Official Newsletter of Teachers in Sandals Fellowship July-August 2011

INSIDE: p3 What is Speech Project No 3?/4 “I Believe” by Bro Denis Tutaka/p5 Vatican Notes

NEW SEMESTER KICKS OFF

Teachers in Sandals Fellowship kicked off the second semester

with a well-attended Teaching Night (TN) on 18 July 2011 in

Newman Hall, Auckland.

The three speakers during the programme were Sis Juwela, Bro Jason and Bro Mel. Sis

Juwela in Speech Project 1 made an emotional speech, telling the group that “Everything that has happened to me is a result of prayer.” Bro Jason (SP2) made the audience close their eyes

as he concluded his speech with a prayer. Bro Mel (SP2) touched on the Big Bang theory

saying that “Only a God can create the balance that exists in the universe.”

Four guests joined the activity, namely Jeff Lang, Angelo Abrogena, Dennis Kirkby and

Debbie Libre. Two of the guests – Bros Jeff and Angelo - signed up to deliver their Speech

Project 1 in the succeeding TN on 1 August.

Fr Sam filmed the entire programme saying that “henceforth, I shall document our

proceedings as a learning tool.” For his part, Bro Denis used the computer and projector to

make a thoroughly professional and brain-twisting Bible Quotient Quiz.

The participants concluded the 18 July TN with the blessing of the condo unit of Bro Shawn

along Parliament Street in Auckland. There the group had fellowship as well. (see photo

above)

On 1 August, another fully-packed TN was conducted with Bros Jeff, Krishna and Denis

delivering their respective speeches. Bro Andrew, acting as evaluator, gave each of the

speakers passing marks with a suggestion to keep tab of the time, as all went beyond the

maximum limit of five minutes.

Among the improvements introduced during the activity were the projection on the screen the

different parts of the programme, the use of a medium-sized lectern to discourage leaning

while speaking, the placing of the signage of the Auckland Catholic Tertiary Chaplaincy that

has adopted the Teachers in Sandals Fellowship as part of its ministry, and the added

programme feature: Call to.., where Bro Mel sang “Cherished Treasure”, a popular Filipino

Christian song with English lyrics written by him. (Find below the lyrics)

During the updates portion of the programme, the plan to hold a formal activity to recognise

those who will complete the first five speech projects was discussed. Tentatively set in

November, the activity will be formal with each member allowed two guests. Details will be

announced in the next issue of SPEAK.

To accommodate more speakers, the succeeding TN programmes will have four (4) speakers

instead of three (3). Another change is the time limit for speech projects starting no. 3, from 5

minutes maximum to 7 minutes. It has been observed that the topics require more time to

develop and that speakers have much to share about their faith and belief.

The four speakers for the TN on August 15 are: Bro Angelo (SP1); Bro Albin (SP1); Bro

Shawn (SP2); and Bro Andrew (SP4).

CHERISHED TREASURE

Chorus:

You are my most cherished treasure

You’re far beyond comparison

All creations in this world

Are but a glimpse of your perfection

I will always seek for you

Deep in my longing heart

You are my joy

You, you fill the morning, you fill my life

Only you, O Lord

What is Speech Project 3?

The speech project is titled, “I Am Catholic”.

Time Allotted: 3- 7 minutes

Objectives:

1. To speak about how the speaker became a Catholic

A brief narrative can be included in the speech project on the manner by which the speaker became a

Catholic.

2. To touch on one or two basic Catholic beliefs that tie-up to the life of the speaker

The speaker is expected to relate life experiences that give relevance to one or two basic Catholic

beliefs.

3. To use reference materials (the Bible, quotes, teachings, etc) to give stronger impact of

speech.

The use of authorities gives more impact to a speech. Biblical passages, papal declarations and

writings from inspiring authors are among the sources for these materials.

JOIN

TEACHERS IN SANDALS FELLOWSHIP Vision:

Dedicated volunteers spreading God’s

Word through teachings and through

example

Mission:

To carry on the command of Jesus

Christ to spread the Gospel to all

peoples of the world

Scriptural Guides:

“And thou shalt speak

unto him, and put

words in his mouth:

and I will be with

thy mouth, and

with his mouth,

and will teach

you what ye

shall do.”

(Exodus 4:15)

“Whom we preach,

warning every man,

and teaching every

man in all wisdom;

that we may present

every man perfect in

Christ Jesus”

(Colossians 1:28) NOW OPEN TO STUDENTS

Delivered by Bro Denis Tutaka on 18 July 2011 during Teaching Night

To believe in something is a journey. It is a search; a journey to the unknown; a journey of

faith. I cannot have faith without knowing what to believe in. I must believe in something. I

have to admit; I believe in so many things. I believe in obvious things. For example, I believe

that the roof on top of my head right now is strong enough and won’t fall on me at this very

moment. I believe in scientific things. For example that the earth is round; even-though I

haven’t been into space to check it out myself. Then, there are the complicated things. I

believe in Aliens and Santa Claus. However, there is something that transforms us. This will

be my main focus tonight. I believe in God. This is the ultimate believe on top of all other

beliefs I may have.

