Dear Parishioners of Our Lady of Mercy,

This past week, from October 24 until October 27, Father Anton and I attended the 4th National Convention of Filipino Priests in America, which also included some priests from the Caribbean Islands.

There were 390 Filipino priests in total. It was the first time that Father Anton and I attended this convention of Filipino priests. It was a joyful gathering of priests. The days were filled with inspiring talks, homilies, camaraderie, and trips to two major cathedrals, Saint Patrick’s in New York, and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.

We had opportunities to share and bond together as brothers serving the Lord and His Church here in America. We certainly needed this time to get to know each other and learn from our varied work and ministry experiences. The states of New Jersey and New York hosted this event.

This gathering made me proud to be a Filipino priest, serving all of you and the people here in the United States of America. In his homily at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Bishop Edmund Whalen, Auxiliary Bishop of New York, compared us Filipino priests to San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint who went to Japan with some Dominican missionaries.

San Lorenzo was in a foreign land with a language he did not know how to speak. But he was brave enough to be there and to minister to the people during a time when Christians were being persecuted. Despite torture and the threat of death, he never gave up his Catholic Christian faith. He died a martyr.

Bishop Whalen expressed his gratitude for us being here and ministering to American communities all over the United States. He encouraged us to be brave, like San Lorenzo, despite the challenges we are facing at this time. I tell you, my brothers and sisters, we all came home energized, inspired, and happy.

What’s more, I was amazed and impressed to see that most of the lay volunteers both at the hotel and at the Cathedral Basilica of Sacred Heart in Newark were from OLM. I could not have been prouder to be pastor of this parish with such wonderful people.

Many members of our parish had important roles during the convention. Most of the members of the combined choirs, conducted by Ronald Seludo, were from OLM. The deacon for the event was our own Deacon Meynard. Our parishioners served as collection ministers, ushers, and participated in the pageantry of different Filipino traditions. Fr. Anton was one of the two narrators.

I was so proud to see the people of OLM translating their love of God and neighbor into service and action. Their faces shone with the joy and happiness they felt as they did what they were tasked to do. I salute them and commend them for their love and hard work in making this event a great success. From the bottom of my heart, thank you OLM ministers. You know who you are. God will give you His reward because I cannot thank you enough.

I would like to express my best wishes and prayers, in the name of our community, to the newlywed couple, Mr. & Mrs. Kevin (and Katrina Encarnacion) Cornelio. Their wedding was officiated by Fr. Butchie Bautista and I co-officiated. May God bless them in their new life as husband and wife.

Last Sunday, 26 young people received the Sacrament of Confirmation during the Mass celebrated by Bishop Greg Studerus. May they live out the gifts they have received from the Holy Spirit. Let us assist them, and their sponsors, parents and families, with our prayers.

In the name of the whole parish, I thank Jeng Villa, Father Andrew Jung, and Jayvee Dacasin, as well as all those who helped, for the love and dedication they showed in preparing these teenagers for Confirmation.

Congratulations to our Newly Confirmed and may God bless us all!

Love,

Father Marty

(Previous Week)

---

Confirmation Celebrated at OLM

(Left to Right) Enrique Cayetano, Kaden Porr, Shiloh Guanlao, Melissa Atienza, Joshua Daniel Lacida, Ethan Scott Esteban

(Left to Right) Raymond Ambrose Flores, Omar Garcia, Alexis Gargalicano, Maia Madison Flores, Jhorayne Ann Lopez, Philip Jose Diomampo, James Baldwin Sarmiento