The Rev. Fr. Miguel M. Garcia, SSS, the pastor of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Torres, Mapandan, Pangasinan, invited the Manila LITES Team to conduct the very first Life In The Eucharist Seminar (LITES) in his parish.

The two-day seminar was held on 17 and 18 February, 2018  at the Torres High School. There were 54 lay leaders and participants in attendance on the first day and 45 attendees on the second day.

Before the start of the seminar, Fr. Miguel introduced the Manila LITES Team led by Miss Rosalinda Aguilar, the team coordinator, and the indefatigable National LITE Director, Rev. Fr. Jonelito Sison, SSS. The latter celebrated his second sacerdotal anniversary just this past 12 February.

How kind is our Sacramental Jesus! He welcomes you at any hour of the day or night. His Love never knows rest. He is always most gentle towards you. When you visit Him, He forgets your sins and speaks only of His joy, His tenderness, and His Love. By the reception He gives to you, one would think He has need of you to make Him happy.

The seminar started with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and immediately followed by a presentation on the parts of the Holy Mass. This is a brief catechetical review on the different rites within a Eucharistic celebration, providing an opportunity for the participants to appreciate the meaning and significance of each part of the Holy Mass that they celebrate each Sunday.

After a short orientation about the seminar by Sis Linda, the first module was presented. The Rev. Fr. Jon Sison, SSS, facilitated the discussion among the participants on how the Eucharist is experienced as God’s nourishment for the hungers of humanity. Sis Paz Moon of the LITES Team shared a testimony.

Ms. Lulu Isidro was the facilitator on the Eucharist being God’s love that reconciles through Jesus Christ. The focus of this module is the rite of reconciliation in the Eucharistic celebration. Ms. Anita Santos shared her personal reconciliation story. An exposition and prayer before the Most Blessed Sacrament closed the session.

Miss Delia presented the module on the Eucharist as God’s love that transforms through Jesus Christ. This module elicits full and active participation in the celebration to experience the transformation that happens in the sacrament.

On Sunday, the second day, the seminar started with a 30-minute silent prayer before the Most Blessed Sacrament in exposition. This is to prepare for the module on Contemplation and  the topic was Eucharist as Abiding Presence of Jesus Christ in our life. The purpose is to encourage and develop a habit of praying to deepen  one’s awareness of “Christ’s Presence” in our daily life. Sis Veronica Valmonte of the Secular Institute Servitium Christi shared a personal story.

The fifth and last module on the Eucharist as Liberation tackles our communion with and mission to the poor and the powerless in our society. We have church modern day heroes like St. Teresa of Kolkata to emulate and inspire us to be one with the cry of the poor and the suffering…

Each module ends with catechesis on the Eucharist to deepen the understanding of the participants. This is called E-connect, short for Eucharistic connection, and was done by Fr. Jon Sison, SSS.

The Manila LITES Teams would like to thank the following: Mr. Joe and Mrs. Norma Rañosa and family, as well as Ms. Sofia Biala for hosting a sumptuous dinner; the Municipal Councillor Mamerto Eden and the Municipal Treasurer of Mapandan Sis Teresita Eden, who is also the Pastoral Council leader, for receiving us in their newly built home; the parish youth that took care of the registration; and to Sis Janet Nuñez for assisting us.

— Mr. Dante Chua, LITES-Manila

I would consider February 25, 2018 as one of my most special and memorable days. On this date, I, together with my 23 fellow People’s Eucharistic League members, namely, Evangeline M. Abellar, Adelina M . Allam, Yolanda B. Bacani, Nancy O. Badong, Ma. Myriam L. Bernardo, Delia D. Calero, Susan M. Catolico, Lucita T. Crispino, Raul M. Dayandante, Erlinda D. Dorado, Lilybeth U. Evangelista, Rubylin B. Gonzales, Susan G. Iloy, Jose A. Lazaro, Myla H. Lazaro, Zenaida N. Macaranas, Criscella L. Malicdem, Nestor G. Mendoza, Silvina B. Mendoza, Angelina D. Mondoñedo, Maria Corazon L. Oroceo, Bartolome U. Santiago and Lourdes S. Santos pronounced our promise of belonging in the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament (ABS).

