Blessings and Jubilees!

Almost every year, we celebrate Jubilee of Religious Profession and Priestly Ordination of our Filipino Sacramentinos. This is a profound testament to God’s constant gift of inspiration especially for the younger religious in their practice of self-donation. A jubilee does not mark the traces of aging but only the graces God gives to those who persevered to this end. On May 2, 2023 – the Province joined the Jubilarians in their offering of praise and thanksgiving to God in Sta. Cruz Church, Manila during a Solemn Eucharistic Sacrifice at 10 in the morning. The Mass was presided by Rev. Fr. Francisco Mendoza, SSS (Ruby Jubilarian in his Priestly Ordination) joined by co-jubilarians celebrating their Silver Jubilee of Religious Profession: Fr. Edwardo Paglinaoan, Jr. SSS, Fr. Dante Mejillano, SSS, Br. Reynaldo Acabado, SSS and Br. Reno Intong, SSS. Belonging to this same batch of silver jubilarians are Fr. Victor Diolata, Jr., SSS presently assigned in the Diocese of Honolulu and Fr. Anthony Riosa, SSS in Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn also celebrated their 25 years of religious profession in their own communities abroad.

POLA VOCATION MINISTRY MEET-&-GREET WITH THE STUDENT MINISTERS FROM THE DE LA SALLE COLLEGE OF ST. BENILE

Rev. Fr. Victor Clemence Posadas, SSS the new POLA Vocation Director together with the Chaplains of the De La Salle College of St. Benilde – Fr. Tedley Villanueva, SSS and Fr. Marc Bryan Adona, SSS hosted a “Meet and Greet Date” with the Benildean Student Ministers. The occasion is aimed at celebrating awareness to God’s unique calling especially to young people full of enthusiasm and inspirations in life. The simple gathering hopes to reawaken attraction to religious life and eventually inspire these young people a sense of deepening in their Eucharistic devotion.

The Province of Our Lady of the Assumption – Philippines hosted the weeklong gathering of the SSS Provincial Superiors in Asia and Oceania (Australia). This is part of the Congregation’s commitment to dialogue with the interests of our mission and spirituality based on mutual support and respect for cultural differences of its member -provinces. The conference took place from May 8 -12, 2023. It was attended by Fr. Philip Watkins, SSS (Provincial Superior of the Province of the Holy Spirit, Australia); Fr. Joseph Ai, SSS (Provincial Superior of the Province of the Vietnamese Martyrs); Fr. Justin Chawkan, SSS (Provincial Superior of the Province of Christ Bread of Life, Sri Lanka); Fr. Peter Jayakanthan, SSS (Province of Kristu Jyoti, India and President of SSS Asia -Oceania Conference); Fr. Roel dela Cruz, SSS (Province of Our Lady of the Assumption, Philippines) and Fr. Philip Benzy, SSS (General Consultor in Asia and General Treasurer).

The preliminary conferences took place at the Provincialate House in Quezon City. Fr. Miguel Garcia, JCL, SSS shared input on “Governance in Religious Life According to Canon Law” and the Most Rev. Sofronio Bancud, SSS, D.D. (Bishop of Cabanatuan) shared input on “Synodality in the Context of Internationality in Mission and Collaboration.” Other meetings and conferences took place in the Blessed Sacrament House in Baguio City and in the Ciudad Fernandina Hotel in Vigan City. The said conference hopes for a more flourishing engagement into efforts for a global preservation of the mission and spirit of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament.

Sorrowed by loss, consoled by faith

The whole Province of Our Lady of the Assumption mourned to great sadness with the loss of our dear brother and friend, Rev. Fr. Alvin Manaois, SSS who was called by our Creator on 10th of May 2023. Fr. Alvin is young and enthusiastic in his ministry, full of happy memories yet uncomplainingly he embraced with love the will of God whose faithfulness is beyond measure. In his loving memory we are “comforted by the prayer of the community and by the Eucharist received as viaticum, our brothers will then be ready to die in the Lord. The death of a brother shall be celebrated as a paschal event, in a prayer filled with hope. We will faithfully carry out the prescribed suffrages for our deceased.” (ROL 13)

Seminary Formation year 2023-2024

It is always with grateful praise to God for the blessings of religious vocation to the Province of Our Lady of the Assumption. This constancy of persevering seminarians under formation is a concrete sign of God’s undying initiative to sustain our Congregation with vibrant spirits of men who shall dedicate themselves to glorify Jesus our Lord and our Eucharist. This formation year 2023-2024, POLA is blessed with twenty (20) Filipino Scholastics, four (4) Ugandan Scholastics, eight (8) Novices and two (2) Postulants. Let us accompany them with our fervent prayers especially during our daily adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.

POLA’S GIFT OF FR. MARK DEL ROSARIO, sss TO THE PARISH OF ST. JOSEPH IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – USA

On July 29, 2023 (Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul) the Most Rev. Gary Wayne Janak, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio Texas in USA, presided the Solemn Rite of Installation of Fr. Mark del Rosario, SSS as the new Pastor of the St. Joseph Church in downtown San Antonio, Texas. The said rite was attended by Rev. Fr. John Thomas Lane, SSS (Provincial Superior of the Province of St. Ann, USA) who formally petitioned before the Bishop to install Fr. Mark as the new pastor. Concelebrating on that anticipated Sunday Mass were Fr. Roel dela Cruz, SSS (POLA Provincial Superior), Fr. Marc Bryan Adona, SSS, Fr. Joseph Matitu, SSS, Fr. Joseph Thai Tran, SSS, and Fr. Anthony Pangan. A simple gathering of well-wishers from the parish was organized to formally welcome Fr. Mark as their new pastor. This commitment of POLA is a gesture of a mutual support to St. Ann Province in their need for additional personnel to administer in the parishes under its care.

