ANCOP Walk 2014 Vancouver - The PNE Launch

In a campaign to expand participation and involvement of the public in the ANCOP Walk 2014, members of the Couples for Christ in the Greater Vancouver area came out to invite the people attending Reyfort Media Group's Vancouver Spring Fest at the PNE. This was aimed at building awareness of ANCOP as a charitable organization and was the initial salvo at launching the event. "We are opening opportunities for the public to embrace the God-given mission of answering the cry of the poor," remarked Rene Garrucho, ANCOP Coordinator for BC.

The ANCOP Walk 2014 in Vancouver will be at the Burnaby Central Park on August 24, 2014 at 8:00 am. Early registration begins by visiting www.ancopwalk.ca or by calling 604.270.1988.

Rene Garrucho, ANCOP Head for BC, invites the audience in the forthcoming ANCOP Walk 2014 at the Burnaby Central Park.

Members of the Couples for Christ (CFC) and the Handmaids of the Lord (HOLD) stand before the stage as the Vancouver ANCOP Walk 2014 is unveiled.

A perspective of ANCOP's participation during the Vancouver Spring Fest at the PNE Forum.

Another point of view from the platform. 

Edna Garrucho, ANCOP co-coordinator for BC, reads the liturgy in the celebration of the Sunday mass organized by the CFC.

Rev. Fr. Gilbert Nunez of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Vancouver delivers his homily. The cleric who will soon be appointed as the Rector of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary (Vancouver) reminds us of our need to shed our troubles and worries. 

A curious onlooker reads materials at the ANCOP booth in the Vancouver Spring Fest at the PNE Forum.

Right Here Write Now - A Preview

Performing in the company of the various groups and ministries of St. Matthew's as well as to the supporters and friends from neighbouring parishes, the cast and crew of the musical Right Here Write Now staged a preview of the theatrical performance at the elementary school gymnasium to the delight of a receptive audience. Sponsored in partnership with the Parish and Couples for Christ, the affair was a treat for the spectators who witnessed the skills and talents of the performers some of whom belong to the parish.

Written, directed and produced by the talented Jose family from Richmond, the wholesome play is a fund-raising project that would directly benefit St. Matthew's Parish, ANCOP International Canada, Holy Cross High School and the White Fathers of Africa. It will be presented at the Bell Center for the Performing Arts in Surrey on November 29, 2014. Main performance is set at 7:00 pm. A matinee will also be scheduled at 2:00 pm and this is where patrons could take advantage of special ticket prices. Available while quantities last, five (5) tickets for the price of four (4) could be snapped up. Regular ticket price is $25.00 only and will be available at the parish office or at key ticket resellers.

A cast member dramatizes in front of an attentive audience as Mikey Jose arranges the music.

Tricia Jose, a graduating UBC Cognitive Systems student, playacts a musical number as viewers remain observant.

RJ Jose renders a ballad during one of the scenes from the play.

Mikey Jose, a grade 11 student at Vancouver College, exhibits his musical prowess as he vocalizes the lyrics and strikes the notes while his mother Liza helps with the microphone. 

Roselyn Bobiles emotes as she does a duet with a cast member. 

Alyssa Gutierrez gleefully imparts her musical piece.

The cast coordinately executes an episode in the play.

A large number of invitees appeared for the preview showing. Here, they are seen showing their appreciation as they applaud at the end of the presentation. 

The Jose Family (from right) Mikey, Tricia, Liza and RJ are presented to the audience as Cookie Aytona interviews them. RJ and Liza developed the concept and wrote the script. They are the overall directors. Tricia co-wrote the script and acts as the artistic director, vocal coach, lyricist and choreographer. Mikey takes his part as musical director, composer, vocal arranger and orchestration master.

Bill Bouwman of the Parish Pastoral Council, reveals his initial skepticism in the musical. He has since turned one-eighty and now openly endorses the production show and invites everyone to help and take part in promoting it. Later, it was revealed that he would be assuming a role in the play.  

Maureen Fadum of the Hospitality Committee reminds the audience to take advantage of the special promotion of five (5) tickets for the price of four (4) on the matinee showing.

