GMA'S RENEWAL BLOCKTIME WITH ZOE

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VATICAN RELEASES OFFICIAL SCHEDULE OF PAPAL VISIT TO MANILA

The Holy See Press Office released September 19 the detailed official schedule of Pope Francis´ visit to Manila on October.

The pope leaves Rome´s Leonardo da Vinci Airport at 7 p.m. October 22, Rome time, and arrives in Manila October 23 at 3 p.m. after 20 hours of flight. Aside from the welcome ceremonies led by Philippine government officials and some 3,000 Filipino Catholics, there are other events scheduled for the day.

On the second day, October 24, the pope will make a courtesy call on President Benigno S. Aquino III at the presidential palace at 9 a.m. and then proceed to the University of Santo Tomas.

After celebrating Mass for the delegates of the International Youth Forum at 10:45 a.m. in the university´s Central Seminary Chapel, he will walk to the grandstand on campus to address at least 7,000 students.

On October 25, the pope will preside at the Mass marking the 420th anniversary of the founding of the Archdiocese of Manila and the Dioceses of Cebu, Nueva Caceres and Nueva Segovia.

The Mass, which at least a million Filipinos are expected to attend, will be at a 10-hectare site behind the Philippine International Convention complex (PICC). The land, on the outskirts of Manila, was reclaimed from Manila Bay.

From the PICC, the pope will proceed to the offices of the Catholic Bishops´ Conference of the Philippines for lunch with the Philippine bishops.

At 4:30 p.m., he will join the silver jubilee celebration of Radio Veritas Asia and hand out trophies to the winners of the 16th Catholic Mass Media Awards back at the PICC Plenary Hall.

From there, Pope Francis will go to Luneta Park in central Manila to join World Youth Day delegates in a vigil from 6 p.m. until midnight.

The following evening at 6:45 he will preside at the concluding Mass of the anniversary celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide, the main event of the papal visit. The Mass at Luneta Park is again expected to draw more than a million people.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

• 3:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. – Opening Program
• 4:30 P.M. – 6:30 P.M. – Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Worship and Healing Services by Bishop Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva, Founder, International President and Spiritual Director of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide
• 6:30 P.M. – 12:00 A.M. – Overnight Vigil with the Pope

Sunday, October 26, 2014 (Sunday Family Appointment with El Shaddai)

• 7:30 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. - Gospel Music and Life Testimonies 
• 11:00 A.M. - 2:30 P.M. - Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Founder, International President and Spiritual Director Bishop Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva's 81st Birthday Thank-Offering Salo-Salo 
• 2:30 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. - El Shaddai Gospel Music Ministry Choir 
• 3:00 P.M. - 3:30 P.M. - Helicopter Dropping of Miracle-Vision Handkerchiefs 
• 3:30 P.M. - 3:35 P.M. - Thanksgiving Prayer for the Birthday Celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Founder, President and Spiritual Director Bishop Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva and Anniversary Celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide led by Bro. Mike Z. Velarde, Founder and Servant-Leader of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Religious Movement and release of Miracle-Vision Balloons 
• 3:35 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. - El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines Gospel Music Ministry Choir 
• 4:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. - Message: Greetings, Special Sharing headed by His Excellency Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay, Sr. and other Special Guests
• 5:00 P.M. - 5:05 P.M. - Introduction of Guest of Honor: Bro. Mike Z. Velarde, Founder and Servant-Leader of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Fellowship Foundation International, Inc. Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Religious Movement.
• 5:05 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. - Special Message: His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III
• 5:30 P.M. - 5:32 P.M. - Special Song: "Hindi Kita Malilimutan" 
• 5:32 P.M. - 6:10 P.M. - Talk - Holy Spirit: Building Community by Bro. Bo Sanchez, Chairman and Presiding Elder, Light of Jesus Community 
• 6:10 P.M. - 6:20 P.M. - Angelus, Lord's Prayer and Psalm 91 
• 7:00 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. - Arrival of the Pilgrim Image of San Lorenzo Ruiz and St. Pedro Calungsod at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park 
• 7:30 P.M. - 7:45 P.M. - Arrival of Pope Francis from riding of Helicopter from the Helipad of Malacanang Park to the Back of Quirino Grandstand 
• 7:45 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. - Joyful Worship in preparation for the Eucharistic Celebration: El Shaddai Gospel Music Ministry Manila Choir 
• 8:00 P.M. - 11:30 P.M. - Eucharistic Celebration officiated by Pope Francis, as Main Celebrant, Bishop of Rome and Leader of Worldwide Roman Catholic Church, and other Roman Catholic Archbishops, Bishops, Cardinals, Deacons, Monsignors, Pastors, Priests Con-celebrating (Offertory: Villanueva Family) 
• Prayers of the Faithful - Various Guests 
• Celebration of Sacrament of Matrimony
• Message: Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See to the Philippines 
• Angelus Message 
• Angelus Domini Prayer 
• Farewell Message by the Pope 
• Final Blessing 
• Message: His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III 
• 11:30 P.M. - 12:00 A.M. - Special Anniversary Message by Most Rev. Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr., Bishop-Emeritus, Diocese of Novaliches and Over-all Spiritual Director of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc.

Monday, October 27, 2014

• 12:00 A.M. - 12:30 A.M. - Cultural Show and Fireworks Display with El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. Bagumbayan, Taguig City, Metro Manila,  Chapter Gospel Music Ministry Choir
• Candle-Light with El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines Chapter Gospel Music Ministry Choir
• 2:30 A.M. - 3:15 A.M. - Documentary about the history of big four largest religious groups: Jesus Miracle Crusade International Ministry, Jesus is Lord Church and El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. plus photos and video clips of Jesus the Healer from 1986 to 2014, Weekly El Shaddai Gathering from 1992 to 2014
• 3:15 A.M. - 4:00 A.M. - Candle-Lighting Ceremony in preparation of Healing Message
• 4:00 A.M. - 7:00 A.M. - Healing Message by Bro. Mike Z. Velarde, Founder and Servant-Leader of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc.
• 7:00 A.M. - 8:30 A.M. - Breakfast Salo-Salo

At 10:00 that morning, Monday, October 27, the pope will attend the annual general assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC), also marking its 45th annual founding anniversary celebration, at Manila's archdiocesan San Carlos Seminary, EDSA, Barangay Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City.

The meeting will be followed by dinner at 12:02 P.M. with FABC members and other Philippine, Malaysian, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Sri Lankan, Nepalese, Pakistani, Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese and Korean Roman Catholic Territorial Bishops at the Lorenzo Ruiz Mission Society in the seminary complex.

The pope leaves Manila at 10:28 a.m. October 28 for Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Although the Vatican is referring to the visit as a pastoral visit, the Philippine government has joined the Catholic Church in preparations to welcome Pope Francis as a head of state.

Explaining government expenditures for the papal visit, Ramos told the staff of the national newspaper Malaya on Septeber 19 that the pope is coming "not only as a pastoral head of the Catholic Church, but as sovereign chief of the Vatican state, duly recognized in the international community of states."

Aquino, the Roman Catholic president of the Philippines, added that the government is duty-bound to cooperate with local Church leaders in carrying out joint undertakings in connection with the visit.

"The government must spend for the papal visit," he said.

Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis in Papua New Guinea, Australia and Sri Lanka (October 27-31, 2014)

Manila, Philippines to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea flight via Air Niugini part of Eleven-Day Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia and Sri Lanka.

The Pope leaves Manila after the five-day visit for Port Moresby at 9:25 PM and arrives at 4:50 PM, Tuesday, October 28.

After then, he led the welcoming ceremonies at Jackson International Airport of Port Moresby with the President of Papua New Guinea.

Unfazed by reports of plots against him, Pope Francis flew to this forest-clad island nation Monday with prayers of encouragement for a young Asian church.

Arriving from a triumphant visit to the Philippines, the 76-year-old pontiff rode from the airport in an open-sided pickup truck, to the delight of a shorts-and-flip-flops crowd and the dismay of security specialists.

Despite police concern here over the whereabouts and intentions of two Iranian businessmen, and Filipino police suspicions of a plot, Pope Francis inclined to ride in a closed car.

There were no major changes in an outdoor mass scheduled for this morning in which Pope John Paul was to canonize the region's first potential saint.