POLA COURTESY VISIT/MEETING WITH THE PROVINCE OF SAINT ANN, USA

On the first of August 2023, Fr. Roel dela Cruz, SSS and Fr. Marc Bryan Adona, SSS arrived at the Provincialate House of St. Ann Province in Highland Heights, Ohio for a courtesy visit and meeting with Fr. John Thomas Lane, SSS (Provincial Superior of St. Ann) and Fr. John Kamas, SSS (Provincial Treasurer). Joining the said meeting was Fr. Juancho Ramos, SSS (Local Superior of the Cleveland Community) and Ms. Susan Works (Provincial Secretary). Highlighted in the discussions were the mutual appreciations and understanding between POLA and St. Ann Province. The presence of Filipino Sacramentinos in the US is motivated above all by the spirit of cooperation and collaboration. This meeting gave light to some concerns that both Provinces are set to reflect upon and consider appropriate ways and means to define further understanding of future endeavors related to the works of international and inter-provincial cooperation/collaboration. It was a blessing of opportunity as well to meet other American Fathers and Brothers who became part of the early life of POLA in the beginning of St. Ann’s mission in the Philippines. A short video conference with Fr. Mark del Rosario, SSS (in San Antonio, Texas) and Fr. Lito Hitosis, SSS (in Holiday, Florida) was initiated by Fr. Roel, right after the courtesy-meet together with Fr. Juancho and Fr. Marc Bryan. Grateful stories of retold joys in journeying with the American Sacramentinos in their accompaniment to POLA gave this visit a thought of warmth and renewed enthusiasm.

THE DIOCESE OF METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY HOPES TO WELCOME PINOY SACRAMENTINOS IN THEIR PASTORAL INITIATIVES

The Most Rev. James Checcio, JCD, D.D., bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen (Muh-tuh-chn) in New Jersey, expressed through formal letter his desire to invite the presence of the Congregation in his diocese. The Bishop is timely proposing his invitation as the US Catholic Bishops just launched a year of Eucharistic revival in the whole United States of America. He believes that the presence of Pinoy Sacramentinos in his diocese will not only benefit the Filipinos but the Catholic faithful in general. In response to this, Fr. Roel dela Cruz, SSS expressed his admiration for this kind invitation through a personal visit to the Diocese of Metuchen in time with his scheduled animation in the United States in July 2023. The meeting with Bishop Checcio and Fr. Roel was set at the Blessed John Newman Pastoral Center in Metuchen and was joined by Rev. Msgr. John Fell (Director, Office of Priest Personnel) Fr. Roy Quesea, JCL (Vice Chancelor & Priest Secretary to the Bishop) and Fr. Marc Bryan Adona, SSS (Provincial Secretary). The Bishop confirmed his desire to welcome Pinoy SSS in the Diocese of Metuchen and shall willingly wait for POLA’s decision. Whenever possible to start a couple priests to immerse in work with the parishes and learn the diocese’s system while looking for the right place where SSS Community can administer a parish in the diocese of Metuchen.

PERPETUAL PROFESSION AND DIACONATE ORDINATION

On August 15, 2023 (Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) three scholastics made their Perpetual Profession of Religious Vows in Sta. Cruz Church-Manila, presided by the Most Rev. Sofronio Bancud, SSS, D.D. (Bishop of Cabanatuan). Remarkably, no Pinoy Sacramentino has joined this year’s batch of Perpetualist. These brothers from Uganda and China completed their formation and studies here in the Philippines. Br. Frederick Bugembe, SSS and Br. Emmanuel Byaruhanga, SSS (both from Uganda) and Br. Duo Ming Pei, SSS (from China). They were consequently ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons on August 19, 2023 by the Most Rev. Leopoldo C. Jaucian, SVD, D.D. (Bishop of Bangued, Abra) at the Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament in the Provincialate House. Rev. Bugembe, SSS and Rev. Byaruhanga, SSS returned to Uganda on August 22, 2023 to begin their diaconal ministry through their respective assignments. Rev. Duo Ming Pei, SSS is the first Chinese national to join the Philippine Province and is assigned in the community of Sta. Cruz, Manila to serve as the Assistant Vocation Director for POLA. It is both joy and honor of POLA to have assisted and accompanied them through the course of their formative years.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE TACUNAN, DAVAO CITY PROPERTY

In gratitude to God on the occasion of the 50 years’ grace-filled presence of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in Davao City particularly serving the Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, it has launched various programs to celebrate this milestone. One of these is the collaboration of the province with the Assumption Parish Socio-Economic Development (APSED) apostolate to develop the 2-hectare land in Tacunan, Davao City. It has been envisioned that part of the property will establish a housing project dubbed as Sacramentino Village intended to deserving beneficiaries of the Assumption Parish. In relation to this planned development program, our community in Davao City with Fr. Marlon Reyes, sss, Parish Priest and Fr. Reynaldo Capili, sss, Local Superior and APSED conducted a ground clearing and tree planting last August 3-4, 2023 in the area. On behalf of the council, Fr. Alde Bureros, Consultor on Finance, graced the said simple event.

BR. SANTANA SABARATHINAM, SSS

from the Province of Christ Bread of Life, Sri Lanka joined the POLA P4 program from July 11 to August 11, 2023 with Fr. Vergel Dalangin, SSS (Consultor on Formation) as the Director of the P4 Program this year. Our prayers and wellwishes as he will continue in Sri Lanka his preparations for the reception of the Perpetual Profession of Religious vows.