one of the best prayers ever!

now I have to ask permission if I can repost this on my site.

this is easily the most presumptuous and politically-incorrect segments of the entire program. I have nothing against people exercising their right to pray, but when one person wantonly disregards the theme of the event, it’s very insulting and offensive to those who subscribe to a different belief system. I’ve always thought that the Pinoy Blogosphere didn’t have an official religion.

I’m sorry, I’m really really disappointed that someone would have the nerve to say May our blogs lead us closer to You. That was wayyyyy too presumptuous and offensive.

I was stopping myself from giggling in the backstage during this prayer. This is by far the geekiest prayer I’ve ever heard, but it rings true. =)

Pleased to have met you last night, Fr. Stephen! May you continue to lead people closer to Christ through your blog and your podcast. God bless!

Honest, witty, and memorable. Those three words describe your prayer.

But this portion had me smiling

“Deliver us, Father, from spams and viruses, from pride and selfishness, and from the temptation to replicate images without permission and copy ideas without crediting the original authors.”

Father, as I said in the venue, thank you for that wonderful and relevant prayer! Simply beautiful!

Wow! Ibang klase! I’m a already a fan, father…

great prayer! can i have this prayer posted in my blog?

I was laughing (Abbie was smiling) when you were saying The Blogger’s Prayer. God, it was great! God must have a sense of humor. For the Protestants/protestants, we can also have a pastor next time to say a prayer with or without a sense of humor – preferably with.

wow! nice! nakakainspire…

Hi Fr. Stephen,

I enjoyed your prayer, particularly the fourth paragraph, because while most invocations usually focus (rather solemnly at times) on religion, that fourth paragraph talked about people and relationships in the non-internet world.

Your invocation also revealed the witty and kwela side of your blogger personality. It isn’t everyday you get to meet a blogger with a healthy sense of humor.

All the best,
Manuel

Hello everyone. Thanks for your comments. Salamat also to those who have linked and blogged about the prayer. I sincerely enjoyed the Awards ceremony. I think the winners deserved their awards. But I am utterly surprised about the number of bloggers who takes interest in the prayer. Peace be with you all. And may we all promote peace and live prayerful lives.

Fr. Stephen, I love your prayer. Don’t listen to narrow-minded people who think they know better than everyone else. Like Manuel Quezon III (http://www.quezon.ph/?p=1224) and other truly intelligent and open-minded people, I have no problems with invocations even in secular gatherings. I am particularly touched by this: “Give us strength to proclaim Your word, that we may play our part in breaking down the walls of hostility in the world…” Thank you for this wonderful prayer.

hi.this is one of a kind prayer that makes us believe that we can grow stronger despite of working long hours on the internet.

may i request to repost this to my blog.http://jerryph.blogspot.com

congratulations to all the winners!
thanks so much!

Hello again to everyone. To all those who would like to post this prayer on their blogs – you have my permission.

Fr. Stephen.
Good day! Will you permit me to repost the prayer in my blog? Also, would you allow me to exchange links with you? I anticipate my gratitude.
I will be entering San Jose Seminary next year to pursue my vocation. Please pray for me. Thanks!
Deejay (www.angseminarista.wordpress.com)

¡Un buen día a todos!

People, Fr. Stephen didn’t do anything wrong. I do know that what he did may be insensitive to some people who attended the event, that he must have offended their sensibilities. However, these people should know this (if they still don’t) by now: it is the mission of the Catholic Church to evangelize. And this evangelization should not be limited to church gatherings or masses or the like alone.

The Church, whenever it sees the opportunity seizable, should fulfill her mission anytime and everywhere. No matter how awful that mission may sound to heathen ears, unfortunately, that’s the reality they’d have to face with against one of the religions they swore to attack (wittingly or unwittingly).

I was once an atheist myself (for almost three years) and felt the same ire Benj felt years ago whenever I attend social gatherings with Catholic convocations. Even during the recent Philippine Blog Awards, I still felt a little awkward as I was doing the sign of the cross when I was aware that some people around me weren’t doing the same. That awkwardness can be attributed to what I call an “ideological residue” of my atheist past. But, yes, I may also attribute it to the fact that some guests weren’t Catholic. No, let us not say that “that is how the way cookie crumbles”. But like what I said, in today’s world filled with iniquities, the Church has to be more “aggressive”, so to speak, with the way She should evangelize Her teachings. I do not speak for the Church, though, but this is according to the knowledge that I know about how She fulfills Her missions.

Yes, we are all aware that the battle lines between good and evil have been drawn since I don’t know when. Looking back, even some Catholic historians will approve that the some of the Church’s “patrons” (such as “Bloody” Mary Tudor) committed much more
“aggressive” ways in the past to win the minds of non-Catholics as compared to what the Church’s champions are now doing, when evil seemed to be getting the upper hand.

