MY OWN CARMELITE FUNERAL & GRAVE

MY OWN CARMELITE FUNERAL

By Arnold A. Alcala, TOCarm.

We always say death is inevitable. And we know it’s true. But aside from knowing that death comes on days we least expect it, how else do we prepare for this wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experience of encountering death that brings about lasting memories to many?

As Lay Carmelites, we ought to live daily as if it is always our last day on earth, trying our best through the grace of the Holy Spirit to live a daily Christian life “In Allegiance to Jesus Christ”. And we see death as no other than the only way to finally meet our God in eternity. But, to be able to meet God face-to-face after our death on earth is not ALL. As Lay Carmelites, we always want to partake in the ministry of saving souls, evangelizing, teaching and preaching the Good News, visiting the sick and those in prison, educating the youth, propagating devotions (Brown Scapular, Our Lady of Mt.Carmel, St.Joseph, Carmelite Saints, etc.), catechizing, and many more apostolate each member has according to his/her own gifts and capacity. And let us not allow death to get in the way to fulfill these ministries. We can, even at death, evangelize and inspire people who may come to witness our own Carmelite Funeral (and tomb).

This is my own Carmelite Funeral and I simply want the best… because being a Carmelite is my best experience ever.

I. PEOPLE I WANT TO BE IMMEDIATELY INFORMED IN CASE OF MY DEATH: (see Coming Home by Fr.Larry Tan,SDB)

1. Immediate family members and other relatives (wife, children, parents, grandparents, brothers & sisters, aunts & uncles, cousins, etc.);

2. My own Carmelite community (Prior/prioress, counselors, regional coordinator, regional formator, etc.) – to take charge in dressing me up (barong, pants, cape, ceremonial scapular, pins, etc.);

Sis.Menchie Martinez (prioress) 0917-7777777

Sis.Baby Malana (counselor) 0917-7777777 / 09087777777 / 044-6637777

Bro.Ruel Santos (national counselor) 0916-7777777

Bro. Pol Gregorio (regional coordinator) 0916-7777777

3. Carmelite Communities in other areas, including TOC Spiritual Adviser, Carmelite Friars and Nuns, National Coordinator and National Counselors;

Fr.Adrian Layug, Fr.Toots Buenafe,OCarm., Fr.Noel Rosas, OCarm., Sis.Sally, Bro.Louie, etc. (all with contact numbers _____);

4. Parish Priest and fellow Lay Ministers;

5. Officers and members of Adoracion Nocturna Filipina;

6. Parish Pastoral Council & Sub-Parish Pastoral;

7. Members and Prayer Warriors of the Knights of Saint Benedict (KSB) and of the Prayer Warriors of the Holy Souls (PWHS), KSB Spiritual Adviser Fr. Virgilio Ramos 0915-7777777;

8. Promoters and Coordinators of the Alliance of The Holy Family and Alliance of Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary (09279214309 / 09204992745 / 02-5615512);

9. other Charismatic groups and prayer warriors.

II. FUNERAL PLANS:

1. Place of Wake: St.Peter Memorial Chapel, Q.C.

2. Length of Wake: at least five (5) days

3. Place of Burial: North Cemetery, Manila

4. Flowers (Color/Kind): no particular preference

5. Dress (Color/Kind): TOC Barong, brown pants, cape, ceremonial scapular (Carmelite family will be in-charge of the dress and solemn preparation of my body)

6. Casket (color/make) : Brown in color; Inexpensive Wood (NOT metal)

III. FUNERAL CELEBRATION:

1. Church / Funeral Chapel:

Mass to be said daily at St.Peter Funeral Chapel; Final Mass on

date of interment to be celebrated at Sto.Domingo Church, Quezon

Ave. (altar during Holy Masses to include St.Benedict Crucifix, Two

Hearts of Jesus & Mary, St.Joseph and any Carmelite Saint/s);

2. Priest/s:

Carmelite Friar in Carmelite Habit, concelebrated with my own Parish Priest Fr.Jose “Jay” santos and KSB Adviser Fr.Virgilio Ramos; and all available priest-guests.