For nine months, we were given formation about the Eucharist by the Assistant Director of the ABS, Rev. Fr. Jon Sison, SSS. Once a month, Fr. Jon would explain to us the importance of all the parts of the Eucharist tracing their roots from the Sacred Scriptures and Tradition. I thought I knew the Eucharist already. But through our formation, I learned a lot especially the significance of every part of it.

I too am blessed to be accepted. I consider it as “levelling up” or a progress to be with the Eucharistic Lord. And this is another opportunity to give Him more of my time. The Rite of Acceptance was held during the Holy Mass celebrated at the Chapel of the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Zabarte Subd., Novaliches, Quezon City. Our promise was accepted by the Provincial Superior of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, Rev. Fr. Joseph Matitu, SSS and the Provincial Superior of the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament, Sr. Maria Fe F. Magbanua, SSS, and witnessed by our PEL Spiritual Directress, Sr. Carmelita J. Arceo, SSS.

I know that there will be more responsibilities being now one of the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament. Though there is this kind of fear; “I am not deserving,” but for sure God will always be there for me. And I know He will provide me with the needed grace to persevere.  God bless us all!

— Maria Belen P. Malapitan, ABS Zabarte

Posted by Hannah Brockhaus / CNA | Feb 17, 2018 |

VATICAN— Pope Francis met with the community of the Pontifical Maronite College on Friday, explaining how their seminary formation isn’t about them or even for them, but for the people they will eventually serve in their parishes and dioceses.

“The human, intellectual and spiritual enrichment you receive in these years is not a reward for you, much less a good to be earned for your career, but a treasure for the faithful who await you in your Eparchies and to whom your life looks forward to being donated,” the Pope said Feb. 16.

“You will not be called to exercise, even well, an assignment – it is not enough! – but to live a mission, without savings, without many calculations, without limits of availability.”

Pope Francis held an audience at the Vatican with around 45 seminarians and priests of the Pontifical Maronite College in Rome, which was founded in 1584 by Pope Gregory XIII as a place of study for Catholic seminarians of the Maronite rite.

The Maronite Catholic Church traces its roots to the early Christians of Antioch, the first believers to be called Christian. In its liturgy, the rite still uses the Syriac language, which is a dialect of Aramaic, the same language Jesus spoke.

The rite takes its name from the fourth century hermit St. Maron, whose way of life inspired many monks and laity to follow him, eventually resulting in the distinctive Maronite rite.

During the encounter, Pope Francis told the priests and seminarians that as pastors, they will need to listen to people a lot, and that God will “confirm you through their lives, through many encounters, through its unpredictable surprises.”

“And you, as pastors in close contact with the flock, will savor the most genuine joy when you bend over them, making yours their joys and their sufferings, and when, at the end of the day, you can tell the Lord the love you have received and given,” he said.

Pointing to the Maronite Church’s recent Feb. 9 celebration of St. Maron, the Pope praised the monastic life of the saint, saying it shows a proper discontent with living only a moderate or mediocre faith, but wants “to love with all its heart.”

“It is by drawing on these pure sources that your ministry will be good water for today’s thirsty people,” he explained. Our heart is like a compass: It orients and directs itself toward what it loves, Francis said, quoting the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be.” He explained that these years of study, spiritual formation, and community life in Rome are a good time to “arrange the heart well.”

“All this you are called to live in a time not without suffering and dangers, but also pregnant with hope,” he said, pointing out how the people they will be called to serve will be unsettled by the instability which continues to plague the Middle East.

They “will search for, in you, pastors that console them: pastors with the word of Jesus on their lips, with their hands ready to wipe away their tears and caress suffering faces,” he continued.

“Pastors forgetful of themselves and their own interests; pastors who are never discouraged, because they draw every day, from the Eucharistic Bread, the sweet power of love that satisfies; pastors who are not afraid to ‘be eaten’ by the people, as good bread offered to brothers.”

CATHOLIC NEWS AGENCY

1. For the openness to the promptings of the Holy Spirit by the members of the Provincial Council as they hold their March 1-3 meeting.
2. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed especially that of Francisca (mother of Fr. Sammy)