CFC-Singles For Christ Divine Mercy Mandaluyong

November Calendar

Happy Birthday, Bro. Jerive,

A wish for you on your birthday, whatever you ask may you receive, whatever you seek may you find, whatever you wish may it be fulfilled on your birthday and always. Happy birthday!

from your SFC Divine Family. 🫶🥳

It is ALL SAINTS' DAY! (not Devil's day)
Bringing back the saints to the real meaning of Halloween 🙏😇

Live Catholic Month
Week 1 Challenge
November 1-7, 2023

Take a photo of the sky and caption it with verse/gospel of the day and start sharing it on your social media accounts. Use the hashtags and when posting and tag a friend you want to challenge to do the same

When we are in the toughest moments of our lives, there might be so many things that are beyond our control, but we are never without the ability to act and influence. Because of the Spirit within us, we always have the capability to influence, no matter how dire the situation is. And the most important thing we need to influence is OUR HEART. Life can cause us to be bitter or have resentment in our hearts. But dear SFCs, do everything you can, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to resist bitterness. Your circumstances might get overwhelming, but as long as your heart remains free of bitterness, you will always be FREE. There might be so many things we cannot change in our circumstances, but we always have the power to influence our hearts.

Dear SFC Leaders and Couple Coordinators, remember this math equation:

REGULAR Activities > one-time-big-time activities

"I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." - Luke 11:9

These words are often troubling for us because many of our prayers seem to obtain no results. There have been many times we have asked and not received, knocked and the door remained closed. Jesus tells us to be persistent in prayer. When prayers seem unanswered, PRAY MORE. Why? Because prayer always transforms reality. Take note: ALWAYS! Change always happens in persistent prayer. If things around us do not change, we change; our heart changes.

"If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?” - Luke 11:13

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit. He is a loving Father who gives good things to His children, especially to those who ask and ask persistently. When we persist in prayer, notice the good things He gives us through the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Notice these things manifest in you.

SFCs... just keep praying.

Martha’s “philosophy” seems to be this: first duty, then pleasure. In effect, hospitality is not composed of fine words, but demands that you roll up your sleeves, that everything necessary is done so the guest feels welcome. Jesus is well aware of this. And indeed, he acknowledges Martha’s effort. However, he wants to make her understand that there is a new order of priorities, different from the one she had followed until then. Mary had sensed that there is a “good portion ” that must be accorded first place. Everything else comes after, like a stream flowing from the source. And so we wonder: what is this “good portion”? It is listening to Jesus’ words. The Gospel says Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching ” (v. 39). Note: she did not listen while standing, doing other things, but she sat at Jesus’ feet. She understood that he is not like other guests. At first sight it seems that he has come to receive, because he needs food and lodging, but in reality, the Master came to give himself to us through his word. The word of Jesus is not abstract; it is a teaching that touches and shapes our life, changes it, frees it from the opaqueness of evil, satisfies and infuses it with a joy that does not pass: Jesus’ word is the good portion, that which Mary had chosen. Therefore, she gives it first place: she stops and listens. The rest will come after. This does not detract from the value of practical effort, but it must not precede, but rather flow from listening to the word of Jesus. It must be enlivened by his Spirit. - Pope Francis

07 October | Our Lady of the Rosary

“If you persevere in reciting the Rosary, this will be a most probable sign of your eternal salvation.”
— Bl. Alan de la Roche

The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was instituted to honor Mary for the Christian victory over the Turks at Lepanto on October 7, 1571. Pope St. Pius V and all Christians had prayed the Rosary for victory. The Rosary, or the Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is one of the best prayers to Mary, the Mother of God.

Pope Benedict XVI invites all families to pray the rosary for the intentions of the Pope, the mission of the Church and peace. "It is as if every year Our Lady invited us to rediscover the beauty of this prayer, so simple and profound." The rosary, a "contemplative and Christocentric prayer, inseparable from the meditation of Sacred Scripture," is "the prayer of the Christian who advances in the pilgrimage of faith, in the following of Jesus, preceded by Mary," said the Pontiff.

This feast was instituted by Pope St. Pius V in thanksgiving for the great naval victory over the Turks at the battle of Lepanto on this day in the year 1570, a favor due to the recitation of the Rosary. This victory saved Europe from being overrun by the forces of Islam.

Lepanto, perhaps the most complete victory ever gained over the Ottoman Empire, on October 7, 1571, is commemorated by the invocation "Help of Christians," inserted in the Litany of Loretto. At Belgrade the Turks were defeated on the Feast of Our Lady ad Nives in 1716. A second victory gained that year on the Octave of the Assumption determined Pope Clement XI to command the Feast of the Rosary to be celebrated by the universal Church. Leo XIII added the invocation "Queen of the most Holy Rosary, pray for us," to the Litany of Loretto. The Feast is in reality a great festival of thanksgiving for the signal and countless benefits bestowed on Christendom through the Rosary of our blessed Queen.

