Philippine Asian News Today | Page 37

August 16 - 31, 2016 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY FAITH AND RELIGION B13 Have the courage to ask for forgiveness, Pope Francis says Vatican City-- On Wednesday Pope Francis stressed the importance of having the courage to recognize our sins and ask God for forgiveness, moving forward rather than getting stuck in feelings of shame and rejection. “How many times do we feel rejected internally because of our sins!” the Pope said Aug. 31, noting that what the Lord tells us in these moments is “have courage, come. For me you are not discarded, have courage.” In the face of our sins Jesus calls us sons and daughters, he said, adding that “this is the moment of grace, of forgiveness, a moment of inclusion in the life of Jesus, in the life of the Church. It’s the moment of mercy.” To hear someone say “you are no longer discarded, I forgive you, I embrace you,” is truly “the mercy of God,” he said, adding that “we must have courage to go to him and ask forgiveness for our sins, and then move forward with courage.” Pope Francis spoke to pil- grims present in a rainy St. Peter’s Square during his Wednesday general audience, continuing his ongoing catechesis on mercy for the Jubilee. He picked up from where he left off last week, having postponed his catechesis due to the massive earthquake that left several towns in Central Italy in shambles, focusing on the Gospel passage in Matthew in which a woman with hemorrhages touches Jesus’ cloak with the hope of being healed. Speaking of how the woman, blending in with the crowd, believed that just touching Jesus’ cloak would be enough to heal her ailment, the Pope marveled at her faith, saying she is able to think like that “because she was animated by so much faith and so much hope and, with a touch of cunning, achieved what was in her heart.” The woman, he noted, had been sick for many years and had visited several doctors, spending all of her money on painful treat- ments only to get worse. As a result, she was “rendered impure” and “excluded from the liturgy, from married life, from normal relationships with others.” “She was a woman discarded from society,” Francis said, explaining that because of this, “she felt that Jesus could free her from sickness and from the state of marginalization and indignity in which she found herself. In a word, she felt that Jesus could save her.”(E.Harris, CAN) K of C San Lorenzo Ruiz Council #8809 Recognized with the Columbian Award The San Lorenzo Ruiz Council #8809 of the Knights of Columbus, headed by Grand Knight Deacon Bob Rosales of the Archdiocese of Toronto, is among those Councils all over the world being recognized with the Columbian Award by the worldwide organization’s Supreme Council in New Haven, Connecticut for the Fraternal Year 2015-2016. The official announcement was made in “Knightline”, the official newsletter of the worldwide organization. The K of C Supreme Council gives out the annual awards as a testimonial of the efficiency, industry and excellent activity program of Councils across the world for their involvement in church, community, family, ProLife and Youth Activities. Deacon Rosales is thank- ing his fellow officers and active members working with him for their contribution in the various service programs of the San Lorenzo Ruiz Council #8809 during the Fraternal Year 2015-2016 and encourages a similar zeal of dedication by the new set of officers and members for the 20162017 Fraternal Year. The Council Officers covered during the period were Dea- con Bob Rosales, Grand Knight; Rev. Fr. Simon deGale, Chaplain; Bro. Romy Olit, Deputy Grand Knight; Bro. Do