Chief Inspector Dennis Samin told reporters Monday night that as Pope Francis was arriving from Manila, police here became preoccupied at the apparent disappearance of two Iranians.

He said they had entered the country about a month ago but had recently checked out of their hotel and dropped from sight.

While Pope Francis was in the Philippines, police said two Muslim extremists had been arrested and another 20 were being sought in a plot against the pope.

Landing here in the second of four stops on his 11-day Asian tour, Pope Francis told a cheerful airport crowd that it was a ''joy to return to this beautiful country,'' which he last visited a decade ago.

Thousands of people, many blowing whistles and waving flags, lined the nine-mile motorcade route to salute the pope on a hot, sticky afternoon. About a third of Papua New Guinea's four million people are Roman Catholics.

Pope Francis said, predicting ''a new springtime'' for Christianity in Asia.

The pope continues the 6th foreign visit of his reign Wednesday in Australia. He returns to the Vatican at week's end on Saturday, November 2 after a final stop in Sri Lanka.

Followed by a Meeting with the clergy, religious and laity in the Church of Saint Mary, Help of Christians in Port Moresby and the Holy Mass together with priests from Archdiocese of Port Moresby at Sir John Guise Stadium, Port Moresby.

The pope also continued to travel around Port Moresby in the back of a white pickup, with a yellow canopy providing the only protection from the elements.

During the Mass, the highlight of his two-day visit here, the late John Paul 2 beatified Peter ToRot, a catechist ordered to halt his missionary work by Japanese occupation forces. In 1945, a Japanese military doctor killed him with a lethal injection.

About one-third of the 3.9 million people in Papua New Guinea are Roman Catholic.

Farewell Ceremony of Pope Francis (Jacksons International Airport, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Wednesday, October 29, 2014)

Dear Friends,
Dear People of Papua New Guinea,

I take leave of you and your beautiful country with my heart filled with gratitude, joy and hope.

1. I am deeply grateful for the warm hospitality which the people of Papua New Guinea have shown me. I express my sincere thanks to all those who made this pastoral visit possible, especially His Excellency the Governor–General, the Prime Minister and the distinguished members of Parliament. My thanks go likewise to my Brother Bishops, the clergy, Religious and laity, many of whom have made quiet and unseen sacrifices so that this visit might bring happiness and strength to others. I also thank those who have assisted me so generously, those who have ensured the orderly running of the events and those in the media who have made it possible for my voice to reach people in other places.

2. I have felt great joy during my brief visit among you – joy most of all for having had the opportunity to celebrate here in Papua New Guinea the Beatification of Peter To Rot, the first son of this land to be officially named among the Blessed in heaven. This has been a real occasion for rejoicing on the part of the Catholics of your nation, and it has been a significant event for all your people. The life of Blessed Peter To Rot is a precious treasure which remains forever yours. It is a beacon shining bright, a signal fire leading you to hold aloft the noble ideals which inspired him: faith in God, love of family, service of neighbour, and unswerving courage in the face of trials and sacrifice.

3. Our meetings during these past two days have given me much hope. Everywhere I have met people with a real desire to serve God and to walk in his paths. In your faith you will find the wisdom and inspiration to meet the challenges facing your country. Faith demands solidarity with those affected by the tragic volcanic eruption in New Britain and with the refugees in various parts of Papua New Guinea. Faith demands that all sides involved in the armed conflict and violence in Bougainville should have the courage to seek a truly just and peaceful solution to their disputes. Faith demands that everyone should work together for the good of the whole people.

4. Dear Friends: As you look out upon your beautiful land with its jungles and mighty rivers, its mountains and deep valleys, its volcanoes and limitless seas, give thanks to God whose goodness is without end. With your many different languages and traditions you are a wonderful tapestry which God is weaving into the image of a diverse but united family of peoples upon whom he wishes to shower his blessings. I pray that his peace will always reign in your homes and in your lives!

(in Pidgin–English)
God bless yupela olgeta. God bless Papua Niugini.

After Papua New Guinea, the third stop was Australia from October 29. He left Port Moresby via Jacksons International Airport  at 2:00 PM and arrives at Sydney via Kingsford Smith Airport at 6:55 PM.

Map: "ITINERARY: The Traveling Pope Is Traveling Again" Pope Francis will visit Asia and Australia for 11 days beginning today, the ___ foreign trip since he assumed the papacy in 2013. The map charts his schedule.

The Welcoming Ceremony of Pope Francis at Kingsford-Smith Airport of Sydney (Australia) on Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Your Excellency the Governor–General,  Mr. Prime Minister, Your Eminence, My Brother Bishops, Dear Australian Friends,

1. With great joy and esteem I greet all of you, deeply grateful to God who has enabled me to visit once again this beloved land of Australia. I thank you, Your Excellency, for coming here personally to welcome me. My gratitude to you, Mr. Prime Minister, for your kind words on behalf of the Government and people. I warmly greet everyone here and everyone listening to my voice on radio or television.

To dear Cardinal Clancy and to my Brother Bishops I renew the expression of my fraternal affection in the Lord. I am very happy to be able to celebrate once more with the Catholic community of Australia the mysteries of our faith and the hope of salvation that unites us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I am truly glad that the first beatification of an Australian citizen, an Australian woman, can take place right here in Mother Mary MacKillop’s own beloved land.

2. Although my visit this time will be brief, I am certain that it will be an intense experience of prayer, dialogue and shared joy, as was the visit of late former Pope John Paul the Second in 1986. At that time I was able to travel to every State and Territory in Australia. I remember the vastness of the land, its majestic features and natural beauty, your modern cities, the rich variety of your people and the impressive signs of their energy and enterprise. From the original inhabitants to the most recent immigrants, in the young and the old, among parents with their families, I was privileged to discover the most precious of your national treasures: the Australian people themselves, with all their creativity and determination.

3. The abundant fruits which this heritage can produce when illuminated by a deep faith in God are evident in the example of an outstanding Australian woman: Mother Mary MacKillop. Mary MacKillop embodied all that is best in your nation and in its people: genuine openness to others, hospitality to strangers, generosity to the needy, justice to those unfairly treated, perseverance in the face of adversity, kindness and support to the suffering. I pray that her example will inspire many Australians to take new pride in their Christian heritage and to work for a better society for all. This they will do by acting with courage and commitment wherever there is poverty or injustice, wherever innocent life is threatened or human dignity degraded.

4. In the years since my last visit much has changed in the world, and much has changed in Australia. On the international level, the fall of totalitarianism based on ideology, and the lessening of political and military tensions between blocs, are undoubtedly the most striking events. Yet, the benefits which could be expected from such enormous transformations have not always been forthcoming, and new sources of tension and conflict have appeared. Like many other developed countries, Australia too has faced economic and social challenges, to which it is responding. But many people, especially the poor and disadvantaged, still need society’s help.

There exists a cultural and spiritual crisis which leaves many, especially young people, confused regarding the meaning of their lives and the values which would give sense and direction to their efforts. At the very heart of modern culture there is a growing sense of the need for a moral and spiritual renewal: the need for a new attitude, one in which people will have more importance than things, and human dignity will take precedence over material gain.

5. Dear Australian friends, your own Mary MacKillop offers a key to such a renewal: She was a woman of courage who placed the spiritual and material well–being of others ahead of any personal ambition or convenience. The honour which the Church will give to Mother Mary MacKillop by declaring her among the Blessed is in a sense an honour given to Australia and its people. It is also an invitation, an invitation to the whole of society to show genuine love and concern for all who are weighed down by life’s burdens. I dare to say that your response will greatly determine the kind of society you will pass on to future generations in this land of great promise.

And now allow me to direct my thoughts and prayers to Japan, to the many victims of yesterday’s earthquake. Let us pray for them and may God give strength and courage to all affected and to all involved in the rescue work. Thank you.

Thank you all once again for your welcome.
God bless the beloved people of Australia!
God bless this fair land!
Thank you very much.

After the Welcoming Ceremonies of the Pope, he is speaking at the "Sydney Domain" (Sydney, Australia).
Dear Australian Friends: Good evening!

