Vastenaktie (Fasting project for Season of Lent)

In Catholic tradition we are now in Season of Lent. The 40 days period from Ash Wednesday (March 9, 2010) till Easter Sunday (April 24, 2011). It is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which we attain redemption.

Like Jesus who'd been through 40 days of solitude, prayer and fasting in the dessert. Catholics have their fasting activities too on Lent season. And that is to have enough meal per day and to cut some extra chips, chocolates or something delicious we always wanten to eat and special drinks like softdrinks. But it's not only fasting, there something we should also do after fasting and that is almsgiving. That means while you do fasting you'll save some money buying those extra foods and drinks, those money we save are the money we could give for almsgiving.

The last two sundays that we went to the Catholic church here in Holland. I've heard from the priest that this year Vastenaktie is for Filipijnen (Philippines). I'm happy to hear that... I'm here in Holland and I think not everyone in Philippines or not everyone Mindoro knows that the Parishes here are busy promoting Vastenaktie for the benefits of filipinos in Mindoro.

The scan photo above is the cardboard that our daughter receives from school. Where we can make a piggy bank out of it. "Plant iets moois voor een ander" is the write up in the left side which is translated in english as "Plant something beautiful for someone else"

Below is the translation in english of the write up in dutch that you see in the photo above:

Plant something beautiful for someone else

The inhabitants of the Philippine island of Mindoro are conserving the forest in which they live. They are living out of everything that grows there. But mining and logging threaten their existence.

With the help of Vastenaktie they want to save the forest and show that you can make money without chopping down those trees. From Vastenaktie they will learn how to make baskets and jewelry made ​​of reeds and palm leaves. And chips and tasty bananas and mangoes. And they will teach them on how these products in the market to sell and to plant new more trees so that the forest will remain. Save some and support Vastenaktie and plant something nice for someone else.

You can read more about the project in the website www.vastenaktie.nl

Kruisweg (Way of Cross)

Good Friday is observed here in Holland in different ways compared to Philippines... Here in not a non-working holiday so everyone spent this day as ordinary day... But in Philippines, Holy Thursday and Good Fridays are two of the National Holidays so everyone has the chance to observe and participate in church activities among the Catholics...

I do miss the holy week activities in Parish of the Holy liked Pabasa, Kumpisalang Bayan, Senakulo, Visita Iglesia and Daang Krus ... Here there are different activities too, so yesterday we went to Sint Vitus Parochie (St. Vitus Parish) in Winschoten and attended the Kruisweg or Way of the Cross to meditate with every Station of the Cross over the scene of Christ's sufferings and death... I think with our busy life it's important for at least once a year to commemorate The Passion of the Christ....

The Kruisweg or Way of the Cross here is the same as in Philippines only it's in dutch language.. It's like a pilgrimage in every station to meditate and pray... But I've noticed here after the 12th Station (Jesus dies on the Cross) they offered flowers to the Holy Cross (as you can see in the photo above, The Cross with flowers) but in Philippines they don't usually decorate flowers during Lenten season, except the Pink Sunday (Laetare Sunday)... So yesterday we didn't brought flowers, I didn't know that it's how they do it here... I like it, a simple offering of flowers to the cross. It's a way to express yourself that if only I'm there 2000 years ago when Jesus was crucified I could have given him flowers too... but then I could be those sinners too , to whom Jesus offered His life.... Thank you Lord Jesus for being my saviour.

Paasmaandag (Easter Monday)

Today, it's Paasmaandag (Easter Monday) also known as the Tweede Paasday (2nd Easter day). It's considered as special holiday also here in Holland. That's why there's no work, schools are closed and like sundays the stores are closed as well... But I've heard from my language teacher that some dutch people wants to buy a new furnitures on this Easter Monday that's why usually the furniture stores are open today...

For us, we went to attend Holy Mass in Groningen in Sint-Jozefkathedraal. It's like Easter sunday holy mass too as you can see in the photos.

Happy Easter!!!

Vrolijk Pasen! (Happy Easter!)

Powerpoint to Video

In 2004, the Infomation System Division of Tariff Commission where I'm working then gave special lessons on "How to make powerpoint presentation?" This is the first Power Point Presentation I made titled 'Bakit pa ba'... I used the song "Bakit pa ba?" by Jay R, then I put the lyrics in the animations then I put photos as well from the movie "The Passion of the Christ"... The song "Bakit pa ba?" was supposed to be like a love song but then if you'll listen to the lyrics you can really coordinate it with the photos from "The Passion of the Christ".

I've search in the internet on how can I convert the Power Point Presentation into Video, then I found the "Moyea PPT to Video" converter. Then I used it to convert "Bakit pa ba" powerpoint presentation into Video that's why "I'm sorry if it bothers you to see in the upper left side of the video the Moyea watermarks.... Still Thank you Moyea.

On this Lenten season, I thought maybe it's nice to convert it into video, so I could upload it into YouTube at the same time so I could put it here in my blog too.

Happy Easter to everyone!

Palmzondag (Palm Sunday)

Yesterday, we've attended holy mass for Palmzondag (Palm Sunday) in Sint-Jozefkathedraal in Groningen... We received this plant (as you see in the photo) from the church as our palm leaves.

I remember in the Philippines, on Palm Sunday holy mass, catholic church goers didn't want to miss this holy mass because it is only once in a year for the special blessings of those palm leaves. Somehow, I miss the Holy Week activities in Parish of the Holy Family, in Karuhatan, everyday there's activity beginning Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, like Pasyon/Pabasa, Washing of feet on Maundy Thursday, Senakulo, Easter vigil and some other holy week activities in Philippines

Here in St. Vitus Parochie (Parish) there are activites too, but I'm not yet good in dutch language, so for sure I can't understand everything or every part of the activities then...

