Heaven and earth
“WHOEVER or wherever you are in life, as I see you in front of me in prayer, I feel very close to you, not in any sentimental way, but as…
Category: Lifestyle Columnists
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Travelogue Dateline: Europe’s seats of royalty and cultural diversity
Well-travelled men could frankly say London and Paris are undoubtedly two greatest European cities (aside, of course, from Rome) that have influenced the world over the last 2,000 years with…
People and politics, Philippines style
Welcome to the elections, Philippine style in 2016. As a lifelong spectator in an extremely politicized country in all these years, I can say that nothing much has changed. Politics had…
A tale of four boxers
CARSON, California—Every fight promotion takes on its character and you discover that there is more to the “who did what to whom.” What makes the fight world so intriguing is…
Tender mercy
“DO I want to be fully seen by Jesus? Do I want to be known by him?” Henry Nouwen asks in his book, Discernment. These questions are intriguing because they…
An unforgettably most cherished European escapade
(Part 1 of 2) In the company of an all-nurse practitioner, I was persuaded to break out of my shell to embrace new culture, enjoy life like never before, and…
Rice, obesity, and diabetes
Is water from refilling stations safe? It all depends on the station that you choose. A recent report shows that seven out of ten (441 out of 630) refilling stations…
The consummate art of diplomacy at the Philippine Consulate
Emerging from their ink-stained asylum, LA-based media trooped to the Philippine Consulate General on Thursday, Oct. 8 for a briefing with Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose L. Cuisia Jr….
On self-absorption
ONE day I asked a friend, “Can you live an anonymous life?” He said, “Yes, I can.” A part of me did not believe him because I know that everyone…
All about foods
The clamor for a healthier lifestyle has transformed society into more conscious, more intelligent, and more discriminating consumers of food and food ingredients. Truth in food labeling is a law…
An old love story
Once upon a time, when life has been short on happily ever afters, they counted on love. But it is said that love is a spell so exquisite that everything…
Hollymont Castle’s celestial welcome for UST Medicine Class of ‘67
HOLLYWOOD – The human splendor of medicine and its myriad of varied arenas call for a clear mind, a kind heart and a dedication not only to science but also…
On bearing fruits
(For my article this week, I’m presenting a weekday homily I gave to our seminarians at St. John’s which can give you some insight on how we prepare seminarians to…
PACCAL confers Award of Distinction on 18 during its 23rd Anniversary
(Part 2) After having successfully attained the vocation they had long ambitioned aside from being on the top of their craft, there’s a great number of flourishing and accomplished men…
10 car care tips to save gas
Don’t top off. Don’t bother topping off when filling your car’s gas tank. Any additional gas is just going to slop around or seep out. Why waste your money paying…
Pope Francis on ecology
SPEAKING before the United Nations General Assembly, Pope Francis challenged the international organization to bring peace and environmental justice, placing blame on “a selfish and boundless thirst for power and…
When a man turns 70
Today, he seemed only slightly older than himself. In his heart, he doesn’t judge the pace of time, only its effect on others. He knows age does not come in…
Francis, the people’s pope
PHILADELPHIA – From the moment that his plane, Shepherd One, landed, everyone was rewarded with a perfect, early autumn day. He came to America as planned. He said “Greetings, to…
The God who speaks to us
AN elderly Mexican woman developed a deep devotion to St. Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila. She would pray before the statue of the Filipino saint every time that she visited her…
PACCAL confers Award of Distinction on 18 during its 23rd Anniversary
There are well-rounded professionals who are qualified experts, duly certified, highly skilled, and rigidly trained, but what pale them in comparison with the achievers are the achievements of the latter….
The violation of a woman
It was my first police beat assignment. We felt that we had no right to do what we were doing. The killing of a fellow human being was repulsive and…
Age GRACEfully Cookbook debuts at Four Seasons event
Like many big projects, writing a cookbook requires years of preparation, hard work and worry, culminating with that moment when you present your ‘baby’ to the world. I was excited…
The rock star fascination with Pope Francis
Philadelphia—Pope Francis sits on the most exalted throne on earth with no army or kingdom, beyond a tight fist of land in the middle of Rome that is filled with…
The Pope and his tireless efforts to enter into dialogue with all people of the earth, our ‘common home’
“To give to each his own, to cite the classic definition of justice, means that no human individual or group can consider itself absolute, permitted to bypass the dignity and…
Olivia C. David’s imperturbably affable nature
Being born to both educators, former college dean Teofilo B. Caliolio and retired school principal Leonila Castro, inevitably molded young Olivia’s mind to embrace the noblest profession and be different…
When the engine warning light is lit, get it checked immediately
OF the nearly four dozen concerns that can cause a car’s Check Engine light to illuminate, none is so small it can reasonably be ignored. There are more than 40…
How can we live longer?
Is it safe to warm breast milk in a microwave oven? No, it is not safe to warm breast milk in a microwave oven. Collected breast milk should never be…
Maestro Dexter Grey’s dexterity upon the magnificent sounding pianoforte
IT seems only last night when the Maestro gave an exhibition. Inside the Griffith Hall at the Beverly Hills Country Club, there was compelled admiration and awe from the elite…
Rosemarie Bell Mejia on what success means
THE alpha lunch, the stage setting for our first gathering at the Kapistahan, which lasted two hours, was no big deal. “This is good,” she said. I felt an instant…
Pope Francis: A courageous ambassador of faith and advocate for the poor and the weak
THIS coming Tuesday, Sept. 22, Pope Francis will start his journey to the United States of America. He will be arriving in Washington DC from Cuba at 4pm and will…