Provincial Update #23

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The 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) was successfully held from January 24 to 31, 2016 in Cebu, Philippines. Thousands of pilgrims all over the country and across the globe converged on the island bringing with them an abundance of faith thus causing ‘faith explosion’.  And as an affirmation of faith and hope for the future, I would like to share my thoughts and reflections on my IEC experience and present possible directions in putting into concrete the ideals of the congress.

IEC Days are Days of Retreat

23bNot having had the privilege to go on retreat last year, I fixed my eyes on the days of the IEC as my days for a retreat, inasmuch as the IEC has the basic elements of a retreat – morning prayer, adoration, talks, testimonies, confession and the Eucharist. Truly these days given to me are days to stop and see the workings and plans of the Lord in my life especially as a religious and priest.

 

IEC Days are Days of Insights and Projections

23cRepresentatives from 73 countries with different backgrounds, who are proud and enthusiastic about their faith, listened intently to the speakers: there were inputs on the church understanding of the Eucharist and the challenge of the Eucharist on Mission with especial emphasis on dialogue with peoples and cultures, with religions and religious traditions, with the poor and with the youth, etc.. The testimonies link the Eucharist to the different realities of life especially as a source of strength and inspiration. It was really overwhelming and compelling that one could not let days to pass without re-appropriating the insights from the IEC.  And this is precisely the point of this Provincial Update #23 – to trace out the path for us after the IEC.

Revival of Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament

23dOne of the bishop delegates told me that his parishes will be reviving the beautiful practice of adoration in their archdiocese. Thus, he is asking the help of a Blessed Sacrament religious to direct the annual retreat of their priests.

There was a time when adoration chapels were mushrooming in parishes in the Philippines. A number of priests even told me before that they were being pressured by some parish leaders to construct a perpetual adoration chapel because other parish churches have one.  Sadly, what had started with so much promise and enthusiasm did not grow and prosper. Those with adoration chapels are faced with the problem of no adorers in their adoration chapels; there is the perpetual exposition but no adorers. This situation is calling for revival.

Going back to the hotel where I was staying I was seated beside a sister from Cebu in a bus. Learning that I am a Blessed Sacrament priest and a former pastor of Sta. Cruz parish she readily shared her wonderful experience of faith revival in the early 80’s because of the priests constantly adoring the Blessed Sacrament at the sanctuary of Sta. Cruz church. This revival of her relationship with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament led her to give her life to the Lord as a nun.

Thus, with this impending revival of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Philippines and in the countries that have delegates in the Congress, the Province needs to capitalize on this enthusiasm by working towards the following:

  • Our communities/parishes to be a source of inspiration and even a model for this revival in faith and prayer.
  • The liturgies to be celebrated more wonderfully and meaningfully.
  • More structure for adoration of both priests/religious and the lay faithful.
  • The religious to aggressively promote adoration and organize adorers.
  • More publication of adoration booklets

Sustained Theological Reflection on the Eucharist

23eThe IEC focused on theological reflection on the Eucharist using as springboard the basic text for the preparation of the Congress. Very noticeable is the dent given by a number of speakers on the Eucharist as Meal, Sacrifice and Real Presence and their attempts to connect it with mission-in-dialogue. Seeing the challenge for further theological reflection on the Eucharist for personal enrichment and pastoral effectiveness, the Province must consider the following:

  • To deepen more and more our knowledge of the Eucharist especially about the basic church understanding of it and the relationship of the Eucharist with other church realities. This can be done through reading books, journals and internet entries.
  • Retreats, recollections and community meetings are good avenues for deepening our insights on the Eucharist.
  • For some religious to go for further studies specializing on the Eucharist and its relation to various realities.
  • I believe that we have religious who are gifted writers, thus I encourage you to write your reflections on the Eucharist for reproduction and publication.
  • For some religious to specialized in giving Eucharistic talks and Eucharistic retreats and recollections.
  • The students must be encouraged to write their theses on topics about and related to the Eucharist.

Practical Instructions for the People

23fThe IEC gave us various reflections on the Eucharist. These are not meant to be kept to ourselves but to be shared to others, especially to the vast majority who were not able to go to the Congress. Since 11 out of 13 POLA communities have their delegates to the Congress, there must be a concerted effort of bringing to the greater majority of the people the ideals and inspirations of the congress. The Province will facilitate the following:

  • Promoting more our lay associates especially the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament.
  • Developing more modules for Eucharistic talks and seminars.
  • Supporting and promoting the Life in the Eucharist Seminar and other Eucharistic seminars.
  • Organizing large and small gatherings with some regularity in order to teach, educate and form people on the Eucharist. It could be once a month for a large group of people or once a week for an established small religious group.
  • Monthly Eucharistic Recollection in all our parishes
  • Weekly reflection of the various groups in the parish
  • Strengthening catechetical ministry. The children must be given a strong foundation on the Eucharist especially those studying in public schools.
  • Connecting homilies with the Eucharist (the connection could be given at the end of the homily).

