INTERNATIONALITY IN MISSION AND COLLABORATION

PURSUING PASSION FOR THE EUCHARISTIC MISSION

by Fr. Joseph Matitu, SSS

On January 17, 2022, I left the Philippines to do the will of God (expressed through the decision of the POLA Provincial Council) to embark on a mission here in the United States of America, particularly in one of the three dioceses of the State of Colorado, the Diocese of Pueblo. Although there are already two Sacramentino priests working in the diocese, Fr. Mark del Rosario and Fr. Zaldy Norba, due to their good showing, the bishop of Pueblo, the Most Rev. Stephen Berg, D.D., was encouraged to ask the POLA Council for more missionaries from the Province. I was not on the original list and was quite hesitant and uncooperative at first, but I was the earliest one to arrive here among the three possible missionaries. God has his purpose.

I arrived in Pueblo City on the same date I left the Philippines. It is the principal city of Pueblo County, Colorado. Pueblo is called ‘Steel City’, being one of the largest steel-producing No. 19 8 March 2022 2 cities in the USA. The area is considered semi-arid desert land and tends to get less snow than the other major cities in Colorado. However, for me, it is still very cold.

I stayed in Pueblo for a little more than one month at the rectory of the St. Mary’s Help of Christians Parish pastored by Fr. Mark. St. Mary’s church was traditionally the home for parishioners of Slavic descent. The time spent gave me the opportunity to adjust to the cold weather, thanks to the various winter clothes given by Fr. Mark, my relatives, and some Filipinos in Pueblo. During this time, I received two days of orientation from the diocesan personnel. I also applied for my Social Security Number, a very important requirement before you can start any transaction with the US government.

Some other times, I would go for ministry to the cathedral and St. Mary’s church, attend a deanery meeting, shop for essentials, eat out; and a good number of times just inside my room preparing myself spiritually and psychologically. Aside from the SSS Fathers, the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament who are also stationed at St. Mary’s compound have helped me to settle in.

February 19 (Saturday), I left Pueblo and traveled 66 miles (106 km) to La Junta where the bishop is assigning me as an Assistant Administrator of Our Lady of Guadalupe/St. Patrick Parish with the possibility of taking over the reins of Parish Administrator just before the end of March 2022.

The city of La Junta is somewhat small and extremely ethnically diverse. It has two Catholic parishes before – Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Patrick. However, when the church of St. Patrick was closed and sold, the two parishes were merged and given another name – Our Lady of Guadalupe/St. Patrick Parish.

Once I arrived, I concelebrated to the two afternoon (anticipated) masses, one in the main church and the other one in the mission station, Las Animas, which is about 19.6 miles (32 km) The interior of Our Lady of Guadalupe/ Saint Patrick Parish The façade of the Our Lady of Guadalupe/ Saint Patrick Parish 3 away. The following day, Sunday, I concelebrated to three Masses, the last being a Spanish Mass. Thursday we had a special day, the pastoral visit of the Bishop of Pueblo with his Vicar General in the morning and Deanery meeting in the afternoon. The most important concern of the bishop is to prepare the diocese for the three-year program of Eucharistic renewal in the entire Catholic Church of the USA. I just felt that our coming at the diocese or in the USA, in general, is not accidental. God seems to put us here to contribute to the Eucharistic renewal of the American people. It is indeed a way of pursuing our passion for Eucharistic mission.

For now, I have been alternating in celebrating mass with the incumbent pastor but already preparing a few things to facilitate Eucharistic renewal. I do my office hours at our beautiful parish pastoral center building in the morning and in the afternoon. In my vacant hours I cook my food and, on my day-off (Monday) I wash and iron my clothes. I am quite busy studying the Missal in Spanish hoping to preside over a Spanish Mass this coming Sunday. I also hope to get a driver’s license because I cannot go to the mission station without it.

“Finally, brothers, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified, as it did among you, and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people, for not all have faith,” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).

