January 2009
Vol 8 Issue 1
Straining forward to what lies ahead
Phil 3:13
Dear brothers and sisters,
As the new year begins, our community will be facing new challenges. St. Paul tells us to forget what lies behind, strain forward to attend to current concerns, and focus on the one thing that is essential, our Lord Jesus Christ. As the monk in the story has done, let us help those in need as Jesus has commanded and then move on without having to continuously carry the burden of the past while nurturing our personal relationship with the Son, so that we may do the will of the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
May 2009
Vol 8 Issue 5
God sent his Son, born of a woman
Gal 4:4
Dear brothers and sisters,
In preparation for the CFC Southeast Asia Regional Conference on the Role of Mary in Evangelization and Family Renewal to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 5-6 December 2009, we leave for a moment Luke's Travel Narrative and devote the next seven issues of Aquila and Priscilla to reflections on the Blessed Mother. A proper reflection on Mary must always begin with her relationship with Jesus, her Son, and thus we have chosen to start with the words of St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians.
We look forward to our encounter with Mary in December, so that together, she may bring all of us to her Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
September 2009
Vol 8 Issue 9
Most blessed are you among women
Lk1:42
Dear brothers and sisters,
We continue our reflection on the four Marian dogmas as we prepare for the CFC Southeast Asia Conference on the Role of Mary in Evangelization and Family Renewal to be held on 12-13 December 2009 at the Millennium Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia. Since October is the Rosary Month, we also encourage all households to include praying the rosary during household meetings next month for the success of the regional conference. Registration for the conference has commenced and we have now received confirmed participants from Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia (and even Australia). We look forward to receiving the list of participants from nearby Singapore and Malaysia, as well as from the other countries in Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam). We wish to remind all CFC communities to prepare audio-visual presentations on Marian sites and devotions in their respective countries; to indicate those who wish to enroll in the Brown Scapular of our Lady of Mt. Carmel; and to prepare a short Prayer of the Faithful in their respective local languages to be read during the Mass on Sunday. We look forward to seeing you in Jakarta for our date with the Virgin of Guadalupe whose feast we will celebrate on 12 December.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
2009
February 2009
Vol 8 Issue 2
That the light in you not become darkness
Lk 11:35
Dear brothers and sisters,
We resume our reflection on selected passages from the Travel Narrative of the Gospel of Luke.
As we confront the darkness of many difficult challenges in our family and community, we focus on Christ so that the brightness of his light may overcome the darkness of our sin, we come to Christ to open our eyes to allow the light of his grace enlighten our hearts and mind, we depend on Christ so that the light in us may not become darkness.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
June 2009
Vol 8 Issue 6
Together with Mary the mother of Jesus
Acts 1:14
Dear brothers and sisters,
We continue our reflection on the Blessed Virgin Mary as we prepare for the Southeast Asia Regional Conference on the Role of the Blessed Virgin in Evangelization and Family Renewal this coming December. We have suggested that a time be allocated during the conference for the conferment of the brown scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on those desiring to wear it. Please continue to pray that we can indeed hold this conference in Kuala Lumpur in December this year by reciting the most ancient Marian prayer, Sub Tuum Praesidium. To Jesus through Mary!
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
October 2009
Vol 8 Issue 10
A woman clothed with the sun
Rev 12:1
Dear brothers and sisters,
This month is Rosary Month and thus we encourage everyone to pray the rosary during household meetings and offer it for the success of the Marian Regional Conference in Jakarta on 12-13 December 2009. Our reflection this month is on the fourth and last Marian dogma, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. CFC Thailand just successfully celebrated its 20th anniversary with over 470 in attendance and is planning to send a strong delegation to the December conference. We hope and pray that the other CFC communities will do the same to honor the Blessed Mother on her feast day as the Virgin of Guadalupe. She is calling you! Thus, send your filled registration forms now.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
March 2009
Vol 8 Issue 3
This night your life will be demanded of you
Luke 12:20
Dear brothers and sisters,
As we continue our reflection on the Travel Narrative of Luke, we find Jesus teaching the crowd in parable. During this Lenten season, as we prepare to recall the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, we encourage you to reflect on what is truly important in our life -- our earthly possessions or our eternal soul, our comfort on earth or our lasting joy in Heaven.