3. Eulogist: Relatives, fellow Carmelite, KSB member, PWHS member, PPC/SPPC member.

4. Praise Ministry / Choir: PPC/SPPC Music Ministry (ONLY Church/Religious Songs are welcome)

5. Guests’ Attire During Funeral:

- Relatives in white shirts and brown pants

- fellow Carmelites in gala habit

- other prayer groups in their own respective attire

IV. ON TOP OF MY BROWN CASKET:

1. (Catholic) Holy Bible on white cloth

2. St.Benedict Crucifix

3. my Lay Minister Hood (to be included in burial)

4. Exorcised water and exorcised salt in small amount (to be included in burial)

V. MY HANDS:

1. Position: Praying Position (hands joined together on chest; NOT straight or standing position)

2. Hands hold wooden Holy Rosary and wooden St.Benedict Crucifix

VI. DAILY ACTIVITIES DURING WAKE:

1. Novena for the Dead starting on the day of death;

2. Recitation of the Holy Rosary with Litany;

3. Holy Mass;

4. at least 12 brown scapulars to be invested on guests by the Mass Presider, daily during the wake;

5. at least 12 small Saint Benedict medals (blessed & exorcised according to the St.Benedict Rite of Blessing) to be distributed daily during the wake;

6. Praying of Breviary / Liturgy of the Hour / Office for the Dead (Morning & Evening) (Tagalog or English);

7. Angelus at exactly 12 noon and 6PM;

8. Divine Mercy Prayer at exactly 3PM.

VII. STRICTLY NO TO ANY SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ON THE ENTIRE DURATION OF THE FUNERAL.

1. DON’T cut or break the Rosary I’m holding;

2. DON’T remove anymore the pins in my casket;

3. DON’T cover mirrors during wake;

4. DON’T break glasses on interment;

5. DON’T carry the babies and children on top of my casket during burial;

6. DON’T believe anyone is not allowed take a bath if needed;

7. DON’T put chicks on my casket during wake;

8. DON’T put money in my hands during wake;

9. DON’T play any sentimental, emotional, non-church and non-religious music during interment;

10. OVERALL, pls. DON’T inject pagan, occultic, baseless, incompatible beliefs and practices to my own Holy, Catholic Funeral Celebration.

VIII. OTHER LAST WILL:

1. Enroll my soul also for perpetual prayers in Gregorian Masses and in various Orders like Franciscan, Dominican, Benedictine, Augustinian, Pauline, etc.;

2. Holy Mass Offering every Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation, including First Fridays and First Saturdays;

3. Daily Angelus and Holy Rosary for my family;

4. at least monthly Confession of my family members esp. wife and children, parents and other 1^st and 2^nd degree relatives;

5. My wife and children to enter Carmelite Order (or any Religious Order according to the moving of the Holy Spirit) and continue serving the local parish;

6. My other immediate relatives and friends to consider joining also the Carmelite Order or Confraternity of the Brown Scapular.

7. All my relatives and friends to continue promulgating the following:

a. Devotion to Mary through the Brown Scapular

b. Devotion to the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary (promoting

c. The enthronement of Two Hearts images in homes and

families);

d. Promoting the medals and crucifixes of Saint Benedict and

its spiritual values to the lives of Catholic faithful;

e. The ministry of Healing and Deliverance in obedience and in

accordance to the teachings of the Church;

f. The ministry of praying for all the souls in purgatory;

g. Defending the Catholic Faith against the attacks and

conspiracy of the church’s enemies.

Coming-up with TOC design of my own “Lapida” was inspired by my experience of blessing graves in a cemetery at Guinobatan, Albay, Bicol on November 12, 2011.

Along with some members of the TOC – Our Lady of the Assumption Community, we went to the cemetery to say a set of prayers for all those who lie there and started blessing the graves of some relatives, as well as the graves of the departed members and past prioress. I was deeply touched with the pious act of praying for and blessing the burial place of our own sisters in the Third Order. How I wish that everyone, with the right awareness, may easily recognize that the one who lies there are Carmelites who used to give what they have for the benefit of the Order “In Allegiance to Christ”, with zeal and enthusiasm. How I wish that all who passes-by may still be touched and be inspired by the mere presence of burial stones serving as witnesses to the holiness of a Carmelite’s funeral and burial. How I wish every passer-by, even with absolute innocence, may stop in front of their graves and give time to reflect and realize the saintly reminders inscribed on their marble plates, leading each one to say even a brief prayer, fervent enough for that person to be “touched by God”. How I wish that even these graves of fellow members of the TOC would continue the mission of evangelization. How I wish many will come to know more about the Carmelite Order through these graves. How I wish every person who may come in contact with these holy graves may have their minds suddenly open in the Spirituality of Death in a Catholic, Christian and Carmelite point of view. And how I wish everyone else would experience the same with my own burial place, very Carmelite in flavor.

We live as Carmelites. And we will die and be buried as Carmelites.

“O death, where is your sting? O death, where is your victory?”

1 Corinthians 15:55

Beware of Cursed and Occultic Objects

Catholic Christians must be aware of the presence of cursed and occultic objects in circulation, promising good health, luck and charms especially in welcoming New Year. Some are given by practitioners of witchcraft like witchdoctors, psychics, New Age practitioners, feng shui, horoscope, palm reading, crystal ball, faith healing, fortune-telling, including those who patronizes lucky pendants, wristbands, necklaces like quantum pendants, etc. These objects and all those belonging to New Age movements are incompatible to the Church's teachings, doctrines and Catechism. "ONLY JESUS. ALWAYS JESUS.".

