Happy Fourth of July!

Even though I am not in the states, it doesn't mean that I can't celebrate the fourth of July! However, my day started off with Mass, of course it would, why wouldn't it not start with Mass because that makes my day. I really like attending Mass at the Benedictine monastery here in Digos. There is something about Benedictine monastery's that I really love, I guess you can say that it is an advantage of attending a seminary that was at a monastery. Well the chapel they use is not very big, but it was packed. I was also very happy to see some of the Hummingbirds in attendance at the Mass singing. They always seem to amaze me. I actually met two of the monks today, since this was the third time attending Mass there it was about time I actually started to introduce myself. I don't think they realize that I am with the Brothers. They seemed like some really nice guys. They invited us next Sunday to there celebration of the Feast of St. Benedict. I am really excited about attending and am really looking forward to it.

Once I got back to the house though I really wasn't sure what I was going to be doing today. What I found on the t.v. was Edward Scissorhands, which is a movie I always enjoy watching. Br. Roger came up and said that we were going to go swimming with Joe Joe, who is the director of alumni affairs for the school. Joe Joe is super nice because he wants me to have a great experience of the Philippines while I can. So we get to the Aquino Resort, I may say resort, but it is not what you think when it comes to resorts. They had two swimming pools, one for kids and one for adults, some huts, and many fish ponds. The people that own the place make there money off of the fish they raise and sale and the resort that makes money. I was really impressed by the fish ponds because this family is making money off of tilapia that they raise. What was going through my mind was how much they are making doing this, but supposedly they are doing quite well, which makes me very happy. The day included eating, swimming, videoke, and Red Horse, which is the beer around here. It was a really fun day! Now I am completely exhausted.

I am finding out that in each day I am here, I am impressed by something. Like today the fish that was being raised by this family to sale. I was also impressed by the Hummingbirds today at Mass. One of the girls in the Hummingbirds was the cantor for the psalm, which she did a wonderful job. To me it spoke more than her just singing, it was a reflection on the life she is trying to live as a Catholic woman. From her singing, it showed to me that faith is more to her than attending Mass every Sunday, but something that is involved in her daily life that she so freely expresses through her contribution to a liturgy. I want to thank her for sharing her faith with me.