WELLSPRINGS
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ADORATION CONVENT OF DIVINE MERCY
HOLY SPIRIT DRIVE, BRGY. MAITIM II EAST 4120 TAGAYTAY CITY, PHILIPPINES |
A PUBLICATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ADORATION SISTERS (SSpSAP)
Newsletter: December 2021 - January2022
Newsletter: December 2021 - January2022
Celebrate with the Heart the one Reason for Christmas, the Incarnate Son of God, True God and true man, born of Mary. Bow in Adoration of the Savior!
It’s Christmas!
Christ gives us New Life and with courage and hope, he leads us to the New Year, 2023! Focus on Jesus, the God–with–us, our Emmanuel. He blesses our New Year with his abiding presence in the Eucharist. In the Eucharist is Christmas everyday. Jesus, the Incarnate Son of God, gives us his presence and love and shares his mission with us. Our witness to Christ is a proclamation of the Good News. Our witness to Christ is reaching out and sharing with the less fortunate, the poor and the needy. Our solidarity and compassion make the Kingdom of God present here and now. This is Christmas! Make your Christmas a proclamation of the Kingdom and a call to witness to Jesus, our Savior!
Dear Friends and Readers,
We wish you, A Blessed Christmas, and all that Christmas is with its manifold blessings to enrich your New Year, 2023! May God bless your home and family with the faith that transcends the challenges of the New Year, the hope that looks to God’s eternal promises and the love that is unconditional, all-embracing and reaches to share and assist others in need, the poor and the underprivileged. We lift you up in prayer and all your intentions as we thank God for you and thank you for your unfailing support to our Eucharistic apostolate and contemplative life. May the love, care and presence of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to your families be your reward, blessing and protection for always.
Sr. Mary Auxilindis and Sisters
Christ gives us New Life and with courage and hope, he leads us to the New Year, 2023! Focus on Jesus, the God–with–us, our Emmanuel. He blesses our New Year with his abiding presence in the Eucharist. In the Eucharist is Christmas everyday. Jesus, the Incarnate Son of God, gives us his presence and love and shares his mission with us. Our witness to Christ is a proclamation of the Good News. Our witness to Christ is reaching out and sharing with the less fortunate, the poor and the needy. Our solidarity and compassion make the Kingdom of God present here and now. This is Christmas! Make your Christmas a proclamation of the Kingdom and a call to witness to Jesus, our Savior!
Dear Friends and Readers,
We wish you, A Blessed Christmas, and all that Christmas is with its manifold blessings to enrich your New Year, 2023! May God bless your home and family with the faith that transcends the challenges of the New Year, the hope that looks to God’s eternal promises and the love that is unconditional, all-embracing and reaches to share and assist others in need, the poor and the underprivileged. We lift you up in prayer and all your intentions as we thank God for you and thank you for your unfailing support to our Eucharistic apostolate and contemplative life. May the love, care and presence of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to your families be your reward, blessing and protection for always.
Sr. Mary Auxilindis and Sisters
Fr. Jerome MarquezSpiritual Journey
We were privileged to have Fr. Jerome Marquez, SVD, Doctor in Canon Law and Provincial Superior of the Central Philippine Province, for our retreat guide, on the last week of September. He journeyed with us on this retreat. And the grace of the Holy Spirit led us to a renewal of our consecrated life based on our Constitutions and the Canon Law. We are very grateful to him for accommodating us in his very busy schedule as Provincial Superior, always on the move, traveling far and wide to meet his appointments. Thank you, Fr. Jerome Marquez, SVD. |
Sr. Mary CharisThank You
Sr. Mary Charis, from the Baguio community, thanked us for her 30-day retreat here with us in Tagaytay under the direction of Fr. Alex Muaña, SVD, from October – November 2022. And we thanked her for her gift of presence and prayer. She returned to Baguio enriched with the graces and blessings of her retreat and brought with her our promise of prayers. |
Sr. Mary Renee, Mother Ma. Magdalena, Sr. Mary CatherineWelcome
Mother Maria Magdalena, our superior general, is coming with her councillors, Sr. Mary Catherine and Sr. Mary Renée to the Philippines, for the series of house visitations, which was interrupted in 2020 on account of the surge of Covid-19. We are anticipating to warmly welcome them here in Tagaytay in March, 2023 after the house visitation in Aklan, Cebu and Davao. May God’s holy angels be with them to protect and assist them in their trips. |
Announcements
Please send your prayer intentions to be included in our Christmas Novena Masses, Liturgy of the Hours, adoration, prayer and sacrifices during the entire Christmas season, Simbang Gabi from December 16- 24 at 5:00 a.m. and December 24 Christmas Eve Mass at 8:00 p.m. Other liturgical schedules are posted on the door of the chapel and convent.
