“How good and pleasant it is when brethren come together in unity!  For there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life forevermore.”  (Ps 133)

And truly the blessing of the Lord was evident in the joyful faces and enthusiasm of the graduates of Singles Encounter #1 at their Grand Reunion which was held at the McBain Community Centre in Niagara Falls on Saturday, November 22, 2008.  It was attended by all seven graduates of SE #1 and the sponsoring class.  Members from BLD Toronto’s Singles Ministry, including Ian Buzon and Lucille Salvador who generously offered their gifts to help facilitate the weekend, once again showed their unstinting support by joining the wonderful occasion.  Our District Shepherd, Menchu Ealdama, and Cip and Emmy Tabios, Poch and Avic Robles, Romy and Minda Panday, Tho and Magie Respicio were among those present.  

The reunion started with Cecile Alcantara leading the gathering with a short praise and worship.  This was followed by a potluck lunch.  Thanks to the generosity of the sponsoring class who showed off their culinary skills, the table was overflowing with the blessing of good food.

Class Coordinator (also Singles Ministry DLC) Irene Gumolda was program emcee.  Each graduate came forward to express their thanks to their sponsors, coordinators, and facilitators and to the entire BLD community who were instrumental in giving them an opportunity to have a deeper experience of God's love.  They shared on how the Lord touched their hearts during the weekend and how He continues to bless and renew their lives after the SE.  Their witnessing brought smiles and tears to those present as each graduate reflected on Christ’s message of love and reconciliation. 

In thanksgiving, the class performed an interpretative dance to the song of Gary Valenciano “Take Me Out of the Dark”.  And as a token of love, the graduates gave each guest an angel ornament. 

The graduates and sponsoring class closed off their reunion by gathering in groups to share on their experience of, and their response to, God’s love.

The Lord’s right hand is clearly on the Singles Ministry – may their “tribe” increase!   

back to top

back to home

An Appreciation Day was set aside on Saturday, November 15, 2008, to gather the St. Catharines’ youth delegation to the Youth Inter-District Conference (YIC) held in Toronto last August 15 – 17, 2008.  The occasion rekindled the friendships formed during the YIC Weekend as well as served as the first step to further their spiritual journey with the BLD Community.

The celebration started with a praise and worship following the ACTS format (Adoration – Matt Panday, Invocation – Paul Respicio, Contrition – Jessica Mitra, Supplication – Arven Rebarter, Thanksgiving – John Paul Tabios)   It was heart-warming to hear our Youth leading the prayers for the very first time. And every one did very well!  After a short exhortation, lunch was served during which everyone was treated to a slide show featuring the YIC Weekend.

At the business meeting which followed, the youth were advised that a Youth Group with its own Youth Praise will be organized.  Tentative plans are for them to come together, initially once a month, preferably on a Saturday, for their own Praise and Worship.  As well, there will be group activities which the Youth themselves can plan and organize.  Four dates have already been set aside next year to have the Youth Praise come on board for a short praise and worship on a Friday teaching night.   

Every one was encouraged to attend the Toronto YLSS that will be held on March 13, 14 & 15 at Cardinal Leger School, Scarborough. YLSS Registration forms were distributed.  Shepherding sessions will commence on January 23, 2009.  It is hoped that the youth participating in the YLSS will grow our fledging Youth Group.

All those present were very excited to have their Youth Group as an integral part of the Community. Matt Panday and Paul Respicio were chosen as Coordinators for Niagara Falls and St. Catharines respectively.  Both were prayed over after they accepted their positions. Cid Carlos Segovia was appointed the Coordinator for the Youth Praise.  The Youth Group will be under the pastoral care of Cip and Emmy Tabios. 

Please join us in our prayers that “no one will have contempt for our Youth, but that they may be an example for those who believe in their speech, conduct, love, faith and purity”  (1 Timothy 4:12)

back to top

back to home

In Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2, the word of God says “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.  A time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant…”

And, praise be to God, St. Catharines’ appointed time to hold its first Singles Encounter Weekend became a reality on September 19 to 21, 2008.  SE #1 was held at La Consolata Missionaries on Islington Ave., in Toronto.  The Weekend was truly beautiful, and St. Catharines is 7 members richer for it.  They were the "chosen" ones, who responded by totally yielding themselves to God's hand, and whose active participation made the weekend a complete success.  At the culmination of it all, they were one in expressing how blessed they were for having come. 

We would like to welcome to the Community the “fruit” of SE #1:  Berna Barbarona, Grace Gumolda, Mercy Guzman, Sharon Layos, Josie Malandac, Pam Musingwini and Norielyn Santos. 

Fr. Emmanuel Mbam was a revelation!  Considering this was his first-ever stint at presiding over a BLD encounter weekend, he was excellent!

