POPE JOHN PAUL II'S VISIT TO THE PHILIPPINES IN 1995

Karol Josef Wojtyla was born on May 18,1920 in Krakow, Poland. He was the second of two sons of Karol Wojtyla and Emilia Kaczorowska. On October 16, 1978, at the age of fifty-eight, the College of Cardinals elected him to lead the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first non-italian chosen as Pope.

He first visited the country in February 1973, as Cardinal Karol Josef Wojtyla. During their stopped over at the Manila International Airport on their way to Melbourne, Australia to attend the International Eucharistic Congresses he requested and concelebrated a mass at the Baclaran Redemptorist Church. It was during that time, that Cardinal Wojtyla witnesses the profound devotion of the Filipinos to Mother of Perpetual Help. In his 26 years of pontificate, the Philippines has found a special place in the heart of Pope John Paul II whom he considered a bastion of Christianity in Asia.

As the most -travelled Pope ever, having made 104 foreign trips, Pope John Paul II visited the country in 1981 and in 1995. His pastoral visit in 1981 were highlighted with the visits to the following places of the country which included Manila, Cebu City, .Davao City, Bacolod City, Iloilo City, Legaspi City, Morong, Bataan, and Baguio City. It was during this visit when the first beatification in Asia was held. Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino Martyr was beatified by Pope John Paul II on February 18, 1981 in Luneta Park, Manila. In 1995, Pope John Paul II got a world record of the largest gathered crowd in his World Youth Day visit to the Philippines. An estimated 4 million attended his Mass in Luneta Park, Manila.

Pope John Paul II beatified 1,338 people during his papacy and declared 482 saints. Among them are St. Lorenzo Ruiz and Blessed Pedro Calungsod. As all people of the world regardless of races, religions, and cultures mourned the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II on April 2, 2005, the Philippine Postal Corporation joins the entire humanity in paying tribute to the life and times of Pope John Paul II.

TELL THE WORLD OF HIS LOVE

For God so loved the world
He gave us His only Son
Jesus Christ our Savior
His most precious one
He has sent us His message of love
And sends those who hear
To bring the message to everyone
In a voice loud and clear

Let us tell the world of His love
The greatest love the world has known
Search the world for those who have walked
Astray and lead them home
Fill the world's darkest corners
With His light from up above
Walk every step, Every mile, Every road
And tell the world, Tell the world of His love

(Tell the world of His love)
(Tell the world of His love)

Our Lord our savior our king
Emmanuelle prince of peace
Begotten of the Father's love
Born to set us free
Let heaven and earth sing His praises
His righteousness proclaim
Let every heart rejoice in His love
And magnify His name

Let us tell the world of His love
The greatest love the world has known
Search the world for those who have walked
Astray and lead them home
Fill the world's darkest corners
With His light from up above
Walk every step, Every mile, Every road
And tell the world,
Tell the world of His love
Tell the world of His love)

Let us tell the world of His love
The greatest love the world has known
Search the world for those who have walked
Astray and lead them home
Fill the world's darkest corners
With His light from up above
Walk every step, Every mile, Every road
And tell the world,
Tell the world of His love

Tell the world of His love)
Tell the world of His love

PHILIPPINE STAMPS HONORING POPE JOHN PAUL II

On April 12, 2005, Philpost launched a travelling exhibit dubbed as "Love and Prayers for the Pope" Philatelic and Photo Exhibit with the support of Ambassador Henrietta T De Villa, former ambassador to the Holy See.

The exhibit featured stamps issued by Philpost to commemorate his 1981 pastoral visit to Manila, 1995 World Youth Day, 4th World Meeting of the Families. Also included were the Pope's biography, last will and testament, travels, prayers, writing and photos. This travelling exhibit will be brought to different churches, schools and cities nationwide.

http://www.philippinestamps.net/RP2005-Pope%20John%20Paul.htm

COMMEMORATIVE COIN

These commemorative coins issued by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in 1995 highlighted the importance of Pope John Paul II's visit to the Philippines for the World Youth Day.

The commemorative coin has a face value of Php 2,500 and is very rare. Truly, a collectors' item.

PRINCES DO VOLUNTEER WORK

Princes William and Harry have been working as volunteers in a warehouse sending aid to tsunami victims. The brothers helped preparing and loading hygiene packs for the Red Cross at Warmley, South Gloucs, on Friday.

They are the first royals to take part in the relief effort and specifically asked to be physically involved after being moved to tears by TV coverage. Their request came after they made a donation to the Disaster Emergency Committee from their private money.

Prince William, 22, said: "We were watching a documentary about orphans. It brought tears to both our eyes. We were really upset about it. "You think how tragic it would be if that happened to you. It's truly desperate." William studied the effects of tsunamis while at university at St Andrews. "I didn't think I'd ever see a tsunami in my life. I've been learning about in geography." Prince Charles praises aid effort. He added that the response by the British public was "amazing".

Prince Harry, 20, said : "It's been far the worst thing I have ever seen. The size is abnormal. "We're not exempt from what everybody else does. We just wanted to be hands on. We didn't want to sit back."

The hygiene packs being prepared by Prince William and Prince Harry, and 24 other volunteers are being sent to the Maldives, where more than 12,500 people have been made homeless. At least 82 people died on the chain of islands, including three Britons, and 26 are missing. The 2,000 packs are due to be sent to the islands on Monday to try to prevent the spread of disease. Each one contains enough supplies to last a family of six up to eight weeks.

Sir Nicholas Young, chief executive of the British Red Cross, said: "The Princes' time is a small but important part of the major logistics effort that swung into action on Boxing Day following the catastrophic quake and tsunami."

It was the first charity work the princes have carried out together. Last year Prince William took part in the Sport Relief fun run. Harry watched but was unable to participate due to an injured knee. Prince Charles is patron of the British Red Cross and visited its London headquarters last week to watch how the relief operation was being co-ordinated.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4154687.stm

PRINCE WILLIAM'S VOLUNTEER WORK

Although Prince William had traveled abroad with his parents, William's gap year involved a number of international adventures. He undertook a number of new activities including preparing for survival exercises with the Welsh Guards in Belize, working as a volunteer with Raleigh International in Chile, working on a dairy farm in the United Kingdom and visiting countries in Africa.