Anyway, while searching with some tradition here in Holland during Palm Sunday, I've read this part in Wikipedia -

Palm Sunday tradition in Netherlands

In the Saxon regions of the Netherlands, crosses are decorated with candy and bread, made in the form of a rooster. In the diocese of Groningen-Leeuwarden a great procession with oil lamps is held the night before Palm Sunday in honour of the Sorrowful Mother of Warfhuizen.

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I've seen this kind of tradition last year when we've attended Holy mass in dutch language here in St. Vitus Parochie, in Winschoten.... Indeed, Palm Sunday commemorates an event mentioned in the the Bible. Especially the Reading (Jn 12:12-16) during the Procession with Palm leaves...
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Jn 12:12-16

When the great crowd that had come to the feast heard
that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out:
"Hosanna!
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,
the king of Israel."
Jesus found an ass and sat upon it, as is written:
Fear no more, O daughter Zion;
see, your king comes, seated upon an ass's colt.
His disciples did not understand this at first,
but when Jesus had been glorified
they remembered that these things were written about him
and that they had done this for him.

Laetare Sunday

Yesterday was the 4th Sunday of Lent and called Laetare Sunday. "Laetare" is a latin word which means "Rejoice" a word which is always first proclaimed in the holy mass of Laetare Sunday. Like the 3rd Sunday of Advent which is called "Gaudete Sunday", the priest can wear vestment in "pink" and you'll see flowers too in the altar pink as possible, that's why some say it's "Pink Sunday"... Normally during Lent season the priest wears purple vestment and there are no flowers in the altar.... Some does penance, fasting and almsgiving... the preparation for the coming Good Friday seems to give sadness in the air, but the Laetare Sunday is like a pause... and the word "Rejoice!" reminds us that the good news of Easter Sunday is coming too...

"Verheug u" (Rejoice!)

Eucharistieviering (Holy Mass)

Since my husband got sick last December 24, we didn't have a chance to attend Holy Mass in the Sint-Jozefkathedraal in Groningen and Sint-Vituskerk here in Winschoten. But i tried since then was to at least watch the Eucharistieviering (Holy Mass) in TV, every 10:00 in the morning in the Chanel - Ned 2 (KRO-Katholiek Radio Omroep)... And the holy mass is from RKK Mediapastoraat (Katholiek Nederland).
Last Sunday, I just noticed they did also the tradition of Ash Wednesday on this Sunday...

Aswoensdag (Ash Wednesday)

Today is Aswoensdag (Ash Wednesday).

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. It is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which we attain redemption....
--- Read more in www.catholic.org
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Way back in Manila, I almost never miss the ash in my forehead every Ash Wednesday. I've observed most Catholic Filipinos tried not to miss to attend in Ash Wednesday holy mass too.

Now, here in Holland.... I admit I don't have a chance to attend holy mass... I even almost forgot i'ts Ash Wednesday today. Thanks to Jon-jon (my brother), he reminded me it's ash wednesday when I got a chance to chat with him today... So I just light candles in our Altar here... Now, I miss the ash my forehead, I miss the holy mass... But for sure, I did not miss to remind myself ...
"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." -Genesis 3:19

Peter (Godfather)

Today, my husband, Ron became a Peter (Godfather) for the first time... For the baptismal of Jack (the son of Leo and Diana - filipina i met here) at the Sint-Jozefkathedraal. The Meter (Godmother) is Angelita - also a filipina. Because it's the first time for Ron to be a Godparent, I explained that he should now looks after the spiritually and gives guidance to the newly baptized baby Jack.

After the baptismal ceremony, we went to the house of Leo and Diana... It's the first time that I've attended an occasion with many filipinos. In the 4th photo, you'll see the filipinos I've met... from the left side, you'll see Mely, Charlie, Precy, Baby Jack and Diana, Mila, me and Mireille and sitting Angelita...

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We Praise and Thank God....
Today, was such a Memorable and
a Happy day for me and Ron....

Altar in the house

On my first blog, i showed the place of the altar... This morning, Mama Gea (my mother-in-law) makes a new place for the Altar.... It's in the nice place now, in the center of the house. I remember my husband asked me before why do i like to have an altar?

For me, it's a constant reminder that God is always there to guide us and bless us in all we do. The altar is a symbol to which we give respect, because it reminds us that we have a Loving God... It is in the same way, we respect for the photos of our parents or someone we love....

In our altar, we have the book "Daily Gospel 2008" too, for daily readings and reflections on "Words of God" from the Bible. I always have the feeling that God talks with me in every reading from the Bible...

I believe Faith is a gift that stays in our heart, and should be shared to those who open their heart....

Holy Family

Try ko lang mag-create ng blog showing things here in Holland, and maybe something different from my way of living before in Manila....

February 11, 2008, when me and my daughter arrived here in Holland, 1st thing i did is to look where to put my altar, this photo was taken on my birthday (May 22, 2008), bagong dikit yung red wallpaper, it's Mama Gea (my mother -in-law) who bought then put them on the wall ha... Napansin nyo ba altar namin? sobra yata liit ng HOLY FAMILY ko para sa heater as table... lilipat ko sya ng place...

We got the Holy Family from the wedding gifts we received. I brought it here in Holland, because it will also remind me The Parish of the Holy Family, in Karuhatan, Valenzuela City (Philippines). The Parish church where I grew with catholic faith. Holy Family reminds me also of the parishioners i met and serve with, especially the Holy Family Choir, Parish Commission on Youth (PCY), Lectors and Commentators, and the Finance Committee in Holy Family church construction, and closest friends i've got....