POLA FRATERNAL BONDING, PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY & ANNUAL RETREAT
The Provincial Assembly that took place on Tuesday, April 10, prior to the POLA Retreat proper, was indeed grace-filled – a momentous opportunity to assess in a nutshell the status of the Province and, at the same time, proactively anticipate what is in store in terms of our Eucharistic mission. The talk of Fr. Enrico Gonzales, O.P., on New Evangelization was catching and sensible in a way it evokes the preachers’ integral traits in order to make the Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus, more relevant and appealing to people in this time and age. Likewise,
the thoughts and reflections of Mr. Dante Chua from the point of view of the Lay, who play a greater role as counterparts of our mission, were enlightening. His candid evaluation of our collaboration with them, to a certain extent, was an eye opener towards our greater appreciation of the laity’s indispensable role in our mission.
The talks given by our distinguished guests certainly jumped off to POLA’s next steps particularly as we are gearing towards our 8th POLA Chapter. As such, the council members were moved to share what they have done so far as mandated by the 7th POLA Chapter in 2014. The report made by each council member is not only a quantitative presentation of positive results but a reflection of how Jesus, our Eucharistic Lord, journeyed with us and with our endeavors. Our praise is due to Him who is the source of our strength and courage; that amidst the enormous challenges that we are facing every day, we are ready to live steadfastly the calling that we professed to God. Moreover, our leaders in the Congregation, the council members, have had their share of “Jesus’ cross” in bearing the weight of the responsibility being entrusted to them. Thus, it is fitting to congratulate them and give them a pat on the back for accepting the challenge in managing the various concerns of the province.
Taking into account the directionality presented by the council members, the assembly was moved to participate in the Small Group Discussion to work on various proposals that are subject for deliberation in the upcoming 8th Provincial Chapter. As an initial assessment, the proposals submitted by the different small groups project the “heart and soul” of the assembly. They reflect what the assembly longed for. They manifest hopeful concerns that hold no other intention but a fruitful pursuit of our Eucharistic mission. With our motto “May Your Eucharistic Kingdom Come,” we bend to God’s providence that with the intercession of our holy founder, SPJE, we may unwaveringly give witness to the great mystery of the Eucharist.
Fr. Alde Bureros, sss
That very morning is just like dewing the day with drizzles and dazzling aura. The Sacramentinos welcome the cold, foggy morning as they huddle at center court with sounds of jubilation. When the fog vanishes, the sky vividly paints the significance of today’s event which is ricocheting from the beautiful blue shirts the Sacramentinos are wearing. It is indeed a great morning to start the day’s activities. The lighting of torches signifies the triumphant trails of brotherhood, gratefulness, and optimism. The blazing fire gives off heat that warms the heart and spirit. The much-awaited logo unveiling of “POLA 25 Years” becomes the highlight of the event. Gazing closely at the logo, it brings renewed hope and inspirations. The logo reverberates the dynamic image of fruitful years of Eucharistic spirit that embodies commitment, fidelity, and self-giving moving forward, for more fruitful years of being together in one spirit and mission. Indeed, there is no better way to celebrate this momentous event than by sharing the gifts of precious presence and fraternal spirit, which stand through the years.
Over the years, the SSS-POLA clinches closely with the challenges and unveils the opportunities for growth. The transition from being a Region to Province is a daring decision that those in-charge of governance have embraced with great confidence and optimism for the growing mission opportunities. The SSS ROL no. 79, clearly states, “The Province is an organic unity within the Church. It comprises a number of houses taken as a whole, where the Religious carry out their mission within a given area and in cooperation with the Local Church. It is equipped with the means and structures necessary for its mission, and it enjoys the autonomy that belongs to it to collaborate in building up the Body of Christ in the area where it is established. The Province creates a personal bond between all its members whom it unites in the sharing of the same concerns and the realizations of common objectives. Each Province lives in fellowship with the whole Congregation, especially through the intermediary of the general government.” With this clear-cut directive, there is no doubt that the Province fruitfully gears up for the call of the present time.
Celebrating 25 years as a Province conveys the attitude of being gracious and grateful – with gratitude of the heart and joy of the soul. It is truly a humbling opportunity where Sacramentinos are of one heart and one mind in this Provincial Assembly and Annual Retreat 2018. The active participation of Sacramentinos conveys a message of thanksgiving for the bountiful blessings that the Eucharistic Lord bestowed upon the Province. Just a day of fraternal bonding may not be enough, but what really matters are the memorable experiences, the joy of being together, and the celebration of the Sacramentino spirit that lingers in each one’s heart. It is indeed the day where the gift of brotherhood has revisited and rekindled at the very heart of the Eucharist. This day will truly be remembered as a significant event in the life of each Sacramentino and in the life of the Province. May His Eucharistic Kingdom Come!
<Br. Throy M. Fuentebella, SSS>
This retreat has given us a wonderful opportunity to take a pause and count our blessings, among other things. We give thanks to God and praise him from whom all blessings flow.
Thank you, Bishop Mylo, for accepting our invitation. We appreciate your presentation to us from the Scriptures, church documents, social sciences, Fr. Eymard’s writings and our own SSS documents, stories of people, and especially your own personal stories. Your insights from all these resources have helped us to appreciate more our being called to a life of consecration, even as we struggle with our weaknesses. You exemplified some very important things in religious life that we probably have neglected, taken for granted, or excused ourselves from, especially our prophetic living of the vows. Once again, thank you, Bishop Mylo, for accompanying us on this spiritual journey.
The same deep sense of gratitude goes to our other speakers – Ka Dante Chua, Fr. Enrico Gonzales, O.P, and the members of the Council; to the Carmelite Missionaries and their staff, for assisting us in our needs for accommodation and transport.
My dear fellow Sacramentinos, in previous years, I would usually thank individual contributions to the success of our annual retreat. However, since this is the last retreat organized by the present Council, allow me to thank you not only for what you have done before and during these six days of our being together, but for what you have contributed to the growth of the Province in the past three and half years. I will not go into details but suffice it to say that the Council very much appreciates your individual “Gift of Self” to God and His people.
Our Founder, St. Peter Julian Eymard, wanted us to profess not only the three traditional vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience – the evangelical counsels – but also a fourth vow, the “gift of self,” in imitation of Christ. While it was never approved, we see our Eucharistic life and works as expressions of the gift of ourselves, following Christ’s example who gave the gift of himself on the Cross and who renews this gift in the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Mass. Today, as we end our retreat, let us continue to commit ourselves to a renewed “gift of self.”