In October, November and December 2000, Prince William visited southern Chile, during 10 weeks as a volunteer with Raleigh International. He helped to construct walkways from log posts and taught English in local schools. Prince William raised enough money to support another young person on a Raleigh expedition who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford to go.

http://blog.goabroad.com/2011/04/28/prince-william-kate-middleton-inspire-students/

PRINCE HARRY'S VOLUNTEER WORK

Prince Harry has kicked off his role as a volunteer with the Rugby Football Union (RFU). The 20-year-old Prince surprised pupils at Greenfields Primary School in Shelfield, Walsall, West Midlands, by dropping in to help them master one of his favourite games.

Decked out in a navy blue Rugby Football Union tracksuit emblazoned with a red England rose, Harry shouted orders and encouragement at his group of 10 and 11-year-old boys and girls as they took part in a tag rugby match. Prince Harry will be making a number of visits to schools over the next six weeks during his stint as a volunteer Assistant Rugby Development Officer with the RFU as part of his gap year.

Prince Harry's new role is aimed at promoting the sport in England among children. Harry, who is a keen player himself, was in Australia as part of his gap year where he watched England triumph in the 2003 World Cup. “I'm really enjoying my time helping to coach rugby,” Harry said after the games lesson on the school playing field.

“The kids are great fun and I am looking forward to trying to encourage more kids around the country to play rugby - after all, we are the world champions.” Prince Harry, who has recently passed his Regular Commissions Board (RCB), also passed his Level 1 rugby coaching qualification after a recent weekend of training which took place at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire. This allows him to teach non-contact tag rugby and 15-a-side rugby.

Terry Burwell, the RFU‘s Community Rugby and Operations Director, said: "On behalf of the RFU, I am delighted that Prince Harry has started his work to help deliver our wide-ranging Community Rugby programme. "The development officer‘s role is to promote the game in England, improve playing and coaching standards and increase and retain participation in the game at all youth levels. It is an honour to have Prince Harry helping us to do that.

"He has passed the relevant training, including a Level 1 course in coaching tag (non-contact) and contact rugby, and is working with children of all ages in schools, clubs and communities to help them improve their understanding of the game."

Greenfield Primary School in Shelfield, Walsall is one of 7,000 schools in which the RFU work in partnership with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to provide coaching to schools, clubs, and communities throughout England.

http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/newsandgallery/news/prince_harry_starts_his_role_as_a_volunteer_with_the_rugby_f_497.html

PRINCESS DIANA'S CHARITY AND VOLUNTEER WORKS

From the moment that it was announce that she would be marrying Charles, the Prince of Wales, Diana found herself in the limelight by becoming part of the Royal Family. During the years from her engagement to Charles until her untimely death in a car accident, Diana managed to win many fans and admirers.

Her loss was sorely mourned by people around the world who felt as though they had lost a treasured friend. Even though more than tens years has passed since her death, Diana still has an influence and impact through the Princess Diana charity work programs.

When Lady Diana Spencer married Charles, the heir to the throne of Britain, in 1981, her life was forever changed in ways that she surely had never even imagined. It was in 1987 that voluntary charity work seemed to take on a more important role to her.
It was at that time that Diana participated in the opening of a hospital ward that was dedicated to AIDS patients. People from around the globe were in shock when they saw that she chose not to wear protective clothing because the common belief, at that time, was that AIDS could be spread by casual contact.

In a way, the Princess Diana charity work that she later became recognized and acclaimed for was launched on that occasion. Even though many were unsure of the appropriateness of the Princess being so closely involved with an AIDS charity, including the Queen herself and the royal advisors, in a sense the debate seemed to make her even more resolute in supporting the AIDS work, as well as other charity volunteer work programs.

Soon enough, it was not only the AIDS hospital volunteer work that gained from Princess Diana's awareness and ministrations. Diana became the royal patron of no less than seventy different volunteer charity agencies and in short order had a packed schedule to try keep up with all of them. At first, the needs of babies and child welfare received most of her attention, but it was not long before Princess Diana took on many other dimensions as she discovered other opportunities for volunteer work London and through the British Empire.

After the AIDS cause, the volunteer charity organization that Diana became most closely aligned with was a group called Birthright and she soon became a patron of the group. Birthright is an organization that functions as the appeal department of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The mission of Birthright is to do significant amounts of fundraising to support research of the common problems of unborn children, including occurrences such as stillbirths, infant deaths and the complications of infertility.

Princess Diana's tireless work on the behalf of numerous voluntary charity organizations helped to throw a spotlight on many of the issues that were being addressed by international volunteer work programs and was instrumental in helping to encourage people around the globe to donate of their time, skills, effort, and money to good causes. Princess Diana did much more than just raise funds for various charities; she compassionately served those in need and inspired countless people to follow her lead.

"There is something quite moving about the way she talks with patients. Not only is she concerned about their problems, but they know she is. She understands the joy of having a baby and the anguish if something goes wrong. She felt very lucky and privileged to have had two healthy children, says Vivienne Parry, one of the group's national organizers.

Princess Diana had a strong determination to help charities that had been rejected by others, and her efforts extended to charity work overseas as well. Touched by the awful effects of leprosy, Diana became a patron of the Leprosy Mission. She was admired for the way that she not only shook the hands of those with leprosy but also would sit with them on their beds and visit with them like an old friend.

Through the brief years of her life, the Princess Diana charity work that she engaged in clearly demonstrated to others that there was no need to be apprehensive about working with the victims of various illnesses and diseases. Princess Diana lived a full and compassionate life that was influential and encouraging to millions and her dedicated charity work will not be forgotten.

http://www.google.com.ph/#q=prince+william's+volunteer+work&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=475&prmd=ivnsuo&ei=ShHATdXPLImSuwPj39CtBA&start=30&sa=N&fp=cdade9d4b0441c9

THE PRINCE'S CHARITIES

'The Prince's Charities' is a group of not-for-profit organisations of which The Prince of Wales is Patron or President; 18 of the 20 Charities were founded personally by The Prince.

The group is the largest multi-cause charitable enterprise in the United Kingdom, raising over £100million annually. The organisations are active across a broad range of areas including opportunity and enterprise, education, health, the built environment and responsible business.

The charities reflect The Prince of Wales's long-term and innovative perspective, and seek to address areas of previously unmet need.