Saint Benedict, pray for us.
St.Michael the Archangel, pray for us.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.
Holy Name of Jesus, save us. Amen.

Parish Pastoral Planning and Team-Building Workshop for San Isidro Labrador Parish

Parish Pastoral Planning and Team-Building Workshop for San Isidro Labrador Parish, December 3, 2011, held at Simple Setting, Calumpit, Bulacan.

Parish Priest Fr.Jose "Jay" Santos (not in pictures), with much life and energy put into action, headed this Pastoral event that will mark the success of the entire parish activities for the year 2012.

Shown in the post are some captured moments of Team Building activities and one of the Talks featuring the Spirituality of A Prophet and its relevance to the Pastoral Setting where the leaders and heads of various commissions, organizations and sub-parishes are being challenged... "Get up! Eat and Drink! The journey is too long.".

Enthronement of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Enthronement of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary held after the House Blessing at Legazpi City, Albay. Led by Bro.Arnold, assisted by the members of the Third Order of Carmel Community from Guinobatan, Albay through the able leadership of its prioress Sis.Terry Naag.

BEWARE OF THE DECEPTIONS OF NEW AGE MOVEMENTS

Vatican Exorcist Calls Yoga “Satanic”

Posted on November 30, 2011 by SBrinkmann

see http://www.womenofgrace.com/blog/

Rome’s chief exorcist, Father Gabriele Amorth, has reignited the debate over whether Christians can practice yoga by declaring that both yoga and Harry Potter are tools of the devil.

The NY Daily News is reporting that Father Amorth made the comments at a film festival in the Italian city of Umbria this week where he was invited to introduce the new movie, The Rite.

“Practicing yoga is Satanic, it leads to evil just like reading Harry Potter,” Father Amorth said.

He went on to say that those seemingly “innocuous” Potter books convince kids to believe in black magic.

“In Harry Potter the Devil acts in a crafty and covert manner, under the guise of extraordinary powers, magic spells and curses.”

As for yoga, it leads to Hinduism and “all eastern religions are based on a false belief in reincarnation,” the 86-year-old priest said.

“Satan is always hidden and what he most wants is for us not to believe in his existence,” he said. “He studies every one of us and our tendencies towards good and evil, and then he offers temptations.”

Father Amorth, who performed more than 50,000 exorcisms since retiring in 2000, is the author of two books on his experiences and is both the founder and honorary president of the International Association of Exorcists.

Father Amorth is not alone in his estimation of both Potter and yoga. Pope Benedict once warned of “subtle seductions” in the Potter books that “dissolve Christianity in the soul.”

In 1999, while serving as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he issued the document “Some Aspects of Christian Meditation“ in which he warns Catholics about the dangers of eastern practices such as yoga, Zen, and transcendental meditation, saying that these practices have the danger of degenerating “into a cult of the body” that debases Christian prayer.

He also states that yoga poses could create a feeling of well-being in the body which could be confused with “authentic consolations of the Holy Spirit.”

Characteristics of Diabolical Influence - by Msgr.Charles Pope

Msgr. What Are Three Characteristics of Diabolical Influence?

How Are They Manifest In Our Modern World?

Archdiocese of Washington The Light Is On.org.

Msgr. Charles Pope

Edited for length.

They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,which is across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore,he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus,he cried out and fell at his feet,shouting at the top of his voie,“What do you want with me,Jesus,Son of the Most High God? I beg you,don’t torture me!” For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him,and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard,he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. Jesus asked him,“What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied,because many demons had gone into him.. (Luke 8:26-30)

Msgr. Charles Pope

You will then recall how Jesus drove the demon(s) out and into the herd of swine.

Bishop Fulton Sheen states that the following 3 characteristics are sure fire ways to determine diabolical activity.

1. Love of Nudity – For the text says:For a long time this man had not worn clothes.
   
2. Violence – For the text says:though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard,he had broken his chains. Mark 5:4 more vividly adds: For he had often been chained hand and foot,but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
3. Division (Split Personality and divided from others) – for the text says,many demons had gone into him. Mark’s version has the demoniac reply My name is Legion,for we are many. (Mk 5:9). Further all the texts say the demoniac lived apart from others,in solitary places.

So here are three characteristics of the diabolic.