Thus, I don’t see anything wrong with what Fr. Stephen did, although during that witty convocation, I must admit, again, that I did feel a little bit uncomfortable with some of the people around me. Perhaps everyone in the audience did (except my six-year-old daughter). I’m sure Fr. Stephen even knew of the repercussions that was about to meet him (I won’t be surprised that this kind of incident has never happened to him or to any other priest before). And I’m sure that these repercussions is the price that he, as an evangelist of The Word, has to pay.

To an atheist’s eye, a belief in god is the pinnacle of man’s ignorance and sheer desperation to live beyond himself. But to a true Christian’s point of view, atheism is neither. Christian’s believe that atheists, as well as the rest of sinners, are of the “lost sheep” (I don’t need to further expound on that as it has already been written by some of the finest thinkers of yore). As a priest, Fr. Stephen knows that evil lurks everywhere on Spaceship Earth. Thus the necessity for him to evangelize in all means and ways righteously possible. And the Philippine Blog Awards was the right moment.

Benj may not be that “confrontational” when he argued that “it’s my space and I don’t recall forcing anyone to read my posts.” But the fact is, his post is there for everyone to see, whether a fan of his or not. He’s writing for the simple reason that he wanted his voice, his atheism, to be heard.

Technically, I don’t see any difference on what he’s doing and what Fr. Stephen did.

To Benj, I ask of you to be please be careful with your words. First of all, Fr. Stephen’s prayer may be filled with techno-babble, but his choice of words should never be considered presumptuous Sir, Fr Stephen’s convocation in that secular event should not be considered zealotry, but a passion to share his Christian joy of blogging. He was not just praying, nor merely imposing his Christian beliefs. Judging from the tone of the prayer, here is a man full of joy and happiness at what all of us Filipino bloggers are doing. Heck, as far as I know, that event in RCBC was the very first blog awards (sorry for the ignorance, I started blogging only last year), and it’s unjust for him not to share his overflowing Christian joy, the way you sometimes “share” (by way of blogging) your hatred towards society and its pitfalls.

And lastly, if Christians are not presumptuous and audacious with the way they carry Christianity around, their number would have dwindled. I believe that is the rule with every body politic and religious groups all the world over. They must proselytize so as their group will grow large in number.

And, oh, another thing. Benj wrote that “If these Christian bloggers were suddenly lumped with other ‘people who forward Satanism’, the uproar will be defeaning.”

We shouldn’t even worry about that as it is unlikely to happen. =)

¡Paz!

Invocation and even invoking God’s name in a Public Event is a No-No in most other countries, especially in ours (Canada). One of our Fundamental Rights Guaranteed by the Charter is “Freedom of Concience and Religion”, but in the Same Charter under our Equality Rights, discrimination of any kind in particular in Regards to Religion, Concience, Race, Colour, Mental and Physical Disability is in Violation of an individual Constitutional rights and violators are subject to Lawsuit and Prosecution.

We consider it insensitive to the make up of our Diverse Society and it will just Create Frictions among us who have all kinds of faiths and religion and conscience thrown together in a Country made up of immigrants from all over the world.

Lastly, last election (January of 2006) one of candidates for a seat in Parliament, a Muslim invoked Allah’s name during his nomination acceptance and was promptly censored by even his own fellow Muslims, which he later accepted as poor judgement and apologized to the Public and all Canadians. Again no matter how passionate you are in regards to your faith and beliefs, tolerance and consideration of others is always the right to do. There are proper venues for everything and to know them is not that hard, or have a very good Liability Insurance Policy. Last time the Catholic Church was sued for Abuse of Boys in some of its Training Facilities, it almost gone bankrupt.

Amen!

Did the prayer limit anyone to do whatever they want in the event based on their representation or orientation?

Markku, so I’m not entitled to respond that point raised by Jorge?

Where did you deduce that I for one second thought that atheism was anti-christianity? I think that is totally unfair.

Wow, nice BS!

No problem even if they refer to God as Yahweh, Allah, Jehovah, Buddha or nothing at all as long as they promote peace and goodwill to all. Down with intolerance!!

cathartic! i am really inspired by this prayer enough to remind me (mindless of my cyberspace-addiction) that i can do more decent worthwhile stuffs here than my habitual debauched trivial chatting. ^_0

Benj,

“Where did you deduce that I for one second thought that atheism was anti-christianity? I think that is totally unfair.”
——–

I thought you do not have this word in your heart the word “unfair”. Please use it also not only for yourself but for others. Think and re-think before you throw something harsh words to somebody so you wont be misjudged. Please dont close your door. Be open-minded. Broaden your perspective.

You know I also had some atheist friends when I was out of the country yet they were all good. Whatever denominations you belong and practices are no big deal to them because of the so called word “respect”. Apply this too in everyday existence and rest assured you will be happy for rest of your life.

“Drive for a true CAUSE, not just critics.” Just like Fr. Stephen A. Cuyos…

Markuu,

“Just because Fr. Cuyos is a prominent target…”

————————

I dont have anything against your statement only that I think “PROMINENT TARGET” should not be the words. This might be misconstrued. Target itself has a very sharp meaning. I hope you clearly get my point. My friend Fr. Stephen is exceptionally good.