The Philippines – it is well known – is a country of festivities. The celebration of Christmas begins in September. That is why these Chronicles would like to share with you our ways of celebrating Jesus’ birth. It is a way to be in communion with you these days of festivities and of joy.
Very cordially yours,
Bernard Holzer, A.A.

Dear Baby Jesus;
I thank you so much for coming into my life. I am thankful that I will be full of joy, because of your birth. I have prepared a warm manger for you in the depths of my heart. You are my whole life. Please continue to be with me, throughout the rest of my journey.
Baby Jesus, I love you!
(A prayer from Chinese Seminarian Joseph – Martin Yen)

CHRONICLES FROM MANILA
No 20, December 2011

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Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J.
Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro

Christmas is a time of rejoicing. But this year in Cagayan de Oro we mourn and express our condolence for all those who have perished in the wake of Typhoon Sendong on Dec. 16-17. In some places entire families have been washed away by the rampaging waters of Cagayan de Oro River. Others died in their sleep trapped inside their homes by the sudden rise of flood waters that reached unprecedented levels past midnight.

New Devasting Typhoon in The Philippines.

Our brothers Cris and Jay went to Mindanao for their Christmas holidays to be with their respective families and to meet their friends after more than a year of absence.
But a terrible and unexpected tropical storm hit the island of Mindanao. The typhoon “Sendong” surprised all with its ferocity.
Our brothers are in the midst of desolation. With his family, Jay is staying at the evacuation center. His house is submerged along with the others in the neighborhood. Some of his closest friends died while in their sleep when the flashfloods came. At the moment, there are more than 600 deaths and 900 missing persons.