'Til death we believe!

It's another year for the devotees of the Black Nazarene, as it parades throughout the streets of Manila, from Luneta to Quiapo.

Filipinos have a habit in believing in miracles, by which they believe in God, even if they have to face tragedy or death.

The icon is known to haved cured many sick people, granted wishes to those in need. There are certain evidences that lead to the reverence of the Black Nazarene, including that it survived twice during two separate fires.

The devotion to the miraculous Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno has attracted huge following among the populace. Its popularity, which initially spread to the northern and southern provinces of Luzon, spread over time throughout the country.

The uniquely Filipino devotion to the Black Nazarene merited the sanction and encouragement of two popes. In 1650, Pope Innocent X gave his pontifical blessing with a Papal Bull that canonically established the Confraternity of the Most Holy Black Christ Nazarene (Cofradia de Santo Cristo Jesús Nazareno) and Pope Pius VII gave his second blessing in the 19th century, by granting plenary indulgence to those who piously pray before the image of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo.

In addition to this, devotees pay homage to the Santo Cristo Jesus Nazareno by clapping their hands in praise at the end of every Mass performed at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.

The icon is so popular, it even has its own "National Hymn", which was composed by Lucio San Pedro.

For more than 200 years, the statue has been placed on a golden red carriage every January 9th and pulled through the streets of Quiapo by male devotees clad in maroon. People who have touched the Nazarene are reported to have sometimes been healed of their diseases. Catholics come from all over Manila for the chance that they will be able to get close enough to touch the image and perhaps even receive a miracle. They also throw towels or handkerchiefs to the people guarding the statue and ask them to rub them on the statue in hopes of carrying some of that power away with them.

There is also a genuine replica of the Black Nazarene here in Cagayan de Oro. It was given as a gift to the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro.

"Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno... Dinarangal ka namin... Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno... Nilul'walhati ka namin..."

                                   - from the hymn "Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno" by Lucio San Pedro 

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Nazarene

Christmas inside...

by Ressan Nash N. Alonto

Christmas, a once-a-year celebration. A time where family and friends get together... shopping, frolicking, having the best holiday of there lives.

But on the other side of the world, there are those who are unable to celebrate Christmas because they afford to have a Christmas of their own. It feels so sad these days when you see them out of the cold. What would they eat? Where would they live?... HOW would they live?

Recently, while I was watching a replay of the CNN Hero of the Year awards, and I was felt inspired. For example, this retired pilot from Indonesia, he nurtured 48 orphans! WOW! I was amazed at that one. He makes sure that they get all the love that they need.

I now realized that Christmas is having everyone who loves and supports you, and you know that in some way... they'll be there for you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Feeling electrocuted lately?

by Ressan Nash N. Alonto

Fact: 6 out of 10 teenage Filipinos are still unknown about what they feel inside... 

"Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs;  Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears..."  - Romeo (Act I, Scene I)

There are things we see in this world that are bit out of the ordinary. But one thing that you cannot understand... is yourself.

Love, a mysterious spectrum in coordination with 3 H's: heart, head, and hand... that's speculates us to know what we feel...But still, what difference when we would see the signs: 1) first meet; 2) closeness; 3) picture memory in the mind; 4) holding one's hands; 5) a pinch of fate; and others...

When you walk around campus and then you see a girl, your eyes suddenly freeze just looking at her, as if you can't move your head! Or if you want to talk, your voice suddenly becomes numb, like you can't talk a single word at all...

You would probably wonder in your dreams that how you long for this day that you will be there by her side, and hold her hand, while overlooking the sunset at the Meditteranean Sea... and you know that you're just daydreaming!

When you see her smile, that would probably give a warm feeling inside your heart. A face so angelic that it glows through the darkest night, and her sapphire eyes that hypnotizes you into a never-ending spell. And you know that you never want to wake up from it.

How you wish that it will never end... to see her eyes again... when you have to go through the heaviest battles just to be with her... and then, you pass away peacefully. Enough to see her mesmerizing beauty that make a thousand angels sing.

It's like you're in a living fantasy, like in the movie Casablanca, and say... "Here's looking at you, kid..."

As the saying goes... "Love is a mystery..."

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Romeo quote courtesy of:

http://clicknotes.com/romeo/T11.html

DevCom

by Felixes May T. Lopez

Development Communication for me is to promote social development. To communicate with the silent loners and with other people.It involves creating mechanisms to broaden public access to information on reforms; strengthening clients' ability to listen to their constituencies and negotiate with stakeholders; empowering grassroots organizations to achieve a more participatory process. I thought this course would be that boring. I never expected to be this interesting. People say Mass Communication is better, but I actually like the course also but because in my University didn't offer that kind of course, then I took up Development Communication. I have so many wrong perception about DevCom, my first semsester, I didn't even feel the excitement because I was really doubting if I did the right thing to take up this course but with my University's goal to help reach my dreams, I'm proud to say that I am DevCom.