Provincia San Matteo (Filippina)

“Dipanggil Menjadi Suatu Tanda Harapan Bagi Dunia” (Called to Become Signs of Hope for the World).  This was the theme of this year’s Graduation Ceremony of the Formation Institute of St. Hannibal (FISH), a Formation Institute entrusted by the Diocese to the Rogationists in order to facilitate and organize Religious Studies for the Aspirants and Postulants of the different Religious Congregations present in the Diocese of  Maumere. Those who participated in this year’s formation courses grew in number and reached to almost 150 young aspirants, postulants and seminarians from 16 Religious Congregations. The Most Rev. Gerulfus Kherubim Pareira, SVD, Bishop of Maumere, presided over the celebration of the Holy Mass together with the priests-concelebrants from different male Religious Congregations who are enrolled in FISH. Fr. Breynard Peji, RCJ, as coordinator of FISH, gave an inspiring talk to the graduates. Those who finished the course received the Certificates of Completion. After the celebration of the Holy Mass, a simple agape was shared by everybody. 

“FAITH INCREASED, HOPE STRENGTHENED”, this is how we described our experience when our bishop in Dalat Diocese celebrated a solemn mass for the Rogationist Vietnam Mission Station (RVMS).  It was even more meaningful because he celebrated the mass on the occasion of the 50^th Anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, our Rogationist Feast day par-excellence. With the permission of our beloved Bishop, this special occasion was also marked with the launching of the Family Rogate Vietnam, Dalat Diocese Chapter. Seven families of our seminarians formally took the promise as new members of the Family Rogate ( Hoi Gia Dinh Rogate).  The first members are the parents of the Rogationist’s seminarians from Bao Loc and Don Duong, Lam Dong Province. Both places belong to the Diocese of Dalat.

The celebration was simple and as much as possible kept it in secret and private. The good bishop allowed us to use the bishop’s house for the celebration and only a few guests were invited including some priests, religious men and women, benefactors and friends.   It was a risk to organize that celebration but we felt safe and secure in the bishop’s house assuring us that we are in God’s hand.

It was only a half day celebration. It started with the solemn adoration for vocation presided over by Fr. Alfonso Heredia, Responsible of the Mission.  The reflection which Fr. Alfonso prepared for the Eucharistic Adoration emphasized the Meaning of Vocation, the Role of the Rogate in the Church and the Conviction, Joy, Sacrifice, and the Desire of St. Hannibal in living, propagating and proclaiming the Rogate.

After the solemn Eucharistic Adoration for Vocation, the Bishop presided over the solemn mass. In his homily, the Bishop spoke boldly about the importance of the charism of the  Rogate in the Church, especially in the his local diocese, at the same time, he also appreciated  the initiation of the group of family that is committed to pray daily for vocations in the Church.

Here is the summary of the Bishop’s homily.

-          He gave the introduction about the World Day of Prayer for Vocations which was started in 1964 and in 1971 the date was officially fixed on the Good Sherpherd Sunday as the  WDPV.

-          Then he spoke about the Rogationists, the charism of the Rogate, a command from the mouth of Jesus. The necessity of obeying the Word of Jesus, to pray for Vocations, especially for the Priesthood and religious vocations.

-          Touching on the crisis of vocations in many countries of the world, he underlined that in the developed countries, there is the experience of the lost of spiritual life, the lost of the sense of God, and  the lost of faith because of the culture of consumerism, and nobody wants to follow Christ because many young people have lost their faith, they don’t see Christ. He said that Vocation needs FAITH - and so there is the need of more pastors to bring back and animate the faith.

-          He also underlined the connection of FAITH-à VOCATIONàBLESSING (HOPE) and explained it through the story of the faith of Abraham. Abraham’s faith led him to answer yes to God full of hope and because of that yes (vocation) he received abundant blessings.

-             Finally, he mentioned the important role of the family in Vocations. “No family, no vocation”. And focused his attention on the Family ROG which started as a small group of family, wishing that it will later expand as a big group. And the most challenging words he said for us Rogationists, Daughters of Divine Zeal and the FAM ROG is that “we are vocation for all the Vocations.”

Thanks to our beloved bishop in the Diocese of Dalat who is a real shepherd and who is always available for the people. Thanks to our parents who generously responded to the call of witnessing the Rogate. Thanks to our friends and benefactors who always assure us of their support, protection and guidance. Thanks to the different congregations for their fraternal support and blessings, thanks to our students and aspirants both Rogationists and the Daughters of Divine Zeal, because of their generosity and availability to say yes to the call of God, the Rogate becomes ever more active, dynamic and triumphant.

With all these people and experiences, the RMSV is continuously casting its net into the DEEP. We are assured and convinced that we walk in the Direction of God following the Examples of Christ of the Rogate through St. Hannibal. This leads us to a more and a deeper Encounter with the Heart of Jesus, with the Heart of St. Hannibal and with the heart of the Avignone, the poor.  Whatever is the Plan of God for our mission here in Vietnam, we will joyfully obey and we hope and pray  that  it will be brought into completion.

