Due to the coming storm, we will not have our apologetics session tomorrow. Next seminar will be on Oct 10th. We will keep you posted.

No Apologetics session on October 3

There will be no Apologetics Session tomorrow (October 3) due to the weather.  Next seminar will be on October 10th.

Thank you very much.

DFF Basic Apologetics Seminar 2009 Starts!!!

DFF Basic Apologetics Seminar 2009 Starts Amidst Brewing Storm!!!

The long wait is finally over!!!

Despite the brewing storm, the 2009 Basic Apologetics Seminar 2009 sponsored by Defensores Fidei Foundation kicked off yesterday at the Training Room (3rd Floor) of Amici Building (formerly Red Ribbon), Connecticut cor. Missouri Streets, Greenhills, San Juan.

Around forty (40) participants attended the first day of the Seminar. The topic on the Church was discussed by Prof. Marwil N. Llasos, OP. Prof. Llasos, a lawyer and professor of law by profession, is an associate member of Defensores Fidei Foundation since 2004. He is also a commissioned lay preacher and a consecrated secular of the Company of St. Dominic.

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Fatima presides in 2009 DFF Apologetics Seminar

Prof. Llasos led the opening prayer. After his spontaneous prayer of praise, thanksgiving and petition, he led the recitation of the morning prayer of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The official DFF pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima presided the seminar. Prof. Llasos consecrated the DFF, the seminar, the speakers and the participants to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary.

DFF Chairman Mr. Henry Siy, gives an overview of the Apologetics Course

Mr. Henry Siy, founding Chairman of Defensores Fidei Foundation, welcomed the participants and gave a brief overview of apologetics. He also introduced Defensores Fidei Foundation and mentioned the group’s projects and programs for the past fruitful years.

Mr. Henry Siy lectures on Apologetics and introduces DFF and its apostolate

Prof. Marwil N. Llasos, OP, then discussed the meaning, nature and origin of the Church. He proved based on Sacred Scripture and history that the one true Church founded by Jesus Christ is the Roman Catholic Church. He pointed out that the four marks of the Church were present from the foundation of the Church by Jesus Christ in Matthew 16:13-19. He demonstrated that these four (4) marks – unity, holiness, catholicity and apostolicity – are present in the Roman Catholic Church alone.

It’s blessed to be Catholic: Mr. Henry Siy exhorts participants to finish the course

The outline of the lecture on the Church may be found in the blog entry below.

Ecclesiology: Prof. Marwil N. Llasos,OP, preaches the One Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church

After the lecture of Prof. Llasos, he welcoed questions from the participants. Several questions were raised. Among these questions was the request for clarification of the maxim “outside the Church, there is no salvation.”

Bro. Marwil N. Llasos and Sis. Zelfa Fabregas of the Legion of Mary

The seminar ended with the praying of the Angelus led by Sr. Zelfa Fabregas, an aspirant to the Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCD) in Lipa Carmel.

Legionaries attend the seminar. Bro. Jose Eleazar Adawag, Sis. Ruth Fabregas-Adawag, and Sis. Zelfa Fabregas

The participants were very thankful to the DFF for organizing the seminar. They said that they learned much about the Church and the lecture has deepened their faith. They pledged that they will share what they learned to others so that they, too, will see the splendor of the truth and the beauty of the faith in Our Holy Mother the Church.

Bro. Mars Llasos and Sr. Zelfa Fabregas

We commend and thank all the participants for coming despite the heavy rains and flood brought about by typhoon Ondoy. Some of them got stranded on their way home. May the all-merciful and benevolent God who cannot be outdone in generosity bless and protect you always!

Note: The next lecture is on the Bible to be given by Mr. Carlos Antonio Palad on October 3, 2009, 9:00 in the morning to 12:00 noon at the Training Room (3rd Floor) of Amici Building (formerly Red Ribbon, the same building occupied by Totus Bookstore), Connecticut cor. Missouri Streets, Greenhills, San Juan.

The 2009 DFF Basic Apologetics Seminar will end in December 2009. For details, please call Totus Bookstore at telephone number (02) 723-4326.