THE NANNY

Royal nanny Araceli “Lillie” Piccio on Sunday said Prince William thanked her twice for coming to his wedding and, along with his bride Kate, kissed her on seeing her at the reception at Clarence House on Friday. Piccio, who is from Bacolod City, was the lone Filipino invited to the royal wedding, having served as a nanny to both Prince William and Prince Harry, and later working for their mother Princess Diana.

“I cried at the wedding. It was both a happy and sad occasion for me,” she told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a telephone interview. Piccio was happy to see the boy she had cared for turn into a handsome young man and finally get married, but she wept at the thought that his mother, Princess Diana, could not be at his wedding. “The princess would have been so proud of him,” she said.

Piccio said she had breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner at Clarence House on the day of the wedding and went home past 8 p.m. on Friday. When Prince William and his bride arrived at Clarence House from the Buckingham Palace reception in a dark blue Aston Martin, Piccio, along with the rest of the staff, lined up in the courtyard. She said they were briefed to curtsy when the royals arrived.

“When Prince William drove in there was loud applause from everyone and all of a sudden I heard him call out ‘Hi Lillie’ and he came up to hug and kiss me, as if he really missed me,” Piccio said. “I was dumbfounded ... I was not able to say anything.”

“He said he was so happy I came to his wedding and asked how I was. He also said he liked my dress,” Lillie said. She wore a dress made by Bacolod designer Lourdes Lipa. She added that Kate, who also kissed her, asked how she knew Prince William. According to Piccio, Prince William told his bride that “She (Piccio) looked after Mummy before.”

“I told her I had been working for the family since William was a baby. She (Kate) was beautiful and sweet,” she said. “Everybody was looking at us because Prince William and Kate stopped to talk to me.”

Asked if Kate was like Princess Diana, Piccio said, “Nobody can wear the shoes of Princess Diana. She was one of a kind, she was beautiful, kind and generous. She taught her boys to be humble.”

THE DUKE AND THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE

The wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. Prince William, second in the line of succession to Queen Elizabeth II, first met Catherine Middleton in 2001, whilst both were studying at the University of St Andrews. Their engagement on 20 October 2010 was announced on 16 November 2010.

The build-up to the wedding and the occasion itself attracted much media attention, with the service being broadcast live around the world, and being compared and contrasted in many ways with the 1981 marriage of William's parents, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. It was estimated that the wedding would be watched by a global television audience of two billion people.

Much of the attention focused on Middleton's status as a commoner (i.e., not of royal blood or a part of the aristocracy) marrying into royalty. Hours before the service, the Queen conferred the titles Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, and Baron Carrickfergus upon William. Upon her marriage, Middleton therefore became Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, but is not styled as 'Princess Catherine'.

LIVESTREAM OF THE ROYAL WEDDING

Watch live streaming video from apliveroyalwedding at livestream.com

UC Nursing CESDEV is embedding a Livestream video of The Royal Wedding for the blog visitors who wich to get a glimpse of the cremony live on-the-dot. Enjoy watching!

BEST WISHES TO THE NEWLY-WED ROYALS!

Kate Middleton was given the title Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge when she married Britain's Prince William, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

Queen Elizabeth made her grandson William the Duke of Cambridge to mark the marriage of the second-in-line to the throne. Being a duke is the highest rank below that of monarch in the British nobility. William, 28, will also have the additional title Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus.

DREAMS COME TRUE

Come with me,
and we will fly together,
to a place,
where we can love forever,

Take my hand,
and we will see tomorrow,
only joy,
and no more tears or sorrow,

A love I never knew,
until I found you,
I promise that I do,
believe that dreams come true.

Miracles will be,
look at you and me,
heaven helped us to,
believe that dreams come true.

In this moment,
filled with deep emotion
hold me tight,
you'll feel my true devotion.

A love I never knew,
until I found you,
I promise that I do,
believe that dreams come true.

Miracles will be,
look at you and me,
heaven helped us to,
believe that dreams come true,
believe that dreams come true.

THE ROYAL CHANNEL INVITATION

The Royal Household invites you
to watch the wedding of
Prince William and Catherine Middleton
on the 29th of April from 10am London Time.
Live on The Royal Channel.

THE ROYAL BOOK INVITATION

Send your message to Prince William and Catherine Middleton on their Royal Wedding by uploading your greetings through The Royal Channel in YouTube. A number of well-wishes have uploaded their wedding wishes and greetings. You, too, can send your message. Upload now!

GREETINGS FROM THE FLOWER ARRANGERS

Flowers are being delivered to Westminster Abbey. Six members of the National Association of Flower Arranging Societies are helping to prepare the flowers, all sourced from the UK. The flowers and plants include blossoms, azaleas, rhododendron, euphorbias, beech, wisteria and lilac.

Flower arrangers Norma Dobney and Jane Rowton-Lee send a message of congratulations to Prince William and Catherine Middleton ahead of their wedding on Friday. You can do the same by uploading your message to our official video Wedding Book on YouTube.

THE 2011 ROYAL WEDDING INVITATION

The gold-embossed invitations to the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton finally landed on doormats around the world this weekend after the couple spent weeks agonising over the guest list.

Close to 1,900 guests have been invited to Westminster Abbey on Friday, April 29 – and more than half will be friends of the couple, The Mail on Sunday has been told. William and his bride-to-be have been allowed to invite more than 1,000 of their friends, by far the largest proportion of guests who will attend the service and the post-wedding breakfast at Buckingham Palace. Invitations were sent out via Royal Mail last Wednesday and Thursday.

The Mail on Sunday has been told that the Queen has personally invited 40 crowned heads from around the world – including the Middle East, despite the tumult sweeping the region – as well as the expected crowned heads of Europe. Among the surprise invitees are the King of Jordan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the Sultan of Oman, the King of Bahrain, the Sultan of Brunei and the King of Saudi Arabia as well as the Emperor of Japan, the King of Malaysia, the King of Tonga and the King of Thailand.

Classic and elegant, the black text on the invitation – which has been issued in the name of the Queen – reads: ‘The Lord Chamberlain is commanded by The Queen to invite. . . to the marriage of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales, K.G., with Miss Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on Friday, 29th April, 2011 at 11.00am.‘A reply is requested to State Invitations Secretary, Lord Chamberlain’s Office, Buckingham Palace.’

