Celebrating the Eucharist, consecrated as students...

Last Saturday, 23 July 2011, we celebrated a special Mass for the children in Montalban to consecrate them in their vocation as students as they embark on the new academic year. This year, we were privileged to have Fr Jun, the parish priest of the Chapel of Immaculate Conception, preside the Mass.

It was a special day for the children and youth as they served in various capacities throughout the Mass. Our lovely commentator Ianna Marie, welcomed the children and their families while the row of altar servers walked down the aisle followed by the Lectors. All of them are currently members of our youth group, the Seeds of Faith. In his homily, Fr Jun reminded the children to be wheat for the Kingdom of God as they pursue their studies. He engaged the children ranging from 5 to 15 years of age with his interactive explanations and insightful stories.

For the Prayers of the Faithful, each student took turns to pray for the different needs. During the Offertory, the children offered up ballpens (symbolizing their desire to be used as instruments of God) and a set of school uniform (a sign of their desire to grow as students for the Lord) together with the bread and wine. After Mass, the children were blessed by Fr Jun and each child received a ballpen as a souvenir. It was a special day of thanksgiving for the lives of each child and their call as students.

May the year ahead be a fruitful year for them indeed!

Our new school supplies!

This year, the children from Montalban returned to school at the start of the new academic year with a basic set of school supplies with our Back to School project. On 17 July, 135 children turned up with eager faces for our Children Ministry sessions, clutching the precious vouchers that enabled them to claim their set. Thanks to a group of teachers from Singapore who sponsored the school supplies, we were able to run this project for the second consecutive year. For a small contribution of Php 10, each child received a set of stationery for school. Each pack contained basic school needs like notebooks, papers, folders, art papers, pens and other writing materials. As they received the packs with bright smiles, the children lifted up a prayer of thanksgiving for the sponsors and for God's provision through their generosity.

Our school supplies waiting to be distributed

Our vouchers to claim the school pack

Each pack contains the following...

Finally.. our start up packs!

We thank God for our generous sponsors and our volunteers who helped us pack and distribute the school supplies with us!

We're back...

After a month's break, we're all back in action.. beginning with our regular ministry in Montalban and also in Tagaytay. Last week, we had Mass in the centre for our neighbours and today we held our Children Ministry in Tagaytay. Once again our house resounded with the voices of 21 children, singing with gusto and answering in chorus. Today, as we shared with them Jesus' friendship, they responded with much excitement in wanting to have Jesus as their friend.

Each child then made a friendship band with 2 hands clasped together- one hand to symbolize Jesus and the other as their hand-holding onto Jesus, their friend, who never abandons them.

What a lovely way to end the day..

Would you like Jesus to be your friend?
What about you?
I know how to pray.. and tell Jesus that He is my friend!
Making our friendship band...
Yay...we are friends of Jesus...!