THE PASTORAL TEAM

His teachings were down-to-earth yet very profound as he imparted his wisdom on how to have a deep and meaningful relationship with God, as well as encountering Him in others and in Community.  Fr. Emmanuel was ably assisted by Toronto’s Singles Ministry core members, Lucille Salvador and Ian Buzon, who helped not only in facilitating the weekend but who shared as well on how Jesus worked in their lives – Ian, on his “Encounter with Self” and Lucille, on “Bearing Community and Imperfect Community”.  The two other sharers were Riah Florendo who shared on “Encounter with Community” and our own, Irene Gumolda, who shared on “Caring and Sharing”.     The Sponsoring Class was made up of those St. Catharines’ singles who were graduates of Toronto’s Singles Encounter #10 held in August 2007:  Irene Gumolda, Cecile Alcantara, Jocelyn Rayos del Sol, Violly Rillera, Nelda Gumolda, Charmaine Baguio, and Mary Jane Agustin.  They were assisted by several members of Toronto’s Singles Ministry and, all together, they worked with so much joy and in complete harmony to accomplish the task entrusted to them by the Lord!  We praise and thank the Lord for their generosity of spirit.

Irene Gumolda will take on the added task of Class Shepherd of SE #1 Class, as she concurrently serves as Singles Ministry Coordinator.

The Class’ Grand Reunion will take place on November 22, 2008 to be held from 1:30 – 4:30 in the Cathedral Basement.

St. Catharines is truly blessed for the unstinting support it continues to receive from our Toronto Administering District.  In a special way, we extend our gratitude to Ed and Lu Dumlao, Pastoral DCS, and to Benny and Nini Flores, Singles Ministry Coordinators.  In concert with them, we can proclaim that, once again, the Lord’s right hand has triumphed and ours is the victory!

back to top

back to home

The DCS, being of one mind and one heart, have appointed Rey and Mabel Perlas as Coordinators of LSS #10 which will be held on November 7-9, 2008.  The announcement was made during the General Assembly held on September 5th, 2008, following the corporate worship.  Evangelization DCS Romy and Minda Panday handed the Perlases their official letter of appointment, which Rey and Mabel graciously accepted.  District Shepherds Olie and Menchu Ealdama then led the assembly in praying over the Perlases. 

Rey and Mabel are graduates of St. Catharines’ ME #4 and LSS #4 held in 2000.  The fact that they have resided for the past couple of years at Markdale, Ont, which is some 3 hours away from St. Catharines, has not deterred them from actively serving in the Community.  Rey and Mabel sealed their personal covenant with the Lord on April 27, 2007.

In January 2007, Rey and Mabel were given the challenge of publishing St. Catharines’ quarterly publication of the “Living the Word” Newsletter as Word Ministry Coordinators.  And in January 2008, in addition to this task, they were concurrently appointed as Teaching Ministry Coordinators.  

In the summer of 2007, Rey and Mabel were at the forefront in helping their local parish priest establish a prayer group in Markdale.  Other parishioners from the surrounding parishes have been invited to form the core.  In leading them in their praise and worship, Rey and Mabel have introduced BLD’s “Excellence in Worship” format.  The group now meets regularly at members’ homes.  The only misgiving that Rey and Mabel have is that their participation will end once Mabel retires this October from her job as Purchasing Manager of Chapman’s Ice Cream based in Markdale and she and Rey, himself long retired from Honda, can move back to Brampton where they have continued to maintain a home. 

The St. Catharines Community is truly blessed to count among its own, members as dedicated as Rey and Mabel.  We enjoin one and all to lift them up in prayer as they face yet another challenge in their walk with the Lord, as LSS #10 Coordinators!

Please click here for the schedule of LSS #10.

back to top

back to home

The YIC -  A Vibrant and Spectacular Weekend!

On August 15 - 17, 2008 the BLD TorontoYouth Ministry took its turn at sponsoring the 2nd North America Youth Inter-District Conference (YIC).  It was held at the Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School on Avenue Road in Toronto.  More than 150 youth attended, with about 50 adults in tow, all of them leaders of the Districts and DIPs they represented.  Delegations came from Newark, Long Island, Trenton, Cincinnati, Phoenix, GVO, Montreal and our own St. Catharines.

Their first YIC experience so touched the Toronto Youth who were in attendance that when the invitation to sponsor the 2nd YIC was extended to them, they accepted the challenge without any hesitation.  And, praise God! the Toronto Youth Ministry sure outdid themselves in putting on quite a vibrant and spectacular weekend!  We don’t doubt that it was a lot of hard work, sleepless nights and countless meetings for both the youth and the adult members, but their labour was not in vain - the praise and worship was powerful, the workshops fun and fully engaging and the whole weekend ran smoothly.   

But the big headliner for the weekend came in the person of Fr. Leo Patalinghug who, in the words of some of the St. Catharines’ youth, was “fascinating”, “fun”, “amazing”, “inspiring”, “the best speaker ever!” – I’m sure you get the idea!  Fr. Leo gave several talks.  On Saturday, he first spoke on the theme of the weekend (1 Tim 4:12) - about how Christ is calling them to break away from the mold of the world and lead a life centred on Christ.  His other talks dealt with:  “Seeing the Good in Others”, “Dealing with Different Religions” and “Spiritual Combat”.  His Sunday talk dealt with “How to be a Follower of Christ as Teenagers”. 

