ANO GID BALA ANG PAGHIGUGMA PARA SA AKON?

PAMALANDONG SA HIGAD DALAN -
ANO GID BALA ANG PAGHIGUGMA PARA SA AKON?
By Armando A. Suñe

“…Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another.” (John 13:34). These words from our Lord, Jesus Christ, reveal the true meaning of love. And with His mother, our Lady of Fatima, being here with us on February 12-14, 2009, which we call Valentine’s Day, we are immeasurably blessed. With this outpouring of love amongst us, Ilonggos, we asked our parishioners this question: Ano gid bala ang paghigugma para sa akon?

1. Rose Marie R. Piamonte, Ladies of Charity - Jaro Unit
Love can never be explained. It is beyond definition. It can only be experienced deeply. Each person has his own unique experience of what love is.

2. Fe Marina S. Siacon, 67, Candle Light Newsletter
Love is the total surrender of both persons who are committed to one another.

3. FranZ, Seminarian, SVFS
Love is a matter of choice, and with it is the price of sacrifice.

4. Jessie Cris M. Gopetio, 23, Jaro Cathedral Parish Catechist
Love is patient, accepting, respectful, trusting, and sacrificing… in other words, Love is the whole of the PARTS.

5. Lalaine D. Pasquin, 45, Jaro Cathedral Parish Pastoral Staff

Love is sacrifice.

6. Albert Yanga, Jaro Cathedral employee
Ang pag-ibig talaga ay hindi mo malalaman kung saan at kailan pinag-uusapan. Nguni’t ang mahalaga’y nasa puso’t isipan ng bawat taong nagmamahalan.

7. Shiela A. Moreno, Jaro Cathedral Parish Youth Ministry
Love is more than knowing. It is not merely a feeling. If you give the mind a chance to think, you can always rationalize. If you give the heart the chance to feel, you often tend to give up because of the hurt and pain. It is the endurance of pain and suffering, the justice to the other and to oneself, and the faithfulness to love whatever it may bring. I felt the loving presence of God when I participated in the Vicarial Youth Encounter in Janiuay (Iloilo) in April, 2000.
8. Linda Arellano-Guarin, Catholic Women’s League (CWL) – Jaro Chapter/ Ladies of Charity/ Mother of six children, including Seminarian Peter John A. Guarin)
Ang paghigugma amo ang pagpahumok sa balatyagon kag pagpa-ambitanay sa tagsa-tagsa. Kon wala sang paghigugma, waay sang peace. Mabatyagan naton ang paghigugma ni Jesukristo tungod sang Iya mga blessings.

9. Emma Mistrante-Victoria, 60, Regent - Daughters of Mary Immaculate International, Inc. Vicariate (DMI)/ Secretary – Parish Finance Council
Ang paghigugma napun-an sang pagpaambitanay sa isa kag isa labi na gid sa material kag spiritual nga aspeto sang pagpangabuhi.

10. Sr. Marilou S. Edurese, C.M., 57, Carmelite Missionaries professed religious sister
Love is the giving of oneself and sharing with one another. From Almighty God come our blessings because of His love for us. The fact that He called me to be a religious sister is all because of His love. I feel the love and support of my family especially during trials, difficulties, in times of joy, and most especially during family gatherings. On occasions like these, we feel united as a family, especially now that our mother needs us by her side. In my community (the Carmelite Misionaries), we remain united and faithful to our religious calling , considering that our sisters come from diverse cultures and have different attitudes, temperaments, breeding, and family backgrounds. It is the Love of God that sustains us!

11. Jules E. Calopez, 33, Married, Security Guard- Domber Security Agency; assigned at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Kinder School
Indi masambit ang love, mabatyagan lang.





12. Jose A. Calopez, Jr., 48, single, jobless, drives a trisikad beside Jaro Cathedral; collects empty cardboard boxes to earn a living; lives alone; rents a room space on Diversion Road, Jaro. All of Jose’s nine siblings died in the Ruby Towers earthquake disaster in the 1970’s. When his father died after his high-school graduation, financial difficulties forced him to quit his studies.)
May ara man nagapalangga sa akon. Wala niya ako ginapabay-i. (Referring to his girlfriend, Pane, 37 yrs. old, and a salesgirl at a department store.)

13. Braulia Pedalizo-Cababasay, 76, Principal, Basic Educ. Dept.- De Paul College/Retired Asst. Chief of Secondary Educ. Div., Reg. 6, DEP-Ed/DMI Scribe/Lector/Mother of 6 children; grandmother of 12)

It is something that cannot be expressed so well. It is a feeling. No words can explain it so vividly. But what I know is that it is more of a sacrifice for one whom you love. God is always there to touch the hearts of husband and wife in our midst. We sacrifice especially for the children. All our efforts are directed towards their education.

14. John Nickon M. Tongol, San Juan, Molo Iloilo City,21 yrs. old, Valentine gifts vendor at the Colegio de San Jose gate

Bisan kami pigado, ginapahilayo kami sang aton Dios sa disgrasya.
15. Jonathan N. Lim, 40, Volunteer Officer/Asst. Operations Chief- Crisis Disaster Mgt. – Iloilo City Mayor’s Office; J.B. Lucky Fire Volunteer Foundation

Love is responsibility to God and family. Love is doing the right things…what God wants us to do.

16. Simplicio C. Griño, Sr., 75, former Governor – Iloilo Province

When I was young and courting my wife, love was something that we shared together through our presence to each other. Later on I found out it had to grow. We went through our mutual sacrifices but we still found love. And we found out our love grew through the years. Today, our realization is that love continues to mature through our service to others and through our share of sacrifices. Our love matured and our love for God grew in our desire to serve and accept others as they are.

17. Gemma J. Javellana- Paras, 63, Retired Asst. Div. Chief – DILG

Love is the love of Mama Mary to us and the whole world. She is always our bridge to God.

18. Carl R. Malburg, 68, Munster, Indiana; Custodian/Director - International Pilgrim Virgin Statue Foundation, Inc. (Our Lady of Fatima); Father to 6 children; Grandfather to 15 grandchildren.

God is the source of our love, and only Christians can understand best the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It was really Jesus who taught us about love. Of all God’s creations only human beings and the angels can understand the experience of the love of God. For us, we treasure the loving relationships in our family – husband, wife, and children.

by Armando A. Suñe