Gentlemen are required to wear uniform, morning coat or lounge suit. There is no dress code for female guests, although ladies will be required to wear a hat for the wedding service. Clarence House confirmed that more than 50 members of the Royal Family have been invited along with 40 members of foreign royalty.

THE ENGAGEMENT

'The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton. The wedding will take place in the Spring or Summer of 2011, in London. Prince William and Miss Middleton became engaged in October during a private holiday in Kenya. Prince William has informed The Queen and other close members of his family. Prince William has also sought the permission of Miss Middleton's father. Following the marriage, the couple will live in North Wales, where Prince William will continue to serve with the Royal Air Force.'

BIOGRAPHY OF PRINCE WILLIAM

Royalty. Born Prince William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor, on June 21, 1982, the eldest son of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Charles, Prince of Wales. His official title is His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales.

William attended Mrs. Mynor's Nursery school in West London (1985-87), Wetherby School in Kensington, London (1987-90), and Ludgrove School in Wokingham (1990-95). In 1995, at the urging of his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince William (nicknamed "Wills") entered Eton College, one of England's most prestigious secondary schools. A serious student with excellent grades, he also excelled in sports at Eton, particularly swimming. With his father and brother, he enjoys outdoor sports including riding, skiing, shooting and fishing.

As he is directly in line to the British throne after his father, Charles, he spends a good deal of time at Windsor Castle with Queen Elizabeth, who is very concerned with his upbringing and career development.

Affected by both his parents' divorce in 1996 and his mother's tragic death in 1997, the tall and handsome young William publicly stated his dislike for the press, and expressed discomfort with the growing attention he received from love-struck adolescent girls. William gives the impression of being a well-mannered, responsible and mature young man who shows a strong sense of duty and loyalty to the royal family, fully aware of the role he is to play in the future as the King of England.

Upon his graduation from Eton, William took a break from his studies to visit South America and Africa. He then attended Scotland's St Andrew's University, where he received a degree in geography in 2005. Following in the footsteps of his younger brother, Prince Harry, William joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as a military cadet and received his commission as a second lieutenant in the Household Cavalry in December 2006. In 2008, he was appointed to be a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. He is now training to be a search and rescue pilot with the Royal Air Force.

Along with his military career, William supports numerous charities, including serving as patron to Centrepoint, an organization for homeless youth, and the Tusk Trust, which is dedicated to the preservation of African wildlife. In 2007, William and his brother Harry hosted a special concert to celebrate their late mother and raise funds for charities that Princess Diana supported during her life as well as charities supported by the princes.

IN FOCUS: KATE MIDDLETON

Kate Middleton was born January 9, 1982, in Berkshire, England, to pilot Michael and flight attendant Carole Middleton. In 1987, the Middletons founded their own party goods company, which helped to make them millionaires. Kate, the oldest of three children, has a younger sister, Philippa ("Pippa") and a younger brother, James. Middleton attended the exclusive St. Andrew's Prep School until she was 13 and then Marlborough College, where she passed 11 GCSEs and three A-level exams.

Like Prince William, Kate Middleton was a student at the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland, where she graduated in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in art history. In 2001, while in her second year at the University of St. Andrews, Middleton met Prince William of Wales. Since 2003, she and the prince have been in an on-again-off-again relationship that has been the subject of intense media scrutiny.

On November 16, 2010, it was announced that Prince William and Kate Middleton were engaged after the prince proposed during a vacation to Kenya. The wedding is scheduled for April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London. The couple made plans to live in North Wales, where Prince William is stationed with the Royal Air Force, after their marriage.

THEIR LOVE STORY

Having been awaited and expected for many years, Prince William is eventually walking into the palace hall of the wedding ceremony with Kate Middleton, his fiancée also his girlfriend who he has spent eight years with.

The British Royal Family has announced that the wedding of Prince William will be held in Westminster Cathedral on April, 29th of 2011. Now Prince William has formally given Diana's sapphire-and-diamond engagement ring to his fiancée. It is said that the wedding will be the most ceremonious event for British Royal family in thirty years.

With all the grandeur and excitement brought by this royal affair, let's take a glimpse of their love story.

THE 1981 ROYAL WEDDING

Crowds of 600,000 people filled the streets of London to catch a glimpse of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer on their wedding day in 1981. The couple were married at St Paul's Cathedral before an invited congregation of 3,500 and an estimated global TV audience of 750 million - making it the most popular programme ever broadcast.

THE ROYAL WEDDING MARCH

Lady Diana, 20, arrived almost on time for the 1120 BST ceremony after making the journey from Clarence House in the Glass Coach with her father, Earl Spencer. She made the three and a half minute walk up the red-carpeted aisle with the sumptuous 25 ft (7.62 m) train of her Emmanuel designed, ivory taffeta and antique lace gown flowing behind her.

Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Robert Runcie led the traditional Church of England service, but he was assisted by clergymen from many denominations. The bride's nerves showed briefly when she mixed up the Prince's names - calling him Philip Charles Arthur George, rather than Charles Philip.

Charles, 32, in the full dress uniform of a naval commander, slightly muddled his vows too, referring to "thy goods" rather than "my worldly goods". After a brief private signing ceremony the Prince and Princess of Wales walked back down the aisle to the refrain of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance.

The newlyweds took the open-topped state landau to Buckingham Palace where they emerged on the balcony at 1310 BST to give the crowds the kiss they had been longing to see. Afterwards Charles and Diana retired from the public gaze to enjoy toasts and a wedding breakfast with 120 family guests.

A "just married" sign attached to the landau by Princes Andrew and Edward raised smiles as the married couple were driven over Westminster Bridge to get the train to Romsey in Hampshire to begin their honeymoon.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/29/newsid_2494000/2494949.stm

BIOGRAPHY OF PRINCESS DIANA

Lady Diana Frances Spencer, (Diana Frances Mountbatten-Windsor, née Spencer) (July 1, 1961–August 31, 1997) was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. From her marriage in 1981 to her divorce in 1996 she was styled "Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales". After her divorce from the Prince of Wales in 1996 Diana ceased to be the Princess of Wales and also lost the resulting Royal Highness style,[1] She received the title normally used by the ex-wives of peers, Diana, Princess of Wales under Letters Patent issued by Queen Elizabeth II at the time of the divorce.

