Part II CFD LUZON CONVENTION 2015: A DAY OF OUTPOURING GRACES By Simon Jake Beringuela

CFD Quezon City Officers led by Atty. Marwil Llasos with Fr. Abe Arganiosa

CFD Luzon Convention: A Day of Outpouring Graces

CONFIRMED!

The 17th day of May was a memorable day of my life!  It was a day of overflowing blessings, graces and memories that will last a lifetime.  It was the day I received the special outpouring of graces from the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation.  Yes, the very sacrament that brings every believer an increase and deepening of baptismal grace. 

The author CPA Simon Jake Beringuela receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation in Quiapo Church with Fr. Abe Arganiosa as Sponsor.

What makes this Sacrament more special is that I celebrated it with the very people who are instrumental in my spiritual journey and reviving my once-doubtful faith to the Holy Catholic Church.  My Ninong (Godfather) who accompanied me during the rite (and of course, who’ll continue to accompany me in my spiritual life) is none other than our CFD National Adviser, Fr. “Tatay” Abe Arganiosa.  I also celebrated this sacrament together with the CFD Manila President, Michael Vincent Suico – Kuya Mico, and his younger brother, Daniel.  Moreover, we received the sacrament of confirmation in the Basilica of the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and was sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of the hands of Msgr. Clemente Ignacio and the anointing of the chrism oil.

Simon Jake Beringuela with Fr. Abe after the Sacrament of Confirmation in Quiapo Church

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) #1303 lists five effects of this biblical sacrament (Acts 8: 15-17; 19:6) which are as follows:

– it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, “Abba! Father!”
– it unites us more firmly to Christ;
– it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;
– it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;
– it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross

CFD Manila Presiden Michael Vincent Suico with Fr. Abe after the Sacrament of Confirmation in Quiapo Church

Right after being blessed by the outpouring of spiritual graces from the Holy Spirit and the delicious lunch given by our Ninong (haha.. Thanks Tatay Abe!), we elatedly proceeded to Sto. Domingo Church for the CFD Luzon Convention.  It’s so amazing that God immediately bestowed His graces to carry out the fifth item listed in CCC 1303. 

Simon Jake Beringuela with Fr. Abe and Michael Vincent Suico after the Sacrament of Confirmation in Quiapo Church

DEFEND!

The first-ever CFD Luzon convention was successfully held at San Martin de Porres Hall of Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City.  The convention was attended by leaders and members of various chapters from CFD Tarlac,  CFD Cavite-Calasag, CFD Quezon-Lucena, CFD Manila and CFD Quezon City.  The convention was headed by Fr. Abe and Atty. Marwil Llasos OP, the hosts of the well-known apologetics TV program in TV Maria – Know the Truth.

Ang galing lang because I treat the convention as a “Know the Truth – LIVE”.  It was a rare event to let those two great defenders be in a “live event” knowing that Tatay Abe is currently assigned in a parish in Missouri, USA.   

Fr. Abe gave his remarks on how CFD started in Luzon, its missions, the struggles and how it was overcome, and his vision for the CFD family.  He also gave his tokens of gratitude to those people who are instrumental in making CFD Luzon possible. 

Atty. Llasos, on the other hand, gave his talk about Mama Mary.  He discussed how Mama Mary became M.A.R.IA. by being a Mother, Ancilla (Handmaid), Regina (Queen), Immaculata and Assumpta.  From there, he talked about how the blessed Virgin Mary was prophesied in Genesis discussing her Immaculate Conception up to how she was revealed and honored in the book of Revelation proving her Assumption and Coronation to heaven.  Bro. Marwil also emphasized that those graces given to Mama Mary reflects more on the glory that the Triune God has. 

Fr. Abe gave a Bronze Medal of St. King Louis of France to CFD Q.C. President Atty. Marwil Llasos, CFD Cavite Presient Jeffrey Li, CFD Lucena President Ed Ebreo, CFD Manila Adviser Prof. Nestor Limqueco and CFD Manila President Michael Vincent Suico. St. Louis of France is a known defender of the faith during the Crusades.

Fr. Abe and Bro. Marwil, hand-in-hand answered various questions from the convention’s participants on a Q&A portion.

The convention was meaningfully ended by celebrating the highest form of worship – the Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Abe and an offering of flowers to the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrating May as the month of our Mother.

Fr. Abe before the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary that was crowned later on.

SERVE!

The CFD Convention was also memorable to me as it gave me an opportunity to serve in CFD through ordinary tasks.  It was my first time to serve as a “feeling-pro” photographer to capture the first part of the convention.  Thanks to Tatay for allowing me to use his camera. Hahaha…  Moreover, I was also able to join in the choir who sang in the Holy Mass after being encouraged by my fellow CFDs. (I would like to put emphasis on the thought that inencourage lang talaga nila ako. Sa Tagalog, napilit. HAHAHA. Joke).  It took 14 years before I was able to sing again for a Mass.  The first one was on a Children’s Mass on our grade school days when our whole section was selected to sing for the mass (Readers might now realize na I’m not a singer after all, na hindi talaga ako magaling kumanta. Hahaha).

Simon Jake Beringuela [2nd from right] with Kristoffer Torralba, Harold Marcelo Eugenio, Bryan Montilla, Phoenyx Brucelo and others who were singing as choir during the Holy Mass.

This is not to boast to everyone that I did something for the event.  But rather, I want to share the happiness and joy that I felt during the whole convention.  It was tiring to serve yet it was very fulfilling to know that I was able to serve the Lord through simple ways.  The convention was also an avenue for me to open myself to consider the other gifts/talents that the Lord might have given me to bless the world.

CFD Girls Anacita Sierra, Elyza Anne Tinamisan and Tati Bi… All Accountancy Graduates enjoying the CFD Luzon Convention. Below Fr. Abe celebrating the Holy Mass.

May 17, 2015 – It was indeed a day of outpouring graces! A memorable day with my spiritual family and friends! A day of harnessing an army willing to defend the faith for God and for the Church!  #ProDeoEtEcclesia

P.S.

The convention also helped me realized that I should have to focus really on apologetics kasi I don’t have a future in singing. HAHAHA. #ProDeoEtEcclesia

The Q and A session moderated by CFD Manila President Michael Vincent Suico.