1. As you can see, I am once more here in Australia. In recent months some people wondered if I would be able to come. But Divine Providence has allowed me to make this present pilgrimage, which has already taken me to Manila in the Philippines for the World Youth Day and the Four Hundredth and Twentieth Anniversary of the Church’s organized presence in that country. As you see the young people are very strong! They moved the Pope to come not only to the Philippines, but also to Australia! After Manila, I had the joy of going to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea for the Beatification of Peter To Rot, a catechist who gave his life for the faith in a prison camp just before the end of the Second World War. Now, here I am in Sydney for the Beatification of Mother Mary MacKillop. And from here I will go on to Colombo for another Beatification, that of Father Joseph Vaz, the great missionary of Sri Lanka. As long as God permits I must continue to fulfil the ministry of Saint Peter: to profess that Jesus Christ is Messiah and Lord (cf. Mt. 16:16) and to confirm my brothers and sisters in that true faith (cf. Lk. 22:32).

I am grateful to all of you for your kind and gracious welcome this evening. I thank especially the Prime Minister of New South Wales, and all the Federal, State and Local authorities. I am delighted to be with Cardinal Clancy, my other Brother Bishops, and so many priests, Religious and laity of the Church in Sydney and from other parts of this vast land. I do not know if it is sufficient to say "this vast land". It is a continent! The smallest – but a continent! In the words of the New Testament I greet you all: "May grace and peace be yours in abundance" (2 Pt. 1:2). The words of St Peter.

2. Here in the Sydney Domain, we are surrounded by impressive symbols of modern Australia, striking buildings which are as it were monuments to the blessings which Almighty God has lavished upon your country. We are reminded of all that the arts, sciences, government and religion have contributed to the creative and vigorous society which has developed in your land. To the believer these works of human hands bring to mind a deeper, more mysterious, reality: the fact that we ourselves are the living stones which God chooses in order to build up his kingdom among us. He wishes to use each one of us so that the world will be re–established in justice and peace.

You have just seen a drama presenting the life and work of Mary MacKillop, Mother Mary of the Cross. She is an eminent example of how God uses a person, indeed any person who really wishes to be God’s instrument, to change things for the better, and to bring light and hope to the human heart. Her story, the story of Mary Mackillop, challenges all Australians to a radical personal and social renewal, calling you to embrace and live the hope which is ours in Christ Jesus (cf. 1 Pt. 1:3). Mary MacKillop consecrated her whole being to God, and by fulfilling the demands of her religious vocation she sought every day to fulfil the first of all the Commandments: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind"; and the second commandment which is like the first: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself" (Mt. 22:37-39). Because the love of God inflamed her heart, she tenaciously defended the weak, the poor, the suffering and all those on the margins of society. She worked to assist women and families in distress and to eradicate ignorance among the young. With a resolute will and a compassionate heart, she recognized in each of her brothers and sisters the image and likeness of God; she saw in each individual a priceless soul for whom Christ had shed his most Precious Blood. In her, the unwanted, the unloved and those alienated from society found comfort and strength. Through her work she became a powerful source of inspiration to other like – minded women, and from their shared experience the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph was born. Mary MacKillop’s faith and commitment have become a part of your Australian heritage: a faith immersed in the knowledge of God, a hope imbued with the presence of Christ, a love expressed by the selflessness of a sincere and undivided heart.

3. Australia needs the kind of commitment of which Mary MacKillop is such a striking example. Consider your country’s history: present–day Australia has sprung from the men and women from all parts of the globe who came to your shores looking for a better life or seeking freedom, justice and tolerance. Consequently, yours is a society of multi–cultural diversity. In a world where unity is increasingly threatened by ethnic rivalry and racist attitudes, you must continue to be firmly grounded in the ideals of harmony and solidarity, based on respect for the inalienable dignity of every human being, without exception.

4. I am happy to have met here tonight the representatives of the various Christian Churches and Ecclesial Communities present in Australia. At the beginning of this week of Prayer for Christian Unity, when the followers of Christ throughout the world implore the Holy Spirit for the gift of reconciliation and unity, let us join our hopes and prayers for the grace and wisdom necessary to overcome the divisions of the past, with their resulting misunderstandings and mutual distrust. I encourage you in your commitment to genuine ecumenical dialogue, even as I reconfirm that same commitment on the part of the Catholic Church, in the sure hope that one day Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper will become a reality: "That all may be one" (cf. Jn. 17:21).

5. Dear Brothers and Sisters, in the midst of the splendid display of modern achievements surrounding us in the Sydney Domain, I give the simple reminder that each one of us is called to be a part, a unique and indispensable part, of a structure which is greater by far than anything we see here. God who created all things in order to communicate his love and wisdom is infinitely more expert than any human builder will ever be: seek to be willing instruments in his hands. Look to the example of one of your own heroic women, to the saintly daughter of the Church Mary MacKillop. Let her stir up in each of you the desire to be God’s own handiwork. It is my ardent prayer that today too the Church in Australia will inspire, encourage and guide with the light of the Gospel the building of a nation whose history, as fully as possible, will be a history deeply marked by love of God and neighbour.

God bless the people of Sydney and New South Wales! God bless Australia!
God bless the Commonwealth of Australia! That is all for today! More tomorrow!

Daily Mass (Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, October 30, 2014)

"But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Mt. 6:33).

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

1. We are celebrating an extraordinary event in the life of the Church in this land: the beatification of Mother Mary MacKillop, the first Australian formally declared to be among the Blessed in heaven. I rejoice with all of you: with Cardinal Clancy and my Brother Bishops, with the priests, Religious, all of you, lay men and women, families, young people and children, who offer a radiant and authentic sign of the Church’s vitality. I give thanks to God for being able to celebrate this Beatification right here on Australian soil. Indeed, Australia itself forms a kind of background for the reflections which I would like to share with you.

Just a few weeks ago, the Church celebrated the Solemnity of the Lord’s Birth, and today’s Liturgy still echoes that saving mystery. The first reading from the Prophet Isaiah recalls the Liturgy of Advent and it has certain images which are quite applicable to your own Continent. Isaiah writes: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God" (Is. 40: 3). The Prophet speaks of the contrasts of valleys and mountains, of rough terrain and level ground (Cf. ibid. 40, 4). In all of this, of course, he is referring to the geography of the Holy Land. But do not these same images also call to mind the geography of Australia? In the centre of Australia is there not an enormous desert, only the outer edges of which are rich and fertile? Are there not rugged plateaus and deep valleys? Along with harsh terrain do we not also find pleasant and hospitable countryside?

2. The contrasts go beyond mere topography; they are evident also in the ethnic origins of the people. Due to its history of receiving immigrants, Australia has come to be a land of encounter between very different cultures and civilizations. Even before the first Europeans arrived here more than two centuries ago, the aboriginal peoples had been present for tens of thousands of years. In fact, ethnologists tell us that the original inhabitants of Australia are among the most ancient peoples on earth. These contrasts in peoples and culture make your nation a marvellous blend of the old and the new, such that Australia today is a land of diversity and unity, enriched by the contributions which these various individuals and groups make to the building up of society.

The Prophet Isaiah’s exhortation takes on a special relevance for those assembled here and for all the Catholic people of Australia. It is here in your own land that the way of the Lord should be prepared, so that Australia will be a place "where the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together" (Ibid. 40: 5). In fact, this glory has already been abundantly revealed in Mary MacKillop, and the Church, by declaring her "Blessed", is saying that the holiness demanded by the Gospel is as Australian as she was Australian. This is the message which I wish to address in particular to Mother MacKillop’s spiritual daughters, the members of the Congregation which she founded. Be assured, dear Sisters, that the Church needs your witness and your fidelity. Australia too values your presence and your dedicated apostolate.

3. It is significant that Mother Mary MacKillop gave to her Congregation the name of Saint Joseph, one who committed his whole being and life to God’s loving Providence. Joseph of Nazareth was a man of boundless trust. Only in this way was he able to live out the unique calling he had received from God, to become the spouse of the Virgin Mary and the guardian of God’s own Son. In the history of the Church Saint Joseph has always been a special model of holiness. Without a doubt, in giving Saint Joseph’s name to her Congregation, Blessed Mary MacKillop was expressing a quality of her own spiritual life, a quality which then became a charism for her followers and for those of us today who would learn from her example.