Spread Love of the Eucharist

23gOur love of the Eucharist is not only to be shared to our own people in our own country but must be spread to other countries in Asia and other parts of the world. We are challenged to go to other parts of Asia since there is a vast area in Asia which is not evangelized. Moreover, there is also the urgent need to reinforce other SSS Provinces especially in Europe and North America. These provinces are not getting vocations (very, very few, if any); and their religious are also in advanced age. A good number of revered communities are closing, the administration of the parishes and shrines are being turned over to the dioceses. Thus, as part of the bigger SSS family and as a Christian nation amidst so many non-Christian countries, the POLA must give very serious attention to the Eucharist as Mission and to endeavor to be a missionary Province. The following must be seriously taken into consideration:

 

  • To embrace missionary work. Thus there is also the need for more formation for missionaries and also a program of re-entry.
  • To ask guidance from some missionary congregations (SVDs, CICMs etc.) on how to do mission ministry more effectively.
  • To collaborate with other SSS Provinces for common missionary projects.
  • To expose more our students to different social realities.

Going on Mission Trips: Make Sacrifices

23hFor a congregation that is not used to sending missionaries, we need to learn the hard way at times. But since this reality will always be on our doorstep, it would be better to prepare our Province for this. The best way is to focus on the “glory” being mentioned in the theme of the Congress, “Christ in you, our hope of glory” (cf. Col.1:27).  We need to give glory to God and He will glorify us. The more we offer sacrifices to Him, the more we bring glory to God. And we are glorified with the sacrifices we offer to the Lord. Sacrifice is very important to the mission. The Province need to reemphasize the following:

  • The Lord came not to be served but to serve. He has given entirely of himself. He died for all of us.
  • To go back to our first love, that is, to glorify the Lord with our life of service for his people.
  • To get used to making sacrifices, even small ones.
  • To always keep in mind that our charism is the paschal mystery where death to oneself is very essential in obtaining glorification.
  • Keeping in mind that the bigger the sacrifice, the bigger the grace, the bigger the glory

Walking with the Poor

“Options for the poor” and “solidarity with the poor” are the common lines in referring to loving and serving the23i. Now, in the recent Congress, ‘walking with the poor’ is emphasized. This is to treat the poor as companions on the way, side by side with them in the direction of the kingdom. The following should be considered:

  • Having meals of love for the poor. This is not simply giving the poor one of the major meals in a day, but rather making the poor feel that they are really part of the people of God.
  • Extending assistance in education, livelihood, etc.
  • Accompanying the young religious in their love for the poor.
  • Cultivating this interest and love for the poor in our formation houses.

Sacramentinos at the Congress

There were at least 40 registered SSS delegates from 9 countries of assignment. We were housed in different places, but the Eucharist united us.

Bp.Ronnie*Dante*Vic*Marlon*Mike*Joseph*Rey*Thon*Jon*Israel*Ronel*Art*Grogee*Welwel*JunVic* Exzur*Adrian*Joel*Kenny*Lennen*Hermie*Eugenio*Bong*Binh*Manuel*Vergel*Vittore*SpanishSSS* Mark*Bobit*Rene*Dilan*Jegaraj*Tro*Paul*Ai*Wynh*Michael*Dominic*Francis

Congratulations and Thank You Fr. Mike

23jWe congratulate Fr. Mike Garcia and the rest of the members of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on International Eucharistic Congresses which was responsible for the very successful hosting of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu.

From a good number of SSS foreign and local delegates we also thank Fr. Mike for assisting us and making our stay comfortable and our participation more meaningful.

Prayers for

  • Continued recovery of our Novice Jon who was recently operated to take out a number of kidney stones.
  • The POLA as we welcome the challenges of the recently concluded 51st International Eucharistic Congress.

Greetings!

23kHAPPY 205TH BIRTHDAY (FEBRUARY 4)

HAPPY 205TH  BAPTISMAL DAY (FEBRUARY 5)

  1. PETER JULIAN EYMARD!

“Be the apostle of the divine Eucharist, like a flame which enlightens and warms, like the Angel of his heart who will go to proclaim him to those who don’t know him and will encourage those who love him and are suffering.” (To Mme Antoinette de Grandville, July 4, 1859)

 

 

 

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Fr. Joseph Matitu, SSS