The 4.3-hectare-lot property within which two houses were built in Calaca, Batangas was acquired by the Congregation on June 15, 2016. This was a signal taken by Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, DD, Archbishop of Lipa to include Sacramentino religious in its pastoral ministry, during the Archbishop’s official meeting with the former Provincial Council last October 30, 2017. The property grows and harvests coconut and golden lime (calamansi). The slopy landscape and breezy pine trees around the place are frequently visited for rests and venues for initial and ongoing formation by some of our confreres, as well as of our members of the Blessed Sacrament Vocation Club.
As a gesture of commitment to the Archdiocese, the province in the meantime sent Fr. Froilan Briones, SSS and Fr. Dante Mejillano, SSS to stay at our Calaca property from October 15 – December 31, 2021 to initially establish our presence in the Archdiocese of Lipa.
Our two religious extend pastoral assistance in the Parish of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the neighboring town of Lemery. Remarkably speaking, they were given permission by Rev. Fr. Lauro Abante, Parish Priest to celebrate Sunday Masses beginning November until December, Feast of the Holy Family within the property grounds for the faithful around the area. The Sacrament of Baptism for children from the neighboring communities was also permitted by the Parish Priest to be initiated within the property compound of the Congregation through Frs. Froilan and Dannen. It is recognized that the presence of our religious in the said property is an expression too of stewardship to temporal goods of the congregation. This is a practice of our communal and spiritual poverty: to dedicate our time and effort to nurture and develop the blessings God has given us, for our good and the good of his Holy Church. In this little way, our congregation hopes to begin a presence that shall animate the faith of the people in the place. The province is thankful to Fr. Froilan and Fr. Dannen for their commitment and sincerity.
PAGUDPUD COMMUNITY IS CANONICALLY ERECTED
St. Jude Thaddeus Parish, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
It was year 2016 when the good Bishop Renato Mayugba of the Diocese of Laoag, Ilocos Norte took the initiative in offering the Parish of St. Jude Thaddeus in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte to be administered by the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. His aspiration is to establish a parish that will animate the deepening of Eucharistic piety and devotion in the whole diocese of Laoag. It has been five years since our immersion in the diocese of Laoag started. Yet even then in our earlier immersion, the diocese and its clergy already recognized the mission and spirituality of our congregation as a vital help in their desire to restore and center the local Church’s faith in the Blessed Sacrament. Yearly since then, the diocese constantly affirmed the positive impact of the presence of the Blessed Sacrament religious in the parish of St. Jude. To mention, the bishop had been enthusiastically inquiring of our formal acceptance to their request to administer the Parish of St. Jude and to establish canonically a local community in it. Given all these, the Provincial Council on the record had requested for formal appraisal through all the religious assigned in St. Jude Parish.
The following principles, requisites and conditions to accepting parish and establishing canonical status to local community were assured of compliance and satisfaction:
- Official document of invitation from the diocesan bishop to the congregation to administer a parish in the
diocese. - Recognition from the diocesan bishop and his clergy to the nature of the mission and spirituality of the
congregation, hence the right of its expression in the pastoral setting as contribution to the local church. - Acceptability and feasibility of the forms and expressions of the congregation’s mission and spirituality in
the parish. - Availability of lay faithful to commit for both the congregation’s aggregation and the diocese’s pastoral
priorities. - Adaptability of the religious to the culture of the diocese, particularly in the parish.
- Assurance from the Bishop that Ilocano-speaking religious is not a requirement in the diocese.
- Sustainability of financial resources in the parish for both support in the pastoral programs and the daily
needs of the religious personnel.
The Provincial Council together with all the Pastors and Local Superiors in the Province approved unanimously the recommendation to the General Council for the granting of Canonical Status of Pagudpud Community. The Decree of Canonical erection for Pagudpud as a Local Community was issued in Rome through the office of the General Superior, Fr. Eugenio Barbosa Martins, SSS on October 28, 2021, Feast of St. Jude Thaddeus, the principal patron of the Parish in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. The Rite of the Declaration of the Canonical Erection of Pagudpud was celebrated during the Parish Fiesta Mass presided by His Excellency Most Rev. Renato Mayuba, D.D., Bishop of Laoag. Likewise, the letter of appointment to Rev. Fr. Edgard Bugna, SSS as the Local Superior of Pagudpud community was officially read during the said Parish Fiesta Mass. The community of Pagudpud is composed of Fr. Edgard Bugna, SSS (Local Superior), Fr. Andres Malawis, SSS (Parish Administrator) and Br. Nathaniel Obal, SSS (Scholastic on Pastoral Immersion).
Baguio City is a must-see place when going up North in the Cordilleras. The view of the cold foggy mountains and the feel of walking the hillsides give calm and rest to anyone who comes either for business or leisure. As Baguio is increasingly inhabited, rarely there are good opportunities that one acquires a place near the heart of the city, and that is always pricey. Many religious congregations in the Philippines were lucky enough to have acquired lot properties in Baguio in the mid 1960’s, right within locations where centers for developments are now in.
It was on July 31, 1998 when the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament was blessed to acquire a 4-hectare-lot at Nalseb, Ambassador, Tublay, Benguet through the generosity of the Benedictine Nuns of the Eucharistic King. Since then, the province gratefully responded to provide a stay-in priest at Nalseb property to say masses for the Benedictine nuns. However, this commitment only lasted for two years.
It was when our Congregation merely wishes to revive our commitment with the Benedictine nuns, as well as dreams of having one to call a home in Baguio, a knock of blessing came instantly and surprisingly. A known generous benefactor of the Congregation owns a newly built 5 -storey residential building. Pandemic came and it hindered them from pursuing plans of operating the property for business supposedly. The owner disclosed the background of their property to the Congregation’s Provincial Development Office and it was gathered that a group of medical practitioners and some others are interested to buy the property at an instant.