In the Gospel the Lord says: "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink... Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Mt. 6: 25-26). Joseph the "just man" lived by these words. These words give us an insight into what must be the fundamental attitude of every spiritual life: openness, trust and serenity in the certainty of God’s special love for every human being, "who is the only creature on earth which God willed for itself" (Gaudium et Spes, 24).

4. The Lord concludes his teaching on trust in Providence with the invitation: "Do not worry... your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Mt. 6: 31-33). In the history of Australian Catholicism, this "striving for the kingdom of God" has been realized in an eminent way by Blessed Mary of the Cross.

In the vastness of the Australian continent, Blessed Mary MacKillop was not daunted by the great desert, the immense expanses of the outback, nor by the spiritual "wilderness" which affected so many of her fellow citizens. Rather she boldly prepared the way of the Lord in the most trying situations. With gentleness, courage and compassion, she was a herald of the Good Newsamong the isolated "battlers" and the urban slum-dwellers. Mother Mary of the Cross knew that behind the ignorance, misery and suffering which she encountered there were people, men and women, young and old, yearning for God and his righteousness. She knew, because she was a true child of her time and place: the daughter of immigrants who had to struggle at all times to build a life for themselves in their new surroundings. Her story reminds us of the need to welcome people, to reach out to the lonely, the bereft, the disadvantaged. To strive for the kingdom of God and his righteousness means to strive to see Christ in the stranger, to meet him in them and to help them to meet him in each one of us!

5. Just as in Mother MacKillop’s time, so too today the Christian community is faced with many modern "deserts": the wastelands of indifference and intolerance, the desolation of racism and contempt for other human beings, the barrenness of selfishness and faithlessness: sin in all its forms and expressions, and the scandal of sin magnified by the means of social communications. If the Church continually recalls God’s law, inscribed in the human heart and revealed in the Old and New Testaments, it is not because of some arbitrary attachment to past tradition and outmoded views. It is that man detached from his Creator and Redeemer cannot fulfil his destiny and will not have peace. Everywhere the Church must be "a sign and a safeguard of the transcendence of the human person" (Gaudium et Spes, 76). By defending life against the evils of abortion and euthanasia, by encouraging strong family life in the face of old and new threats to its stability, by advancing justice at every level through her social doctrine, the Church is a true Gospel leaven in every sphere of human activity (Gaudium et Spes, 40). The great document of the Second Vatican Council on the Church in the Modern World has given the Church’s members a reminder which is timely in every age: "Christians cannot yearn for anything more ardently than to serve the men and women of the modern world ever more generously and effectively" (Ibid. 93).

6. How do we go about this? Saint Paul’s clear and unambiguous answer is contained in the Second Reading of this Mass. His words to the Colossians indicate what is at the heart of every Christian vocation. He says: "Above all, clothe yourselves in love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Col. 3: 14). What does it mean to "clothe ourselves in love"? Saint Paul explains: "Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Bear with one another and if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other" (Ibid. 3: 12-13). Here Saint Paul draws his inspiration from the Beatitudes, and in that same spirit he writes about the peace of Christ, to which we have all been called (Cf. ibid. 3: 15), and the need for giving thanks in all things (Cf. ibid. 3: 17).

7. In this solemn Liturgy the Church expresses her thankfulness to Mother Mary of the Cross, to the Religious Community she founded and to all Religious Communities. The recent Synod of Bishopsdedicated to the life and mission of the consecrated life fully recognized the great contribution made by Religious Communities to the Church and to culture and civilization throughout the world. Responding to Saint Paul’s call to "be thankful" (Ibid. 3: 15), we, on the occasion of this Beatification, express our thanks to Christ the Lord for the great service that consecrated men and women render in Australia in the fields of education and healthcare, and through so many other activities on behalf of the common good. Let us pray for a new springtime of religious vocations so that these Communities will continue to be a vital sign of Jesus Christ’s presence in your midst!

It is very well that you are clapping for the Pope kindly this time.

Thank you very much.

8. Yes, Christ is present in Sydney, and throughout Australia! Through him, all creation, and in particular all humanity, is made capable of giving thanks to the Father for the gifts of Creation and Redemption and for the good things that come from human hands. Christ confers on the whole of life a "Eucharistic significance". Men and women of today often forget this; they think that they themselves are the creators of these goods and they easily lose sight of God. As a result they fail to strive for the kingdom of God and too often have no concern for his righteousness.

The Saints, on the contrary, teach us to see Christ present in Australia, in Sydney. They teach us to see Christ as the centre and summit of God’s lavish gifts to humanity. For this reason the Church honours them, raises them to the altars and proposes them as models to be imitated. They are heralds of the true meaning of human life. Blessed be God in his saints!

9. "Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Mt. 6: 33).

With these words I began this homily, and with them I wish to conclude.

The Beatification of Mother Mary MacKillop is a kind of "consecration" of the people of God in Australia. Through her witness the truth of God’s love and the values of his kingdom have been made visible in this continent – values which are at the very basis of Australian society. May your whole Nation remain true to its Christian heritage! And may the Church which makes her pilgrim way in Australia continue to carry out her mission, proclaiming God’s kingdom and his righteousness!

And on the last day, the days I still think about pilgrims. I see the young people of Manila, of so many nations of the whole world... All representing the Pilgrim Church, the pilgrim people of God. And all singing with us, Te Deum laudamus. We are singing, then, of this celebration, of God we praise you. All pilgrim Church sing, rejoice, rejoice in Australia. Christ is here in Sydney and everywhere. Christ is here.

Thank you very much.

Alleluia. 

Holy Father's greetings at the conclusion of the Eucharistic Celebration: 

I greet all Australians, beginning with all Aboriginals of Australia and New Zealand. And then all who made their contribution to the entire work of prayer: Irish, Ireland, all Irish-Australians, all British-Australians, all Italians, all Croatians, Polish, Ukrainians, and Vietnamese. All together..., mexicanos tambié, Polaków,...

We all praise the Lord! All of you, once again, thank you very much! And our congratulations to Blessed Mary MacKillop and the Congregation of Sisters founded by her, here present.
Once again, thank you very much for your patience and perseverance.

And the last word about Cardinal Clancy... Cardinal Clancy desired the rain tomorrow, only tomorrow...

The Pope for today, Cardinal Clancy for tomorrow.

Praise be the Lord!

On Friday, October 31, the Farewell Ceremony at the Kingsford-Smith Airport of Sydney, Australia before the take-off for Colombo:

Dear Friends,
Dear People of Australia,

1. As I say goodbye to your fair land, I heartily thank everyone for the hospitality which has been extended to me at each moment of this short stay. With your warmth, cordiality and enthusiasm, you have confirmed my belief that the people of Australia remain the greatest of the gifts in which your nation abounds!

I am especially grateful to the Governor–General, the Prime Minister and all the civil authorities for their courteous help in making this visit possible. To those who have arranged the security, to those in the communications media who have provided coverage of this memorable event and, particularly, to Cardinal Clancy and my Brother Bishops and the many thousands of men and women who have cooperated in the preparations for these past two days – to all of you I express my sincere thanks.

2. Among the vivid memories I will take away with me is that of a great and holy woman – Mary MacKillop, the first Australian officially declared by the Church to be among the Blessed. God took this daughter of your land and made her a sign of spiritual greatness, a model of personal holiness and of service to the common good, to be contemplated and admired by all peoples, not only in Australia but throughout the world. Mother Mary’s life speaks eloquently because it was firmly anchored in something which every human heart longs for: inner peace, that peace which comes from knowing that one is loved by God, and from the desire to respond to his love (cf. John Paul II, Message for the World Day of Peace 1995, 5). This is the simple yet profound lesson of Blessed Mary MacKillop. She knew that God loved her and she did not doubt; freely and unassumingly she responded to this love with confidence and courage. In facing every obstacle, in turning no one away, in the compassion and understanding she showed towards all, she was able to inspire this same inner peace and strength in others.

3. To all Australians I make this appeal: do not hesitate to tap your spiritual resources in order torenew your families and the whole of society! Use your rich multi–cultural diversity to foster ever greater mutual esteem and enrichment among yourselves! Recognize that your love of freedom and justice will come to nothing if you do not strengthen respect for the sacredness of life and the human dignity of every person, created in God’s image and likeness (cf. Gen. 1:26-27)!