WARMTH IN A FREEZING ENVIRONMENT

With less to no sleep at all during my flight from Manila to Pueblo, Colorado, with freezing temperature at my arrival at Pueblo, with the high elevation of the place, and coming from a warm and humid country, the Philippines, I got sick at the night of my arrival for more than a week. Well, this is part of being a first-time missionary assigned to a place like this. Though the air was frigid, the surroundings were covered with thick bright snow, I was welcomed with a colorful and warm sight of Fr. Mark del Rosario, SSS and Fr. Joseph Matitu, SSS at Pueblo Airport, where I was the only arriving passenger from Denver. Isolating at the rectory for quite a while, Frs. Mark, Joseph and Zaldy made me comfortable, provided everything I needed to get well like food and medicine. Parishioners, Filipinos and Americans alike, from both of our parishes, St. Mary Help of Christians Parish and St. Pious X Parish, and the SSS sisters, namely Sr. Gorgonia, Sr. Ricella, and Sr. Mary Ann, also made me feel welcomed through their care and concern and prayers as I was recuperating and getting myself acclimated. They also gave me medicines and food. Indeed, this is warmth in a freezing environment.

After a week of my arrival, I was scheduled for a Diocesan Orientation but had to request a postponement because I was not well. Fr. Stephen Olamulo, the Diocese of Pueblo Vicar for Clergy, graciously rescheduled me. For me, this was again an expression of warmth and care. When orientation day finally came, I met Bishop Stephen Berg who also expressed the same care and concern about my condition and likewise all the priests and staff who gave me the orientation.

Informally, the Vicar General told me that I will be assigned to the same parish where Fr. Joseph is. He said that Bishop Berg wants us to live a community life as religious. I have not reported to the parish because I have to wait for the go signal of Fr. Olamulo and for the formal Letter of Appointment. For the meantime, I am here at St. Mary’s with Fr. Mark and Fr. Zaldy.

In this time of winter, though it is freezing cold and from time to time snowy, the warmth of everybody here is comforting. This assures me that my ministry here will surely be filled with the comfortable warmth of God’s love in the midst of a freezing environment.

THE GIFT OF PRIESTLY VOCATIONS

Fr. Walker, SSS, son of Daniel from the Diocese of Karachi; the first Pakistani SSS religious was ordained by the Most Rev. Honesto Ongtioco, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Cubao last February 12, 2022 at the Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament. He will be assigned at the Assumption Parish, Davao City, effective May 2, 2022.

THE SHEPHERD’S VOICE

by Rev. Fr. Walker, SSS

“My sheep hear my voice” (Jn 10:27) moved my whole being and convinced me to join the seminary. The strong belief in the voice brought me to the seminary and I stayed in the Diocesan seminary formation for almost ten years in Pakistan. I completed the Bachelor of Philosophy and Bachelor of Theology in Pakistan. Yet in the year 2011, I left the seminary and followed the voice of my ego, pride, and selfish behavior.

The promising God never gave up following me in the dark period of my own choice. The promptings of the Holy Spirit were always there to remind me of the voice to ponder, pray and ask forgiveness. In this duration, God remained ever faithful and formed me in my brokenness and vulnerability. He kept his promise and opened for me the completely new door of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament that happened through the intervention of those priests who were with me in the Diocesan Seminary in Pakistan.

In the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, I found favor, mercy, and compassion. By the favorable time of the Lord, I arrived in the Philippines in the year 2015, March 15. I started my formation from the very first step of aspirancy, postulancy, novitiate, first profession, and three renewals followed by perpetual profession, diaconate, and the ordination to the sacrament of the priesthood.

The formative years that I have gone through led me into the deeper understanding and firm belief to what St. Peter Julian proclaimed “Jesus is there in the Blessed Sacrament, Everybody to Him. You have the Eucharist what more do you need.” I am convinced that the Lord is always there in our midst, in our trials, struggles, doubts, and brokenness. He is everpresent in our joyous moments. The life of community, prayer, academic, and apostolate; and my openness to the formators and superiors of the different communities have formed me to live the Eucharistic calling. The Eucharistic calling requires faithfulness and love with the Evangelical Counsels. As an ordained priest, I would say that the promising God is ever faithful. He never lets His sheep wander in the dark valley. Those who get lost are always assured that He will search for them and bring them back to His sheepfold.

I am so happy and grateful to God for choosing me to be a priest in the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament.

