Relics of St. John Bosco to visit San Francisco and LA (Sept. 11 to 19, 2010)

I'm happy to learn that the relics of my school patron, St. John Bosco, is coming to the Bay Area. Just recently, we were fortunate to welcome the relics of another saint (St. Jean Marie Vianney). May the intercession of these two great saints encourage more priestly and religious vocations!

Taken from Sts. Peter and Paul Parish website:

As we prepare for the bicentennial of Don Bosco's birth in 2015, a relic of our founder is making its way through five continents. The reliquary, which displays a likeness of Don Bosco as well as a bone from his right arm will arrive at Saints Peter and Paul Church on Saturday, September 11, 2010, and leave on September 13. We will be celebrating days of festivities before and during Don Bosco's visit as we mark this truly once-in-a-lifetime event. Google "Facebook Don Bosco Relic" to go to the Facebook page which has lots of information about the visit.

Schedule of events

Saints Peter and Paul Parish

Salesians of Don Bosco

666 Filbert Street San Francisco, CA 94133

415-421-0809 (Google map) (Parking map)

Wednesday, September 8

6:00 PM Music in the Church.

6:15 Address of Gratitude by Mr. Al Baccari

7:00 Mass celebrated by Archbishop George Niederauer

Thursday, September 9

6:15 PM. Mr. Russ Gumina, Director of the Salesian Boys' and Girls' Club,

peaks on The Salesian Youth Movement.

6:30 Mass celebrated by Fr. John Itzaina, SDB, Pastor

7:30 Reception in the Auditorium

Friday, September 10

6:15 PM Short talk on the history of the Salesian Movement.

6:30 Mass

7:30 Reception in the Auditorium

Saturday, September 11

11:30 PM: Don Bosco arrives!

Sleep-over at the Salesian Boys' and Girls' Club. All-night veneration and prayer in the church (enter through Church Office). Honor guard of the Knights of Columbus, Knights of Malta, and Knights of the Holy Sepulcher

Sunday, September 12

7:30 Mass "Don Bosco: Model of Service"

8:45 Mass "Don Bosco: Apostle to the Young"

10:15 Mass "Don Bosco: Missionary to the World" celebrated by

Bishop Emeritus Ignatius Wang

12:00 Mass "Don Bosco: Model of Holiness" followed by a Reception in the Auditorium.

5:00 Mass "Don Bosco: Faithful for the Kingdom," honoring our Salesian Jubilarians.

The following schedule comes from the Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology:

Monday, September 13

9:00 AM School Mass.

10:00 AM. The Relics depart and will travel through the streets of San Francisco to Corpus Christi Church.

Tuesday, 14 September

San Francisco via East Bay (Richmond, Berkeley, DSPT from 12:15-2:15 pm) to Watsonville (Our Lady Help of Christians Church).

Wednesday, 15 September

Watsonville (Our Lady Help of Christians, St Francis) to Los Angeles (St Mary's Parish, Boyle Heights).

Thursday, 16 September

Los Angeles (St Mary's, Salesian High, St Bridget's) to Rosemead (Don Bosco Techn, St Joseph Youth Renewal Center).

Friday, 17 September

Rosemead to Bellflower (St John Bosco, St Dominic Savio Parish, remaining until 19 September).

19 September 2010

Transport by air to New Orleans.

Don Bosco's relics arrive first in San Francisco – historically the port of arrival of Don Bosco's sons in the United Sates – then gradually travel to Southern California, where the Salesian Family has the largest population in North America. Local committees will coordinate celebrations.

The relics of Don Bosco have been recomposed from the urn that have contained the saints remains since 1929 at Valdocco. The bones and tissues of the right hand and arm have been taken and recomposed to be included into two reliquaries, one of which is shaped as a statue of the saint and is being brought in pilgrimage to India; the other reliquary is a replica of the remains of the saint composed in the urn at Valdocco, and this is being brought to the rest of the world, including California.

This latter reliquary is made of fiberglass; the relics have been documented and sealed in box that has been placed within the image of Don Bosco in repose (they are placed in the chest of the sculpted body). This in turn is in an urn, which has been constructed for transport and for display. The total weight of the reliquary in the urn is 820 kg (1,808 lbs). The dimensions of the classical style urn on the cart are: length 253cm (99.61 inches); width 108.3cm (42.64 inches); height 132 cm (52 inches).

The reliquary urn of Don Bosco is being transported by truck that has been specially designed and built by Iveco for this purpose. Two Iveco trucks will arrive together: one for transport and one for escort as an emergency vehicle. Two drivers, specifically trained for this event, have charge of each truck.