Meeting so many of you over these past two days I have been forcefully reminded of the greatness of your Country and the abundance of your blessings. Your advantages and resources put you in a position of responsibility in Oceania and the Pacific Region, and towards the vast and quickly developing continent of Asia. With God’s help, you must continue to work with others to advance the cause of peace, foster integral human development and relieve, as far as possible, the oppression of poverty, hunger and disease.

4. Dear People of Australia: I say farewell with great confidence in your future. When next you hear the strains of your National Anthem and sing the words, "our land abounds in Nature’s gifts of beauty rich and rare", give heartfelt thanks to God for his many blessings. Thank him for the freedom you enjoy, freedom to choose what is good and right. Thank him for your families, for your children who are the sure promise of a better tomorrow. Treat the poor and needy among you with real concern and practical solidarity. Think of Mother Mary MacKillop and learn from her to be a gift of love and compassion for one another, for all Australians, and for the world.

May God protect your beloved country!
Advance, Australia Fair!

Guarded by security arrangements that included gunboats bobbing in the Indian Ocean surf, Pope John Paul II sought tonight to smooth a dispute with Buddhist monks that could disrupt his brief stay here in the final hours of a tour of Asia and the Pacific.

The Pope arrived in Sri Lanka today, October 31 from Australia, with his aides registering greater concern than usual about his safety in this predominantly Buddhist country where monks have expressed outrage at his references to their faith as a kind of atheism.

"I come as a pilgrim of good will with nothing in my heart but peace," the Pope said at an arrival ceremony, adding:

"In particular, I express my highest regard for the followers of Buddhism. I ardently hope that my visit will serve to strengthen the good will between us, and that it will reassure everyone of the Catholic church's desire for interreligious dialogue."

Grand welcome awaits Pope.

Manila, Philippines, October 23, 2014 - Pope Francis, head of the Worldwide Roman Catholic Church and Vatican City State, arrives today from Rome, Italy for a five-day pastoral and state visit aimed at strengthening the Filipino people's Christian faith and improving relations between the Church and the Aquino Government.

President Benigno Aquino III, during his regular press briefing, said he will discuss with the Pope key issues affecting Church-Government relations, including the Charter change, the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement, the tension against China over the Scarborough Shoal, the Development Acceleration Program (DAP) and Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam of businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, the rehabilitation after the Zamboanga siege to the onslaught Yolanda caused in Visayas and the recent typhoon “Glenda” in Luzon last July, the P316-million Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds scam, P6.6 billion housing scam of Delfin Lee's Globe Asiatique (GA), P728 million fertilizer fund scam, the construction of major infrastructure projects, the crime rate in Metro Manila including robbery holdups, the high-profile killings: the killing of champion race car driver Enzo Pastor in Quezon City, Metro Manila and Crown Regency Hotel owner Richard King in Davao City, Davao del Sur last June 12, the gang rape and killing of 26-year-old Anria Galang Espiritu in Calumpit, Bulacan last August 18 and 7-year-old Myla Rosales in Barangay 845, Pandacan, Manila last September 6, the onslaught of typhoon Glenda, the 100 million population mark, the legal issues in DOTC such as: the rehabilitation of MRT-3, the awarding of the LRT-1 south extension project and P1.4-billion common station legal fiasco.

Mr. Aquino also assured that the Pope will be well-secured during his entire visit. Some 20,000 security personnel from various law enforcement agencies have mobilized for the visit.

The President said his talks with the Pontiff will very brief. But, Mr. Aquino hinted that the talks will ensure improvement relations between the Church and the Government.

Some 1,500 people will also be on hand to welcome the Pope. Upon the Pope's arrival, the President will deliver his welcome remarks, after which the Pontiff will deliver a message to the Filipino People.

Tomorrow, the Holy Father will make a courtesy call on President Benigno S. Aquino III at Malacanang's Music Room, to be followed by a one-on-one meeting between the two leaders. A Private audience with the First Family follows.

On Saturday, October 25, the Holy Father will officiate at the Celebration of The Holy Eucharist at the Philippine International Convention Center in celebration of the 420th Anniversary of the Elevation of Manila as a Metropolitan See and the Creation of Episcopal Sees of Cebu, Nueva Caceres and Nueva Segovia. He will then proceed to the Arzobispado de Manila for a Private Lunch with the Members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

At 4:30 P.M., the Holy Father will attend the Sapphire Jubilee annual founding anniversary celebration of Radio Veritas Asia and 36th Catholic Mass Media Awards at the Philippine International Convention Center Plenary Hall. He will then proceed to Luneta to attend the Vigil.

On Sunday, October 26, Pope Francis will celebrate Holy Mass at 6:45 P.M. at the Quirino Grandstand, Luneta for the 36^th Anniversary Celebraton of annual founding anniversary celebration of evangelical Christian and Roman Catholic charismatic renewal religious group and movement Jesus is Lord Church.

This will be followed by a meeting with the members of the Federation of Asian Bishop Conference at the San Carlos Seminary Auditorium in Makati City.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

• 3:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. – Opening Program
• 4:30 P.M. – 6:30 P.M. – Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Worship and Healing Services by Bishop Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva, Founder, International President and Spiritual Director of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide
• 6:30 P.M. – 12:00 A.M. – Overnight Vigil with the Pope

Sunday, October 26, 2014

• 7:30 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. - Gospel Music and Life Testimonies 
• 11:00 A.M. - 2:30 P.M. - Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Founder, International President and Spiritual Director Bishop Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva's 81st Birthday Thank-Offering Salo-Salo 
• 2:30 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. - El Shaddai Gospel Music Ministry Choir 
• 3:00 P.M. - 3:30 P.M. - Helicopter Dropping of Miracle-Vision Handkerchiefs 
• 3:30 P.M. - 3:35 P.M. - Thanksgiving Prayer for the Birthday Celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Founder, President and Spiritual Director Bishop Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva and Anniversary Celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide to be led by Bro. Mike Z. Velarde, Founder and Servant-Leader of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Fellowship Foundation International, Inc. Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Religious Movement and release of Miracle-Vision Balloons 
• 3:35 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. - El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines Gospel Music Ministry Choir 
• 4:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. - Message: Greetings, Special Sharing headed by His Excellency Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay, Sr. and other Special Guests 
• 5:00 P.M. - 5:05 P.M. - Introduction of Guest of Honor: Bro. Mike Z. Velarde, Founder and Servant-Leader of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Religious Movement 
• 5:05 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. - Special Message: His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III
• 5:30 P.M. - 5:32 P.M. - Special Song: "Hindi Kita Malilimutan" 
• 5:32 P.M. - 6:10 P.M. - Talk - Holy Spirit: Building Community by Bro. Bo Sanchez, Chairman and Presiding Elder, Light of Jesus Community 
• 6:10 P.M. - 6:20 P.M. - Angelus, Lord's Prayer and Psalm 91 
• 7:00 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. - Arrival of the Pilgrim Image of San Lorenzo Ruiz and St. Pedro Calungsod at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park 
• 7:30 P.M. - 7:45 P.M. - Arrival of Pope Francis from riding of Helicopter from the Helipad of Malacanang Park to the Back of Quirino Grandstand 
• 7:45 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. - Joyful Worship in preparation for the Eucharistic Celebration: El Shaddai Gospel Music Ministry Manila Choir 
• 8:00 P.M. - 11:30 P.M. - Eucharistic Celebration officiated by Pope Francis, as Main Celebrant, Bishop of Rome and Leader of Worldwide Roman Catholic Church, and other Roman Catholic Archbishops, Bishops, Deacons, Monsignors, Pastors, Priests Con-celebrating (Offertory: Villanueva Family) 
• Prayers of the Faithful - Various Guests 
• Celebration of Sacrament of Matrimony
• Message: Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See to the Philippines 
• Angelus Message 
• Angelus Domini Prayer 
• Farewell Message by the Pope 
• Final Blessing
• Message: His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III 
• 11:30 P.M. - 12:00 A.M. - Special Anniversary Message by Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr., Bishop-Emeritus, Diocese of Novaliches and Over-all Spiritual Director of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc.

