Servitium Christi: A Unique Form of Consecrated Life
March 6, 2016 (Laetare Sunday) was certainly a day to rejoice and thank the Lord for the gift of vocation to consecrated life for the ladies belonging to Secular Institute Servitium Christi Davao Center. This was the day when Ms. Charito de Castro made her First Profession of Vows as a member of this Institute. After completing the initial formation years, she committed herself to live a life that is consecrated to God but remaining in the world. Chato, as she is fondly called, is from Davao City; she is a teacher by profession teaching at Ateneo de Davao University. Chato is a first cousin of Ms. Connie Gonzales.
For most of us, when we talk of consecrated life what comes immediately to our mind is religious sisters, priests and brothers. There is another form of consecrated life and that is the Secular Institute. Servitium Christi is a Secular Institute that is associated to the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. The members of this Institute are not religious but they are consecrated who profess the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience. While remaining in the world, they continue to practice their profession, doing their apostolate and doing their best to evangelize and transform the world from within. Their presence might not be very obvious and visible because nothing changes from the outside, yet their way of living their life makes a difference. As associates of the SSS family, they share with us the Eucharistic spirituality and mission given by our founder, St. Peter Julian Eymard.
Servitium Christi is an international Institute of women with pontifical right. In the Philippines, there are two Centers, Manila and Davao, but their members come from different parts of the country. All interested women who are single, working or employed, and willing to undergo formation to consecrated life may get in touch with the Center Moderators, Ms. Gene Moratalla (Sta. Cruz Church, Manila) and Ms. Lourdes Velasco (Assumption Church, Davao City), or approach any Blessed Sacrament Religious (Father, Brother and Sister). (Fr. Mike Garcia, SSS)
Inspiration from the International Eucharistic Congress
OUR LADY OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT PARISH (Tacloban Community) – Nearly 400 people attended the recently concluded Parish Eucharistic Congress. The speaker was Fr. Raymond Mazo, a priest from the Archdiocese of Palo who attended the International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu this past January. He shed light on the importance of the eucharist. He spoke of the Eucharist as a celebration of thanksgiving and truly makes present the love of God. Bro. Remegio Reyna, a blind man, shared his personal experiences about the effects of the Eucharist unto his life. Indeed, everything is a grace. Fr. Adrian, together with the members of the PPC/PFC, was so delighted about the success of the said event.
Life In The Eucharist Seminar (LITES)
In order to check LITES Teams especially as to how they are performing the Eucharistic ministry, Fr. Jonelito Sison, SSS, the National LITES coordinator, came up with the plan of visiting all LITES teams. This will eventually help him in coming up with programs to better animate the LITES and better promote the Eucharistic way of life.
So far, the following had been visited:
- LITES Bicol last February 18
- LITES Tacloban last February 24-26
In response to the immediate concerns raised by the above teams, the following are being considered:
- LITE I Training – to be used as a Refresher.
- Inputs used during the IEC 2016 – for the Formation of each team.
- Gathering other materials – LITES II modules, Eucharistic Materials from Manna, etc.
- The plan to give the refresher and continue with visits to LITES teams Davao, CDO, Taguig and Cabanatuan after the POLA Annual Retreat.
The following visits have been scheduled pending approval:
- April 11-15 – Panal
- April 18-22 – Davao, CDO
- April 25-29 – Tacloban
- May 02-06 – Taguig, Cabanatuan
Regarding LITES Team Manila, the members meet every Monday after the Evening Prayer. This past November, they conducted LITES at St Anthony of Padua Parish in Parañaque with more seminars to be scheduled in the future. Invitations for LITES have also been received from Rev. Fr. Mike, SSS in Laoag, Sr Maria Fe, SSS in Quezon City and Rev. Fr. Rey Capili (K-LITES for our Scholastics), but the dates have yet to be finalized. Efforts are being made to offer the seminar to Sto. Rosario Parish in Angeles City, Pampanga; Our Lady of Sorrows in Dolores, San Fernando, Pampanga; Ina ng Laging Saklolo Parish in Punta, Sta Ana, Manila; and St John Marie Vianney Parish in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija. Bishop Soc Villegas also issued an invitation and Kuya Dante is still arranging it. Please pray that all these will materialize. (Fr. Jon Sison, SSS)
Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament
The Provincial is going around the different local communities to set up a meeting especially with the local superior, pastor and lay leaders, in order to animate the introduction and promotion of the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament (ABS). Specifically, he aims to orient the local core group, to distribute materials, to line up speakers and to discuss strategies and ways to sustain and promote ABS to other parishes or dioceses.
Congratulation Bros. On Your Graduation!
Six of the 13 scholastics at Eymard Formation Center (EFC) finished their theological studies this school year 2015-16. They are the following: Br. Marc Bryan R. Adona, Br. Leonard S. Ayuyao (cum laude), Br. Joseph S. Casiao, Br. Oligario DT. Manansala, Br. Renoir Z. Oliver, Jr. and Br. Marco Divine B. Pangilinan. Brs. Bryan, Leo, Joseph, Renoir, Marc graduated from San Carlos Graduate School of Theology while Br. Garry from the Institute of Formation and Religious Studies (IFRS).
We continue to pray for them as they progress in their formation to religious life and as they share to people the fruits of their academic endeavors in order for the latter to deepen more their knowledge and appreciation of the Christian faith.
Prayer
- For peaceful and credible national and local elections
- For more vocations to the religious and priestly life
- For consolation of the sick and elderly
- For the sick members of the respective families of our religious
- For the repose of the soul of Roland Bourque, brother of Bro. John Bourque (died in Salem, MA on Feb. 10, 2016)
- For the members of POLA on our annual retreat
Fr. Joseph Matitu, SSS
[March 29, 2016]