MIDDLE RELIGIOUS GATHERING: 2018 MID-RELIGIOUS ONGOING FORMATION
This year’s middle religious gathering from August 6-10 was held at Panal, Tabaco, Albay and at Caramoan, Camarines Sur, where the members were warmly welcomed by their hosts. Aside from myself, only seven other members were able to make it, namely, Brs. Rey and Reno, Frs. Muriel, Junvic, Froi, Ford and Send, but it did not prevent us from having a productive and meaningful get-together.
Allow me to describe the gathering featuring orange juice metaphor. When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out and no other. The amount of juice you get depends on how hard you squeeze or the number of times you squeeze.
On the day of our arrival in Panal on August 6 (three batches of the middle religious group – Fr. Froi’s batch, Fr. Muriel’s and Fr. Ford’s), there were smiles all around the community; orange juice was at the ready and immediately served by active parishioners of the Holy Family Parish. And it seemed that the place was overflowing with orange juice! At that particular moment, as I looked around, I likened the orange juice as coming not from squeezed oranges but produced naturally, emanating from the generosity and hospitality of the parishioners. Food overflowed in abundance; the accommodation was superb. The overflowing “orange juice” from the parishioners made us feel relaxed and special. Even the August 6 and August 7 Eucharistic celebrations were well attended, proving that the parishioners also wanted to have a taste of the orange juice the group of religious would offer them in return.
That whole welcoming experience enabled each one of us to be more cooperative with the prepared set of activities. And we were challenged to be like them (our hosts) so that our orange juice too would freely overflow as we take part in the activities. On the second day, Monsignor Chris Bernarte, Vicar General of the Diocese of Legazpi, offered another taste of orange juice for the New Evangelization Pastorale ― a talk that focuses on the post-baptismal kind of evangelization of every Catholic. Then on the third day, we went to Caramoan, Camarines Sur. On the way to the venue, we encountered fellow consecrated persons belonging to the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of the Church, a locally founded congregation of sisters. Again, we received a warm welcome and delicious food. One could easily say that orange juice flowed from everywhere.
At Caramoan, we faithfully followed our schedules of celebrating the Eucharist, communal prayers, sharing our pastoral experiences and recreating together, all of which proved to be rejuvenating and spiritually uplifting.
We hoped that when we returned to our respective assignments, we could bring with us some sense of newness, of being a changed person, whose orange juice is sweeter, overflows not with anger, hatred, bitterness, tension, anxiety, fear or stress, but rather with happiness, calmness, blessing, courage, forgiveness and even understanding towards the members of our respective communities.
This continuing formation program helps make our orange juice more delicious and overflowing to better nourish the people we serve and lead them to fully embrace our Sacramentino or Eucharistic way. We are also working towards making our orange juice creative enough to make bearable whatever difficulties we face.
With this continuing formation we hope to be renewed so that through our lips, Jesus in the Eucharist is speaking, that through our hands, the Eucharistic Jesus is healing, that through our hearts, Jesus is loving and through our person, the Eucharist is working.
Because we let Jesus live in our person, what’s really in our hearts come out.
–Fr. Eduardo “ Juned” Paglinawan, Jr.
JUNIOR RELIGIOUS GATHERING: SURIGAO SA GALAK!: The Junior Religious Experience
“How to change from a fortified trench into an open field”: This was the challenge of Fr. Sebastian “Bong” Luistro to the members of the Junior Religious of the SSS-POLA, during their 8-day gathering in the Province of Surigao last August. In his sessions, attended by Frs. Nelson, Kenny Joe, Vergel and Lennen, Fr. Bong emphasized on the need for religious life to be an inclusive society, for it to inspire and achieve true ecclesial communion.
This inclusivity calls for a re-structuring, not of the charism of our Congregation, but of our expression of this charism, as guided by three foundational values: freedom, compassion and communion. Thus, the fortified and self-preserving trench of an increasingly exclusive religious life has to be challenged by its own members to courageously transform itself to an open field of Christian witnessing, where the way of life interacts actively and prophetically to the modern world.
This heavy-weight message of the speaker accompanied the Junior religious into reflecting on the past 6 to 10 years of their life as an SSS religious. Sharings were rich, diverse, concrete, and personal, drawing deep from the well of their own experiences in the different communities of our province. The play of light and shadow, a spiritual chiaroscuro (the interplay of light and shadow) if you must, in the stories of Frs. Nelson, Kenny Joe, Vergel and Lennen painted a nuanced image of how it is to be a Sacramentino who has already gone past the honeymoon stage of religious life. The tension between aspiring for an authentic self-giving and falling into functionalism and inconsistencies has become an all-too-real struggle for them, especially in the context of pastoral communities where a life in common poses difficulties.
Of course, the group was not “all work, no play.” Guided by the very able hands of Fr. Lennen, the group explored the different parts of Surigao del Norte: we marveled at the islands, mangroves, sandbars, inland lakes, caves, coral reefs, and especially the high surfing waves that the island of Siargao is famous for; we discovered the dynamism of local church life in the parishes of Dapa and Placer; we were regaled by the Surigaonons with their delicious food and unequaled hospitality; we met and were inspired by many people whose passion for nature is equaled only by their passion for God.