The sick are dear to St. Arnold, our Founder. You may send the names of your sick loved ones to be remembered in our Novena to St. Arnold for the sick from January 6-14, 2023. January 15 is his feastday. Through his intercession may God restore them to good health.
The sick are dear to St. Arnold, our Founder. You may send the names of your sick loved ones to be remembered in our Novena to St. Arnold for the sick from January 6-14, 2023. January 15 is his feastday. Through his intercession may God restore them to good health.
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS AND SYMBOLS
Christmas Tree
Europeans, in the darkest period of the year, decorate their houses with evergreen trees and light, symbolizing the victory of life over the dark winter’s death. The evergreen trees symbolize life and the light overcoming the dark. This practice gradually developed through the centuries and was given a Christian meaning. Prince Albert, the German-born husband of Queen Victoria, delighted his family by introducing a decorated tree to Windsor Castle in 1841. Thereafter the custom spread until today, adding warmth to the Christmas scene all over the world where Christian beliefs are practiced. The lights on the tree reflect the starry heavens but, above all, the shining star atop the tree reminds us that Christ is the Light of the world. In the Church, the Christmas tree opens the heart to grace - to Christ, our light and life! (cf compilation of Fr. M. K. Paul, ssp) |
Carolling
A carol was originally a song accompanied by dancing. It was performed in many European countries all throughout the year. As musical instruments were played, carolers sang and danced, men and women alike. The carols were about many subjects. In the 14th century the carols were somehow suppressed but revived again in the course of the years and was associated purely with the Christmas season. Joyous carols are sung in many countries – in churches, homes and in the open air. Our practice of singing carols to neighboring houses comes from the west. In the Philippines, the all-time favorites are “Ang Pasko ay Sumapit” and “Maligayang Pasko”. |
Christmas Lantern
When Jesus was born, a very bright star shone over Bethlehem announcing the birth of the King of Israel and Light of the World. In remembrance of this star, Christians hang lanterns outside their homes. These lanterns come in many sizes, colors and shapes. The Filipino Christmas star is the “parol”. Significantly, the province of Pampanga is famous for its colorful giant “parols” which reflect the craftsmanship and ingenuity of its makers. These giant lanterns are paraded on the streets atop trucks – something beautiful to see! Even the simplest “parol” reminds us of the Star of Bethlehem that overcomes darkness and guides misled and lonely travelers back “home” to Christ. |
Misa De Gallo
Christians used the term “novena” for a spiritual devotion spanning nine days, after ancient Rome, where it originally was used. On this rests the novena we call “Misa de Gallo”. Europeans celebrate Christmas from December 25, the birth of Jesus, to the feast of the Three Kings. Filipinos, on the other hand, observe the longest Christmas season in the world. Christmas carols begin to fill the air as early as September, the first of the “ber” months; and department stores put up Christmas decors during the “ber” months. However, our Christmas celebration begins on December 16, with the first of the nine Masses popularly called “Misa de Gallo” or “Simbang Gabi”. In the 16th century, Pope Sixtus V decreed that in the Philippines, nine consecutive dawn Masses may be held in preparation for Christmas. And so we celebrate the nineday festival of the birth of Jesus. People wake up early to be together in Church while farmers get a chance to attend Mass before setting out for the ricefields. The choir is at its best and Christmas carols are sung before and during Mass. In some parishes, the people partake of a simple repast. |