Fr. Tedley Tanhueco Villanueva, SSS from the Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga was ordained by the Most Rev. Florentino Lavarias, DD. He will be assigned at the Provincialate Community to help in Baguio Mission Station attached to Provincialate Community, effective March 19, 2022.

AN EXCERPT FROM THE THANKSGIVING SPEECH

of Rev. Fr. Tedley T. Villanueva, SSS

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his mercy, love and faithfulness endures forever. O munie tamu kapasalamatan king Ginu, uling mayap ya; wagas ing lugud na at alang angga” (Psalm 118).

Even though I am unworthy, a sinner makasalanan, I was still called, inawus nku parin, tinawag pa rin ako.

I am grateful to all who have shown me the path of humility, kababan, trust, tiwala, faith, love, lugud.

Indeed, the Lord has given us the greatest gift. But this gift does not come one-time big time. For almost 11 years, I have spent in the religious formation, he has given me little gifts that have brought me to this point in my religious vocation journey, to receive this great gift of ordination to the priesthood. The many and varied experiences of success and failures are invaluable lessons. For all those generous people who have shared their time, talent, treasure, you are always remembered. “May the LORD reward what you have done! May you receive a full reward from the Lord, our God” (Ruth 2:12).

Fun, Family and Faith:

Rural Exposure of the Second Year Novices in SSS POLA Calaca, Batangas Mission Station

by Br. Jubert Daniel Alberto, nSSS

Fun. Family. Faith. These 3Fs blessedly defined the recently-concluded rural exposure of the second year novices in Calaca, Batangas. From February 20 to March 7, the novices, together with Fr. Vergel Dalangin, SSS, the novice master, stayed in the congregation’s local community in Barangay Bisaya and this provided the novices a venue to fondly engage with the faithful in a fun, loving and family-like environment.

Br. Andrei Mikael Lirazan, nSSS said, “It was fun to get to know the people of Brgy. Bisaya, especially the youth. We, the five novices, spent almost all of our afternoons with them, playing volleyball and taking long walks with the youth, while also visiting the Nanays of the community. Their warmth and welcoming smiles gave us the occasion to introduce the Sacramentinos in the Philippines, as well as the opportunity to talk about studies, social media, future careers, and of course, faith in God.” The people of Brgy. Bisaya, led by Brgy. Captain Belen Endaya, welcomed the novices as part of their extended family and showed them the true brand of Batangueňo hospitality, with Nanay Tessie of Ilaya inviting the novices for an afternoon huntahan over pancit miki-bihon and tinolang manok. Nanay Emma, the friendly lector/commentator, on many unplanned sinsay provided pizza, coke and malamig na tubig. On their way to Brgy. Niyugan, the novices, together with the youth of the barangay, chanced upon.

Nanay Mila, who straightaway invited the band of afternoon walkers to celebrate her daughter’s birthday. Coming from Ilaya, the novices met Nanay Nory, who at 84, is still very energetic, very excited to meet new people and is always full of hope in the Lord. Truly, such random acts of kindness and warm hospitality have come to characterize this two-week rural exposure… thanks to the effort of the Sacramentinos stationed in Calaca, Fr. Choi Castaňeda, SSS and Br. Gary Manansala, SSS, as well as Frs. Dante Funelas, SSS and Froilan Briones, SSS, as they have already built a strong relationship with the people of Brgy. Bisaya.

Courtesy visit to Our Lady of Visitation Parish, in Lemery, was also made. Fr. Larry Abante, the parish priest, enthusiastically welcomed the novices and in two occasions, insisted that the Sacramentinos share a breakfast with him saying, “Dito kasi, pagkakatapos ng Misa ay mesa!” The novices also visited the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Raphael the Archangel, as well as the convent of the Pious Worker Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. Whether it was over Batangas coffee and bibingka or over palabok and tapang Taal, these courtesy visits gave the novices the chance to see the clergy and the religious in action, faithfully and lovingly fulfilling their duties and ministries, embracing the townsfolk and visitors alike as their families, while keeping the spirit of “It’s more fun in the Philippines” alive.

