“Ang Buhay Mo, Buhay Ko: One Heart and One Soul Together”
Just as the Mayor of Kyiv, Klitschko posted on Instagram that “the drama in Ukraine at this very moment [March 7, 2022] questions the very notion of humanity. The dignity of man is being called into question through the voluntary aggressions of civilians and executions that are multiplying everywhere in the territory of my country.” He called on Kyiv to be the center, a moral center of humanity, spirituality and peace.”
I find his call resonating with the campaign theme of Leni Gerona Robredo calling for radical love of the Philippines, as this nation rewrites a new way of incorruptible, accountable, and transparent government come May 9, 2022.
From Bulacan, Surigao, Pangasinan, to Butuan, the sounds of engaged citizens are loud, “We don’t need money, We need Leni,” putting candidates who dole out pesos to buy votes on the defensive, for their corrupt practices.
Even Isko Moreno, Mayor of Manila who got corrupted by his campaign funds, ended pocketing them as if his income, then tried to justify taking these funds by ostensibly paying taxes on them, a form of money laundering. This corrupt candidate is now being questioned.
Even Comelec’s ways of taking down political campaign banners in private homes was scrutinized with a lawsuit and the Supreme Court ruled against Comelec, no take downs!
This malicious action by Comelec did not deter the ingenuity of Leni’s supporters. They put up electronic murals that could not be taken down and young artists challenged themselves to paint new murals.
Meanwhile, more and more artists, more and more physicians, more and more former military officers and soldiers are declaring their support for this future commander-in-chief, as ordinary tricycle drivers, farmers, and street vendors.
This year marks the export of Christianity by Ferdinand Magellan into the Philippines.
Philippines exports 10% of its population abroad to work as frontliners: nurses and doctors treating patients such that 30% of those who died from Coronavirus in the US were Filipina nurses. The frontliners of care became the frontliners in the graveyards.
They are math teachers enduring discrimination to teach American students in rural America. They are the extra hands of families caring for their children and elderly. I know of an elderly cared for by 5 Filipinas 24/7, round the clock, each week.
These frontliners mark the world with their footprints of courage, empathy, compassion, creativity, and radical love.
Come May 9, 2022, only the best candidate with moral authority, clear vision of good governance, and a record of sustained uncorrupted public service should be voted by all of us, registered citizen/voters, wherever we are in the world.
Why? A cultural attache told me that there are Filipinos in all of the world’s 199 countries.
So folks, much like Kyiv’s vision is to be the global sanctuary of humanity, spirituality and peace, Leni Robredo has launched her Presidential campaign on radical love and a righteous government that wins alliances throughout.
A city mayor once told me that the way a candidate campaigns is a good indicator of the way h/she governs. Leni campaigns by trusting the volunteers on the ground, and righteously invites all to be allies with her with truth, moral clarity, and smarts.
On the 100th birthday of Sanctus Joannes Pavlvs PP II, aka St. #John Paul II’s letter #31: “In this holy place, the Church gives thanks to the Most Holy Trinity for the mystery of woman, and for every woman, for her eternal dignity and for the wonders God has worked in and through her in the history of humanity.” Pope Francis paid tribute to St. John Paul II, illustrating the 3 pillars of his life: prayers, nearness to people and love of justice.
He was a model bishop who prayed a lot. He sought people out, travelled around the world to be near his people.
He wanted social justice to drive out the war, because he was a man of mercy. Mercy and Justice go together, one does not exist without the other, said the Pope.
Vatican reopens to the public today.
At Fordham university’s baccalaureate mass, 5/17 Fr. James Martin received an honorary degree and gave the homily, in “chapels in your own homes.” He traced the journey of dejected disciples in the Road to Emmaus, and in their sadness and confusion, Jesus appears to them. Much like these graduates experiencing confusion, sadness in this pandemic, there’s calm, peace and hope in God’s voice.
To be woman and man for others is to love foreever.
Congratulations to Carina Oriel, who made her mark in Fordham.
Haley Williams, one of the commencement speakers, spoke of doing for the sake of giving, rather than receiving, and being present to the suffering of others, to being bothered by the needs of the world.
Carina did just that and organized well- attended conferences on fintech and attracted Venmo to collaborate with Fordham’s Business School.
# 1 – Vatican City Guide photo
# 2 – Altar
# 3 – Peonies
#4 – Natas plus homegrown strawberry and avocado
#5 – Remembering Zion’s Virgin River
#6 – Carina Oriel with fellow Fordham students, posted by Cora Oriel
To our dear @coriput who celebrates her birthday today, choosing to come in her own time, just few minutes after International Women’s day, a day of affirming women’s struggles for a better humanity.
We love you and cherish you for who you are – a woman with steadfast determination to go to the end of the finish line and to claim success with those who came along with you for the journey.
Happy birthday anak and may you thrive for more years to come!