But why? Why believe in God?

Let me start with a story.

One day a Catholic priest decided to look for the best location to search GOD. He decided he

would go to the Holy Land since it is where Jesus, God’s Son grew up. He prayed but could

not find GOD in his heart. Then, he decided he would go to Rome since it is where the

Apostles Peter and Paul died. He went, prayed but still could not find GOD. He then decided,

perhaps in the wrong religion? He went to Mecca (where Muslim originated) and to Nepal

(where Buddhism originated) but still could not find GOD. Frustrated, he returned home but

on his way met an old man and told him his story. With surprise the old man told him not to

worry for he’ll give him a solution to his problem and invited the poor priest to his house.

Excited, the Catholic priest followed the old man with no more exchange of words. As they

walked for hours in silence and came to a small cottage next to a river. Again without talking,

the old man went for a bathe in the river. Frustrated, the priest walked over to the old man

demanding for the answer. As the priest came close to the old man, the man grabbed the

priests head and plunged it into the water. The priest struggled and tried to escape the old

man’s hands but couldn’t. The struggle lasted for about 10 seconds and the old man released

the priest. Furious, the priest swore at the old man every swear word he can think of. Calmly,

the old man said. Why are you upset? Why did you struggle in the water? Are you insane –

replied the priest! I was looking for air to breathe! The man replied… and so was God

looking for you!

The moral of the story is that the more we search for God, the more we find ourselves lost

with only one thing to save us: God’s search for us. Our starting point must be our faith in

this Magnificent Being; this Creator; this Almighty One; this friend of ours, GOD! Although

so many distractions of this world make us drift from God, I have managed to go pass it and

develop a relationship no words could truly explain. I pity those who find it hard to believe in

God’s existence. I can only find one explanation to why many doubt God and that is experience in God. When one experiences what is of God, one will then realize that there is

something greater than ones thought. The fact that I believe in God makes me vulnerable to

share with Him my life-story. We are almost one with one another.

St Augustine once said, “You created me for you O God and my heart is restless until it rests

in you.”

August 2011 General Intention: That World Youth Day in Madrid may encourage young people

throughout the world to have their lives rooted and built up in Christ. Missionary Intention: That

Western Christians may be open to the action of the Holy Spirit and rediscover the freshness and

enthusiasm of their faith…In the wake of two terror attacks in Norway that left at least 93 people

dead, Pope Benedict XVI called for an end to hatred and ideologies that promote evil. "We are

all deeply saddened by the serious terrorist acts," the

pope said after praying the Angelus with pilgrims at the

papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo July 24. The

pope launched an appeal "to abandon once and for all the

path of violence and avoid principles of evil." As a

further expression of his condolences and prayers for

those affected by the attacks, the pope sent a message to

Norway's King Harald V. The pope asked that the

country "be spiritually united in a determined resolve to

reject the ways of hatred and conflict and to work

together fearlessly in shaping a future of mutual respect,

solidarity and freedom for coming generations." Explosives ripped through Norwegian government

headquarters in Oslo July 22, leaving seven people dead and dozens injured. Shortly after the

bombing, witnesses said a man dressed as a police officer shot at people attending a summer youth

camp run by the country's governing Labor Party on the island of Utoya. Police said at least 86 people

died at the camp, but authorities were searching the island and the waters just offshore for several

missing people... Marking World Maritime Day, Pope Benedict XVI met with a dozen people

who have family members being held captive by

pirates. At the end of his recitation of the

Angelus prayer July 10, the pope offered prayers

for seafarers, "who unfortunately have been

kidnapped during acts of piracy." "I hope they

are being treated with respect and humanity, and I

pray for their families so that they will be strong in

their faith and not lose the hope of being reunited

soon with their dear ones," he told thousands of

people gathered in the courtyard of his summer villa

at Castel Gandolfo...Pope Benedict XVI said

persistent world hunger was a "tragedy" driven by selfish and profit-driven economic models,

whose first victims are millions of children deprived of life or good health. In responding to the

crisis, international agencies should rediscover the value of the family farm, promoting the movement

of young people back into rural areas, the pope said July 1 in an address to participants in an annual

conference on hunger organized by the Rome-based U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

Meeting with the group at the Vatican, the pope strongly emphasized the theme of economic justice

that has figured prominently in his encyclicals and other writings. He noted that millions of men,

women and children remain without adequate nourishment today. "My thoughts turn toward the

situation of millions of children, who are the first victims of this tragedy, condemned to an early death

or to a delay in their physical or psychic development, or forced into forms of exploitation just to

receive minimal nutrition," he said. The pope said the cause of such hunger cannot be found only in

technical developments such as production cycles or commodity prices. "Poverty, underdevelopment

and, therefore, hunger are often the result of selfish behaviors that, born in the human heart, manifest

themselves in social life, economic exchange, in market conditions and in the lack of access to food,"

the pope said. The pope called for support of international efforts to promote the family farm as a key

component of national economies. The traditional nuclear family, he said, has shown itself to be a

competent instrument for agricultural production and for training of new generations in farming.

(All items taken from Catholic News Service)