The Crib
St. Francis of Assisi set up the first Christmas crib in Greccio, Italy. It was a “live” presentation depicting the various participants of the scene at Bethlehem. He also initiated the devotion to the Christmas crib. In the Philippines, we call the crib “belen”, from the Spanish version of Bethlehem where Jesus was born. |
Christmas Cards
People started sending Christmas cards only in the 19th Century. The first known Christmas card in England was sent to a friend, bearing the inscription “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You!” In 1862 there began the printing and the selling of Christmas cards in London on a wide scale, which became a substitute for the personal notes people exchanged at Christmas. Today, we even send free email Christmas cards. The cards we send do not simply give our season’s greetings but rather also express our goodwill, affection, gratitude and pleasant wishes for the coming year. Handmade Christmas cards may not have the quality of polished ones but they certainly give something of ourselves |
Noche Buena
The Germanic peoples brought with them to Central Europe their yuletide customs which were integrated into the existing practices of the Romans. These included the use of evergreens and lights and the preparation of special food partaken on Christmas Eve. We, in the Philippines, rich or poor, also prepare and partake of a special meal after the midnight Mass on Christmas Eve called “noche buena”. Though the actual menu may vary, the “noche buena” is special because it is prepared with love and partaken together in a spirit of oneness. Big families look to having family reunions. Children seek the blessing of their elders through our custom of saying, “Mano, po.” – kissing or touching their hands to their foreheads. The “noche buena” is also a spiritual celebration. (Based from Fr. Rudolph Yap,ssp)
The Germanic peoples brought with them to Central Europe their yuletide customs which were integrated into the existing practices of the Romans. These included the use of evergreens and lights and the preparation of special food partaken on Christmas Eve. We, in the Philippines, rich or poor, also prepare and partake of a special meal after the midnight Mass on Christmas Eve called “noche buena”. Though the actual menu may vary, the “noche buena” is special because it is prepared with love and partaken together in a spirit of oneness. Big families look to having family reunions. Children seek the blessing of their elders through our custom of saying, “Mano, po.” – kissing or touching their hands to their foreheads. The “noche buena” is also a spiritual celebration. (Based from Fr. Rudolph Yap,ssp)
In these dark days, we must not be afraid. Like our forebears in faith, we must once again turn to the Rosary, calling on the Immaculate Virgin to come to our assistance and put our enemies to flight.
Through this prayer of immense power, countless miracles have been obtained and victories won. In fact, we celebrate the feast of the Rosary on October 7, because through it, a powerful military victory was obtained at the Battle of Lepanto.
Here are quotes from popes and saints to encourage you in praying this powerful prayer.
Through this prayer of immense power, countless miracles have been obtained and victories won. In fact, we celebrate the feast of the Rosary on October 7, because through it, a powerful military victory was obtained at the Battle of Lepanto.
Here are quotes from popes and saints to encourage you in praying this powerful prayer.