Diana was often called Princess Diana by the media and the public, but she did not possess such a title and was not personally a princess, a point Diana herself made to people who referred to her as such. Contrary to belief, being Princess of Wales does not make one a princess in one's own right. It merely indicates that one was married to a Prince of Wales. Princesses in their own right only exist by creation of the monarch or by birth. Diana was in fact the first non-princess to be Princess of Wales for centuries. Previous Princesses of Wales, such as Alexandra of Denmark or Mary of Teck were already princesses by birth when they married a Prince of Wales.

An iconic presence on the world stage, Diana, Princess of Wales was noted for her pioneering charity work. Yet her philanthropic endeavours were overshadowed by her scandal-plagued marriage to Prince Charles. Her bitter accusations via friends and biographers of adultery, mental cruelty and emotional distress visited upon her, and her own admission of adultery and numerous love affairs riveted the world for much of the 1990s, spawning books, magazine articles and television movies.

From the time of her engagement to the Prince of Wales in 1981 until her death in a car accident in 1997, the Princess was arguably the most famous woman in the world, the pre-eminent female celebrity of her generation: a fashion icon, an image of feminine beauty, admired and emulated for her high-profile involvement in AIDS issues, and the international campaign against landmines. During her lifetime, she was often referred to as the most photographed person in the world. To her admirers, the Princess of Wales was a role model - after her death, there were even calls for her to be nominated for sainthood - while her detractors saw her life as a cautionary tale of how an obsession with publicity can ultimately destroy an individual.

http://www.biographyonline.net/people/biography_princess_diana.html

BIOGRAPHY OF PRINCE CHARLES

The Prince of Wales, eldest son of The Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was born at Buckingham Palace at 9.14pm on 14th November 1948. A proclamation was posted on the Palace railings just before midnight, announcing that Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth had been safely delivered of a son. It was announced later that the baby Prince weighed 7lb 6oz.

On 15th December, Charles Philip Arthur George was christened in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Geoffrey Fisher. The Prince's mother was proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 25, when her father, King George VI, died aged 56 on 6th February 1952. On The Queen's accession to the throne, Prince Charles - as the Sovereign's eldest son - became heir apparent at the age of three.

The Prince, as Heir to The Throne, took on the traditional titles of The Duke of Cornwall under a charter of King Edward III in 1337; and, in the Scottish peerage, of Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

The Prince was four at his mother's Coronation, in Westminster Abbey on 2nd June 1953. Many who watched the Coronation have vivid memories of him seated between his widowed grandmother, now to be known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and his aunt, Princess Margaret.

He was invested as Prince of Wales by The Queen on 1st July 1969 in a colourful ceremony at Caernarfon Castle. Before the investiture The Prince had spent a term at the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth, learning to speak Welsh. On 11th February 1970, His Royal Highness took his seat in the House of Lords.

On 29th July 1981, The Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in St Paul's Cathedral who became HRH The Princess of Wales. The Prince and Princess of Wales had two sons: Prince William, born on 21st June 1982; and Prince Harry, born on 15th September 1984.

http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/personalprofiles/theprinceofwales/biography/

THE 1981 PRE-ROYAL WEDDING INTERVIEW

VERY ADMIRABLE

FOR a person to grow, he should not stop learning. A differently-abled student relied on this saying to give him strength whenever he came across people who have doubts about his capability to learn. Ricky Labrador Jr., 18, a deaf-mute, graduated valedictorian of his high school class at the Mandaue City Central Integrated Special Education School.

He was among the 200 valedictorians who met with Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday as they attended a three-day leadership training organized by the Provincial Government. He does not consider his condition as a hindrance to attaining his goals. Labrador was sick with fever when he was a baby and became deaf-mute. Despite his condition, he excelled in his class and even got elected as president of the supreme student council of his school.

His father is a security guard and his mother is a staff member of the University of the Visayas in Mandaue City. Labrador thanked the governor for the opportunity to fulfill his dreams.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2011/04/27/deaf-mute-tops-hs-class-152242

FACEBOOK SONG

ATTENTION: FRIENDSTER ACCOUNT HOLDERS!

Attention, Friendster users: You have until May 31 to save your account contents including photos, testimonials, and blogs —or else you'll lose them in the social network's upcoming major reformat. Friendster, a pioneer social networking site launched in 2002, issued the warning as it prepares a "new and improved version" in the coming weeks.

"Your Friendster account will not be deleted. You will still have the same email login and password in the new Friendster. Also, your list of friends will be preserved, along with your basic profile information. However, all the photos, messages, comments, testimonials, shoutouts, blogs, forums and groups that you may have now will no longer be part of your account by May 31, 2011," it said in its help forum. To be preserved are the user's list of friends, along with basic profile information, wallet, and games.

But to help the user save his or her account content, Friendster offered an application to help download or export photos and blogs securely to third party sites, such as Flickr or Multiply. Dubbed the Friendster Exporter, the app will be rolled out gradually and is now available for users in Singapore. Users in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia can expect the app to be available in a few days after April 14, it added. It said that the app will be available to all Friendster users before the end of April 2011.
While Facebook is a site where people can communicate with and find out what their real-life friends are doing, Friendster will be the place where people can meet new friends and play games and enjoy music with them. The pioneering social network will continue to innovate and be at the forefront of the social networking scene, he said in an article on ZDNet Asia.

Friendster said that its "new and improved" version will be focused on entertainment and fun, and will have new features to better enable users to connect with friends or engage new friends with similar interests.

"Our improved site is designed to create new profiles that allow you to connect differently with people and do things differently than other networking sites. Basically, the new site will complement your existing online presence in other social networking sites," the company said.

A July 15, 2010 article in the Global Post said that, while Friendster lost users in the United States to MySpace and Facebook in the mid-2000s, the social network exploded in the Philippines, where nearly half of its userbase is located. It said that Friendster later spread to Malaysia and Indonesia. Now, roughly 80 percent of Friendster’s 116 million users live in Southeast Asia, the report said.

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/friendster-delete-users-content-may-31-125607688.html

MOBILE LIFE

KALUNASAN IS OUT OF THE LIST BUT MALNUTRITION PERSISTS IN OTHER BARANGAYS

Barangay Ermita tops among the 80 barangays of Cebu City with a high prevalence malnutrition rate of 13.30 percent in 2010 among preschoolers aged zero to seventy one (71) months. City Health Department (CHD)-7 North Area Nurse Supervisor and Nutrition Coordinator Emma Gaviola said in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency that the other four barangays in Cebu in the top five spot with the highest prevalence malnutrition rate in 2010 are Alaska with 11.79 percent, Duljo with 9.60 percent, fourth placer Sapangdaku with 9.37 percent and fifth placer Buot Taup with 8.92 percent.

