Cry my beloved Philippines
 
Once the week has claimed its quota of blood
and it drains into the gutters
That’s when the faithful feel
the streets are clean enough for them
to wear their Sunday shoes
• Unidentified
 
They tell us we are safer now,
tell us to keep our eyes down

What I was looking forward to when I went home for my vacation was bonding with my family. I had a great vacation recently. We didn’t go to other places besides our farm. We took our bath near the river, picked fruit, harvested vegetables and played with my nephews. And of course not to forget our food trip. I ate whatever food came to my mind as I know I won’t be able to eat them here in Hong Kong.
— Hezel Arceta

The St. Alfred Guitarists held their first thanksgiving celebration at the parish hall in Shatin on July 9. The theme for the day was Showcasing Our God Given Talents. The programme featured a mixture of Christian songs, love melodies and rock.
 
It was an afternoon of praying while playing, as the strings of the guitars spelled out the prayer of the fingers that plucked them.
 

We just finished a three-in-one celebration month at our parish—birthdays for the month of July; as well as the anniversaries of the Mother of Divine Grace praesidium and Mary Help of Christians praesidium, and lastly, my farewell party on July 23.
 

Being a farmer is not an easy job. Every day farmers wake up as early as cock crow to go out to the fields and also to tend their animals like the carabao, the cow and the goat. They also love to raise chickens, ducks and geese.
 

When I was young my father loved to sing me songs and his favourite was The Impossible Dream. And when I grew up we used to sing together. We both love to sing and that is what I inherited from him—a talent for singing. I was told that I inherited his voice. I really miss him. He has been gone for more than a decade and his memory will forever remain.