It does not take much analysis to see how these three characteristics of the diabolic are alive and flourishing in the modern world,at least the Western branch of it. Let’s consider them

1. Love of Nudity - This is clearly manifest at several levels. First there is the widespread tendency of immodest dress. We have discussed modesty here before and ought to note that modesty comes from the word “mode” referring to the middle or to moderation. Hence,while we want to avoid oppressively puritanical notions about dress that impose heavy burdens (especially on women) and regard the body as somewhat evil,we must also critique many modern forms of dress at the other extreme. These “fashions” reveal more than is reasonable and generally have,as their intent to draw attention to aspects of the body that are private and reserved for sexual union in marriage. Too many in our culture see little problem parading about in various stages of undress,wearing clothing that are more intended to disclose and call attention to,than to conceal the private areas of the body. This love of disclosure and titillation is surely an aspect of the Evil One’s love of nudity,and he has surely spread his obsession to many in the modern West.

Pornography, though nothing new in this fallen world,has surely reached epidemic proportions via the Internet. Any psychotherapist,counselor or priest will tell you that addiction to pornography is a huge problem among people today. Pornographic sites on the Internet outpace all others tenfold. Multimillion Americans are viewing enormous amounts of pornography and the “industry” is growing exponentially. What was once hidden away in adult bookstores is now one click away on the Internet. And the thought that browsing habits are easily discoverable matters little to the addicts of this latest form of slavery. Many are on a steep slope downward into ever more deviant forms of porn. Many end up at illegal sites before they even know what has happened to them,and the FBI is knoocking on their door. Satan’s love of nudity has possessed many!

The overall sexualization of culture also ties in to Satan’s love of nudity. We sexualize women to sell products. We even sexualize children. Our sitcoms chatter endlessly about sex in a very teenage and immature sort of way. We are,collectively,goofy and immature about sex,and our culture giggles like horny teenagers obsessed with something we don’t really understand. Yes,Satan loves nudity,and everything that goes with it.

2. Violence – We have discussed here before how we,collectively,have turned violence into a form of entertainment. Our adventure movies and video games turn violent retribution into gleeful entertainment and death into a “solution.” Recent Popes have warned us of the culture of death,where death is increasingly proposed as the “solution” to problems. In our culture violence begins in the womb,as the innocent are attacked and it is called “choice” and “rights.” The violence and embrace of death continues to ripple through culture through contraception,violent gang activity,easy recourse to war and capital punishment. The past Century was perhaps the bloodiest ever known on this planet and untold people in the hundreds of millions died in two world wars,hundreds of regional wars and conflicts,horrific starvation campaigns in the Ukraine,in China and elsewhere,genocides in Central Europe,in Africa and Southeast Asia. Paul Johnson,in his book Modern Times estimates that over 100,000,000 died in war and violent ways in the just the first 50 years of the 20th Century. And with every death,Satan did his “snoopy dance.” Satan love violence. He loves to set fires,and watch us blame each other as we burn.

3. Division –Satan loves to divide. Archbishop Sheen says that the word “diabolical” comes from two Greek words dia+ballein,meaning “to tear apart.” My own study of Greek,poor that it is,does not yield this result. Rather dia means “through” or “between” and ballein means “to throw or to cast.” Nevertheless,the Good Archbishop was a learned man and I ask you Greek Scholars to set me straight and defend Bishop Sheen.

But,even still,it is clear that the devil wants to divide us,within our very own psyche and among each other. Surely he rejoices at every division he causes. He “casts things between us” (dia+ballein)! Diabolical indeed. And thus,we see our families divided,the Church divided,our culture and Country divided. We are now divided at almost every level:racial,religious,political,economic. We divide over age,race,region,blue and red states,liturgy,music,language,and endless minutia.

Our families are broken,our marriages are broken. Divorce is rampant and commitments of any sort are rejected and deemed impossible. The Church is broken and divided into factions,so too the State,all the way down to the level of school boards. Though once we agreed on essentials,now even appeals to shared truth are called intolerant.

And within too,we struggle with many divisive drives and forms of figurative and literal schizophrenia. We are drawn to what is good,true and beautiful and yet what is base,false and evil also summons us. We know what is good,but desire what is evil,we seek love,but indulge hate and revenge. We admire innocence but often revel in destroying it or at least replacing it with cynicism.

And Satan dances his “snoopy dance.”

Three characteristics of the diabolic: love of nudity,violence,and division. What do you think? Is the prince of this world working his agenda? Even more important:are we conniving? The first step in over-coming the enemy’s agenda is to know his moves,to name them and then rebuke them in the Name of Jesus.

Believe in the Gospel and triumphantly defeat the enemy of souls. Our non-belief in the existence of the devil wont save us. The devil exists but there's nothing to fear as long as God is with us. "If God is with us, who can be against us?".

1 John 3:8
"Whoever sins belongs to the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil."