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Read the news from events, activities and other updates on the different communities here in the Philippines
On the third day of November 2019, the Pansol Youth Verbum Dei conducted their second mission trip at San Agustin Church, Intramuros Manila with the collaboration of the Missionaries of Charity. The 13 youth facilitators, headed by Kuya Bong, facilitated 125 participants, aged 12-23 years old, from Antipolo City and different areas of Tondo, Manila. Both the facilitators and the participants gained a fruitful experience from the talks of Ate Elaine about love for life, and Kuya Bong about conversion. The Sacrament of Reconciliation was explained thoroughly by Kuya Bong at his homily, he stated that “if you reconcile your sins to God. He will forget and forgive you, you just need to accept that we are sinners and forgive ourselves for being weak”. Little by little we the Pansol youth are really getting a taste for mission to other youth! Here are some photos of the event:
September 22nd of 2019, and the venue for the formation of conscience was jam-packed. This formation made me more curious as to what or how really the conscience works. It made me ask more questions like if I am really hearing the voice of God? This formation taught us the importance of having a well-formed conscience. In our journey of life, we have heard so many voices, and we might not be able to identify which is the voice of God. Fr. James said it is like playing “Pukpok Palayok”. We are blind folded and hearing too many voices. There are voices that leads us to the wrong way, so that we will not be able to hit our goal which is the clay pot full of candies (palayok) but there are voices that will lead us to our true goal. A well-formed conscience is able to process all the voices that we hear and identify which is the voice that comes from God. Yes, “process” is the word. We were told that it takes the combined work of our heart and mind to process the voices we hear, because conscience is not only about feelings. It is like seeing a car at a huge discount price, and we feel that we will be very happy if we are able to get the car at a huge discount, but we should also ask questions about that car - we have to do engine checks, check the mileage, durability and other specifications essential on buying a car. The same goes with every decision we will do in our lives - we don’t just rely on the feelings. We also need to think about the pros and cons of our decision. From every voice that we will be hearing, we process it with both our hearts and minds. Forming our conscience is a life-long process because new issues arise and the world keeps changing. We need to be aware of these changes, the technical aspects also, and the impact of these changes so that we are able to make the right decision, especially today when we don’t know if the news we are reading is fake or not. When we have a well-formed conscience then we will be able to respond righteously. It was a fruitful formation indeed, a vital formation in our everyday life that will help us in making the right decisions. With thanks to Jason Delgado and the WordNews team
11/7/2019
Visit of the General Responsible of the Married Couples Branch in CDO (October 18, 2019)Unplanned![]() Cagayan de Oro family got a surprise visit yet again from the General Responsible of the Married Couples Branch, Alfonso Luna Martinez (without Adriana) last October 18, 2019. It was for him a short break from his jam-packed schedule - an opportunity he would not miss for it would be his last visit for a long time to the city he considers his second home. However, a man on fire could not keep himself hidden. His missionary heart and spirit led him to the ‘deserts’ of the those who heard him give a formation on Mary, Mother of evangelization, which was timely as most of us were to go on a mission that weekend. As the visit days ended, we bade Poncho goodbye and wished him all the best as he continues his journey into the deep waters looking for people better than him, forming them so that in turn they too can form others to be disciples of this charism and of Christ above all! Safe travels dear friend, from your Verbum Dei family in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. Many thanks or as we say “Daghang Salamat” With thanks to Rey Bagares and the WordNews team
Last October 13, 2019 at Sacred Heart church, Cebu City; four couples from Cebu professed their first temporal bonds as Missionary Married Couple of the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity with the theme “I chose you…to bear fruit that will last” cf. John 15:16. The Fraternity is composed of 3 branches; consecrated men, women and couples. This is the 2nd batch of the Missionary Married Couples here in Philippines, after the 1st batch professed their bonds five years ago. The church was filled with the family and friends of the four couples, members of the Verbum Dei family in Cebu, Cagayan De Oro and Quezon City, members of the Verbum Dei Fraternity, and some consecrated persons from other communities. People started arriving in the church at 1pm and were welcomed warmly. Lots of chatting, hugging, picture taking; it is like a mini reunion of the members of the Verbum Dei community in the Philippines. Josefina and Ponciano Catacutan (one of the four couples) gave their warm welcome address and introduction to the mass. The Holy Mass was celebrated by Fr. James McTavish, FMVD (Principal Celebrant) and co-celebrated by four other priests. The readings and psalms were read by the selected children of the four couples. They were seated among the people and were called one by one by Sr. Maricor Radan, FMVD. Each couple (Kristofferson Ty & Elena Mae Ty, Ponciano Catacutan & Josefina Catacutan, Eryle Payos & Mary Ann Payos, Leo Marquez & Maria Ginabeth Marquez) standing together, answered the calling: “We are here, Lord, You have called us” and walked together towards the altar. After the homily, the four couples were called by the General Responsible of the Married Couples Branch (Poncho and Adriana Martinez) in front of the altar. They were interrogated as to their intention to make the bonds. In this way they express before the people of God that they are aware of the meaning of the commitment they profess and that they do it freely and voluntarily. They knelt down and read the formula of consecration of the missionary married couples. After, each received the Crucifix and the Constitutions of the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity, symbols that they are a missionary married couple of the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity. The celebration was gracefully ended through the testimony of Eryle and Mary Ann Payos, with the final blessing from the principal celebrant and co-celebrants of the mass. Picture taking at the altar followed, then snacks were served outside the church - another moment of chatting and picture taking with the family, friends and members of the Verbum Dei community. The common fruit of the new missionary married couples is:Gratefulness to God for His unfathomable faithfulness and love for each one of us, He made everything possible for us, possible for a married person to live a consecrated life and like our mother Mary we only said Yes and allowed His grace to fulfill His plans through our lives. And each one receives authentic Joy and Peace, a happiness and great consolation in our hearts that God alone can give. But this is just the beginning of our mission in living out the evangelical counsels of poverty, conjugal chastity and obedience, according to the norms of the Catholic Church for matrimonial holiness and the family, following the Constitutions and other norms of the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity. In everything we trust in God, with the accompaniment of our Mother Mary. So be it. Here are some photos of the event:
The “Apo ni Jaime” (Verbum Dei Youth) accepted the challenge of Pope Francis to take part in the mission. Acting on his words, “Each of us is a mission to the world” (Pope Francis, World Mission Day message 2019), the youth of Pansol took part in giving a recollection to other young people. Last October 20, 2019, which was World Mission Sunday, the Pansol youth along with one adult from our apostolate in Christ the King School of the Word, handled an activity for around 130 participants, all young people of the Missionaries of Charity, from different communities such as Antipolo, Navotas, and Tayuman. They were aged 10 yrs old to 22 years old. It was held at Alagad de Maria, Antipolo, Rizal. It was an extra special moment of mission as it was the very first mission handled by the youth of Pansol, helped by the misionero Bong, with the presence of Ismael the General Responsible of the misioneros. It was a great experience for both the participants and the organizers.It began with “Song/Animation,” then “Opening remarks” from Gabs to break the ice. This was followed by a talk entitled “Your Life is for Loving” that provoked a lot of fruit in the young listeners, especially encouraging them to love others. Thereafter was “Share ko lang” where the youth shared their personal experience/understanding of loving. When they were expressing their different experiences about the talk the facilitators were overwhelmed, because they never thought that the participants will be so open and trusting in their sharing. Workshops were also held on “Time Management and Decision Making” by Tito Johnny of CTK School of the Word. This was followed by the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Rosary of the Word, with a testimony from Thea. The day closed with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, presided by Fr. Bong, concelebrated with Fr. Ismael, with a heart-warming message of “never to lose the fire of mission in your heart.” Here are some photos of the event: With thanks to Gabriel Lanada, Mikaela Badilla and the WordNews team
In the Philippines and other countries worldwide, the celebration of All Souls day (2 Nov) is marked by a visit to the cemetery to remember loved ones and pray for them. In order to deepen on the reality of death, the Verbum Dei missionaries conducted a retreat for this purpose: to reflect on the brevity of this life, and to prepare our hearts and souls for death, which one day will come, and we hope not too soon. It was held on 30 October 2019 in the Christ the King parish, with 65 participants. In the introduction, the letter of St Ignatius of Antioch was shared to us. Before being fed to the lions, he wrote “The time for my birth is close at hand” which seems at first unusual because he was about to die. However, he is actually reminding us that in death, life is changed, not ended. The first talk centered on a spirituality of death and dying. We were asked “What would you do if you only had 5 days left to live?” and more importantly “what is stopping you doing it?” “Choose now what you would wish to have chosen at life’s end” as St Anthony Mary Claret advised. A formation was also given on Catholic church teaching on suffering, dying and eternal life. Points shared include why is there sickness and suffering as well as how to manage the care of dying loved ones. We were informed that “discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of "over-zealous" treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one's inability to impede it is merely accepted.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2278). Such teaching is eminently practical and useful as one tendency is to overtreat out of guilty feelings. The afternoon dynamic was “fun” and interesting - to design your own tombstone! A rosary was prayed together with concurrent confessions nearby. In this sacrament we really touch our “dust-iness” but we also experience God’s eternal mercy. The day closed with a Eucharist, celebrated by Fr Bong Guinoo, and Fr Ismael Barros, the General responsible of the male missionaries, along with Fr James. In the homily we were reminded that love is eternal, and that we have passed from death to life when we love others (see 1 John 3:14). By considering our end in this way, we can hope to arrive there without too may regrets because we already lived. As we heard in the movie Braveheart “All men die, but not all men truly live.” Here are some photos of the event:
"You are a mission, always. I am a mission always" |
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