Baby Chino's heart surgery appeal

As a dad to a 7-month old healthy boy, I just can't help but feel the anguish of Cynch Nebrao, a friend of mine back in college. Please include baby Chino (suffering from severe mitral regurgitation with mild stenosis) in your prayers. If you are able to, please consider giving a donation as well through www.championsforchino.com -- thanks!

30 August 2010

Dear Family & Friends,

After serving for more than a decade as missionaries for Couples for Christ and after even going for long-term mission in Africa together, Clarke and Cynch Nebrao discover that their only 10-month old son Chino has severe mitral regurgitation with mild stenosis, Simply put, the Nebraos’ third child has a defective heart valve. The condition
affects only 2% of the world’s population and survival rate is only 5%. Open heart surgery to treat baby Chino’s condition, including hospitalization expenses and medications is going to cost around Php 2 million or USD 45, 000.

This is why, we, a group of Clarke and Cynch’s friends came together to talk about what could be done to help them during this trying time. Concretely, we would like to invite you to help raise a portion of the funds Chino needs to get a chance to live. We are writing this letter to ask for any amount you could spare for Chino’s cause. We need 2,000
generous souls to give, at least, Php 1,000 (USD 20) each. Also, your prayers and gestures of support to the Nebrao family would work wonders.

His doctors say that he needs to undergo surgery before he turns one; he turns one in October. This is why his cause is pretty urgent. We would appreciate it very much if you would help spread the word and take up Chino’s cause as your own and pray for his healing.

For more information about baby Chino’s condition and how you can help, please visit www.championsforchino.com. You can also donate via Paypal on the website. Follow baby Chino, as well, on Twitter

@champions4chino.

Love,
Champions for Chino

PRAYER FOR BABY CHINO
Let's start a chain of prayers around the world! It would be appreciated if we could pray at 3PM, 6PM and 9PM everyday for Chino and his healing.

Lord Jesus, we trust in Your great mercy and love for Chino. We lift him up to You, his mind, body and soul. We ask You, dear Jesus, to heal Chino. Let very cell in his body, his heart give You glory. Place Chino’s entire family and all who care for him under the mantle of Mother Mary’s protection and comfort. Let this experience be an experience of conversion and an affirmation of faith for many. Send us Your Holy Spirit in all that we do. Amen. One Our Father. One Hail Mary. One Glory Be.

Note: Copy & Paste this letter.. and Spread the Word!

Requesting prayers for my terminally-ill dad

I didn't have a chance to update the blog these past few weeks due to a family emergency situation. These past weeks have been quite a trial for us. Our dad was diagnosed with an advanced stage of cirhosis in the liver a few weeks ago. Then just this week, the doctors also discovered a big mass of tumor near his lungs. It has begun spreading out, and the lung cancer is now considered to be on stage 3. Chemotherapy is definitely out of the question due to his cirhosis. While he was offered the option of radiation therapy, this would only be helpful as far as relieving some pain but it's not an over-all cure. Similar to the cirhosis diagnosis, the doctors think that he would only last up to six months. So it's really a matter of time before the cirhosis or the lung cancer gets him first.

Inspite of this bad news, please permit me to share a couple of good news. First, the doctors think that with therapy for a few days our dad can gain some strength to enable him to fly back to the Philippines where he wants to spend his remaining days. He was discharged yesterday and moved to a skilled nursing facility. If all goes well, and if the airline gives their approval, my mom and I will accompany him to the Philippines (though I'll only stay for a week

to make sure he gets settled in before I return to the US).

The more important good news is that, after years of praying for his conversion to the Catholic faith, (he was raised up as a Protestant ) he finally did it last August 19! A day before my patron saint's feastday (St. Bernard of Clairvaux). I was told that my dad almost converted to Catholicism before he married my mom, but the priest told him that it wasn't necessary. I must mention that aside from the rosary, one particular devotion which I completed last year was St. Bridget's 15 Prayers (This can be found on old prayerbooks, though the promises attached to this devotion might be in question, the prayers themselves are good meditative ones) which I often prayed in preparation before each daily mass. I've read anecdotal stories about the power of this devotion, so it seemed to be instrumental also for my dad's conversion.

As my dad's health began to fail, I felt the urgency for him to receive the Sacraments before it was too late. I knew that it was probably better for him to receive them now while still fully conscious and lucid. This time, he offered no resistance when we invited him to consider becoming a Catholic. We are grateful for Canon Jean Marie Moreau (Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest) for his time in hearing my dad's first confession and giving him a conditional baptism. Afterwards, he was confirmed and received Holy Communion for the first time as well! An added bonus was the Investiture of the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The sacraments and scapular investiture were all done in the traditional latin rite (Extraordinary Form).