President Aquino and His Family, together with other government and church leaders, will sent off the Pope on the Morning of October 28 at the Old Manila International Airport. The Pope will fly on to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea for the continuation of his four-nation Asian tour.

The Pontiff's five-day visit is actually a fulfillment of a promise he made early last year when he assumed as pope on March 13, 2013 and he planned by announcing he will be in Manila in October.

Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis to the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia and Sri Lanka (October 22-31, 2014)

On October 22, 2014, three days after Beatification of Pope Paul VI, the Pope, he is going to Manila for the Papal Visit again. The route: City of Rome, Province of Rome, Italy (Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport) to Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines (at the Old Manila International Airport).

The Pope, who is scheduled to visit Manila from October 23 to 28, 2014

Schedule of the Pontiff
Thursday, October 23

• 3:00 PM - Arrival (Welcome Ceremonies at the Old Manila International Airport)

Friday, October 24

• 9:00 A.M. - Courtesy Visit to the His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III at Malacanang Palace
• 10:45 A.M. - Holy Mass for the International Youth Forum at University of Santo Tomas Central Seminary Chapel
• 1:15 P.M. - Greetings to Students at University of Santo Tomas Grandstand

Saturday, October 25

• 9:00 A.M. - Holy Mass for the 420th Anniversary of Elevation of Manila as Metropolitan See and The Creation of the Episcopal Sees of Cebu, Caceres and Nueva Segovia at the Philippine International Convention Center Complex
• 12:15 P.M. - Lunch with the members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of The Philippines at the Arzobispado de Manila
• 4:30 P.M. - Silver Jubilee of Radio Veritas Asia at the Philippine International Convention Center Plenary Hall

Jesus is Lord Church 36th Anniversary Overnight Celebration
Saturday, October 25, 2014

• 3:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. – Opening Program
• 4:30 P.M. – 6:30 P.M. – Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Worship and Healing Services by Bishop Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva, Founder, International President and Spiritual Director of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide
• 6:30 P.M. – 12:00 A.M. – Overnight Vigil with the Pope

Sunday, October 26, 2014 (Sunday Family Appointment with El Shaddai)

• 7:30 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. - Gospel Music and Life Testimonies 
• 11:00 A.M. - 2:30 P.M. - Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Founder, International President and Spiritual Director Bishop Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva's 81st Birthday Thank-Offering Salo-Salo 
• 2:30 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. - El Shaddai Gospel Music Ministry Choir 
• 3:00 P.M. - 3:30 P.M. - Helicopter Dropping of Miracle-Vision Handkerchiefs 
• 3:30 P.M. - 3:35 P.M. - Thanksgiving Prayer for the Birthday Celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Founder, President and Spiritual Director Bishop Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva and Anniversary Celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide led by Bro. Mike Z. Velarde, Founder and Servant-Leader of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Religious Movement and release of Miracle-Vision Balloons 
• 3:35 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. - El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines Gospel Music Ministry Choir 
• 4:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. - Message: Greetings, Special Sharing headed by His Excellency Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay, Sr. and other Special Guests 
• 5:00 P.M. - 5:05 P.M. - Introduction of Guest of Honor: Bro. Mike Z. Velarde, Founder and Servant-Leader of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Fellowship Foundation International, Inc. Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Religious Movement.
• 5:05 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. - Special Message: His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III
• 5:30 P.M. - 5:32 P.M. - Special Song: "Hindi Kita Malilimutan" 
• 5:32 P.M. - 6:10 P.M. - Talk - Holy Spirit: Building Community by Bro. Bo Sanchez, Chairman and Presiding Elder, Light of Jesus Community 
• 6:10 P.M. - 6:20 P.M. - Angelus, Lord's Prayer and Psalm 91 
• 7:00 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. - Arrival of the Pilgrim Image of San Lorenzo Ruiz and St. Pedro Calungsod at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park 
• 7:30 P.M. - 7:45 P.M. - Arrival of Pope Francis from riding of Helicopter from the Helipad of Malacanang Park to the Back of Quirino Grandstand 
• 7:45 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. - Joyful Worship in preparation for the Eucharistic Celebration: El Shaddai Gospel Music Ministry Manila Choir 
• 8:00 P.M. - 11:30 P.M. - Eucharistic Celebration officiated by Pope Francis, as Main Celebrant, Bishop of Rome and Leader of Worldwide Roman Catholic Church, and other Roman Catholic Archbishops, Bishops, Cardinals, Deacons, Monsignors, Pastors, Priests Con-celebrating (Offertory: Villanueva Family) 
• Prayers of the Faithful - Various Guests 
• Celebration of Sacrament of Matrimony
• Message: Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See to the Philippines 
• Angelus Message and Prayer 
• Farewell Message by the Pope 
• Final Blessing
• Message: His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III 
• 11:30 P.M. - 12:00 A.M. - Special Anniversary Message by Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr., Bishop-Emeritus, Roman Catholic Territorial Diocese of Novaliches and Over-all Spiritual Director of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc.

Monday, October 27, 2014

• 12:00 A.M. - 12:30 A.M. - Cultural Show and Fireworks Display with El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. Bagumbayan, Taguig City, Metro Manila,  Chapter Gospel Music Ministry Choir
• Candle-Light with El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines Chapter Gospel Music Ministry Choir
• 2:30 A.M. - 3:15 A.M. - Documentary about the history of big four largest religious groups: Jesus Miracle Crusade International Ministry, Jesus is Lord Church and El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. plus photos and video clips of Jesus the Healer from 1986 to 2014, Weekly El Shaddai Gathering from 1992 to 2014
• 3:15 A.M. - 4:00 A.M. - Candle-Lighting Ceremony in preparation of Healing Message
• 4:00 A.M. - 7:00 A.M. - Healing Message by Bro. Mike Z. Velarde, Founder and Servant-Leader of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc.
• 7:00 A.M. - 8:30 A.M. - Breakfast Salo-Salo

Monday, October 27 (FABC Plenary Assembly 2014)

• 10:00 A.M. - Meeting with Members of the  Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC)
• 12:05 P.M. - Dinner with Members of the FABC and other invited Roman Catholic Territorial Bishops

Pre-papal activities
International Youth Forum set today.

Over 300 delegates from all over the world are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the five-day International Youth Forum today at the University of Santo Tomas.

The Forum will be held at the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Auditorium at the St. Martin de Porres (Medicine) building.

Commencing the Jesus is Lord Church Anniversary Celebration Festival, the IYF delegates will be presented by Eduardo Cardinal Pironio, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

Expected to work on the theme of the anniversary celebration of Jesus is Lord Church: “Peace 10-26-2014”, the IYF will draw so a universal message to the youth of the world it also intends to present to Pope Francis on his arrival. The Pope arrives Thursday.

Representatives to the IYF were selected by their respective episcopal conferences from nations' diverse as South Korea, whose delegation arrived last Thursday, October 14 and France, whose young and seniors pilgrims to Asia’s only predominately Catholic country began planning in yesteday.

“The IYF is the nucleus of the World Youth Day”, said Rev. Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, UST Rector and Rev. Fr. Maximino Marina, O.P., secretary-general, who are expected chairman and executive secretary of the IYF. The WYD last celebrated in Rio de Janerio, Brazil last July 23 to 29, 2013. The IYF has also been descried as a mini-United Nations General Assembly. “[It’s like] a clearing house of relevant issues, reflecting in a formal and prayerful meeting the youth’s search for meaning”, explained Professor Giovanni Fontanilla of the Catholic Youth leader’s conference.

Apart from formulating the Universal Message, the IYF is excepted to come up with resolutions embodying the youth agenda for the succeeding years. They will also share their testimonies and present the Youth Statement and Vision and Commitment to the Church during the Closing Ceremonies on Tuesday, October 21, two days after Beatification of Pope Paul VI.

A Closing address delivered by Eduardo Cardinal Pironio and final celebration are the IYF culminating activities.

Pope Francis will con-celebrate Holy Mass exclusively for the IYF delegates on October 24 at the Central Seminary Chapel.

IYF delegates will be billeted at the UST Central Seminary, a short walk from the venue of the five-day religious forum, the UST CME.