In modern times successive popes have urged the faithful to pray the rosary. It is a form of contemplative prayer, mental and vocal prayer, which brings down God’s blessing on the Church. It is a biblically inspired prayer which is centered on meditation on the salvific mysteries of Christ in union with Mary, who was so closely associated with her Son in his redeeming activity.

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Source:
Catholic Culture

"To fall in love is romantic, but to stay in love is mystical. And only by the power of God can you stay in love. Stay beautiful by being faithful. Experience heaven and earth by being faithful. See the beauty around you by being faithful. Faithfulness is heavenly, it makes all of us more beautiful."

— Abp. Soc Villegas

Happy Birthday, Bro. Ian!

May you be gifted with life’s biggest joys and never-ending bliss. After all, you yourself are a gift to earth, so you deserve the best. God bless you and enjoy your day!

From your SFC Divine Family 🫶🏼

Her sense of commitment led her to a profound experience of the love of God and of neighbor. She never had an easy life, but she did live with a great sense of peace and joy.

"What matters in life is not great deeds, but great love."

St. Therese, pray for us.

OCTOBER LITURGICAL CALENDAR (Overview)

October, as in all of Tempus per Annum, or Ordinary Time (formerly known as Time After Pentecost), the Liturgy does not focus on one particular mystery of Christ, but views the mystery of Christ in all its aspects. We follow the life of Christ through the Gospels, and focus on the teachings and parables of Jesus and what it means for each of us to be a follower of Christ.

Source: Catholic Culture

To our very own Chapter Head, Happiest Birthday, Bro. Kalags! 🥳

We pray that God blesses you with all the good things in life―health, wealth, happiness, and success. May your dreams come true and may you achieve all that you set out to do.

May the year ahead bring everything you've been working toward!
God bless you Kuya Kalags!

From your SFC Divine Family. 🫶

Happy birthday, Sis. Vane.

May your birthday be filled with joy, love, and laughter, and may your heart be overflowing with happiness throughout the coming year. May your dreams come true and may you achieve all that you set out to do. God bless you and enjoy.

From your SFC Divine Mercy family. 🥳🫶

✨Financial advice✨from a Christian perspective:

1. Your money, no matter how small or big the amount, is God’s. Be a good steward.

2. Don’t serve money. It’s a terrible god. Greed will lessen your gratitude and it will only lead to discontentment.

3. Spend wisely. Discipline yourself to be wise about your spending habits. There’s nothing wrong with buying things that you enjoy as long as it is not turning into a bad habit of excessive buying of things that don’t add value (or joy).

4. Know your priorities this season. It’s okay if you can’t buy certain things right now if it means prioritizing your needs. Try to save (even a little), or invest in your skills. You’ll soon have the ability to enjoy things.

5. But don’t forget to take a portion of your income to save for your enjoyment or to buy something you want. Reward yourself too.

6. When God blesses you with abundance, increase your giving.

7. Planning well is a good thing, don’t be impulsive. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5)

8. Give back and honor God with your finances.

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Stay With Me, Lord
Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You.
Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and
I need Your strength,
that I may not fall so often.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light
and without You I am in darkness.
Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.
Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear
Your voice and follow You.
Stay with me, Lord, for I desire
to love You very much and to be in
Your company always.
Stay with me, Lord, if You wish
me to be faithful to You.
Stay with me, Lord,
for as poor as my soul is
I want it to be a place
of consolation for You,
a nest of Love.
Amen.

Singles for Christ of Central A invites you to a most memorable and meaningful weekend. Knight's Tale, Princess Diaries and Covenant Orientation at Mary Hill Retreat Center in Tanay on the weekend of October 21-22, 2023. Let's make meaningful amazing memories with HIM. See you at Mary HIll ! Register NOW for our most memorable weekend together. click the link that follows now : https://forms.gle/XgVwKE6MvZq1S6sj6 Registration fee: P1,000 inclusive of Meals See you at Mary Hill ! Share and invite your members now !

Happy Birthday, Bro. Jesther.

On your special day, we wish you to be happy and cheerful. May your eyes be filled with happiness, your heart be filled with love, your mind with new ideas, and your life with success and exciting adventures. Happy Birthday!

From you SFC Divine family. 😇🥳

We would like to greet our dear Parish Priest, REV FR. WILMER ROSARIO a remarkable 25th Sacerdotal Anniversary! May your unwavering devotion to your calling continue to inspire us all.

On September 19, 1998, Fr. Wilmer Rosario received his ordination into the priesthood from the Late Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Jaime Sin.

Happy Birthday, Tatay Benjo!

May you have all the love your heart can hold, all the happiness a day can bring, and all the blessings a life can unfold. Happy birthday!

From your extended SFC DIVINE anaks. 😇🫶🏼🥳

Happy Birthday, Sis. Sarah!