Please keep my dad (Wilfredo Balza Sr). and our family in your prayers and masses. Once again, we are thankful and appreciative for all the support given to us at this difficult time.

Canon Moreau preparing for the Rite of Baptism

Assisting Canon Moreau with the Baptism Rite

Dad's First Holy Communion

Investiture of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel's Brown Scapular

The Balza Family with Canon Moreau (seemed my dad looked a bit younger after the sacraments were given to him!)

New book arrives today "Dominus Est - It is the Lord!"

Finally got to figure out how to post on this blog via phone! As a test on how it looks like, I'll send this photo of this book from Bp. Athanasius Schneider that arrived today.

Feast of St. Jean Marie Vianney last August 8, 2010

After the 12:30PM High Mass last Sunday, Canon Moreau invited the faithful to venerate a relic of St. Jean Marie Vianney.

Canon Moreau's Sermon

Divine Mercy Pro-Life Conference

A few weeks ago, a new book on Exorcism arrived, and I got a chance to skim the first few chapters. The Exorcism and the Church Militant was very well organized and Fr. Thomas Euteneuer really laid out very nicely the topics in a Question & Answer format. He even had Fr. John Corapi write a foreword for the book! An interesting section on the appendix titled "The New Rite of Exorcism: A Potent Weapon is Weakened" caught my eye. Here Father compares the 1614 exorcism ritual, "De exorcizandis obsessis a dae monio" ("On Exorcising Those Obsessed by a Demon") and the watered-down 1999 revision titled "De exorcismis et supplicationibus quibusdam" ("On Exorcisms and Other Supplications"). Hmmm. The story sounded familiar. Anyway, compared with the other books on exorcism, I find that this is the the easiest to read.

I first encountered the name of Fr. Euteneuer in the pro-life movement, since he's the President of Human Life International. To my surprise, I found out later that he's also an exorcist! When I read an email from the Divine Mercy mailing list that Fr. Euteneuer would be visiting the Bay Area again (I missed the opportunity to see him give a talk at the East Bay Men's Conference at the Oakland Cathedral last May), I made a point to go the Divine Mercy Pro-Life Conference at Holy Spirit Parish (Fremont, CA) last Saturday, August 7. He was joined by Dr. John Bruchalski, a former abortion doctor who has since then converted to the Catholic faith and runs the Tepeyac Family Center based in Fairfax, VA.

Me and Dr. John Bruchalski. His conversion story was very moving. Also learned from him the need to pray for the doctors in the abortion industry which can really work wonders (him being an example!).

Me and Fr. Thomas Euteneuer. I mentioned to him a priest friend in the Philippines (who also is an exorcist). He said "Oh yes, the Philippines needs more exorcists!". Out of curiosity, I asked Fr. Euteneuer if he ever had a chance to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass (better known as the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite). He said, "No, but I'll need to learn that" (or something to that effect). At least he has shown interest and he knows he has to get himself trained somehow. When I mentioned to him that I go to St. Margaret Mary's where the Traditional Mass is being offered on a daily basis, he was impressed.

A nice autograph from Fr. Euteneuer.

The seats were full to capacity (though this photo was taken during the lunch break). There were lots of Filipinos! (I'd say definitely more than half of the conference goers!)

I visited the Perpetual Adoration Chapel afterwards. I learned from the conference that the Holy Spirit Parish is the 2nd in the Diocese of Oakland to have a 24-hour Adoration chapel (the first is the Divine Mercy Chapel at El Cerrito, CA).

Here's Fr. Euteneuer on EWTN's World Over Live discussing "Exorcism and the Church Militant".

Sermon on the Feast of the Transfiguration (Canon Jean Marie Moreau) on August 6, 2010

Seminary Society (Oakland Apostolate) 2010 picnic

The Seminary Society (Oakland Apostolate of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest) had it's annual picnic at Croll's Garden Picnic Site, Crown Beach, Alameda, CA last July 31, 2010. Lots of food, drinks, games including a Soccer Match. The winning team won the very 1st Msgr. Wach Championship Cup Trophy!

More people showed up this year.

The cool trophy.

Soccer match team line-up.

Canon Jean Marie Moreau

Lots of food!

Burgers and hotdogs

Institute banner (a good way to see which group of people are occupying the picnic grounds; there were other groups from different picnic sites).

