Of the Archdiocese of Boston
AT&T and Verizon are offering FREE calls and texts to the Philippines for customers trying to contact friends and family there in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. AT&T wireless customers will be eligible for unlimited calls and texts until Nov. 30. Landline and U-verse voice customers will get up to 60 minutes of direct-dial calling to the Philippines. The offer is retroactive to last Friday. That was when the typhoon hit the island nation, displacing more than 600,000 people. Authorities fear that thousands were killed in the country's Leyte province.
There were about 1,000 people (a mixture of children, youth, young adult, adult and seniors) who attended the Mass. We collected $9,359.00 and the Filipino Apostolate will send the money through the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) for the Haiyan victims in the Philippines.
Click HERE for a copy of the missalette that was prepared for the Mass. Click HERE for a copy of the homily of Fr. Cyriac Mattathilanickal, MS, he delivered during the Mass.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Thank you for your presence to support our Filipino brethren in prayer for the repose souls of those who perished in the storm and for the strength to bring the needed healing to the injured, and also for your generous donation to assist the Philippines in recovering from this natural disaster.
We are grateful to all participants in the Eucharistic celebration for their commitment in such short notice to make this event possible.
Offerors: Dr. Alicia Layug
Rene & Ditas Jaro
We extend our sincere appreciation to Rev.Michael Harrington for his personal assistance to make things happen. We express our love and gratitude to our chaplain, Rev. Cyriac Mattathilanickal,MS, for his guidance and active participation in planning this event. We thank His Eminence, Sean Cardinal O'Malley, OFM Cap and Rev. Kevin O'Leary, Rector of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, and his staff for welcoming the Filipino community to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for those affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
To those who provided nourishment for our body, we are always thankful for your thoughtfulness.
We are collaborating with other Filipino groups to collect merchandise and food donations to send to the typhoon victims in the Philippines. We will also support the fundraising plans of the students and community groups around the Boston and nearby areas, and collect monetary donations during the Filipino Apostolate Masses for the coming weeks of November and December 2013 for the typhoon victims.
Important Websites and Phone Numbers to Know in connection with Super Typhoon "Haiyan" in the Philippines:
1-888-407-4747 Office of Overseas Citizen Services, State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs to help find missing love ones or families in the devastated areas.
1-866-720-5721 National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline
https://www.ic3.gov/media/soas/asodou.aspx
1-202-821-1999 Center for International Disaster Information at www.CIDI.org. The Relief Agency to contact for those interested to volunteer their time and expertise in the Philippines.
Suggested websites to donate to the Philippine typhoon victims:
• http://whitehouse.gov/typhoon - White House portal
• http://www.usaid.org/haiyan – USAID portal
• crs.org – catholic relief services
• cmmb.org – catholic medical mission board
• care.org – CARE International
We also invite you to attend all the Filipino Apostolate Sunday Masses as scheduled:
1st Sundays, Holy Name Church, West Roxbury, MA
1 PM – Holy Mass
2nd Sundays, St. Joseph Church, Malden, MA
12:30 PM – Rosary, 1:00 PM – Holy Mass
4th Sundays, St. John the Baptist Church, Quincy, MA
12:30 PM – Rosary, 1:00 PM – Holy Mass
Please continue to visit our website: www.filipinoapostolate.com for news/updates on events. You can also donate online for typhoon Haiyan in our website.
"Haiyan" (Yolanda) is one of the strongest super typhoons ever to make a landfall in history and that devastated the central Philippines on November 8, 2013. The loss of life, families, towns and villages are heartbreaking. Deeply saddened by this disturbing tragedy, the Filipino community of Boston, Worcester, Providence and beyond express our heart felt solidarity with everyone who is affected in anyway.
We pray for all the families who lost their loved ones, homes and livelihood. No matter how strong the winds and waves of the typhoons may be, the resilience of the Filipinos will shine through. The typhoons may destroy homes and villages. The faith of Filipinos is stronger than any typhoon. A typhoon cannot bend nor break the timber of the Filipino faith. "The Filipino soul is stronger than (typhoon) Yolanda, says Archbishop Jose Palma, President of Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. Highlighting the resilience of Filipino people in time of adversity, Palma said "no calamity or natural devastation can quench the fire of our hope." Antonio Cardinal "Chito" Tagle of Manila in his statement said, "What a mystery—those who have reasons not to believe or to get angry with God, they are the ones proclaiming the joy of clinging to Jesus…A lot of things may get destroyed, but nothing can destroy their faith. We should listen to them". I join the Filipino community around the world in offering prayers for Consolation, courage, strength and perseverance amidst these horrific events.
I am calling on all Filipinos to join His Eminence Sean Cardinal O' Malley and the Archdiocese of Boston to unite, pray, and help our brothers and sisters in the Philippines on November 16, Saturday at 6.30pm at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston. A special Mass will be offered for all the victims and their families. During the mass a collection will be taken up to help the victims. Let us stand in solidarity with these brethren and pray for God's healings in the midst of all grief and loss. We will emerge stronger than the typhoon for our faith is greater. May San Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod, the patron saints of the Philippines, intercede for us. May the Blessed Mother, Mama Mary, draw us closer amidst our loss and grief.
Rev. Cyriac C. Mattathilanickal, MS
Chaplain Filipino Apostolate of Boston
If you are concerned about a loved one residing in the Philippines who may have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan and is now presumed missing, the American Red Cross of Massachusetts is now accepting International Disaster Inquiries for members of the Filippino American community to help reconnect you with your family member.
Inquiries will be accepted that meet the following criteria:
Inquiries concerning U.S. citizens should be referred to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747. Please remember that this phone number is frequently busy during the first days of a large disaster.
How to submit an inquiry:
Contact the International Services department of the American Red Cross of Massachusetts:
by phone: 617-274-5233 OR
by email: EasternMassIntl@redcross.org
Be prepared to provide the following information:
a. The full name, date of birth, address or location, home and cell numbers of the sought person(s).
b. Include the last date of contact. Inquiries will only be accepted for relatives who have been in contact within the past 12 months.
c. Include any special vulnerability on behalf of the sought person
Please feel free to share this information about this service widely among your community members.
THE FILIPINO APOSTOLATE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON,
MALDEN CHAPTER INVITES YOU TO JOIN OUR MASS AT
SAINT JOSEPH CHURCH
790 Salem Street, Malden, MA 02148
TWENTY EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
October 13, 2013