Participants were all ears to the lecture on the Church
Participants exchange views, reactions and opinions prior to the open forum

After the seminar, participants enjoy their Italian meal at Amici. In the picture are members of the Refugium Peccatorum Praesidium of the Legion of Mary in Sto. Domingo Parish headed by their Spiritual Director, Bro. Mars Llasos

Know The Truth Seminar

Here is the tentative schedule for Defensores Fidei 2009 Apologetics Course:

September 26  Church – Atty Marwil Llasos
October 3   Holy Bible – Chief de Vera
October 10   Papacy – Iboy Pinga
October 17  Sacraments 1 – Digoy Fernandez
October 24  Sacred Tradition/Magisterium – Dr. Dicky Boncan
October 31  Sacraments II – Fr. Abe Arganiosa, CRS (All Saints Day weekend!)
November 7  Church History – Chief de Vera
November 14  Mariology – Atty Marwil Llasos
November 21  Christology and Holy Trinity – Fr. Cayo Estrada
November 28  Sola Fidei/Sola Scriptura – Chief de Vera
December 5  Local Sects – Atty Marwil Llasos
December 12  ‘Bible Christians’ – Foreign Sects – Chief de Vera
December 19  Graduation and Christmas Party

Time: 9:00am – 12:00nn (Registration starts at 8:30am)

Fee: FREE ADMISSION

Venue:

Training Room of Amici Greenhills
3rd Floor Missouri Square Bldg
Connecticut corner Missouri Streets
Northeast Greenhills
Please call Lerma at 723-4326 for updates

ANNOUNCEMENT – APOLOGETIC CONFERENCE IN AEMILIANUM COLLEGE WITH GUEST SPEAKER ATTY. MARWIL LLASOS OF DEFENSORES FIDEI FOUNDATION

http://thesplendorofthechurch.blogspot.com/2009/06/annoucement-apologetic-conference-in.html

This is the surprise announcement I’ve been telling friends since the other day. Now, it can be formally announced. Bro. Mars will be returning to Sorsogon and will appear at our Apologetic TV program THE SPLENDOR OF THE CHURCH ‘LIVE’.

The last time he visited us Bro. Mars gave the anti-Catholics an intensity 7 earthquake by his hard hitting, clear and precise answers to the questions. Now, the earthquake could reach intensity 9 with accompanying Volcanic eruptions because it will not just be a TV appearance but a conference to be attended by the College Students of Aemilianum College and also open to the public.

FOR SURE BRO. MARS WILL BE AT HIS BEST. BETTER WATCH OUT… AND PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS EVENT.

report from “Reflections” blog

The following report from “Reflections” blog. The event described here refers to the parish recollection. Bro. Carlos Palad preached before 400 people in San Isidro Labrador parish in Marikina, Diocese of Antipolo.

http://mel454.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html
*************************

April 7, 2009

I just came from a recollection sponsored by our Parish Church and the speaker was a very young apologist, Caloy Palad. He is 26 years old and single, but his topic was about the Filipino Catholic family, marriage, and the recent congressional moves about contraception and population control. I wondered about his qualification, he being young and single , but he spoke well. He was well informed ( he would not be an apologist if he were not) and was able to answer questions thrown by the audience convincingly and with much authority. Having attended and conducted similar talks before, however, I was almost tempted to dismiss this one as just “one of those talks” which would not offer anything new. Indeed, most of the information I heard I had heard many times before but there was one topic which, for me, made the night truly a night for recollection and reflection. He said ‘ women are meant to become mothers.’ He then offered a lot of explanations and sited Papal letters/encyclicals to support this position, even covered those who enter into single blessedness and sisterhood.

Women are meant to become mothers…… I remember at Grade four when our teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grow up. I wanted to answer “to be a renowned doctor” because in my mind I really wanted to be one. But when I stood in front of the class, I was impelled to say “to become a good mother.” What made me do that? I almost died of shame when I heard my classmates laugh. And so that episode in my life stuck in my memory like glue. In retrospect, I can offer a lot of explanations for that unexpected answer. But what is important now is the affirmation that being a good mother is as good as being a well known surgeon, or a successful business man, or a fantastic career person. I am meant to be a mother and it is my primordial duty to become a good one. Am I a good mother? I have raised my children to be good children – they know their responsibilities, they are respectful of their elders, they have ambition, they are well mannered. I can enumerate countless qualities of my children which can tell me that I have been a good mother. In the end, though, the only measure I need to satisfy is if I have led my children towards God. I sincerely hope that I do.

