A Beautiful Sunday to Remember
2005.04.17 SUNDAY

In the morning of this very day, Sunday, Fr. Fil Pelingon requested me to preside over the 4:00 PM Holy Mass for Filipinos residing in Rome. The venue is Gesu e Maria Church at Via del Corso, Rome. Fr. Fil concelebrated. What was interesting is that this Holy Mass reminded me of the very 4:00 PM Mass I regularly celebrate at Tapdong Cathedral in Incheon for the Filipino workers and trainees. (Usually, Fr. Bobby Cuyos, Fr. Gene Sabio and Fr. Fil Pelingon would take turns in celebrating the Sunday Holy Mass in this very place.) Since it was a Good Shepherd Sunday, I gave my usual style of homily with a short song at the start which they appreciated. Since it wa a special Sunday, shortly before the singing of the Lord's Prayer, I requested the Mass participants to form a big circle, with hands interconnected to signify our oneness/unity as a family, as one community with the Good Shepherd at the center. They took it positively. A heavy merienda of tasty food stuff followed for the community leaders at the church kitchenette. Indeed, a memorable Good Shepherd Sunday, it was. . . . .

PINOYS IN KOREA (INCHEON CITY) (Submitted to the Pinoy Blog)

The Pinoys in Korea (Incheon) community was founded by Fr. Raymundo T. Sabio, MSC, a Filipino priest and a member of the religious congregation called: Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC). The first Sunday Mass took place on March 3,1991 and His Excellency, Bishop William J. McNaughton, MM, DD gave his blessing to the formation of this group in association with the Apostolatus Maris-Incheon. Since then regular Sunday Mass was celebrated at 4:00 PM and the venue is: Tapdong Catholic Cathedral of the Incheon Diocese. We average between 200 - 250 Holy Mass participants.

Although the great majority of those present at Mass are Filipinos (93%) there are several Koreans (those who plan to migrate to North America, Australia and New Zealand), a few Americans and Africans who participate at this Mass. So this group has been given the name, Incheon Catholic International Community (I.C.I.C.) In order not to exclude them, but rather to help them feel at home in this liturgical celebration, we decided to use the English language.

Most of the members are factory workers and industrial trainees, the rest are musicians and entertainers, professionals and those married to Korean spouses. The community aims to extend all kinds of assistance to the migrants and expatriates: spiritual, moral, social and even financial when the need arises.

The community leaders help foster some kind of family spirit among the members. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available to the members in need; home remittances are facilitated; and after the end of the Mass, Filipino goods and food stuffs are for sale by the Filipino vendors.

Through the years various forms of financial assistance were extend to worthy causes. The raising of funds took several weeks even months in a slow and gradual process. (The actual amounts were in Korean Won but for easier identification we give the approx. equivalent in US Dollars):

2005 Mar. 2,700 US Dollars For the typhoon & flood victims in Quezon Province
2004 Feb. 4,250 US Dollars For a School Building (2 school rooms) for the Laconon
Elem. Laconon in the T'boli, South Cotabato (Mindanao area).
2003 Mar. 550 US Dollalrs To the Comelec for Absentee Voting
2003 Jan 1,800 US Dollars Assistance to the Victims of Bombing & Terrorism
2001 Oct. 1,400 US Dollars Assistance to Mayon Volcano Eruption
1999 Nov. 1,600 US Dollars Assistance to East Timor Catholic Church
1996 Dec. 1,500 US Dollars For Phil. Centennial Expo
1994-1996 4,500 US Dollars For Incheon Diocese Seminary Construction
1993 Dec. 4,000 US Dollars For Fil. Workers' Welfare Fund

PICTURES
A. This picture of our choir members (led by Mr. Butch Sogue) is taken at the sanctuary of the Incheon Cathedral.
B. Ambassador Aladin Villacorte receiving the donation of 4,250 US Dollars for the school building construction in T'boli, South Cotabato from our Incheon Catholic Int'l Community represented by Chairman Mr. Willy Eugenio.
C. Community Leaders' excursion at the MSC Log Cabin in Kanghwa, Incheon.
D. Best Uniform Award given by Ambassador Juanito Jarasa during our Incheon Basketball Sportfest.

(Submitted by Fr. Raymundo T. Sabio, MSC)
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