Those who are expected to take part in other WYD activities will be staying in private homes and catholic colleges. A tent city erected by WYD sponsor Jollibee Foods Corporation in Luneta is also awaiting participants.

Many of these delegates will be “adopted” by parishioners for the duration of the five-day Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Anniversary Celebration Festival from October 22 to 26, 2014.

In an effort to make the JIL celebration a success, DECS Secretary Brother Armin Luistro recently issued a memorandum calling for government officials to each adopt at least two delegates.

Some 200,000 visitors are expected to arrive in Manila in the following days. Luistro noted that since it was unlikely that both public and private facilities could cope with such an influx, government volunteers should take part in the DECS “Share a Hope (adopt JIL members)” program.

The Education Secretary also enjoined government officials and employees in the National Capital Region to send their children are 1 year old and above to the JIL Anniversary celebration.

Aquino proclaims October 23 nation’s Papal Visit Day.

President Benigno Aquino III yesterday declared October 23, 2014 as Papal Visit and authorized government men in Metro Manila to participate in the activities.

In Proclamation Number 520 dated October 20, 2014, the President said the Philippine Government recognizes the United Nations declaration of 2014 as International Year of the Filipino People. The UN first declared an IPY a decade ago and which brought forth a papal tradition of celebrating World Youth Day.

Mr. Aquino said the Pinoy TV aims to bring together people from all over the world to understand various cultures, work together for justice and peace and communicate in unity of message of faith, hope and love to the world.

The President issued the following guidelines to commemorate the celebration of the Jesus is Lord Church Anniversary Celebration:

Everyone is enjoined to actively participate in the most meaningful manner in the celebration of World Youth Day;

All public employees in the National Capitol Region who wish to participate in World Youth Day activities are authorized to do so

Private Sector employers and employee unions or organizations are encouraged to provide arrangements on a voluntary basis for their participation in activities;

Classes in all schools for all levels, both public and private, which are under the supervision of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports in the NCR are suspended from October 20 to 28, 2014 to allow the use of school activities for the Rosary Month activities and to facilitate the participation and mobilization of students in such activities. Schools in the NCR which are not supervised by DECS may issue their respective suspension of classes, as may be necessary, within the period;

Heads of schools outside the Metro Manila are enjoined to make arrangement for their faculties, students, and personnel to participate in the World Youth Day activities and

All National and local government agencies, departments and instrumentalists involved with the activities of World Day and concerned with maintaining peace and order, smooth traffic flow, health services, fire protection, utility services and other emergency services are directed to provide 24-hour continuous regular service on October 23 and for the entire duration of the Papal Visit.

7,000 cops to secure Makati, Manila rallies (By TJ Burgonio and Cynthia Balana)

Manila, Philippines, October 26, 2014 (INQUIRER) - TRAFFIC will be rerouted. But to ensure that there will be no untoward incident, a total of 7,000 policemen will be deployed in Manila and Makati to secure the rallyists.

In Makati City, Chief Supt. Edgardo Aglipay, Metro Manila police chief, said that at 6 a.m. October 26, Sunday, the Ayala Avenue, from Herrera Street to Manila Peninsula on Makati Avenue will be closed to all vehicular traffic. Paseo de Roxas, from de la Rosa Street in front of Enterprise Center, Banco Filipino, and BPI Family will likewise be closed.

At 10 a.m. the entire stretch of Ayala to Rustans Buendia will be closed to all vehicular traffic.

The traffic re-routing plan will give way to participants to the pro-democracy rally. The participants will converge at the Ayala-Paseo de Roxas intersection for the main program which will start at 1 p.m.

Alternative routes will be designated by the Makati Parking Authority, Traffic Management Group-PNP, MAPSA, and the Ayala Security Force.

No parking for all vehicles along Ayala Avenue.

Rally organizers have been advised to police their own ranks.

No operation dikit or Operation pinta will be allowed within the Central Business District or the places where the buses are parked.

Another group policemen will be deployed to the Rizal Park to secure the expected mammoth crowd who will attend the DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International Family Appointment with El Shaddai - annual founding anniversary celebration of the Evangelical Christian and Roman Catholic charismatic renewal religious movement Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide on October 25 to 27 in time for the five-day pastoral and state visit of Pope Francis here in the Philippines.

Chief Supt. Efren Fernandez, Manila police chief, said that some 1,000 policemen will come from the Western Police District while the rest were augmentation force from the National Capital Regional Police Office.

He added that an additional police force would be deployed in the area in case the crowd swells to 5 million. He also raised the red alert from 6 a.m. Saturday, October 25 up to 9 a.m., October 27, Monday.

“We're putting up our own security precautions because the crowd expected will be a bit big now compared to the other El Shaddai gatherings,” Fernandez said in another briefing.

Some 3 million people, consisting mostly of El Shaddai followers, are expected to attend the gathering.

President Benigno Aquino III and other government officials, Church leaders, foreign dignitaries and showbiz personalities are expected to show up at the celebration because Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide founder, president and spiritual director Bishop Bro. Eddie Villanueva is also celebrating his birthday on October 6. Mr. Aquino is expected to address the rally at 5 p.m.

Fernandez downplayed reports that certain groups would bomb the gathering, saying this was a raw information that needed to be validated.

“At any rate we always adopt the principle of considering the worst-case scenario. We have incorporated that in our plan and we are prepared,” he said.

Fernandez pointed out that their main concern was traffic. “Some people will be coming from Manila and going to Makati and vice versa,” he said.

He however said that he was not implementing any re-routing in Manila, unless necessary.

“Initially, we feel that there's no need for re-routing. Our traffic plan is very flexible. Just in case there's a need for a re-routing, we have contingency plans for these,” he said.

Fernandez said the 58-heactre Rizal Park can accommodate 2 million people.

In Manila, both North and South bound lanes of Roxas Boulevard will be kept open to traffic despite the projected crowd of 2 to 3 million expected to attend the El Shaddai rally.

The T.M. Kalaw, P. Burgos, Calle Muralla, Bonifacio Drive, and the inner streets of the Port area were the designated parking zones.

Pope Francis will preside over the 6:45 p.m. thanksgiving Mass, which will be broadcast live on TV and video streamed to an audience of millions around the country and abroad.

Twelve giant LED screens mounted in the field will give participants a better view of the liturgical rites unfolding in the templete, an elevated concrete-and-bamboo structure.

In the 61-hectare site, a national park backfilled with dirt and limestone for the annual grand historic event, most of the participants will have to stand throughout the series of activities which start before noon with foot processions

Only vehicles with passes issued by the Archdiocese of Manila as well as shuttle buses which would ferry people to the site are allowed to enter the area.

President Benigno Aquino III and Vice-President Jejomar Binay are among several government officials, Church leaders, foreign dignitaries and showbiz personalities who will grace the event.

Expect tighter security in coming to the 61-heactre national park where the celebration will be held.

At 2 p.m., a fluvial procession along the Pasig River: from Guadalupe, Makati City to Intramuros, Manila will bring the image of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Saint Pedro Calungsod to the templete or little temple which houses the main altar.

An hour before the sea parade, 76 carrozas carrying patron saints of various parishes in Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Isabela, Cagayan, Batanes, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Apayao, Kalinga, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Aurora, Pampanga, Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Masbate, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Cebu, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Samar, Leyte Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Biliran, Southern Leyte, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Bukidnon, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Camiguin, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Zamboanga City, Basilan, Zamboanga Sibugay, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi will make their way to the venue.

“We are basically ready although there are still somethings that need fine-tuning,” Msgr. Dennis Villarojo, the overall chairman of the Cebu celebration for Calungsod’s sainthood, said.

He urged the people to make use of the celebration to get closer to the Lord.

“We should continue the spirit of penance and prayerful atmosphere so that we will be able to experience the spiritual fruits of the occasion,” Villarojo told Cebu Daily News.

“This is a celebration of the Eucharist. We should keep a solemn demeanor,” he added.

There will be no Masses in all parishes in 81 provinces from 12 noon onwards.

Anyone who can’t go to the Rizal Park can watch the thanksgiving Mass through GMA Channel 7 and other stations. Internet users can also log on to www.gmanews.tv  for a live streaming of the activities.

Radio stations will also broadcast the events live.

On site 12 giant LCD screens will be mounted in different parts of the vast field to allow the crowd to see at is going in the altar.