Cookie Aytona, Holy Cross High School teacher and Couples for Christ member, thanks everyone who participated in the preview of the Right Here Write Now Musical as she invites them for light dinner prepared by the parish.

Birch Bay Visit: An ANCOP Outing

Long holiday weekends give folks an opportunity to unwind and to enjoy some time off. They allow people to escape the rigors of everyday life and to relish a little bit of what the Lord's creation has to offer. On one such holiday, the servants of ANCOP organized a long-awaited overnight outing. Victoria Day found the troop delighting in on the mud flats of Birch Bay in Washington State amidst a balmy afternoon.

One of the highlights of the picnic was the dig for shellfish. More than anything else it was the thrill of the search that fueled the activity; it was in knowing that the prize was just at the end of the shovel or at the bottom of a shallow pit. Being able to reconnect to an era of simplicity and restraint when humankind were hunters, gatherers and fishers foraging the land and the sea for food, was in a sense therapeutic.

Earthmovers on the tidal flats

On the onset of low tide the group set-off about 150 meters from the shore and selected a general location. They then clustered into three distinct 'dig' parties as illustrated in the photos that follow.

The Bong Group

The Chito Group

And the Sherwin Group who is already hard at work.

What ensued next were smiles, fun and laughter.

Ecstatic over their first catch most especially Marie.

Paparazzi in action

With an analytical stare, Caine intently looks on as he studies the moves of Uncle Chito.

Dirty hands but soul-enhancing

Feet can get ruined but not the sandals please

With their captain taking a break, work continues for these ladies.

Caine wonders how he got his hands dirty.

Pure enjoyment for Cayden

With their boss back at work, the rest of the gang act like meerkats on the lookout.

No caption could fit this image of you my dear, my one and only.

The Ruiz Family in action

Time for the group shots

You'd think that was our cue to call it quits? Apparently not. There was so much amusement we just had to indulge some more.

And the digging lingered

They look so serious I wonder what they were thinking about.

Chito C points to the rising tide slowly creeping back in.

More, some more...

Chito M offers a seaweed he collected to add into the mix, as Bong wonders what has gotten into Chito.

Group photos the day after

All things must come to an end, even the good ones. Thank you to everyone who joined us. There were a lot of parts during the days (and night) that were not photographed by yours truly but they were capably snapped by Marj and the rest of the paparazzi (no one walks around without a camera these days). For all the genuine fun and laughter, the delicious picnic food and the endearing revelations, thanks a million.

A Ton of Fun and A Ton Collected: CFC Surrey 2's Successful Clothing Drive

In a bid to bolster funds for ANCOP, a Christian Catholic non-profit organization that dedicates itself to proclaiming Christ and the Christian faith by uplifting the plight of the poor, the men and women of CFC Surrey 2 at St. Matthew's conducted a Clothing Drive just in time for spring cleaning. With the help of the parish and a lot of good samaritans, the CFC Chapter was able to collect new and used clothing, shoes, jackets, belts, purses, bags, towels, beddings, curtains, linens, and other items made from textile and leather materials. 100% of the money raised directly benefited ANCOP.

Rael Santos, Zaldy Cortes, Jon Javier and Chito Marfori pose before the heap of donated clothing materials being protected by canopy tents in case of rain.

The group who volunteered their time collecting, bagging, weighing, tagging and loading the items and inter-acting with people had a grand time as it was an opportunity to exercise faith in action.

Good-natured people from the chapter, the parish and neighbouring communities drops off items they no longer need. Even passers by who saw the signboard came and participated.

Faith in action. A ton of fun and a ton in total collection.

Zaldy Cortes looks enthusiastic as the team loads the bags onto a container van.

A worker for Transcontinental Textile boards up and loads the final bags for hauling. If anyone is interested in conducting their own drive, please let us know and we would be glad to help out.

Thank you to all those who supported the clothing drive in one way or the other; from those who brought and campaigned for used clothing to those who provided logistics, monetary, physical and spiritual support. The feedback we have been receiving was reassuring and we are hopeful that we would be able to schedule another drive towards the fall. So hang on to your used clothing a little longer until we come knocking on your door once more.