BLOGS AND WEBSITES OF DEFENSORES FIDEI MEMBERS:

Stephen K. Ray (honorary DFF member):

www.catholic-convert.com – Defenders of the Catholic Faith

http://blog.catholic-convert.com – blog

Fr. Abraham Arganiosa

http://thesplendorofthechurch.blogspot.com – The Splendor of the Church

Marwil N. Llasos:

http://bromarwilnllasos.blogspot.com/ –The Kinight of Mary (main blog on Catholic apologetics)

http://marwil-n-llasos.blogspot.com – Marwil N. Llasos (old blog on Catholic apologetics but with some

newer entries)

http://ordosaecularisfranciscanus.blogspot.com/ – Ordo Saecularis Franciscanus

http://legiomariaerefugiumpeccatorum.blogspot.com/ — Legio Mariae Refugium Peccatorum Praesidium

http://vivasanramonnonato.blogspot.com/ – San Ramon Nonato Shrine

Carlos Antonio Palad:

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com – Rorate Caeli (contributor)

http://fightrhbill.blogspot.com – The Catholic Position on the RH Bill

Manny Amador:

http://mamador.wordpress.com — PHNix Network Advocate (much on pro-life matters)

Shirley Monreal blogs:

http://saiden.page.ph/fidem – Ex Fide in Fidem

http://shireyuchan.blog.friendster.com/ — Dominus Vobiscum (on the Traditional Latin Mass)

Rudolf Camaclang

http://withmarybymyside.blogspot.com/ – With Mary by my Side

BLOGS & WEBSITES OF FRIENDS OF DEFENSORES FIDEI:

http://katoliko.org/ — Katoliko website, the online resource for a Catholic Filipino

http://tumbukin-natin.blogspot.com/ – Tumbukin Natin, Cenon Bibe (a rich resource for Tagalog

apologetics)

http://marcusapollo.wordpress.com – Scriptorium (general topics but strong on Catholic topics) by

“Marcus Apollo”

http://prodeoetpatria.blogspot.com – Pro Deo et Patria by Gerald Cenir

http://randomthoughtsmusings.blogspot.com/ – Random Thoughts and Musings on the Narrow Road,

by Willy Jose

http://enbrethiliel.blogspot.com/ — Sancta Sanctis

CATHOLIC FAITH DEFENDER WEBSITES

http://catholicfaithdefender.blogspot.com/ — CFD of Ozamiz City

http://catholicfaithdefender.wordpress.com/ — CFD, Freedom Park of Cebu Chapter

www.catholicfaithdefender.co.cc – CFD of Davao

http://www.cfdcdo.blogspot.com/ — CFD, Cagayan De Oro

http://www.freewebs.com/cfd_muchapter — CFD, M.U. Chapter

BRO. CARLOS PALAD ON DZMM – TOPIC: HOLY EUCHARIST

Defensores Fidei Foundation’s resource speaker CARLOS PALAD will be a speaking tomorrow, June 14, 2009, 8:30 – 10:00 PM, on DZMM 630 KHz as a guest speaker on Salitang Buhay. The topic will be the Holy Eucharist, in time for the celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi last Thursday.

I invite all of you to listen together with your family and friends. Please invite as many as you can. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the HOLY EUCHARIST. Enjoy!

Fr. Reuter’s last article

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=468184&publicationSubCategoryId=64

Hoping we will be one, forever AT 3 A.M. By James B. Reuter Updated May 16, 2009 12:00 AM

 

I am in Our Lady of Peace Hospital, on the Coastal Road, and it is really 3:00 a.m. The planes coming and going from the airport are roaring over my head.

Everything is peaceful and quiet. Even the roaring planes add to the feeling of peace and quiet.

I am ten days away from my 93rd birthday. God has been kinder to me than I deserve, giving me such a rich life, in such a beautiful country, among such gentle people. He has blessed me with so many kind, affectionate, generous, loving friends.