Without presumption or so, the PDO Director opened up the matter to the Provincial Council through the Superior. Right away there was this expression of the province’s desire to acquire this property, for the purposes of converting it into a Center for On -Going Formation of Sacramentino Religious in the Philippines. The owner was much more inclined to offering the building to the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. Generosity at its finest, the owner had allowed the Congregation (namely, the seminarians preparing for Perpetual Profession together with Fr. Sebastian Luistro, SSS the Director for P4 Program) to stay and experience the building property for one month, (July -August 2021) in order to discern well whether the place fits the requirements of a religious community structure. The members of the Provincial Council as well had their 4 -day meeting in Baguio for ocular inspection and evaluation to the building property.
Unfolding of the blessing came through the mutual desire of the Congregation to acquire the property and the owner’s preference for the Congregation to own the building. The blessing continues as the 7 owner is aware of the fact that the Congregation in the time being has no actual fund to acquire the property now. But despite this situation, the owner is willing to transfer the title of ownership to the Congregation immediately while generously allowing favorable time for the congregation to gather funds for its settlement.
Hence, all the resolutions, memoranda and other related documents of understanding are prepared for final execution between the Congregation and the owner. In the meantime, Fr. Sebastian Luistro, SSS together with Rev. Tedley Villanueva, SSS are presently staying in this 5-storey residential building, located at #104 Road 1, Bakakeng Norte/Sur, Baguio City.
As the year ends, we cannot but be grateful to God for a continued assistance of generous people who are with us in sincerely recreating our mission to be relevant with the needs of our time. May God be glorified through all these humble efforts we are offering in the service of the Church through the Congregation.
ANNUAL LOCAL COMMUNITY ANIMATIONS
CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY BY THE POLA COUNCIL
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2021
While it seems tempting to look at the present global crisis as paralyzing or limiting the realization of the province’s many aspirations, the Provincial Council encouraged POLA Religious to focus and engage their prayers into discernment of the opportunities that come along with the conditions of the time.
It was realized that the province needs a meeting of all religious in order to organize a discussion of honest assessments in regard to the condition of religious vocation, communal life, spirituality, mission and aspirations of the Congregation in the Philippines. This undertaking normally takes place in the setting of the annual Amplified Provincial Council. It was recalled that last year due to the pandemic, the province tried to convene virtually and had attained degrees somehow of successes in serving the purpose of the APC 2020.
This year however, instead of APC meeting, the provincial council decided to meet virtually all religious in separate schedules by-community within the months of October and November 2021. All religious members of each community other than the local superior and pastor were called to participate. Its objective was to accomplish a more precise deliberation of thoughts and sentiments from the religious. This manner is hoped to be key in understanding the view of every religious to the congregation’s mission and spirituality.
On September 16, 2019 – the Provincial House started the reconstruction project which was designed to run a period of a year-and-a-half to finish. But no one saw the signs of a coming pandemic that halted its operation for several months separately, as mandatory community lockdowns directly affected the progress of the project. It’s now two years and still counting since the target completion had lapsed over time. There was no reason to get disheartened. It was a call to faith that everything happens for a purpose in God’s own perfect timing. In the quiet way of coping with the demands of the project beginning from the approval of design plans, compliance to technical regulations, work programs, progress billing, contract review and adjustments, directives and planning for supply, fund raising as well as human resource management – the project is now nearing to complete its form, style, content and character. There is still quite a great number to labor for the finishing touches of the house but it is hopeful that POLA will have it standing ready for blessing and inauguration early of February 2022. As a province, let us continue to pray for God’s blessings and guidance. This is a project-mission of all Filipino Sacramentinos in the name of God who has called us to love and to serve Him through the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament.
Year-end photo updates of the project
POLA OPENED A MERRY CHRISTMAS
BARATILYO SALE
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
The Religious members in the POLA Community thought it wise and generous to unload stuffs from their cabinets and offer them to the construction workers for cheapest cost. To add the thrill, friends and relatives of the religious also brought good items for the open “baratilyo.” On December 9, 2021 (Canonization Anniversary of St. Peter Julian Eymard) the provincial grounds turned into a night market of RTW goods (Ready to Wear). Plenty of useful shirts, polos, shorts, pants, bags and shoes were displayed with a peak price of twenty pesos and ten pesos only. This was not a shopping experience but a sharing of gift, laughter and friendship with the presence of our novices who rendered Christmas carols to the construction workers. The meaningful part of all these is in the celebration of the Christmas season with the act of giving.
Part of the yearly tradition in POLA community since the construction project started in 2019 is the offering of a year-end Thanksgiving Mass with the Project Contractors, Architects, Engineers and the Construction Workers. The Holy Eucharist was presided by Fr. Roel dela Cruz, SSS joined by the members of the POLA community. This year had the biggest number of workers counting to a hundred and twenty workmen from different sub-teams, excluding architects and engineers. Typical to any Christmas party, there were games and raffles of prices. The best part as always is the giving-away of gifts for all. This time, a new set of RTW (Ready to Wear) items that were provided by POLA, Sta. Cruz, Taguig and EFC communities filled the ground. Many of which were brand new coming from relatives and friends of the religious and were all offered to the workers for free – no more “baratilyo” – all were for “aguinaldo / pamasko.” As an expression of gratitude, the province offered bundles of gifts for each of the worker. The celebration though simple was meaningful enough to put smile on every worker’s face. This is Christmas joy shared at its best.