May we continue to give glory to God using the gifts that He has bestowed on us on earth while looking forward to the life in Heaven which He has reserved for His faithful ones. God bless.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
July 2009
Vol 8 Issue 7
Of her was born Jesus
Mt 1:16
Dear brothers and sisters,
We begin our reflection on the four Marian dogmas as we prepare for the planned CFC Southeast Asia Regional Conference on the Role of Mary in Evangelization and Family Renewal to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 11-13 December 2009. Please continue to pray for the host community, CFC Malaysia, that, through the intercession of the Virgin of Guadalupe, it may be able to overcome the various problems and concerns related to the preparations for the conference. We are, of course, confident that the Blessed Mother is with us all the way.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
November 2009
Vol 8 Issue 11
May it be done to me according to your word
Lk 1:38
Dear brothers and sisters,
This is our final reflection on the Blessed Virgin in preparation for the CFC Southeast Asia Regional Conference on the Role of Mary in Evangelization and Family Renewal to be held at the Millennium Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia on 12-13 December 2009. We are pleased to inform you that we are publishing all our reflections on the Blessed Mother since we started Letters of Aquila and Priscilla. The book is titled "Moments with Mary" and free copies will be included in the conference kit of all participants of the regional conference. Brown scapulars of our Lady of Mt. Carmel (some from Canada, others from Manila) will also be in the conference kit for those who will be enrolling. It is now just a bit over a month before the conference. Register now before all hotel rooms are booked. Invite even your non-CFC but Marian friends to join you at this conference as guests. Archbishop Arguelles of Lipa is one of the conference speakers. See you all!
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
April 2009
Vol 8 Issue 4
Do not worry about your life
Lk 12:22
Dear brothers and sisters,
As we continue our reflection on Luke's Travel Narrative, we hear Jesus telling us not to worry about our life and what we eat and what we wear because God will provide. If you have just lost your job, God is giving you the assurance that he will use others to be able to provide for your needs. If you have an excess, God is asking you to be his instrument to provide for those in need. Whether we receive or we give, we should remain focused on the one thing that is really important -- eternal life with God in heaven. May the grace of the Risen Christ be with you all!
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
August 2009
Vol 8 Issue 8
The virgin’s name was Mary
Lk 1:27
Dear brothers and sisters,
We continue our preparations for the CFC Southeast Asia Regional Conference on the Role of Mary in Evangelization and Family Renewal to be held at the Millennium Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia on 12-13 December 2009, coinciding with the feast of our Lady of Guadalupe. To facilitate participation from nearby countries, the conference will start at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, 12 December and end at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, 13 December 2009. Among the highlights of the conference will be the audio-visual presentations on Marian sites and devotions by participating countries and the enrollment in the Brown Scapular to be held in the evening of Saturday. This month we reflect on the second Marian dogma, the special grace of perpetual virginity bestowed by God on the Blessed Mother. We hope that by reflecting on this unique event, we will start to fathom the magnitude of God's infinite goodness and generosity and muster the will to also say yes, like Mary, and thus partake of the same reward God gave to Mary, which is the joy of his eternal presence.
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN
December 2009
Vol 8 Issue 12
Kept all these things in her heart
Lk 2:51
Dear brothers and sisters,
We are pleased to share with you our reflection and report on the CFC Southeast Asia Regional Conference on the Role of Mary in Evangelization and Family Renewal held on the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, 12-13 December 2009, in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was a profound experience of intimate and joyful Moments with Mary.
We want to also use this opportunity to wish you all a Blessed and Happy New Year!
With our love and prayers,
JUN and JEAN