I found that the best time for me to write was at 3:00 a.m. My mind is clearer, my heart is warmer, and I am overwhelmed with the goodness of the people God sends to me.

In this column I have always tried to be positive – presenting the goodness of people, and the wisdom of God’s Providence as I saw it.

I have tried to give. . . . . To give the only thing I have to give. . . . Myself. I have tried to share my thoughts, my feelings, the wonderful holiness that I see in the simple, gentle people that God sends to me.

As soon as I came to the Philippines I realized that the Filipinos were the loveliest people in the world. It was a gift of God, a special blessing, that He sent me here.

I have been thanked for giving my life to the Philippines. . . . . But whenever you give, you always get back more than you have given.

Thank you

• for your gift of friendship through these many long years

• for reading “At 3:00 A.M.” from the time I started writing my column

• for your reactions through letters and phone calls when you liked or did not like what I wrote

• for sharing your stories which inspired me to write them so that they could inspire others

• for your love and concern

• for your prayers which comfort me and which I need.

I have tried to be a priest. A priest is a bridge. . . . a bridge between God and man. . . . . . A channel of God’s love, peace and joy.

What I have found in the Philippines is union. . . . . union of hearts and minds. . . . It is marked by sharing. . . . . The simple, gentle Filipino is willing to share all he has, with everyone.

That is holiness. . . . . That is sanctity. . . . . . That is being like God.

In heaven we will all be one – united in heart and soul. . . . . Loving each other.

In this column written at 3:00 a.m. that was my only message. . . . give. . . . give yourself. . . . . love.

And when I presented this, I discovered what it meant, myself.

Being strong, sometimes, means being able to let go. I know that now is the time to “let go”. I have been up at 3:00 a.m. to write my column for many, many years. It is now time for me to stay in bed until the sun comes up and the birds start to sing.

This is not goodbye. Wherever I am, whatever I do, you are always in my heart and in my prayers. All of you.

God bless!

The song is ended. . . . but the melody lingers on. . . . and on. . . and on.

I love those who have read this column. . . .And I hope that they love me.

* * *

For those who are interested, here is my prayer that I would like to share with you.

Lord God,

Look down upon us, this day, this hour.

Regardless of what has gone before,

or what will come after,

give us the grace to consecrate this time entirely to You —

all the actions of our body and soul.

May all the thoughts that come to us

be true.

May all the things to which our hearts go out

be beautiful, with the beauty of God.

May all the things we want be good.

Give us the light to see Your Will,

the grace to love it

and the courage and strength

to do it.

We ask you this through Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

On Hindsight: 4th Basic Apologetics Seminar of Defensores Fidei Foundation

The foremost Catholic apologetics group in the country, Defensores Fidei Foundation, launched in 2006 its Basic Apologetics Seminar. The seminar aims to equip participants (called “seminarians”) with the basic tools to defend their holy Catholic Faith. The seminar is a complete course on basic Catholic apologetics. The topic includes the Church and Magisterium, Bible and Tradition, Sacraments, Christology, Mariology, among others.

The 1st and 2nd seminar were held at the 2nd Floor of Red Ribbon Building in Connecticut Street, Greenhills, San Juan. Last year, the 3rd seminar was held at the St. Ignatius Chapel of Mary the Queen Parish, San Juan.

The first-ever seminar was like a guinea pig project. Although the DFF had some lecture series in the past, however, it had no prior experience of sponsoring a complete apologetics course that would span four months of intensive training. Thus, everything was trial and error. By God’s grace, there were few misses and more hits. The hits include the souls of the participants.

We learned much from our experience. We fine-tuned the curriculum and prepared lecture materials to be used for future seminars. We identified the strengths and weaknesses of the speakers. We pushed for specialization in various fields of apologetics. Hence, home-grown talents were honed. The 1st seminar was made memorable by the presence of two of the most popular American apologists – Steve Ray and Tim Staples. Steve Ray was a Baptist preacher while Time Staples was a minister of the Assemblies of God. These big names in the American apologetics scene answered questions and shared some tips on how to respond to questions from Protestants. Steve Ray, the authto of Crossing the Tiber, Upon this Rock and the Footprints of God series is very close to the heart of DFF. He is a member of Defensores Fidei honoris causa. He came to the Philippines thrice already and his speaking tours all over the country were big hits. I was with him in January 2005 as guest speakers during the 1st Evangelization weekend in Davao.