The data was taken from the City Summary Report on ‘Operation Timbang’ (OPT) 2010 where said age group of children are weighed regularly in the barangay health centers to check their nutrition status. More than 136T preschoolers were weighed from January to March last year where OPT results showed that there were 2,955 children out of the total figure were underweight (UW) and 826 are severely underweight (SUW) or a 4.37 percent malnutrition prevalence rate, based on the summary report of CHD.

According to Gaviola, Barangay Opra has recorded the lowest malnutrition prevalence rate of .38 percent among the 80 barangays in Cebu City. Gaviola also said the malnutrition prevalence rate in 2009 was 5.60 percent and it went down to 4.23 percent in 2010. Gaviola stressed that the mother has the crucial role in ensuring that their children are well-fed right from the day they are conceive as nutrition starts from the womb.

Mothers should visit the barangay health centers often and to be healthy always, Gaviola said. As long as, mother and child eat balanced diet and nutritious foods with more on vegetables and fruits, carbohydrates (rice) and protein (animal meat) then there is no reason that malnutrition among children will persist, she added.

Infants until six months old should be breastfeed and beyond six months, complementary foods should be introduced but breast milk must be continued even after two years, Gaviola said. Gaviola put emphasis on having the children vaccinated right after they are born and completes the vaccination until the child reaches 15 months. (PIA-Cebu/JSM)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=1&t=1&id=27908

STOP MALNUTRITION

THE WORST CRIME

"We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime is abandoning the children, neglecting the foundation of life. Many of the things we need can wait but the child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made and his senses are being developed. To him we cannot answer "Tomorrow". His name is "Today"."

- Gabriela Mistral, 1948

LETTER FOR FUTURE GIRLFRIEND

DRIVE SAFELY

Each time you get behind the wheel of a vehicle, you must perform a series of complicated, split-second tasks. You must coordinate the actions of your hands, feet, eyes, ears, and body movements. At the same time, you must decide how to react to what you see, hear, and feel from other cars and drivers, traffic signs and signals, road conditions and your own vehicle's performance.

These decisions are usually made at high speed and in close proximity to other vehicles also traveling at high speed, and they must be converted into the correct action - brake, steer, accelerate, or a combination of the three - to maintain or adjust your position in traffic. And these decisions must be made constantly, over and over. About 20 major decisions are needed for each mile driven; drivers must frequently act in less than one-half second to avoid a collision with another vehicle or a pedestrian.

When you think of it that way, you may never want to get in a car again. But relax, follow the safe driving tips, use your common sense and best judgment, and you'll be one of the safest drivers on the road.

THE MARSHMALLOW TEST

Dr. Walter Mischel's famous "Marshmallow Test" researched children and self-control back in the 1960's and 1970's. The design of the experiment involved leaving a succession of 4-year-olds in a room with a bell and a marshmallow. Each child was given a set of simple instructions. If they rang the bell, Mischel would come back and they could immediately eat the marshmallow. If, however, they didn't ring the bell and waited for him to come back on his own, he would bring them another marshmallow - thus giving them two to eat.

What Mischel found over years of following test subjects was that children who rang the bell early - in order to eat the one marshmallow - had more behavioral and academic problems growing up, got lower SAT scores and struggled in stressful situations and had limited friendships as adults. In essence, their lack of self-control had life long effects.

The video above simulates Mischel's "Marshmallow Test". How do you think you'd do?

HOT SUMMER!

SUMMER HEALTH ADVISORY

WITH the start of summer, health officials reminded the public of health risks associated with the dry season – heat stroke, dehydration, sore eyes, measles and chicken pox.

Avoid lingering in crowded places, said Regional Director Dr. Susana Madarieta of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7). She said the unpredictable weather may lower one’s resistance, making one more susceptible to disease. “The children should be especially looked after since they are the most sensitive to catching infectious diseases,” she said.

Sore eyes or conjunctivitis is among the more prevalent diseases in summer. Persons with sore eyes may transmit the disease by rubbing the infected eye and touching objects like tables and doorknobs. “Frequent handwashing would hinder the spread of disease,” Madarieta said. She advised people with sore eyes to stay indoors to avoid dirt and prevent them from infecting others.

Measles and chicken pox can also be contracted in crowded places, Madarieta said, and people fond of eating street food, where sanitation is not assured, are at a higher risk of getting diarrhea.

Those wishing to spend time in the beach should prepare sunblock, caps, umbrellas and towels. Constant hydration by drinking clean water is also a must to avoid heat stroke and fatigue.

Weather forecasters say rains will be sporadic due to a minor La Niña episode that will last until May. “This summer would be colder and more wet,” said Ellah Kumahig, weather analyst of the Pagasa Mactan office. Average temperature will be 25 degrees Celsius with wind direction shifting from northeasterly to easterly and southeasterly.She said people heading to the beach can expect cooler weather in some days due to cloudy skies.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20110424-332655/Avoid--crowded-places-heat-stroke-in-summer

HALLELUIA!

GOD NOT GOOGLE

ACCORDING to Archbishop Jose S. Palma, the answers to the many questions in life are not all found in Google; they’re found in Jesus.

Well, I have to tell you from the outset that I’m a huge fan of Google. I mean, I practically google everything. I rely on Google to give me the answers to some of the many questions I have in life—-how Christianity began, what countries border Bhutan and who invented Post-Its. In fact, to say that I love Google would be an understatement.

But I must say that I wholeheartedly agree with the good Archbishop despite the fact that I hold many views contrary to the Catholic Church. Google does give us the answers to many questions but Google doesn’t tell us how to live so that we may find peace and happiness in our lives.

And yet, God doesn’t exactly give us all the answers to our questions either. But God does make it possible for us to discern through time the key to peace and happiness. While God doesn’t make it easy for us to find the right path, He makes it possible for us to find it with the right choices in life.

Prayer is a powerful tool in my life. God is the ultimate decision-maker I recognize. I know what I am capable of doing but I also understand that without God, I am nothing. All that I have and all that I am comes from He who gave me life. I can do what I can to live life well. But God ultimately decides. Every day is a gift from above.

