Thank you /Gracias

(Español abajo)

To each and every one of you I thank you so much for all your best wishes, prayers and birthday messages that I have received on  my 3 Facebook Accounts, 3 Sonico Accounts, 3 Plaxo Accounts, My Space, Youtube, Linkedin, Twitter, Hi5, PoDomatic, migente,  and regular emails. 
I was Overwhelmed with your messages and I am so deeply touched. I thank God for your friendship and for allowing me to reach your homes with my blogs,  reflections and prayers. 
I m blessed to have friends like you, my "Cyber Family".
I have read each message and email , and I feel  so humble to have such a great FAMILY like you, my friends, specially now, since I have my family far away in Spain, reading your messages made me feel less alone. Thank you and God bless you all.

GRACIAS:
Mil gracias a todos ustedes que me han enviado su felicitación y sus mejores deseos con motivo de mi cumpleaños, les agradezco profundamente su cariño, su apoyo y su respeto. Trate de dar respuesta uno a uno a todos ustedes, pero hasta el momento en que estoy redactando esta nota me es IMPOSIBLE, porque tengo  3 Facebooks, 3 Sonicos, 3 Plaxos, Hi5, MySpace, Linkedin, Youtube, Twitter, Podomatic, MiGente, y mis correos regulares. 
Solo les pido sus oraciones y gracias por permitirme llegar a  sus hogares por medio de mis reflexiones, columnas, oraciones etc.
Con sus saludos, cariño y respeto me demuestran cuan cierto es aquello que leemos en el evangelio: aquel que deja familia por anunciar el evangelio, recibirá ciento por uno ya en esta tierra.
Ustedes son mi familia, mis amigos, mi ciento por uno, y en este día que celebro un año más de mi vida han estado junto a mí. 
Gracias infinitas y que el buen Dios les recompense como ustedes se merecen. De Nuevo un gracias sincero y humilde. 

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

Biblingual Mass Next October 4, 2013

Dear Friends, Last Saturday, September

7, I went to Jail to celebrate mass and hear confession, and to my surprise, I have received several complaints from the English Speaking Inmates. 
And they are right, absolutely right, since on Friday September 6, at St. Columba Parish, we had our First Mass to pray for their Friends and Families and all were welcome to participate, but mass was said only in Spanish. 
It totally slipped out of my mind, and yes, Deacon Granda and I, we do have and also serve the English Speaking inmates to whom we bring bibles and other reading materials.
My greatest apologies to them and their Families, but our next mass in October 4, at 7 Pm will be bilingual, this way, we will not be excluding anyone that wants to come and pray with us for our “Friends who are behind bars”. 
 Fr. Tomas
Queridos amigos

El sábado 7, como todos los sábados, fui a la cárcel para celebrar la santa misa y brindar el sacramento de la confesión para aquellos que lo solicitan. 
Para mi sorpresa recibí bastantes quejas de encarcelados de habla inglesa. 
Y, a no dudarlo, eran ciertas sus quejas.
El viernes 6 en la Parroquia de San Columba tuvimos nuestra misa de primer viernes, la cual por primera vez tenía una intención especial: rezar por nuestros hermanos presos y por sus familias. 
Pero, cometimos el error de celebrarla y anunciarla tan solo en español. Se nos olvidó tanto al diácono Miguel Granda como a mí que también nuestros hermanos presos de habla inglesa sufren y tienen familia que, igualmente, sufre. 
 Les presento mis más sinceras disculpas y les prometo que, de ahora en adelante, las misas de los primeros viernes en la Parroquia de San Columba serán bilingües y tendrán una intención especial: los presos y sus familiares. El próximo primer viernes es el 4 de octubre, festividad de San Francisco, y a las 7 de la tarde nos reuniremos para orar juntos, compartir juntos, sanarnos juntos y rogar al Señor por nuestros hermanos privados de libertad y sus seres queridos. 
Les espero. 
Padre Tomas 

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

FROM ROME TO RIO

Column of Rev. Fr. Tomas Del Valle-Reyes July 21, 2013

Rome for many centuries was known as the “Caput Mundi” the Head of the World. In many aspects still is the Head of the World.  However, for Catholics it is the city from where their lives still rule.
In a few days, The Bishop of Rome will meet with about two millions of young men and women whom are planning to have their spiritual Woodstock.   For this reason, His Holiness is planning a trip to a country that is almost at end of the world, but familiar to him, since he practically lived nearby.
These large gatherings are not new. If we remember well, in 1975 Pope Paul the VI, asked the Church to let their young parishioners to take part of the International Christian Reconciliation March.
 In 1984 the Cardinal Pironio, following orders of Pope John Paul II, convoked Year of the Redemption, inviting the youth from all over the world to meet in Rome.
 In 1986, having Rome as its host city, we had The First World Youth. And ever since, there have been 27 World Youths meetings called by the Pope in different cities around the World. We need to cite Manila, so far was the largest with 5 million.
                        In the next few days will be the 28^th World Youth Encounter in city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  The called for this year World Youth was done by Benedict Xvi and will be preside by Pope Francis.
 This World Youth, we may say, that it was drafted in Europe, but America will live and feel the joy for an entire week; America, the Continent of Hope, as our late Pope Paul VI, used to say every time he was referred to this continent. Benedict the XVI wrote a very special message for this Meeting: The Church count with all of you. All of you are the first missionaries, you who are to receive the torch from the hands of your elders and to live in the world at the period of the most gigantic transformations ever realized in its history. It is you who receiving the best of the example of the teaching of your parents and your teachers, are to form the society of tomorrow.
            The Church that Pope Francis is going to find in America is a Church that has not lost its original flavor. The Church was born over five hundred years ago with the only purpose to be a missionary, prophetic and humble servant of the Gospel for all. Great developments were done since then, building universities, schools, hospitals, temples, and new cities.
That same spirit is still alive and waiting for new challenges with stronger forces to continue the work on their communities and that is the Church that Pope Francis is going to meet.
These Young men and women that will not hesitate to filled out the streets to demand respect for human rights and dignity for all kinds, a young generation that protests because feels  that is not important the construction of football soccer stadiums than houses for decent living. Young people that protest because they are expending millions of dollars in preparations for Francis’s visit.  Young generations that back in 1968, demanded the impossible.

Francis will Summit his Christian message of liberation from all that disrupts to live with dignity and respect. But most of all, he will send a message of life and hope,  He will be challenging to these young men and women to be witness and followers of marginal Jew, who felt a the taste of poverty, exile, incomprehension, violence of death for not accepting the extort ions and accommodations he was offered.   The message is simple and revolutionary, however, very simple to all of us, to respect,  accept and love our neighbor who is hungry, the immigrant, the person who is not important and will not  count for society, or does not have a place to live.

  The other world, the world that builds highways, soccer stadiums, destroys the slums houses, contaminates the air, and such, do not see Pope Francis and the Youth with sympathy nor love. They see them as dangerous and able to change history .

http://www.columnadelpadretomas.blogspot.com/

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

Fr Tomas and SS Francisco en Rome

Rev. Father Tomas Del Valle-Reyes with His Holiness Francisco I at St. Martha's House (Rome)