Today is the day you were brought into this world to be a blessing and inspiration to the people around you! You are a wonderful person! May you be given more birthdays to fulfill all of your dreams!

From your SFC Divine Mercy family. 🫶🏼🥳

Dear SFC Leaders,

Your YES to the leadership is a yes to give your time, talent, and treasure. Especially, your TIME. This should be the one thing you give the most. Create opportunities to spend more time with your members, not only when it is convenient. And when you are with them, be in the moment, be present

The cross in itself is a terrible image. It is an instrument of torture and death. But today, this instrument of torture and death is now seen as the holiest image on earth. Indeed, God can use the worst and transform it into the best. The cross was transformed because of Jesus. We exalt the cross, not for its sake, but the glory of the Father, for what He did in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. To exalt the cross, also, is to have hope that Jesus can "exalt" every cross we endure in our lives.

Dear SFCs, what is your heaviest cross? What is your greatest suffering? We can easily point to crosses in our lives and blame them for our lack of happiness. Yes, they may be a cause of pain and suffering, but the truth is that whatever your cross is, there is potential for that cross to be an actual source of grace. But this is only possible if we bring our crosses to Jesus and allow Him to carry them with us. Our crosses, in themselves, are just sources of pain and suffering. But with Christ, they can be transformed into sources of grace and joy, for yourself and for the world.

Dear SFCs, love God above all. When God is valued above all, loving neighbor means that you love God who dwells in your neighbor, in accord with the way God loves them. To love God requires to love your neighbor. No one can say they love God, yet, they do not have compassion and concern for their neighbor. God loves us and showers us with abundant love. He invites us to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, AND to love our neighbor as ourselves. The two go together. To love God is to have compassion, concern, and empathy for another.

13 September | Saint John Chrysostom

St. John, named Chrysostom (golden-mouthed) on account of his eloquence, came into the world of Christian parents, about the year 344, in the city of Antioch. His mother, at the age of 20, was a model of virtue. He studied rhetoric under Libanius, a pagan, the most famous orator of the age.
In 374, he began to lead the life of an anchorite in the mountains near Antioch, but in 386 the poor state of his health forced him to return to Antioch, where he was ordained a priest.

In 398, he was elevated to the See of Constantinople and became one of the greatest lights of the Church. But he had enemies in high places and some were ecclesiastics, not the least being Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, who repented of this before he died. His most powerful enemy, however, was the empress Eudoxia, who was offended by the apostolic freedom of his discourses. Several accusations were brought against him in a pseudo-council, and he was sent into exile.

In the midst of his sufferings, like the apostle, St. Paul, whom he so greatly admired, he found the greatest peace and happiness. He had the consolation of knowing that the Pope remained his friend, and did for him what lay in his power. His enemies were not satisfied with the sufferings he had already endured, and they banished him still further, to Pythius, at the very extremity of the Empire. He died on his way there on September 14, 407.

Source:
1. Saint John Chrysostom — Catholic Online

Happy Birthday, Bro. Dennis.

You do so much for others. I hope you can take some time for yourself on your big day. You deserve it as much as anyone, and more than most. God bless you!

From your SFC Divine Family 🫶🥳

Anchored in the Gospel from Matthew 15-20, Rev. Fr. Joel Jason delivered his homily on the biblical way we confront our brother who sins against us. He gave three step-by-step processes which are also in line with our CFC teaching on "Living as a People of God". When we are confronted with difficult people in our lives, the ones who sin against our God, we follow these steps:

First, through a CARING LOVE, we must talk to our brother in private.

Second, through an INQUIRING LOVE, we must call another person who will serve as a witness and make the process in an objective manner.

Third, through a RESTORING LOVE, if he does not listen to no one, we must bring the brother to the Church by praying for him.

In this moment of silence, let us take this time to internalize all of our concerns and desires as we let our souls embrace the true essence of Eucharistic Procession, Adoration, Benediction. The importance of Eucharistic Adoration is shown in the fact that the Church has a ritual that regulates it: the Rite of Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction. This is an extension of the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament which occurs in every Mass: "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb." Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament flows from the sacrifice of the Mass and serves to deepen our hunger for Communion with Christ and the rest of the Church. The Rite concludes with the ordained minister blessing the faithful with the Blessed Sacrament.

In this noisy and chaotic world, we often hear unnecessary noises on our surroundings and we sometimes need to pause and keep quiet. In silence, there is voice as God is trying to speak to us.

Sis Dianne Sol shared that in silence, God is revealing Himself to us as He wanted for us to have an intimate relationship with Him. He wanted us to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as it is His way of revealing Himself.

Through silence, God is also revealing to us our own self. God knows our hearts and that silence is God's way for us to open the tombs inside our hearts for us to know ourselves more.

Being silent doesn't always mean being boring, but it also means understanding as through silence we get to know more about God and ourselves.