The fun part of the two-week was also due to the local trips made by the novices together with Frs. Vergel, Choi and Br. Gary. Br. Marlon Brando Moreno, nSSS intimated, “We toured the heritage town of Taal, Batangas, where we paid a visit to Taal Basilica and the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay, as well as a historical tour of the heritage home of Marcela Agoncillo. We also did not miss the chance to relax, dine and enjoy the breezy and beautiful view of Taal Volcano, touring Alfonso and Tagaytay City, where we spent time in SVD Farm and made little pilgrimages to the Chapel on the Hill and Caleruega in Nasugbu. We also visited the Rogationists in Silang, where Dr. Paz Dabon, a longtime friend and collaborator of the Sacramentinos, treated us to a pizza feast.” These trips proved to be a sign that our world is indeed a small world where chance encounters with people the group have shared memories with are made possible by our good Lord. Frs. Choi and Vergel surprisingly met former classmates, while Br. Marlon bumped into the Mateo Family, his neighbor and co-church workers in Sta. Maria, Bulacan and Br. Jubert Alberto, nSSS met Fr. Ulrich Gacayan, a Rogationist priest and one of the spiritual directors of the Greenbelt Chapel’s Emmanuel Catholic Community.

The novices also spent time in a resort in Calaca town with the Castro-Bobadilla family, the family of Br. Dave Angelo Castro, nSSS. Br. Dave’s family treated and welcomed the novices as their own kin. Over free-flowing food, good sounding videoke and enjoyable swimming pool, the Castros and the Sacrmentinos bonded and shared deep insights on family life, education, careers, politics, life and even death. Br. Aljun Alfeche, nSSS said, “Our time with Br. Dave’s family became like an extended family bonding and gave us the opportunity to get to know their simple but loving way of celebrating the graces God has bestowed on them. Theirs is a good example of living out the faith their forefathers and foremothers bequeathed to them.”

On top of making the people of Brgy. Bisaya more aware of the presence of the Sacramentinos in their midst, the novices also initiated the observance of the Stations of the Cross. In the season of Lent, the novices deemed it necessary to bring this Pinoy Lenten tradition back in Brgy. Bisaya. After consultations with the local community and through the help of the lectors and commentators (LecCom), the novices and Br. Gary, designated (with the permission of the homeowners), 14 stations in Brgy. Bisaya for the first Friday of Lent. This will run for the next 4 Fridays, with the leccom and the youth leading the procession. Br. Jubert expressed, “It was heartwarming and moving to see and experience the expression of faith of the people of Brgy. Bisaya. As one big family, young men and women joined their elders in a procession of prayers and songs, actively participating and meditating on the Word of God. Truly, the Spirit of God was working His wonders on that very moment.”

While there were difficulties due to lack of equipment, the Stations of the Cross was a great start to get the people of Brgy. Bisaya, especially the youth, engaged and involved in the work of Christ here on earth. Nonetheless, their faith in God is burning with zeal and alive in the Spirit of God. The Filipino bayanihan spirit was clearly felt and experienced, with the people putting the effort and contributing in whatever way they can in successfully mounting the activity. In addition, the novices also engaged with the youth through music and choir practice, getting them more immersed on Liturgical songs and the Eucharistic celebration.

Equally important, the two-week rural exposure gave the novices the opportunity to witness and experience the simple and modest way of living the religious life, away from the privileges attached to a life in a highly urbanized setting. Br. Dave said, “Our rural exposure taught us that the religious life is best lived in a welcoming, fun, family-like setting, where the religious-in-themaking can also fully be open and available to people from all walks of life. Our experience in Brgy. Bisaya proved that life’s pleasures, the fun part of it, is best rooted on the simple, very ordinary way of relating with our brothers and sisters as one big family of God.”

Moreover, this rural exposure gave the novices the opportunity to see firsthand how God works in the lives of all people and the faith is alive in the little lives of the faithful in this land of howling winds. Their response, just like the religious and the clergy, was a gift of themselves for their family, their bigger community, including visitors like the novices, and God.

The novices are blessed with this brief but memorable experience in Brgy. Bisaya, Calaca, Batangas… one that will remain with them in their continuing journey to religious life. Those two weeks were full of laughter, light-hearted moments, genuine Pinoy camaraderie and Batangueňo cordiality and openness, with the novices getting welcomed as part of the big family, and became witnesses to God’s goodness to the faithful people of Brgy. Bisaya.