Even though it’s been quite a while since the last Junior Religious Gathering, this one had covered for all those missed opportunities in the past. And it wouldn’t be successful without the help of others: Thanks to Fr. Joseph, our provincial superior, and Fr. Roel, our provincial treasurer, who encouraged and supported (financially) the group to organize such a meaningful experience. Thanks to Fr. Lennen to whom we owe this perfectly planned trip to Surigao. Thanks to the SSS-Placer community for the fraternal dinner you so lovingly prepared for us. Thanks to Fr. Renren and Nanay Arlene for opening their house for us, and to many other Surigaonons who never failed to be welcoming and generous to us. Most especially, thanks to Fr. Bong Luistro for sharing his wit and wisdom, for listening to us, for patiently accompanying us in our trips, and for inspiring us to move forward in our lives as SSS religious and as lowly servants of God.
The Junior Religious cannot help but sumigaw sa galak towards our Eucharistic Lord for this unforgettable Surigao experience. It afforded us that much-needed opportunity to relax, be refreshed and to bond with our fellow religious. We cannot wait for the next Junior Religious Gathering!
Fr. Vergel Dalangin
MISSION IN SPAIN
Fr. Dante and Fr. Allen, who are in mission in Spain right now, seem to be doing very well. The Spanish Delegation finds them attentive and available to the needs of the community.
Fr. Allen has started celebrating Mass in the church, and soon, Fr. Dante will also do the same. At present, Fr. Dante celebrates Mass in their private chapel for the sick religious there; he also concelebrates in other Masses.
According to Fr. José Antonio Rivera, General Consultor, the Delegation has already arranged for their legal stay in Spain. They will receive their foreigner identity card in the first week of October.
In August, Fr. Dante and Fr. Allen attended an intensive course in Spanish. To immerse them in the language, they will attend formal Spanish language classes for a year. In keeping with Spanish laws, they will have to be covered by Social Security.
In the second week of September, the Delegation was visited by Fr. Provincial Domenico Avogadro (of the Italian Province of which the Spanish Delegation is under) and Fr. Maurizio Zorzo, Provincial Consultant, who will take care of the relations with the Delegation in Spain.
Fr. Provincial would have the chance to meet with Fr. Benzy (General Treasurer) and discuss the agreement between POLA and the Spanish Delegation, Fr. Benzy will transmit what they have discussed at the POLA Chapter, which he will attend.
A LEGACY OF LOVE
Being part of the delegation from the community of Davao who joined the 25th LITES Congress in Manila on August 18, 2018 was another grace-filled moment, for which I thank God. It made me pause and ponder where I am in my journey.
Bishop Ambo had shared that the celebration of the Eucharist makes the past present; thus, we should not make Christ a past event. It was a reminder, and at the same time, brought up this question for me: Is this what I experience every time I attend Mass? What is my participation during Mass? Do I see Jesus in the priest who presides at the Mass? I know deep inside that there were moments it becomes just an ordinary celebration ─ a routine that sometimes loses its meaning. But should I allow it to be meaningless? Bishop Ambo also said that participation in Christ’s priesthood is about living a Eucharistic life.
My offering to God is not my token, talent, time, treasure but rather MY WHOLE LIFE. For everything that I have is a Gift. Living a Eucharistic life is TO GIVE, TO SHARE. From token offering to OFFERING OF SELF, to become what we eat: TO BE CHRISTIFIED.
Offering of self entails real sacrifice; it is giving up something good for something better. Fr. Dela Rosa posed this question: “What good things have you given up for God lately?” “If God changes something in us, it is because He wants to change others THROUGH US.” He described a poor person as someone who is not afraid to lose anything because he has given up everything.
“Let Go, let God” has been my motto since my high school days. But as I listened to the two resource speakers, it made me wonder if I really understand what these words mean. Had I really given up everything for God? Could I really give up everything for Him? Looking back lately on my experiences, I felt the guilt that I am not evangelically poor. Fear still comes in a way despite receiving Jesus daily or weekly basis on Sundays. I still hold on to the “what ifs“ of life.
As Fr. Dela Rosa says: “Joy is a product of our decision. We can decide to be joyful no matter what the circumstances of our lives are. Joy is not something that happens to us, we make it happen.”
Being part of the LITES core group, animating the youth and a member of the ABS, do these give me the right to judge people based on their experiences? Or should I have the heart to understand first? It reminds me of the formula of promise during our acceptance in ABS: “…in wishing to live my baptismal consecration according to St. Peter Julian Eymard’s charism, I want to place at the center of my life the Paschal Mystery, interiorizing it in prayer and sharing with people the life following from it.” Then I could say, every day of my life will always remain a challenge to be Jesus’ Eucharist to the people whom God entrusted to me, to promote goodness without complaining and to shine like the stars in the sky as Fr. Joseph Matitu reminded everyone during the Solemn Lauds at the start of the congress. This will be my solemn promise to God. This will be my legacy of love.
Ms. Ai Geonzon Mutya