Chapel Notes | September 2009
Chaplain’s Message
Welcoming students as they come to School in the morning is such a wonderful and rewarding experience. Small and big, chubby and slim, tall and short… all and each one has a story to tell and share.
“On any given Sunday, worship is conducted in a huge variety of ways. Some churches sing praise music, others ancient hymns; some use incense, others are very plain; some services are chanted, others are spoken; some congregations “amen” the preacher, others sit in respectful silence.
There are a variety of denominations and many variations within those denominations. But one thing is constant. All these services give glory to God.
I love all those forms of worship. Some are more appealing to me than others; but nearly all are inspiring. And yet no matter what the style of worship, to me the real splendor of the Lord is found in the people. We were created in God’s image, and our bodies are a temple of that creation. And for all the worship we perform on Sunday, the way we live our lives is the most powerful expression of our worship.
Lord, may my life ascribe glory to you in all that I do, and may it be an invitation to others to worship you in holy splendor.”
(taken from: Forward Day by Day)
God bless.
Fr. Benjamin A. Jance III
Chaplain / Registrar
Prayer for Healing
We are praying for healing and recovery of the sick:
Mr. Florencio “Lolo Ponsing” Cruz (diabetes), grandfather of the bus mother and Activities office staff Ms. Glenda Cruz.
Ms. Natalie Clifton (ankle surgery), MS English teacher.
Mrs. Florence Bruskiewicz (breast cancer), mother of Gr. 11-K student Kenneth Bruskiewicz.
Mr. Socrates Varanal (glaucoma), father of Upper School Student Services Assistant Ms. Pauline Grace Varanal.
Mr. Jay Yan, husband of IB and Academic Affairs Secretary Mrs. Elaine Yan.
Mr. Froilan Bagalawis, brother of Assistant Director for Student Activities Mrs. Lulu Floresca.
Ms. Carolyn Tully (cancer), aunt of Gr. 1-E Homeroom teacher Ms. Christy Speicher.
Mr. Richard Kendall, husband of ELC Librarian Mrs. Maureen Kendall.
John Lawrence Gabagat (profound hearing loss), two year old son of Brent School bus driver Mr. Ric Gabagat.
Ms. Nora Casas (cancer), cousin of US teacher & MS Student Services Coordinator Mr. Ericson Perez.
Mrs. Natividad Reyes Cruz, mother of MS teacher Mrs. Dolly Dofitas.
Mrs. Gretchen White (cancer), grandmother of 2008 graduate Blake McClenny.
Mr. Joselito P. Laxa, brother-in-law of MS ESL teacher Ms. Eloisa Munden.
John Paul Jose (congenital heart disease), 13 year old son of school gardener Mr. Ronaldo Jose.
Mr. Eduardo Rocha (car accident), 1992 graduate.
Mr. Ronaldo Santi Godito, husband of ELC teacher aide Mrs. Judith Godito.
Jadin Caballero (castlemans), 7 year old grandson of MS English & Social Science teacher Dr. Judy Sands-Caballero.
Mrs. Christina Rebudal (cancer), wife of Mr. Raffy Rebudal former Brent US Faculty.
Seth Maikiel Varanal, nephew of US Special Need teacher aide Ms. Pauline Varanal.
Mr. Gerson Markowitt, former Brent development officer.
Mrs. Geny Cabezas (breast cancer), grandmother of Gr. 6-N student Melissa Hevener.
Ms. Catherine Marcelo-Buenviaje (breast cancer), cousin of MS Student Services teacher Ms. Marika Soriano.
Mrs. Susana Mapili Caabay (diabetes), mother of Transportation Coordinator Mrs. Zosima “Sue” Bico.
Your love and prayers are deeply appreciated.
Thank you.
Poems and Prayers
May the road rise to meet you,
may the wind be always at your back,
may the sun shine warm on your face,
the rain fall softly on your fields;
and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Lord Jesus,
Help me never to judge another
Until I have walked many miles in his shoes.
Source: “Jesus Loves the Little Children: Treasury of Poems, Prayers, and Promises’
Saint of the Month
Constance and her Companions
The Martyrs of Memphis
9 September 1878
In 1878 the American city of Memphis on the Mississippi River was struck by an epidemic of yellow fever, which so depopulated the area that the city lost its charter and was not reorganized for fourteen years. Almost everyone who could afford to do so left the city and fled to higher ground away from the river. (It was not yet known that the disease was mosquito-borne, but it was observed that high and dry areas were safe.) There were in the city several communities of nuns, Anglican or Roman Catholic, who had the opportunity of leaving, but chose to stay and nurse the sick. Most of them, thirty-eight in all, were themselves killed by the fever. One of the first to die (on 9 September 1878) was Constance, head of the (Anglican) Community of St Mary.
PRAYER (traditional language)
We give thee thanks and praise, O God of compassion, for the heroic witness of Constance and her companions, who, in a time of plague and pestilence, were steadfast in their care for the sick and the dying, and loved not their own lives, even unto death. Inspire in us a like love and commitment to those in need, following the example of our Savior Jesus Christ; who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever.
Taken from: http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Constance.htm