Month: July 2025

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) – The Apostolic Mission

adminAll Categories, Faith & Life

Jesus had many followers who were deeply devoted to Him, abandoning everything to serve Him and to cooperate in the fulfillment of His mission. Oftentimes we give most of our attention to the Twelve Apostles when we speak of Jesus’ first followers. But in today’s Gospel, Jesus sent seventy-two disciples to go forth to all the towns that He would soon visit. Think about that for a moment. Seventy-two is quite a few people. These would not have been casual followers of Jesus. Rather, they clearly were people who were all in and fully committed to Christ. To them, Jesus entrusted the mission of preaching and gave them authority over demons.

DIED IN THE NAME OF FAITH – Centenary of the Beatification of Korean Martyrs

adminAll Categories, World

On Saturday July 5 marks the centenary of the Eucharistic liturgy celebrated on July 5, 1925, in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, during which the first Korean martyrs were proclaimed blessed. We are talking about 79 Catholics who suffered martyrdom, ‘in odium fidei’, in the name of their faith during the infamous persecutions of Gihae (1839) and Byeong-o (1846). Among them was the first Korean Catholic priest, Andrew Kim Taegon, who completed his academic training in Macau and later managed to enter Korea as a missionary. However, thirteen months after his ordination, he was put to the sword in 1846, at the age of 26. He is now recognized as the patron saint of the Korean clergy.

THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF SISTER MARIA – Convert, Widow, Mother Of 4 Nuns and a Priest, Takes Perpetual Vows

adminAll Categories, Faith & Life

Sister Maria Zhang Yue Chun made her perpetual vows on May 13,2025 at the convent of the Augustinian Recollects in Vitigudino, Salamanca province, Spain. Her prioress, Sister Berta, said she is “an example” for her community. Born in Shangqiu, Henan province, China, Maria lived without any connection to Catholicism. She was married and took care of her five children. During a serious illness, however, the support provided to her by a community of active Augustinian Recollects opened her eyes to the faith.

DISCERNING AND WALKING TOGETHER – Philippine Bishops hold 130th retreat and plenary assembly

adminAll Categories, Faith & Life

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) opened its first-ever retreat in Bohol province on Monday, marking a historic step in the Church’s ongoing journey of synodality. At the welcome Mass at Dauis Church, Tagbilaran Bishop Alberto Uy greeted more than a hundred bishops and synodal delegates — a mix of priests, consecrated persons and laypeople — with a message of urgency and hope. “The bishop’s decision to come to Bohol is not just for a change in venue,” he said. “It is deeply symbolic. Like Jesus moving from village to village, he said, the bishops came not just to rest but to reflect, pray and walk with the people.

KEEPER OF THE KEYS (10) – The Easter Question and Papal Charities: Anicetus, Soterus, Eleutherius

adminAll Categories, Faith & Life

The 11th Pope in the official Vatican list is St Anicetus, born in Syria. Like the previous pontiffs, he actively fought against Gnosticism and Marcionism.  He asked the clergy not to wear long hair, following St Paul (“Does not nature itself teach you that for a man to wear long hair is degrading to him?”

JOURNEYING WITH FAITH (2) – Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity

adminAll Categories, Faith & Life

The life of an authentic Christian is a virtuous life: following the Virtuous One Jesus Christ, God and Man. A virtuous life is the life of a disciple of Christ who practices virtues: the Seven Magnificent Virtues which according to St. Thomas Aquinas make a good Chattian, namely, faith, hope and charity (the theological virtues), and prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance (the cardinal moral virtues).