More photos here.

What's my line? Archbishop Fulton Sheen and other notable videos

Fellow parishioner (and blogger too) Don Roberts posted this on Facebook where Archbishop Fulton Sheen appeared on a game show "What's my line?", a weekly panel game show (originally aired in the US from 1950 to 1967 according to wikipedia):

Archbishop Fulton Sheen in his last Good Friday homily, recorded in 1979 at St Agnes Church, New York.

Here is a Traditional Latin Mass filmed on Easter Sunday in 1941 at Our Lady of Sorrows church in Chicago. The film presents the ceremonies of the Missa Solemnis or Solemn High Mass in full detail with narration by then-Mgr. Fulton J. Sheen.

On October 3, 1979 Archbishop Sheen had an audience with Pope John Paul II at which the Pope embraced Sheen and gave a perfect summary of his life and work: “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus. You have been a loyal son of the Church!” Archbishop Fulton John Sheen, a Son of Peoria, a Son of the Church, died on December 9, 1979 in his private chapel in his Manhattan apartment. In 2002, Bishop Daniel Jenky, CSC, of the Diocese of Peoria, IL officially opened the cause for Sheen’s beatification and canonization. (Source: Archbishop Fulton Sheen Cause for Canonization website).

1st TLM - Diocese of Pasig (Dioecesis Pasiginus)

Some photos and video taken from the 1st Mass (Low Mass) in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (EF) at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral (Diocese of Pasig, Philippines) last July 7, 2010. Rev. Fr. Mark Sese, parochial vicar and vice-chancellor of the diocese was the celebrant. The Mass was held at the Baptism of our Lord Chapel, the Baptistery of the Cathedral.

Regular Masses in the Extraordinary Form will start this coming August, 2010. (Photo/Video Credit: Dioecesis Pasiginus - Usus Antiquor (TLM Pasig blog).

Consecration

Lay Faithful

Servers

Rev. Fr. Mark Sese

Highlights of the 1st Mass in the EF

Traditional Latin Low Mass at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral (Pasig City, Philippines)

I have recently been informed that a Traditional Latin Low Mass will be celebrated (for the 3rd Anniversary of the Summorum Pontificum) at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Pasig City (Philippines) on July 7, 2010 (4pm) at The Baptism of Our Lord Chapel. The celebrant will be Rev. Fr. Mark Sese, parochial vicar and vice chancellor of the Diocese of Pasig. Everyone is cordially invited! (Photo credit: Mark Bunag)

Fr. Victor Szczurek (Norbertine Father) visits St. Margaret Mary's

In the absence of Canon Jean Marie Moreau (he is currently travelling in Europe -- please pray for him and his family, and for his safe return to Oakland on July 24), some priests from St. Michael's Abbey of the Norbertine Fathers (based in Orange County, CA) will be celebrating the weekly Sunday High Mass at St. Margaret Mary's. Yesterday, we welcomed Fr. Victor Szczurek (picture above). His sermon can be viewed at the Oakland Apostolate website (along with the rest of Canon Moreau's recent sermons).

Heart of St. John Vianney to visit the Diocese of Oakland

From the Catholic Voice:

The heart of St. John Vianney, among the most renowned relics of the Catholic Church, will visit the Diocese of Oakland, July 16 – 18, as part of a global tour during the Year for Priests which was proclaimed last summer by Pope Benedict XVI to mark the 150th anniversary of the acclaimed saint known as the patron of parish priests.

Visitation schedule

The relic will arrive from the Diocese of Stockton on July 16 for the first of three stops in the diocese. St. John Vianney Church, 1650 Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek, will host the relic with Vespers at 7 p.m., a talk on the life of St. John Vianney at 8 p.m., followed by veneration until midnight. At 8:30 a.m. the following morning (July 17) Mass will be celebrated in the presence of the relic.

Then the relic will be transferred to Holy Spirit Church, 37588 Fremont Blvd. in Fremont, where prayers will be offered at noon, confessions at 3:30 p.m., Mass in the presence of the heart at 5 p.m. and a talk about the relic at 6:30 p.m. with veneration until midnight.

The relic’s third stop will be at the Cathedral of Christ the Light, 2121 Harrison St. in Oakland, on July 18. Mass will be celebrated in the presence of the relic at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Bishop Emeritus John Cummins will be the principal celebrant at the 10 a.m. liturgy. A talk on the priesthood is scheduled at 7 p.m., followed by veneration until midnight. The relic will depart for France, the homeland of the saint, on July 19.