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1. “The Rosary is the ‘weapon’ for these times.” - Saint Padre Pio
2. “Go to the Madonna. Love her! Always say the Rosary. Say it well. Say it as often as you can! Be souls of prayer. Never tire of praying, it is what is essential. Prayer shakes the Heart of God, it obtains necessary graces!” -St. Padre Pio 4. “The Holy Rosary is a powerful weapon. Use it with confidence and you’ll be amazed at the results.” - St. Josemaria Escriva 5. “Say the Holy Rosary. Blessed be that monotony of Hail Mary’s which purifies the monotony of your sins!” - St. Josemaria Escriva 6. “You always leave the Rosary for later, and you end up not saying it at all because you are sleepy. If there is no other time, say it in the street without letting anybody notice it. It will, moreover, help you to be in the presence of God.” – St. Josemaria Escriva 7. “The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin…If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors.” – Pope Pius XI 8. “The power of the Rosary is beyond description.” – Archbishop Fulton Sheen |
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9. “The Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families…that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.” - Sister Lucia dos Santos of Fatima
10. “Here is an example to help you understand the efficacy of the Rosary. You remember the story of David who vanquished Goliath. What steps did the young Israelite take to overthrow the giant? He struck him in the middle of the forehead with a pebble from his sling. If we regard the Philistine as representing evil and all its powers: heresy, impurity, pride, we can consider the little stones from the sling capable of overthrowing the enemy as symbolizing the Aves of the Rosary. Through it, you will obtain all that you need and will vanquish the enemies of your soul. Through it, you will find peace and joy in the trials of life. Conquer the devil— pray the Rosary! On the whole month of October, we are praying the Rosary in common before the Blessed Sacrament after Vespers for the urgent intentions of the Church and our world, for peace and the end of the pandemic. We would gladly include |
Our Apostolate of Prayer and Adoration: We are Missionaries on our Knees.
Our missionary mandate as baptized people of God is at the very heart of the Eucharist – Jesus made flesh whom we adore present to us in his PASCHAL MYSTERY, in his BODY AND BLOOD, SOUL AND DIVINITY. In the Eucharist, worship must become union: union with the living Lord and with his mystical Body – all our brothers and sisters in him. It is precisely the personal act of encounter with the Lord in adoration that develops the social mission which is contained in the Eucharist and desires to break down the barriers, not only the barriers between the Lord and us but also and above all those that separate us from one another (cf Pope Benedict XVI). This is the missionary mandate of the Eucharist: to make all peoples one in Christ! It is preaching Christ in his Eucharistic mystery. Let us live and work for this in our own calling – a personal life of witness and service to Christ in adoration.
Indeed, adoration brings us more deeply into the mystery of Christ our head and of his body of which we are all living members – in effect, to adore Jesus in the Eucharist is to see all our brothers and sisters in him, not only those on earth but also those in heaven and those in purgatory – the totus Christus, the whole Christ (cf Thomas Weinandy, OFM, Cap.)
The act of adoration outside the Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the Mass celebration itself.
In our hour of adoration we bring before him our own sufferings and trials, the concerns of our family and friends, the needs of the Church and the world. We ask for strength and fidelity for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted for the faith. Together with Christ, we offer ourselves to the Father in the love of the Holy Spirit for the salvation of all (cf Thomas Weinandy, OFM, Cap.) In adoration, be missionaries before the Eucharistic Lord.
Indeed, adoration brings us more deeply into the mystery of Christ our head and of his body of which we are all living members – in effect, to adore Jesus in the Eucharist is to see all our brothers and sisters in him, not only those on earth but also those in heaven and those in purgatory – the totus Christus, the whole Christ (cf Thomas Weinandy, OFM, Cap.)
The act of adoration outside the Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the Mass celebration itself.
In our hour of adoration we bring before him our own sufferings and trials, the concerns of our family and friends, the needs of the Church and the world. We ask for strength and fidelity for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted for the faith. Together with Christ, we offer ourselves to the Father in the love of the Holy Spirit for the salvation of all (cf Thomas Weinandy, OFM, Cap.) In adoration, be missionaries before the Eucharistic Lord.
