“It was almost like committing suicide for an African American to go to the courthouse in the Delta of Mississippi or the Black Belt of Alabama and declare his or her intention to register to vote. White organizers were risking their lives trying to register black Americans to vote. Segregationists saw the cameras of reporters,…
“I have witnessed with great concern the disturbing social unrest in your nation in these past days, following the tragic death of Mr. George Floyd. We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life. At the same time,…
“My wife is a woman of grace, a woman of character, a woman of strength. She is very generous in spirit and her capacity to tolerate, to accommodate, to forgive anybody knows no bounds.” – Arnaldo Agcaoili, husband of Dr. Carmencita Abarquez Agcaoili, in 2015’s Physician of the Year video tribute at Washington Hospital in…
“In the presence of a miracle, faith is never washed away,” 60 Minutes’ Scott Pelley reported from Lalibela, Ethiopia. Two hundred thousand pilgrims visit Lalibela for an 11 church-pilgrimage in the northern highlands of Ethiopia around Christmas, celebrated during the first week of January. These churches were built from a single rock, and many believe…
“Our nation is founded on the principle that we do not have kings. We have presidents. And the Constitution is our compass. When you see something that is not right, not just, not fair, you have a moral obligation to say something, to do something. Our children and their children will ask us, ‘What did…
Part I of II “Each thing becomes a window onto a whole new world, an inner world, composed of the light of Heaven within everything.” – A Course in Miracles I joined two pilgrimages this year, both of which took me to Fatima, Portugal. On Sept. 22, 2019, I got to Fatima Square, an hour…
“A Warrior of the Light knows that he has much to be grateful for. Angels help him in his struggle; celestial forces place each thing in its place, thus allowing him to give it his best. His companions say: “He’s so lucky!” And the warrior does sometimes achieve things far beyond his capabilities. That is…
“It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes. Distinctions in society will always exist under every just government. In the full enjoyment of those gifts of Heaven and the fruits of superior industry, economy, and virtue, every man is equally entitled to…
We all got lucky, blessed by God’s immense grace, the Blessed Mother’s faithful intercession, and the 14 saints we visited. Even the weather was temperate for most days, pleasant to the pilgrims and the locals. It was sunny with deep blue skies and the pillowy white clouds, that through a glance at the verdant undulating…
IF you have walked the Camino de Santiago, you will come across acres and acres of wheatfields. The wheatfields have no shade and you will see colors of yellow-brown as far as the eyes can see on the horizon. They are called mesetas or plateaus found in the high plains of central Spain. You will…
YSABEL Grace Simon opened her first solo art exhibit, “Meeting Rosie,” on Sept. 5 at the Philippine Consulate in New York. It was on exhibit from Sept. 2 to 20. ‘Umuulan ba?’ Is it raining? Rosie would ask Ysabel 10 times each day in August, the hottest month of 2019 in Los Angeles. Temperatures reached the…
“It’s all right, you made an error but you can start again. And maybe it wasn’t really a mistake but an opportunity for deep learning. I did the same thing earlier in life. It’s not easy to acquire wisdom, but it’s possible and eminently worthwhile. Just keep on in your journey.” -Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, From…
“THERE exist realities that pervade the entire universe either through the vast reaches of unimaginable light-years of space or the vast journeys of unimaginable eons of time. There exist presences that allow us an intimacy with God. Theologians and philosophers have long spoken of these values, presences, and realities. These are the “transcendentals”: the true,…
“That’s the state of how I was taught, was the whole thing of Ohana, wishes family…and that’s one thing that we don’t get enough of in the Philippines; [it is] all about family and same in Hawaii and that’s one thing I’ve always enjoyed is to be able to treat my people, of the people…
[EDITOR’S Note: A full version of this article was previously published in Balikbayan Magazine’s October-November 2011 issue] “Water is a great teacher that shows us how to move through the world with grace, ease, determination, and humility. When a river breaks at a waterfall, it gains energy and moves on, as we encounter our own waterfalls,…
[Editor’s note: This column has been republished and updated.] “WE are fortunate in our society that a means of resistance has been built into the law and the political process – the vote. The vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy. We must use our votes, our power and our…
“Every generation is responsible for creating democracy anew, a democracy that is relevant and responsive to the needs of that generation. One that expands upon and completes the previous work of the prior generation. In my view, the civil rights movement that began in the ’50s remains unfinished. Daily we hear in the news about…
“I’ve been working in this field (communities in schools) for 50 years and I’ve never seen a program turn around a life. Only relationships turn around lives. We adults in the group provide them an audience in front of which they can realize their talents. Their gift to us is a complete intolerance of social…
“It is more proper that law should govern than any one of its citizens.” – Aristotle On Feb. 21, 2019, “The Rachel Maddow Show” team uncovered a telegram sent by then-Vice President Spiro Agnew seeking Saudi Millions to fight the ‘Zionists’. Agnew had then pled guilty to tax evasion charges, paid a $10,000 fine and…
“We know that our liturgies—especially the Eucharist—are a foretaste of heaven on earth, I cannot think of a better foretaste of heaven than this.” – Bishop Alex D. Aclan, Auxiliary Bishop for the San Fernando Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles “This ordination is such a witness of our faith in God and joy…
“Throughout the history of the American presidency, from George Washington’s inauguration to the present day, the chief executive’s duties have encompassed more than politics. Our presidents are charged with responding to the hopes and aspirations of the American people, and this is a tremendous burden – one that has crushed some and elevated others. The…
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and then you will be my witnesses…” – Acts 1:8 “The Spirit calls us to share our faith with those who are near and far. It could be as simple as giving witness in our everyday lives. Or it might involve a vocation to…
“Purposeful giving is not as apt to deplete one’s resources. It belongs to that natural order of giving that seems to renew itself even in the act of depletion. The more one gives, the more one has to give – like milk in the breast. Even in our purposeful giving must have some source that…
by Ashlee Monton [Writer’s note: Once a year, an essay competition is held at CSUN, amongst Asian American Studies and Education majors, as part of an endowment set up by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz for her deceased mother, Asuncion Castro Abarquez and her deceased sister, Rosalinda Abarquez Alcantara to provide a scholarship grant to deserving students. The essays…
“Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed; if we permit the last virgin forests to be turned into comic books and plastic cigarette cases; if we drive the few remaining members of the wild species into zoos or to extinction; if we pollute…
“When you are your whole self/ intact with body, mind and soul/The divine spirit of work flows through your being/Just close your eyes and listen in deep silence/And you shall hear an inner voice/always urging you to complete your unfinished tasks/And always challenging you /to put all your heart in your work.” – Fernando A….
“My mother was very strong about my doing well in school and living up to my potential. Two things were important to her and she repeated them endlessly. One was to ‘be a lady,’ and that meant conduct yourself civilly, don’ t let emotions like anger or envy get in your way. And the other…
“THE man who is ‘fighting for his rights’ is working in the wrong way. The only way to be sure that we get our ‘rights’ in life is, to ‘plug in’ and let the divine activity of light and love express through us to do things in the right and perfect way at the right…
“By ensuring that no one in government has too much power, the Constitution helps protect ordinary Americans every day against abuse of power by those in authority.” – Chief Justice John Roberts We are all in this together — in this country, USA, and even if we pretend we are far removed from what is…
[Editor’s note: The original version of this column, published in the Asian Journal in March 2016, has been updated to reflect 2019 changes.] Pope Francis has declared a Jubilee Year of Mercy. From the Vatican’s website, “The Church is celebrating the Holy Year of Mercy, a time of grace, peace, conversion and joy. It is…
