“Ms. Torrevillas, You have written an extremely well-balanced presentation on Pope Francis. A superb assessment I hope to share with a few of my friends. Are you a professor of religion, by the way? Protestant (that you are) or Catholic (which I am), let us love the Lord and pray for each other. God bless both of us.â€â€” Gitanjali A. Bernard, New York
From author Ericksanjuan, a jolting comment saying more than what I had written: “Hi Domini, congrats! You are right in your information. Pope Francis is the last pope. The good Lord will forgive me in divulging that Satan can
sometimes be good to achieve his goal. PF will soon be instrumental in the building of the 3rd temple in Jerusalem where he will transfer the ‘Papal chair’ in time for the coming or presentation of the antichrist thru ecumenism within five years time. A rare red heifer will be sacrificed in the new temple as an offering to Satan. God forbid!†Esj (Sent from my iPhone)
“A very well written and enlightening commentary on Pope Francis…. thank you and more power.†From Lina Medina Armica
“Good morning ma’am. Yes, all mankind, whether they be under Islam, Buddhism, Protestant or non-Roman Catholics. . . all are children of God . . . the Only one God . . . for there is only one God . . . some don’t really know Him. . . as Paul said to the Greeks, ‘You even have an altar for an Unknown God . . . this God I will introduce and let it be known to you . . . God bless you madam.†– John Iglesia
Here’s a thought-provoking commentary from the poet Myrna Peña-Reyes Sweet of Dumaguete City. “I deeply admire Pope Francis, and if there is anyone who can convince me to convert to Roman Catholicism, it would be him. Those who believe Pope Francis is the False Prophet referred to in the Bible are the benighted supporters of outmoded doctrines that are unquestioningly unfair, oppressive, ignorant, intolerant, and non-progressive. They are comfortable in their beliefs and are un-discerning. Anything that shakes them from their zone of comfort is ‘heresy.’ They speak in the name of guarding the sacredness of the Church’s beliefs (“Ah sacredness, what crimes are committed in thy name!). Their absurd claim should just be ignored, but many will believe it, unfortunately, and they will be mostly from the rank of the simple-minded idiots who were caricatured in one of those e-mails you received. They represent the middle and lower classes, alas, in the US and in our beloved ‘kaontry’ the Philippines, land of our birth, clime of the sun caressed. But here in the Philippines, there will also be more from the upper class who will believe that absurdity. Education is the best way to prevent that kind of cock-eyed thinking, but our educational system fails to develop in our young people the habit of critical thinking, tolerance, and a curious and inquiring mind.
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In town for a brief visit is a Filipino who’s making waves in Paris and beyond. He’s Jaime Gaffud, compliance manager of Societe Generale International Financial Services who will speak at the graduation ceremony at Temple Hill International School, Quezon City, tomorrow, March 28. He holds a difficult job of implementing standards for maintaining integrity of banks and corporations by following certain protocols and standard controls that he designs in the area of money laundering, fighting corruption, consumer protection, and reputational risks.
A much-valued leader of the company, Jaime has distinguished himself as a man with exceptional character, innate goodness and honesty. He has been designated to undertake difficult and sensitive missions for the company in many parts of the world.
He mentors the Fratelli, an organization for poor young students with potential for integration into the corporate world. He also coaches the Tamaris, an NGO that provides financial assistance to special activities intended for the youth.
He is an alumnus of the Philippine Montessori Center in White Plains, Quezon City.
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A little more than a year ago, TV personality Boy Abunda founded the Make Your Nanay Proud (MYNP) Foundation with the simple mantra of wanting to make nanays all over the country proud by encouraging their children to be “the best of who you are and the best in all you do.â€
According to Boy, the idea stems from his own desire to always make his nanay proud! “I always measure what I do with how I think Nanay would react. It is my internal moral compass and it has guided me to where I am today.â€
Since its founding, MYNP has fulfilled its mission of making mothers proud.
MYNP’s annual report proudly notes that the foundation’s “commitment to serve the community was tested time and again by several natural disasters that devastated the Philippine countryside, most notable of which were typhoons Pablo and Yolanda.†With these twin calamities serving as its “baptism of fire,†the foundation was able to pool its resources together and donate relief goods to the victims as well as providing funds for livelihood projects and building school classrooms in the affected areas.
Boy explains that MYNP wants to reach out to as many people as possible. “The message we bring affects all of us, after all, everyone is a child of a mother and that bond of love is established long before all the other ties we have in our life.â€
Thus, MYNP reaches out to inmates in women’s correctional facilities, business executives, community leaders, politicians, and “ordinary†Filipinos from all walks of life.
Adds MYNP president, Mike Sicat, “I believe it is only through “One heart, One mind, One mission, One vision and One direction â€that we may eventually fulfill our goal of building better lives for our fellowmen whom we are here to serve.â€
Gasper Gozo, MYNP secretary general, says that with the outpouring of encouragement from friends and supporters; the inspiring leadership of Boy Abunda; the unwavering passion of the men and women behind this small foundation; and the invaluable guidance of its distinguished council of advisers, he is confident foundation will live up to its mission of making nanays proud.
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Email: dominitorrevillas@gmail.com