The 2nd seminar was more successful than the first. We had such illustrious speakers as Msgr. Gerry Tapiador (Sacred Scripture), Fr. Carlos Estrada (Christology), Fr. Abe Arganiosa (Sacraments) Msgr. Chito Amante (Papacy) and Archbishop Pedro Dian (Moral Issues). The harvest for the 2nd seminar was plenty. From its alumni, God raised new active defenders of the Faith. They are, among others, Kristoffer Lumingkit (Kit), Shirley Monreal, Claire Navarro, Malou Dominguiano, Mariz Florentino and PV Beley. These budding apologists are relatively young (except perhaps for Mariz and PV who are admittedly younger). The alumni of this batch have been very much involved in the activities of the DFF. Foremost of them is PV who is this year’s prime mover for the Apologetics Convention.

The 3rd seminar followed the curriculum of the past seminars, except that we offered a new topic on non-Catholic sects and their common objections to the Catholic Faith. This seminar was held exclusively at Mary the Queen Parish. It culminated in an ad orientem Novus Ordo Latin Mass celebrated by our very own Fr. Abe Arganiosa. The great additions to the Church’s army of faithful defenders from the 3rd batch include Mon Suncoya and Rudolf Camaclang.

The 4th seminar was like the Diaspora of the Jews. Participants were like wandering Jews in a sense that the venue changed frequently – from St. Ignatius Chapel to the Vatican Room of Mary the Queen Parish, to LAYFORCE in San Carlos Seminary in Guadalupe and back to Mary the Queen, and then to Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary in Makati until finally in San Juan Bautista Parish in Pinaglabanan, San Juan. Even in San Juan, we have had two venues!

Despite the rollercoaster ride, our participants never decreased in number. In fact, every Saturday broke the record in attendance of the last Saturday. We posted a record high of nearly 100 participants. If you want proof that this is the work of the Holy Spirit, this is it!

Indeed, it is humbling to see the enthusiasm and faith of our participants. We can only praise the Lord for this bountiful harvest of souls. What accounts for the increase of participants, I believe, are the following factors: (1) this is the first time that the seminar is offered free of charge, (2) it was widely publicized especially in Mr. Cenon Bibe’s Tumbukin Natin (Tumbok newspaper), and (3) it was the 4th time that we offered the course. More importantly, I believe that God’s grace supplied whatever is lacking in our admittedly limited human means. I also attribute the success of the seminar to the motherly intercession of Mama Mary. The glorious outcome of this annual event shattered our modest expectations! Siksik, liglig at umaapaw.

This year’s participants were a delightful combination of different kinds of people from all walks of life. We have people from type A and B class who came from exclusive neighborhoods. Most of all, we had the masa courtesy of Cenon Bibe’s Tumbok. This points to the Catholicity of the Church!

The recently-concluded seminar was our first seminar where the Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of Fatima presided every session and accompanied us wherever we went. I led the opening prayer on September 6 for the first session (I was the speaker on Introduction to Apologetics). I recall that I consecrated the seminar to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I renewed this consecration on October 25 when I led the closing prayer for that day (I gave the talk on Mariology at Mary’s turf – Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary). I am certain that the Blessed Mother accepted our consecration to her. She obtained from our dear Lord the success of the 4th Basic Apologetics Seminar.

The recently-concluded seminar had so many firsts. We offered a session on Introduction to Apologetics during the commencement of the seminar. It ended with an Apologetics Convention which launched the national umbrella of all Filipino Catholic apologists – the Academy of Catholic Apologists of the Philippines. We had such illustrious guests as the phenomenal Mayor Soc Fernandez, the Philippines’ best Catholic debater. The highlight was of course a Pontifical Mass presided by Bishop Angel Hobayan, Bishop Emeritus of Catarman, Samar.

I hope and pray that the seminar has not only made good Catholics better Catholics – but saints in the process of becoming.

Laus tibi Domini.

Bro. Marwil Llasos

Source: http://bromarwilnllasos.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-12-17T05%3A11%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=7