

We can find a connection in our life, as we are often in similar difficult situations. We find this connection in the different contexts of our missions. For example, in each country, it is difficult to invite persons to participate; to engage them is tough. In these situations of difficulty, Jesus reveals the nature of God, a God of dialogue. He engages us to respond. Our ministry starts with this initiation to compassion.

B. The Pastor
Jesus took, looked up, blessed, broke and gave. This is similar to the Eucharistic action of taking, blessing, breaking and sharing.

How do we live as pastors in our lives? As pastors, we make the others see that God is at work. We make them see that there is never nothing, that there is always something. We make them see that there is always abundance, and never scarcity.

As pastors, we give value to what is offered; we take the ordinary situations and give life to it. When we accompany, evangelize, or animate, we are living the pastor’s role of calling others to life. We are allowing the moment to transform lives, and to make God’s grace flow.

Only we can take the cup of our lives and share it with others. Unless we are broken, we cannot give ourselves fully in mission. And as pastors, we experience being broken often, when there is non-collaboration or when we receive hurtful responses from others.

C. The Kingdom of God
Why do we need to pick up the left-over, the remnants, the crumbs? Why is Jesus concerned about this? In asking the disciples to pick up the crumbs, he is telling them that there is value in these remnants (the poor, the forgotten). Jesus wants us to give value to the offerings of the poor. When we pick up the crumbs, we acknowledge that even the small people can contribute. Their offering may seem insignificant, but we affirm that what they give has value. We need to go and pick up the remnants. We may have a call to work with the youth, the professionals, but we need to pay attention to the remnants, the small ones, and give value to them.

Jesus also seems to say, don’t waste my Father’s work. Don’t take things for granted. Don’t criticize each other so quickly. God is doing his work through each one, including the small ones.

Finally, in the text, Jesus organizes the people in groups. The Kingdom is about communities. God is raising communities to build His Kingdom. Then, Jesus tells his disciples to feed them; he delegates. He is raising the experience of pastoral care in the people. Jesus wants us to organize, to delegate and share our work, to put structure in our communities.

In the end, all will be satisfied. All that we do has meaning and contributes to the building of the Kingdom.


View pictures of the gathering here.

Word of the Month (February 2010)

2Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2


We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you."

I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.