Category: Lifestyle Columnists

“… Oh, to go back to the comforts of the past, pre- pandemic, To breathe freely, sans the mask… Back to the touchy feely hum of life Never again will…

WE have another fascinating Gospel Reading (Matthew 14:-36) this Sunday. As the disciples were on a boat in the midst of fierce winds and waves, Jesus showed himself to them…

MASKS and distancing do not work While there were limited data early this year about the effectiveness of personal hygiene, frequent handwashing, and wearing a mask and social distancing when…

“But take heart. This too, shall pass. God is in heaven. All is right with the world.” THE world seems to be at a standstill these days. Blame it on…

IF Jesus were here on earth today, he would be much concerned about the thousands of people suffering from the coronavirus pandemic. And if he were here in Los Angeles,…

THE number of people infected with COVID-19 has risen to almost 17 million, with nearly 98,000 new cases in 24 hours worldwide, and about 660,000 deaths. There are almost 4.5…

A FRIEND of mine called me to say that he needed to talk. He and his aunt just had a heated conversation about the coming U.S. presidential election. “I’m confused,…

DEXAMETHASONE for COVID-19 New studies (2,100 patients in the UK) reported in the New England Journal of Medicine have shown that the steroid dexamethasone (6 mg once daily for up…

16th of a series “You can’t bring a U-Haul truck with you when you go to that wide blue yonder.” — Unknown BEFORE you begin checking off the fun, carefree…

“GOOD things can come out of bad things,” I would tell others and myself. Take, for example, the effects of this coronavirus pandemic. Undoubtedly, it is s the worst tragedy…

THE best way to answer that question convincingly for yourself is to not to sleep for one night, or more. If you are still alert and feeling well after this…

DESPITE the seemingly never-ending spread of COVID-19, summer is lovely, except when the temperature rises and heat invade us. Plants and flowers bloom, and birds keep chirping. And at times,…

AS we slowly move back to our normal lives even with the virus still very much a threat, public health experts are now more openly talking about ways of mitigating…

WHAT is stomach cancer? Stomach Cancer, medically termed Gastric Cancer, is a form of malignant tumor (mutation in cells’ DNA) that grows haywire, uncontrolled, disorganized, aggressive, killing normal cells and…

OUR image of Jesus might often be that of a nice and sweet person who does not bring troubles. That’s not how the Gospels portray him. He was not always…

COVID-19, like many diseases known to man, infectious or not, afflict each one of us according to our individual discipline and behavior. With almost 10.5 million COVID-19 cases and more…

“WHOEVER receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward.” (Matthew 10:41) Time flies fast, as we always say.  It will be a year on July…

THE massive poverty in the Philippines, compounded by frequent natural calamities, causes untold tragedy to the almost 110 million Filipinos, especially to the more than 3.5 million of them who…

COVID-19 stat update Globally (as of June 16, 2020, 16:11 GMT): 8,169,122, deaths – 440,544, new cases – 60,455, new deaths, 1,948; USA: 2,189,253, deaths – 118,122, new cases –…

OUR country has a dire and urgent need for prayers, my friends. Not only has it suffered tremendously from the coronavirus pandemic, but it’s also undergoing unrest civic and political…

ONE of the functions of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to monitor and evaluate drugs for efficacy, quality, and safety. Whenever it discovers impurities or contamination,…

I WAS happy to see two of my former students on livestream get ordained as transitional deacons last week for the Diocese of Monterey, California. But I felt sad that…