Quotes on praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
Each one will be presented to the Judge exactly as he was when he departed this life. Yet there must be a cleansing fire before judgement because of some minor faults that may remain to be purged away.” – Pope St. Gregory the Great
“He who saves a soul saves his own and satisfies for a multitude of sins.” – St. James the Apostle
“As we enter Heaven, we will see them, so many of them, coming towards us and thanking us. We will ask who they are, and they will say ‘a poor soul you prayed for in purgatory.’” – Ven. Fulton Sheen
“We must empty Purgatory with our prayers.” – St. Pio of Pietrelcina
You are My Mother, the Mother of Mercy, and the consolation of the souls in Purgatory. – Saint Bridget to our Lady
“I saw my guardian angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames, which were burning them, did not touch me at all. My guardian angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God.” – St. Maria Faustina Kowalska
I am the Mother of all the Poor Souls, for my prayers serve to mitigate their sufferings every single hour that they remain there (purgatory). –Our Blessed Lady to Saint Bridget “I do not think that apart from the felicity of Heaven, there can be a joy comparable to that experienced by the souls in Purgatory. An incessant communication from God renders their joy more vivid from day to day: and this communication becomes more and more intimate, to the extent that it consumes the obstacles still existing in the soul. On the other hand, they endure pain so intense, that no tongue is able to describe it. Nor is any mind capable of comprehending the smallest spark of that consuming fire, unless God should show it to him by a special grace.” – St. Catherine of Siena
If, during life, we have been kind to the suffering souls in purgatory, God will see that help be not denied us after death.” – St. Paul of the Cross
“Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice (Job 1:5), why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.” – St. John Chrysostom
With Charity towards the dead we practice all the works of charity. The Church encourages us to aid the souls in purgatory, who in turn will reward us abundantly when they come into their glory “St. Francis de Sales”
Each one will be presented to the Judge exactly as he was when he departed this life. Yet there must be a cleansing fire before judgement because of some minor faults that may remain to be purged away.” – Pope St. Gregory the Great
“He who saves a soul saves his own and satisfies for a multitude of sins.” – St. James the Apostle
“As we enter Heaven, we will see them, so many of them, coming towards us and thanking us. We will ask who they are, and they will say ‘a poor soul you prayed for in purgatory.’” – Ven. Fulton Sheen
“We must empty Purgatory with our prayers.” – St. Pio of Pietrelcina
You are My Mother, the Mother of Mercy, and the consolation of the souls in Purgatory. – Saint Bridget to our Lady
“I saw my guardian angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames, which were burning them, did not touch me at all. My guardian angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God.” – St. Maria Faustina Kowalska
I am the Mother of all the Poor Souls, for my prayers serve to mitigate their sufferings every single hour that they remain there (purgatory). –Our Blessed Lady to Saint Bridget “I do not think that apart from the felicity of Heaven, there can be a joy comparable to that experienced by the souls in Purgatory. An incessant communication from God renders their joy more vivid from day to day: and this communication becomes more and more intimate, to the extent that it consumes the obstacles still existing in the soul. On the other hand, they endure pain so intense, that no tongue is able to describe it. Nor is any mind capable of comprehending the smallest spark of that consuming fire, unless God should show it to him by a special grace.” – St. Catherine of Siena
If, during life, we have been kind to the suffering souls in purgatory, God will see that help be not denied us after death.” – St. Paul of the Cross
“Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice (Job 1:5), why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.” – St. John Chrysostom
With Charity towards the dead we practice all the works of charity. The Church encourages us to aid the souls in purgatory, who in turn will reward us abundantly when they come into their glory “St. Francis de Sales”
Prayer of St. Gertrude for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
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Eternal Father,
I offer You the most precious blood of thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said thoughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, for those in my own home, and in my family. Amen |
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November is the month of the holy souls in purgatory. You may send us the names of your deceased. We will remember them in all our Masses, Divine Office, Adoration, prayers and sacrifices. |
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On November 13, 2022 is the VIth World Day of the Poor and have as its theme: For your sake Christ became poor (cf 2 Cor 8:9). It is time to reflect on our style of life and on the many forms of poverty all around us. We need to follow Christ’s path of poverty, sharing our lives out of love like Christ; breaking the bread of our daily existence with our brothers and sisters who lack the essential like Christ who breaks his body to give us life. May this VIth World Day of the Poor be for us a moment of grace to detach ourselves from what is superfluous, to share the little we have in solidarity with the poor and make the poverty of Christ our own, to love like Christ excluding no one and seeking out everyone especially the marginalized, the destitute, the needy, and the deprived of the necessities of life. The poverty of Christ makes us rich: our lives are illumined and transformed and nourished for eternal life.
