Easter
Message
In celebration of the Feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we remember what the Lord has accomplished on Good
Friday. The cross of Jesus is a sign of our salvation—that, through Christ, God has forgiven our sins; and that we can
entrust our lives and the lives of our loved ones in God’s hand. The cross is a sign of assurance of Christ’s
promise that he will remember us in Paradise; and that death is not the end of everything. There will be a resting place for
all of us in his kingdom where there is no more pain, sorrow, and death.
He fixed the past mistakes of humanity.
If the disobedience of Adam and Eve brought humanity to sins and death, then Jesus’ obedience to God’s will paid
the price for our sins and reclaimed the blessed status of humanity in God’s creation.
Jesus gave us something
to hold on—the cross—so that we can find strength and comfort in times of troubles. He will take us from our spiritual death to a resurrection of
a new life. On the cross,
Christ expressed his unconditional love for us. His life, works, and death—it all leads to our salvation because he
loves us.
The Lord is risen! Let us give thanks and praise to God for sending His only-begotten
Son to this world. Let us treasure the freedom, and the peace, and the new life we found in him. Let us proclaim the joy of
our salvation, “Christ is risen! Allelulia, allelulia!”
-- Fr. Roberto Pamatmat
A Christmas Message
When the first Christmas took place in Bethlehem,
the shepherds in the field heard the herald angels sing about the newborn King. The coming of this child is a message of hope
to them—the hope of change that can heal this broken world. The shepherds represent the poor, the oppressed, and the
outcast in a society that promotes the values of material blessings and special privileges.
The shepherds didn’t
have nice clothes to wear or expensive gifts to offer when they visited the holy family. This is to remind us that when we
see our friends and family on this season of buying and giving, it is not the material gift that we bring or receive that
is really important. It is the essence of giving that matters most. The Spirit of Christmas is about love, hope, peace, joy,
humility, benevolence, forgiveness, and reconciliation. This season is an opportunity to share the good tidings with others
who have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas and how it really began.
Change should begin within our heart.
It can be envisioned in our mind, and then it can be put into actions by our will. We may not be able to control every circumstance
in our lives, but, with God’s help, we can change our perception and response in every situation. Since willpower is
insufficient by itself, God sent His beloved Son, the source of divine power, to make all things possible in this world.
May this season of giving inspire us to give (or give up) something that can bring change for a better world and to
fill our superficial lives with meaningful joy and lasting peace.
Merry Christmas to you all!
The Rev.
Roberto Pamatmat
A Thanksgiving Message
Thanksgiving Day is an opportunity for the
concerned Filipino citizens in diaspora, for the brokenhearted survivors of natural calamities and for the nameless heroes
of our beloved homeland to pause, rest and give thanks to God Almighty.
We have so much to be thankful for, even
as we grieve for the loss of many lives and the suffering of our people back home due to natural disasters; for the loss of
jobs and homes in this economic crisis; and for the continued struggles of migrant workers.
With tested faith,
undiminished hope and sustained love, we have experienced repeatedly that nothing can separate us from the love of God. God
loves us so much that He sent his beloved Son to this broken world to be with us, to experience our struggles, to embrace
our limitations, and to bring the message of hope and salvation.
As a eucharistic community, we nourish our faith
through prayers, fellowship, and in the breaking of the bread. We acknowledge that God is in control and that there is nothing
too big for God to handle. Life may be difficult, but it is sacred and precious. And it doesn’t end in this world, our
temporary home, for there is life abundant in God’s kingdom.
Eucharist means thanksgiving. We lift our hearts
to the Lord and offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God--our creator, savior, protector, healer, and sustainer.
We gather around the table to receive the blessings of God so that we may become a blessing to other people.
Happy
Thanksgiving to you all!
The Rev. Roberto Pamatmat
A Message of Gratitude
October 23, 2009
Dear Members and Friends:
Thank you for your support to the IFI Relief
Fund of the Parish of St. Augustine of Hippo, Philippine Independent Church. Your donation will be of great help for the continuous
efforts of the Diocese of Rizal and Pampanga in providing life-saving assistance to countless families in the areas devastated
by typhoons Ondoy and Peping.
Recently, Bishop Joselito Cruz reported that their diocesan task force has delivered
relief goods to the communities of Marikina, Taguig, Pililla and Morong in Rizal province and to Candating, Arayat in
Pampanga. Also, the task force has started preparing for medical missions to disaster areas.
Because of the imminent rice shortage in the Philippines due to the devastation
of many rice producing fields in Central Luzon, the Diocese of USA and Canada has started raising funds to buy one container
of rice to be sent to the IFI Central Office in Manila for distribution in affected areas. Other donations
given to the IFI Relief Fund of St. Augustine’s will be used for this purpose.
Once again, thank you very much for your help. May God continually bless you for being
a channel of God’s grace to the needy and the vulnerable.
Yours in Christ,
The Rev. Fr. Roberto Pamatmat
Parish Rector
Fiesta
Celebration
We are grateful to all who attended to our festive celebration of the feast of
Saint Augustine of Hippo and the 15th foundation anniversary of our parish and to all who expressed their support
to my installation as their new rector. We are thankful to the support and generosity of our members and friends that made
this special occasion a memorable event.
With God’s steadfast love and guiding wisdom, this small community of faith has been able
to keep the course of their journey in times of change and uncertainty in life. Being a part of this family, we are discovering
that life is not a problem to be solved but a journey to be explored.
Sometimes, we fail to see and appreciate what we already
have. We focus on getting what we don’t have and neglect those things that are already in our possessions. But the voice
in the wilderness keeps reminding us that God has given us everything we need even before we ask for it. It is how we use
them and to what purpose that makes a difference.
Nourished by Christ’s Word and Sacrament, this church of immigrants intends to continue
witnessing God’s love and its healing power among God’s children within and outside the walls of differences and
diversities.
Easter Message
One of the glories of Easter
is the realization that the wounded and lifeless body of our Lord that was laid in a tomb last Good Friday has risen. Although
his body has transformed to something new, yet it was still recognizable as told by those who first saw him two thousand years
ago. This is a great news for us who are searching for meaning and hope in our struggles and sufferings during this time of
economic crisis. Our faith and hope cannot be contained in darkness for so long. Nothing can separate us from the love of
God. God will open our tombs, bring life and light into our lives, and then remove the shackles that bind our hands and feet.
Christ’s resurrection will make many things possible for us. It will give us new strength, new sight, and new mind that
will lead us to a fresh beginning and a spirit-filled life in this world, our temporal home, until we arrive at the door of
heaven where the risen Lord is waiting, with open arms, to welcome and embrace us as citizens of his kingdom. Jesus will fulfill
his promise to us as he did to the thief on the cross who said, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom”
(Luke 23:42).
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
-- Fr. Roberto Pamatmat