If I live, it is only through God’s grace. And when I die, it will only be through God’s will. I’ve never really charted the course of my life to follow a particular path, yet, I have found that God somehow always steers me to the path where He wants me to be. I am happy to be where I am today but it would not be false modesty for me to say that I can’t take credit for it.

At every step of the way, God made it possible for me to be here. Things happen for a reason. If we trust God, we should not question. Sometimes, it’s actually easier to simply submit to God’s will. God does not always grant us the wisdom to understand His plans. But if we can find the patience and courage to wait, enlightenment will come.

There were times in my life when I could not understand why God would grant me the most unexpected blessings yet deny me my deepest desires. It took a while for me to understand why God deemed it fit to deny me what I wanted but didn’t really need in my life.

But thank God, He didn’t give up on me. We can’t all be strong all the time. We all have our moments of weakness. Believe me, it’s good to have God in your life because God provides the wisdom, the courage and the guidance to say, to do and to go where we must at some of the most important points in our lives.

Make God your first not your last resort. Prayer is more powerful than you think. While you may not realize it—-if you have faith, you really do have everything.

By Melanie Lim. Wide Awake. SunStar Cebu.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/2011/04/23/lim-god-not-google-151705

EASTER EGGS

Easter eggs are special eggs that are often given to celebrate Easter or springtime. The egg is a symbol of the rebirth of the Earth in celebrations of spring and was adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus.

The oldest tradition is to use dyed or painted chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs, or plastic eggs filled with confectionery such as jelly beans. These eggs are often hidden, allegedly by the Easter Bunny, for children to find on Easter morning. Otherwise, they are generally put in a basket filled with real or artificial straw to resemble a bird's nest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_egg

HOW TO MAKE EASTER EGGS

JOHN 3:16

WHY?

We rode into town the other day,

Just me and my daddy.

He said I’d finally reached the age

And I could ride next to him on a horse

That of course was not quite as wide

We heard a crowd of people shouting,

And so we stopped to find out why.

There was that man that my dad said he loved

But today there was fear in his eyes.

CHORUS

So I said, “Daddy why are they screaming?

Why are the faces of some of them beaming?

Why is he dressed in that bright purple robe?

I’ll bet that crown hurts him more than he shows.

Daddy, please, can’t you do something?

He looks as though he’s gonna cry.

You said he was stronger than all of those guys.

Daddy please tell me why,

Why does everyone want him to die?”

VERSE 2

Later that day the sky grew cloudy

And Daddy said I should go inside.

Somehow he knew things could get stormy.

Boy, was he right! But I could not keep from wonderin’

If there was something he had to hide

So after he left I had to find out.

I was not afraid of getting lost.

So I followed the crowds to a hill where I knew men

had been killed,

And I heard a voice call from the cross

CHORUS 2 (same chords except where noted)

And he said, “Father why are they screaming?

Why are the faces of some of them beaming?

Why are they casting their lots for my robe?

This crown of thorns hurts me more than it shows.

Father, please, can’t You do something?

I know that You must hear my cry.

I thought I could handle a cross of this size.

Father remind me why, why does everyone want me to die

Oh, when will I understand why?

CHORUS 3

My precious Son, I hear them screaming,

and I’m watching the face of the enemy beaming.

But soon I will clothe You in robes of my own.

Jesus, this hurts Me much more than You know.

But this dark hour I must do nothing

Though I’ve heard Your unbearable cry.

The pow’r in Your blood destroys all of the lies.

Soon You’ll see past their unmerciful eyes.

Look there below, see the child

Trembling by her father’s side.

Now I can tell You why,

She is why You must die.

WHO AM I?

Who am I?

That the Lord of all the earth,

Would care to know my name,

Would care to feel my hurt.

Who am I?

That the bright and morning star,

Would choose to light the way,

For my ever wandering heart.

Bridge:

Not because of who I am,

But because of what you've done.

Not because of what I've done,

But because of who you are.

Chorus:

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow,

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I'm calling,

Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,

And you've told me who I am.

I am yours.

I am yours.

Who am I?

That the eyes that see my sin

Would look on me with love

And watch me rise again.

Who am I?

That the voice that calmed the sea,

Would call out through the rain,

And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am,

But because of what you've done.

Not because of what I've done,

But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow,

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I'm calling,

Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,

And you've told me who I am.

I am yours.

Not because of who I am,

But because of what you've done.

Not because of what I've done,

But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow,

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I'm calling,

Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,

And you've told me who I am.

I am yours.

I am yours.

I am yours.

Whom shall I fear

Whom shall I fear

Cause I am yours..

I am yours..

COULD YOU BE MESSIAH

could you be HEALER?

to a heart that's been wounded

in a battle that's never seen?

could you be TEACHER?

to a mind of confusion

tell me what does this all mean?

are you DELIVERER?

of an imprissoned feeling in chains

can you set my spirit free?

And just one more question

allow me this question,

could you be MESIAH to me?

could you be MESIAH to me?

could you be FATHER?

to a soul that's been abandoned

by a world too busy to hear?

could you be FRIEND?

to a helpless survivor?

can you take away my fears?

I heard them all sharing

this newfound conviction in them

Are you all they made you to be?

And just one more question

allow me this question

could you be MESIAH,

please be MESIAH to me..

Now I've been looking for

someone like you

and I'm so tired,I'm tired

I've read every book,

and I've sang every song

my mind may be right

but my heart feels so wrong

Tell me how much further

can my life go along

which way do the road leads

where do I belong?

Are you FORGIVER

of my most unknown secrets?

PROVIDER of all that I need?

can you be BROTHER?

the one who knows better

can you now stand in the lead?

When all this is over,

all the thunder and lightning

in the daylight just what will I see?

The answer to my question,

to all of my questions..

Could you be MESIAH to me?

Could you be MESIAH to me?

Could you be MESIAH,

please be MESIAH to me...