Fr. Leo immediately established a rapport with his audience - his icebreaker was to demonstrate his skill as a “pop-locking, break-dancing” priest.  He not only danced their dance, he spoke their language!  In his talks, he cited situations which the youth could easily relate to, using examples dealing with moral decisions which daily confront today’s youth.  Without a doubt, he connected with every person in the room, both young and old.

The next YIC weekend will be sponsored by BLD Long Island in 2010.  And even at this early stage, St. Catharines is already making plans to make sure it will be well represented!   And trust us to make overtures to our Long Island brothers and sisters to bring back Fr. Leo!   For more on Fr. Leo and our St. Catharines’ Youth’s impressions of the weekend, go to our September 2008 newsletter.

back to top

back to home

"Whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you do for me." (Matthew 25:40)

On August 2, 2008, at the initiative of our Mission Ministry, some members came out to the Versa Care Nursing Home to minister and bring some joy to its senior residents.  Mission Ministry Coordinator, Fe Edralin, led the opening prayer which included praise songs and followed by the proclamation of God's word.

When it came time to sing those "oldies but goodies" songs of yesteryears, it was quite moving to see how these familiar songs brought lots of smiles, toe tapping, hand clapping, singing along and even some dancing from the seniors.  As part of the program, some members of the Singles Ministry did an interpretative dance to "Love is the Key to All".

The visit touched the hearts of the seniors and even brought tears to some. We thank the Lord for using us to bring His presence to these seniors during this visit.

back to top

back to home

---

Youth of St. Catharines	BLD Toronto Youth Ministry

GOD IS GOOD!!!  ALL THE TIME!!!  GOD IS WHERE??? EVERYWHERE!!!  GOD IS WHAT???  HE'S SO HHHHOOOOOTTT!!!!!

And so the night started as J.C. Yulo, with much enthusiasm and gusto, led the praise and worship, together with the wonderful sounds of voices and instruments from the 10 members of their Praise Ministry.  The joy with which the Toronto Youth Team led the assembly in praise and worship was truly infectious that the St. Catharines Youth, including the older members, were moved to dance, jump and clap to the very upbeat worship songs.  As one youth said: “they were getting into it!” -  the same emotion we can presume David must have felt knowing he was in the mighty presence of the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14) when he ". . . . came dancing before the Lord with abandon.”  But, most importantly, as we listened closely to the prayers and the songs, we were reminded that truly our God is indeed an awesome God!

The sharing from Andrew Rejano gave affirmation of how God uses the BLD Community to show His constant love for him.  He spoke about how, growing up with the BLD, he has found another “family.”  Through the BLD, he grew spiritually and was able to be with other friends who shared the same Christian values.

We would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to the Youth Ministry of Toronto, and their Coordinators, Rene and Ditas Dimen, who very generously shared of their time and talents in supporting our community.  May God bless them and continue to use them in touching the lives of many young people. The experience was a true blessing for the youth of St. Catharines who attended the evening!  As they participate in the upcoming YIC, we leave them in the Lord’s hands to do HIS mighty work and accomplish that which HE has purposed for them.

All praise and glory be to God for the success of the evening.  God is truly good!  He calls all of us in every age to Himself – to be holy.  And so we praise Him in a powerful way!

The Filipino culture was also well represented as other Filipino brothers and sisters also marched in the cultural group and carried the Philippine flag.  In addition, to show the varieties of people who make up the diocese, different languages were used during the Prayer of the Faithful.  Our very own, Minda Panday, offered up prayers for the government in our native language of Tagalog. The whole afternoon was at once a celebration of unity and diversity, as more than a thousand people of God from all 46 parishes of the diocese gathered.  It very aptly reflected the personal message of the Feast of Corpus Christi, that though we are many, we are one in the body of Christ.  In the second reading, St. Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians:  “… The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?  Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (1 Cor 10:16-17).  Truly, we, as Christ’s body, whose home of life and faith is in the Diocese St. Catharines, have every reason to celebrate with great gratitude to God for all that He has done, is doing and will do for our Church.  

On Saturday, May 17, 2008, members came to help in our community’s annual planting project at the Cathedral.  Although the weather was not so good, the joy of serving the Lord was evident in the smiles on our members' faces as they did their tasks and the happiness they shared as they fellowshipped with each other afterwards.  May God bless our efforts in taking care of the Cathedral that has served to be home to our community of BLD St. Catharines. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised! 

back to home

• 6 of our Youth graduated from YE #10 held on July 27-29 at Ancaster. It was quite a joyful experience for them and they are looking forward to being part of the “big event” on August 15-17, 2008 – the North America Inter-District Youth Conference to be sponsored by Toronto. 
• 7 Singles joined SE #10 held at Mt. Alverno on June 8-10, and 4 Solo Parents were at the SPE #6 on August 17-19 held at Ancaster.  The witnessing they heard went a long way towards healing them of their own scars and filled them with peace and deeper faith. 
• As a “fruit” of the SE, St. Catharines’ singles will sponsor its maiden Singles Encounter on September 12-14, 2008.