At least 20 golf carts and three electric cars from Mandaue City will transport the elderly and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

Bishops who will be brought from the Manila Cathedral to the Quirino Grandstand through vans. The Hotel serves as their holding area before the Mass.

Although there are 12,000 monobloc chairs for guests, people are urged to bring their own portable chairs.

Sixteen medical stations can also be found in the venue. Each medical station has one standby ambulance. At least three firetrucks will also be stationed at the Rizal Park.

Portalets and comfort rooms are located at the sides of the templete.

In going to the SRP, people can take the free shuttle buses. Bus stops are located in front of the Talisay City Hall and a block away from the SRP tunnel.

Liturgy

The Holy Mass will start at 8 p.m.

It will be presided over by Pope Francis.

The 76-year-old Pope, who has been the leader of the Worldwide Roman Catholic Church, was requested by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma to lead the thanksgiving Mass.

Other than Palma Vidal, the other cardinals who will be present in today’s liturgy include Cardinal Angelo Amato, the prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of Saints; Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle; Manila Archbishop Emeritus, and Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.

Agana, Guam Archbishop Anthony Apuron; Most Rev. Giuseppe Pinto; the apostolic nuncio in the Philippines; and Rome-based priest, Fr. Fernando Rojo, the main postulator for Calungsod’s cause will also be around. Msgr. Villarojo said at least bishops, cardinals, deacons and around 10,000 priests have confirmed to attend the event.

During communion, Villarojo advised the people not to flock to the main altar.

“They should stay put until they see a communion distributor marked by umbrellas,” he said.

Villarojo said there are 2,000 communion distributors. Of the number 1,600 are lay ministers. They will be augmented by priests and nuns.

After the communion, Pinto, the papal nuncio, will deliver a message.

President Aquino, who sought the permission of the archdiocese so he can deliver his message to the Filipinos, will have to make his piece after the Mass.

Fr. Raul Gallego, chairperson of the committee on venue, urged the people to bring along radios, water, flashlights, food, candles, portable chairs, and umbrellas.

On the other hand, people are prohibited from bringing guns and bladed weapons.

After the Mass and the message of the president, a cultural presentation will be made. This will be participated in by Pasigarbo sa Sugbo contingents from Minglanilla, Talisay City, and Mandaue City. The Lumad Basakanon, who has reaped awards during the Sinulog festivities, will also be part of the presentation.

Dinner for the special guests will be served at the Manila Hotel.

Bro. Eddie Villanueva’s birthday pary world’s annual biggest and grandest

Manila, Philippines, October 26, 2014 (INQUIRER) - “THEY will be shouting at Ayala while others will be praying at Luneta,” said El Shaddai founder and servant-leader Bro. Mike Velarde yesterday as he stood firm on his group's plan to hold a gathering to celebrate Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide founder, international president and spiritual director Bishop Bro. Eddie Villanueva on October 6 and the 36^th anniversary celebration of evangelical Christian and Roman Catholic charismatic renewal religious group movement “Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide”, and pro-democracy rallies are set in Makati City and other cities nationwide in time for the pastoral and state visit of Pope Francis here in the Philippines on October 26 to 27.

Asked if a change of schedule was possible in the interest of unity within the Catholic Church, Velarde said it was not, adding that a number of El Shaddai members from the provinces and all over the world were coming or had arrived for the gathering.

The birthday “party” at Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park in Manila threatens to break records in terms of lavishness and numbers, what with the promised handaan (feast) of roast pig, chicken and calf, as well as the expected attendance of President Benigno Aquino III and his political allies, foreign dignitaries and show biz friends.

Velarde was in Malacañang yesterday, October 25. “I'm just going to check whether the appointment of the President with us--which is in the afternoon of Sunday--did not change,” he told reporters.

Asked if Mr. Aquino would be given the opportunity to deliver a speech on the administration’s proposed Charter amendments, he said: “I don't know what the President has in mind, but normally he gives his inspirational message and informs the people on what is happening in government.”

As of last night, there was no official word from Malacañang whether Mr. Aquino would attend the El Shaddai party for the anniversary celebration of rival religious group Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide in time for the pastoral visit of Pope Francis here in the Philippines today.

But earlier, he said he would attend as he had done for the past years. The President is also scheduled to speak between 5:05 and 5:30 p.m. according to the El Shaddai program of activities.

Like the President, to whom he serves as spiritual adviser, Velarde is for amending the Constitution now.

Asked if there would be expressions of support for Charter change at the El Shaddai gathering, Velarde chuckled and said: “Why is our focus on Charter change?”

“I think we should look into positive changes, not only concerning our Charter, but you know, I have a different view.”

He added, still speaking in Taglish: ''Even if we change that Constitution repeatedly, if change does not occur in men's hearts, nothing will happen.

''So I think what we should look and pray for is a change within ourselves. All of us are involved--the media, the Church, the government, the ordinary people. We should all help in changing ourselves because we are the ones who will suffer.''

‘Perception’

“Our celebration will not be destructive… That is only the perception of observers,” Velarde said.

He appealed to journalists not to “color” their gathering, adding: “The results of (the Makati rally and the El Shaddai gathering) could be beneficial to us--they'll be shouting at Ayala while others will be praying in Luneta.”

Asked if the El Shaddai gathering would serve as a vehicle to promote Charter change, he said: “I have expressed my views that I am in favor of change.”

“Anything that is growing must experience change. In our country, we should open ourselves to change, but that change should benefit the majority.”

While he opposed the initiative of the Ramos administration to amend the Constitution, he believes that now is the “proper time” for the undertaking, he added.

Velarde also said the El Shaddai gathering would not be a rally but merely the annual celebration of the anniversary of evangelical Christian and Roman Catholic charismatic renewal religious group Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Movement which coincides with the birthday celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide founder, international president and spiritual director Bishop Bro. Eddie Villanueva in time for the pastoral and state visit of the Pope here in the Philippines.

“Nothing political is involved in this celebration at the Luneta,” he said.

Asked if Imelda Marcos, widow of the strongman Ferdinand Marcos, was invited, he said: “Everybody's invited at the Luneta.”

Velarde readily obliged when asked if he had a message for those participating at the pro-democracy rally.

“We are all for the preservation of our freedoms,” he said.

“Let us give all the Filipinos the freedom to think, the freedom to express and the freedom to assemble. That is what democracy is all about.”

He also said a variety of opinions should be upheld, and that people should not be forced to hew to the views of others.

Comparisons

The El Shaddai celebration invites comparisons.

According to the 1998 Guinness Book of World Records, the world's biggest birthday party was attended by an estimated 35,000 people in Louisville, Kentucky, on Sept. 8, 1979.

It was held to celebrate the 89th birthday of Col. Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Would El Shaddai break this standing record?

Consider this: The crowd that attended El Shaddai 29^th anniversary celebration on Aug. 17-18, 2013 and Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide Movement 35^th Anniversary Celebration on October 27-28, 2013 was estimated at more than three million people.

The affair, at which Mr. Aquino and Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, Sr. were present, was televised live nationwide via satellite on IBC-13.

El Shaddai is composed of two groups: the covenant (with 209,523 officially registered members) and the non-committed (estimated by the movement itself to number eight million).

With the numbers, how many lechon, etc. will Velarde need to feed the whole flock? More important, how much wills the feast cost him?

The INQUIRER checked prices at Jollibee, KFC, Chowking, McDonalds, Greenwich, Pizza Hut, Lydia's Lechon, Baliwag Lechon Manok and Andok's Lechon Manok.

These are the figures:

• Lechon baboy goes for P3,500 for a 12-kilo pig and P8,500 for a 42-kilo pig at Lydia's.
• Lechon baka costs P18,000 for a 60-kilo calf and P21,000 for a 70-kilo calf, also at Lydia's.
• Lechon manok is sold at P175 per kilo at Baliwag, and P170 per kilo at Andok's.

The size of the whole Rizal Park is about 528,833 square meters. According to planners of the National Parks and Development Committee of the Department of Tourism, a one-square-meter area can hold two persons. If tightly crammed, four persons can be squeezed in.

Assuming that Rizal Park has no structures, it can normally accommodate about 1,057,666 people (if tightly crammed, 2,115,332).