LETTING GO

I used to feel the emptiness inside me

I was not supposed to feel that way

I had everything I needed

But nothing ever made me

What I longed to be

The wealth, the name

The lights, the fame

Were everything to me

And then one night

Out of the blue

I heard His name (Jesus)

And so I took that step of faith

And walked into His domain

I believe that's what He wants

Every heart to do

When hard may seem the task

One step is all He asks of you

Letting go to know the truth

Is not so hard to do

It's the heart that's got the will

To open up for Him to fill

And trusting and believing Him

Is all we've got to do

It's just the heart that's got to move

For Him to show His love that's been there

Even when we never cared

Take hold of His hand

Let go and you'll understand

Why be afraid

For God knows what you're feeling

But even He can't do a thing

If He sees the heart's not willing

And so we ask what's going on

We want what's right and still do wrong

When hard may seem the task

One step is all He asks of you

I guess by now you'd realize

You can't be on your own

And all your cares

And all your burdens

Should be cast upon His throne

Letting go, just let go, letting go

Let go and you'll understand

Just let go and you'll understand

LENTEN REFLECTION

One should wonder. What does it mean? Salvation. It seems the central focus of every living person’s life. Without even meaning to, humans try to answer this for themselves: What do I do with my life? How do I make it “nindot”?

The personal answer each person has for this question certainly defines the quality of his or her life. The religious tenets help to answer this question. But in the end, the demands of faith are always unique to every person. It is always personal. One must have to go beyond the ambiguities of religious canons and ritual in order to get at the core. And if one believes that God guides the person even at this most personal level of experience, then there must be a point to the claim: It is God who chooses to save us.

According to Christian religious texts we are all already saved. Christ died on the cross to erase the stain of Adam and Eve’s sin. We are all technically absolved of that sin. What is left for us is only the personal understanding of it. Therefore it follows, we are left only with the simple problem of saving ourselves. Clearly, this is a simple problem which is not so simple.

One could simply claim that we can do this just by going about our religious duties: Go to church on Sundays, do the sacraments, give to the poor, visit the sick, and so on. But there is nothing new in doing all these. After all, people had been doing it long before Jesus Christ was even born as man. And it seemed to the Maker that the central theme of Jesus’ life was its revolutionary nature. He proposed just two commandments: Love God and love your neighbors as you would yourself.

These commandments are easy to understand. They are simplicity itself. They are certainly not as complex as dogma and ritual. They do no speak of political and ideological implications, do not speak of the liberal and conservative divide. They are not counter argument to any claims by any political or religious institution. You can believe in them without having to do away with anything else you already believe in. In this sense, they offer a singular definition to what it might mean to be Catholic, as in universal. Anyone of any religion can go by these commandments without fear of heresy. They are monuments stronger than a rock for their simplicity and clarity. They are poetry.

Poetry are text which are beautiful. They are beautiful at various levels. The most basic is that they sound beautiful. They taste well to the mouth. But since text carry ideas, it goes to follow, the ideas they carry must taste well also to the person’s mind. They do not jar. They might disturb, even shake the thinker from a sleep of dis-awareness. But they must have a special quality that is hard to explain in words unless one uses the native tongue. For us they must be “nindot”.

The things which are “nindot” to us produce a special feeling of something like awe and wonderment in the mind. But this feeling goes beyond that. They produce a physical manifestation, a smile perhaps, or even a laugh. Or they might moisten the eyes with a recollection of something familiar though forgotten. But how do we know whether something is nindot or not?

We just know. It is a sensibility so basic, we might as well say: If you don’t have it then you don’t get it and vice-versa. It is not something you learn in school or from somebody else. It is a concept learned from collective experience not just of one but of many generations of a people. It is deeply rooted in the depths of the consciousness, also rooted in the depths of culture. It is something everyone taught us since as long as we can remember. It is a capacity inside each one of us, the core faculty which completes our humanity. After all, if one cannot see the “pagkanindot” of babies how can one ever raise one properly to adulthood? If one does not understand the “pagkanindot” of life, how can one ever learn to respect such a complex and difficult commandment as “Thou shall not kill.”

And then, what of love? If one has not ever felt the “pagkanindot” of it, how could one ever come to understand: Love God and love your neighbors as you would yourself? The Maker believes, we all have our own personal understanding of these things. But if he were asked why he likes religion, he would say: “Kay nindot.”

By Raymund Fernandez.Cebu Daily News.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/opinion/view/20110424-332672/Salvation

YOU WERE THERE

You were there
in everything I knew
From the moment I began.
Always there in every way I go.

Saved me falling, held my hand.
You are shelter from the storm.
The shadows fade away,
all cares pass away.

As hour by hour, day by day
Your love lightens up the sky
As it shines across the night.
Ave, regina caelorum decora
Virgo gloriosa, ave!

And when the end of day has come,
Stay with me through the dark
and bring me home.

You are there whichever way I go.
Keep me safely night and day.
Always there, whenever I'm alone,

Hear me calling, show the way.
You are shelter from the storm,
The shadows fade away,
all cares pass away.

As hour by hour, day by day;
Your love lightens up the sky
As it shines across the night.
Ave, regina caelorum decora
Virgo gloriosa, ave!

And when the end of day is come,
Stay with me through the dark
and bring me home.
Stay with me through the dark
and bring me home.

MATER DOLOROSA

GOD'S LOVE

I asked Jesus
how much He loved me
He answered "this much"
Then He stretched out His arms
and died for me.

WE ARE THE REASON

As little children
we'd dream of Christmas morn
And all the gifts and toys
we knew we’d find
But we never realized
a baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

We are the reason
that He gave His life
We were the reason
that He suffered and died
To a world that was lost
He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

As the years went by
we learned more of our gifts
The giving of ourselves
and what that means
On a dark and cloudy day
a man hung crying in the rain
Because of love
Because of love

I finally found the reason for living
It’s in giving every part of my heart to Him
(every part to Him)
And all that I do every word that I say
(you know I’ll be saying)
I will give all my life just for Him,
just for Him (every thing for Him)

We are the reason
that He gave His life
We are the reason
that He suffered and died
To a world that was lost
He gave all He could give
(all that he could give all)
To show us the reason to live

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Stations of the Cross (or Way of the Cross; in Latin, Via Crucis; also called the Via Dolorosa or Way of Sorrows, or simply, The Way) refers to the depiction of the final hours (or Passion) of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St. Francis of Assisi and extended throughout the Roman Catholic Church in the medieval period. It is less often observed in the Anglican and Lutheran churches. It may be done at any time, but is most commonly done during the Season of Lent, especially on Good Friday and on Friday evenings during Lent.

EARTH DAY 2011

A BILLION ACTS OF GREEN