Thank you for giving us our very precious #princess2015la who is as precious and talented and compassionate as you are! Mahal ka naming lahat!
Posted in time for Manila, but a day early for the US, lol – too excited to post.
Let’s make Kyiv the moral capital of the world: moral center of humanity, spirituality and peace; honoring these citizens who stand for goodness and dignity of human beings to be free to pursue their lives, who love justice and will not yield to evil!
President Joe Biden you are the 46th US President who campaigned to bring back the soul of America. We are now being called to recapture and renew the soul of the world! May it be so, dear Lord!!
The Angel of Peace appeared once in spring, summer and again in autumn of 1916. Recall that in 1916, there was chaos, violence, and it was Europe’s darkest moments of atheism, hatred, the rise of fascism and a year after, the Bolshevik Revolution broke out in Russia.
Lucia described seeing the Angel of Peace, “It was whiter than snow, transparent as crystal when the sun shines through it and of great beauty. He drew closer and said, ‘Do not be afraid! I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me. My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You. I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You. Then, rising, he said, ‘Pray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications.” (Source: “Fatima in Lucia’s Own Words,” 22nd edition October 2018).
For the first apparition, “He was holding a chalice in his left hand, with a Host suspended above it, from which some drops of blood fell into the chalice. Leaving the chalice and host suspended in the air, the Angel prostrated beside the little shepherds and gave the Host to Lucia and the contents of the chalice to Francisco and Jacinta, saying ‘Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men. Make reparation for their crimes and console your God,” Lucia wrote in her own words.
Six months later, the heavens opened up again and Our Lady of Fatima appeared on the 13th of May, 13th of June, 13th of July, 19th of August, 13th of September and 13th of October in 1917, six apparitions in all.
On the first apparition, they were asked by Our Lady to come successively for six months on the 13th day at this same hour. She asked them if they were willing to make sacrifices.
Crossing Over Man-Made Blocked Bridges and Roads: Fervor of Living Hearts and Radical Love
#kakampinkwednesdays
Posted on Saturday, March 5, 2022
I struggled to find my temporarily lost vibrant spirit, lost to heartaches seeing children, mothers, grandmothers, and Ukrainians fighting to defend their motherland in this 21st century. Putin has yet to evolve as fully human and humane.
It reminded me of how a million women organized to defend the Philippines against US occupation of the Philippines after the defeated Spaniards cheated the Filipinos of their triumphs and sold them to the US for $20 million in the 19th century.
It reminded me of weak hearted and faint in principles local Cavite officials who blocked roads and bridges to obstruct Cavitenos from showing their fervent support for #LeniKiko2022 this 21st century, first few days in March 2022.
Still with these obstructions, over 47,000 gathered to show their love for the 17th President to be Leni Robredo.
A fervor that fuels the first endorsement from 400 former UST educators, from 500 former NEDA officials and an unprecedented endorsement of 13 former presidents of the Investment House Association of the Philippines, affirming “No other presidential candidate has the Scope, Competence, Moral Bearing and Unblemished Integrity can handle the job. The growth and development of capital markets is dependent upon investor confidence.”
Not only that, can you imagine Filipino voters volunteering their time, talent and treasures to figure out ways of campaigning for #LeniKiko2022 without anyone pushing them to do it? That’s volunteerism from living, loving hearts and courageous Filipino spirits!
“A frenzy of volunteers the likes we have not since Edsa, in every place where Leni Robredo visits, where everyone pitches in to help one another to join for hours on end. Beyond the numbers, the frenzy is from the passion. The surveys have become almost irrelevant because the volunteers explode as surveys put Leni down. Everywhere, campaign materials are short because the volunteers keep asking for more. They want to show they are for Leni, they are not ashamed to be pink, they are convinced that lying and stealing are wrong – their moral outrage is palpable, their conviction for Leni stronger by the day. The hand of fate favors the passionate and prayerful ”
Vicente L. Rafael’s The Sovereign Trickster: Death and Laughter in the Age of Duterte by Duke University Press.
Joel Pablo Salud’s In The Line of Fire by San Anselmo Publications
Princess2015la had a big smile seeing what I prepared for her. She ate most of her vegetables: asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli and had a roasted chicken drumstick. I blanched and roasted the vegetables with parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese. After a hefty lunch, she had one mochi ice cream.
Granddaughter: “Grandma, I talk to Baby Jesus when I need to remember something for my test.”
Me: I do, too. I pray to Baby Jesus and when I am scared, I talk to Baby Jesus, too.
Granddaughter: Grandma, I also talk to Baby Jesus and I ask him to tell you that I love you very much.
Me: Oh, you are making me cry. I am very touched by what you said. I love you so much, too. And you know what, you are beautiful, kind, patient, understanding and very smart.
She is now reading her books which she chose from the library.
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