Indeed, it is in our experience of being in the DEEP that our FAITH is increased and our HOPE is strengthened.

“Vocations: Signs of Hope Founded in Faith” - In anticipation of the forthcoming “Good Shepherd Sunday”, the Family of the Rogate, together with priests, families, youth and religious congregations, organized and celebrated a day for the Jubilee Year of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations last Saturday, April 20, 2013 at St. Anthony’s Boys Village-Rogationist College, Silang, Cavite, with the theme: “Vocations: Signs of Hope Founded in Faith”.

With almost 2,000 participants who attended the celebration, the event was marked with animations, catechesis, Holy Mass and Adorations, group sharing and cultural presentations which showcased the 50 years of the Church’s mandate in inviting everyone around the world to pray and work for holy vocations. Fr. Miguel De Silva’s Rogate Family Song became the official song and animation for the celebration which was performed by the Rogationist seminarians and postulants.

Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara of the Diocese of Pasig gave a catechesis on vocations. He emphasized Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI’s message on the 50th World Day of Prayer for Vocations which centered on hope. “To have hope”, he said, “is happiness, offering, peace and Eucharist”. Without these, it would be impossible to appreciate the gift of vocations which the Lord himself initiated among whom He chooses – the call to single-blessedness, married life and priestly and religious life.

Together with concelebrating priests, Bishop Mylo presided the Holy Mass. In his homily, he emphasized that to pray for vocations is not only to pray for others but also to pray for one’s vocation too. The usual liturgical celebration followed, and then towards the end of the Holy Mass, a prayer composed by Blessed John Paul II was said. The Choir of St. Hannibal Empowerment Center animated the songs in the Holy Mass.

After the lunch, Breakthrough Circles took place. On that part, 50 groups were distributed into different areas in the school campus to have their group dynamics. The group dynamics featured various youth groups who performed various role-play of different Biblical personages note-worthy of their vocation story. This became the focus of the group sharing, which later on became the material of their resolutions through “tongues of fire” made into a collage onto a bigger “tongue of fire” then put into the “Galilee Wall”. Prayers of commitment were composed in the official poster of the event which was offered in the concluding “Tribute to Our Lady of Vocations”. All casts of the role-play concluded the dynamics with a prayer-dance of the song “Many Gifts, One Spirit”.

Eucharistic Adoration was presided by Fr. Herman Abcede, RCJ, Provincial Superior of the Rogationists in the Philippines. In his sharing, Fr. Herman gave his own version of as response to Bishop Mylo’s catechesis: “H - Hear the heartbeat of Christ, O - Observe the overflowing harvest, P - Pray passionately for the harvest, and E - Encounter the Lord with Enthusiasm”. Intercessory prayers were said before the final blessing.

Cultural presentations featured performances from St. Anthony’s Boys Village-Rogationist Academy from Davao, songs from Accapella Manila, an interpretative dance from the community of St. Hannibal Empowerment Center, and a Marian song from the selected religious brothers from the community of Father Di Francia Center of Studies. The brothers too carried the statue of Our Lady of Vocations towards the center platform accompanied by the prayer-dance of the youth of SHEC.

As soon as the statue of the Blessed Mother was placed, prayers and salutations were said, and then representatives from each group came to offer the commitment prayers. The celebration ended with the theme song “Rogate Family Song”. By:  Post. John Francis C. Aberion

Sabato, 10 novembre 2012, alle ore 16.00, nella cappella del Father Di Francia Center of Studies  di Parañaque City, Filippine, riceveranno il sacro ordine del Diaconato gli studenti religiosi Bro. Menard Vidad Cadeliña, Bro. Santos Sendon Solitario, Bro. Ronie Durens Gumagay e Bro. Charleston Amoin Tumulak, per l’imposizione delle mani di Sua Ecc.za Rev.ma Broderick S. Pabillo, D.D., Vescovo Ausiliare di Manila. A tutti felicissimi auguri.

The Philippine Quasi Province has organized a whole day Program of Activities to mark the Closing of the Eucharistic Year and the 125th Anniversary of the Feast of July 1st. This event, which will be held at the St. Anthony's Boys Village in Silang, Cavite on July 1, 2012, expects the participation of more than a thousand members of the Family of the Rogate: Religious, Novices, Postulants, Aspirants of the Rogationists and Daughters of Divine Zeal, Rogationist Lay Missionary, different Lay Organizations such as the UPV, Pamilya Rog, Rogate Youth, SHEC, MOVE-R,Collaborators, Alumni and Students from different Rogationist Schools and Colleges. 

Downloads:

 FACILITATORS’ ORIENTATION (939.13 kB)

 Invitation Program - Eucharistic Year July 2012 (1.51 MB)

The Schedule of Activities is as follows: 

6:00 am                        - Arrival of Participants/ Registration
8:00 am                        - Holy Mass
                                    - Break/ Snacks 
11:00 - 3:00 pm             - Eucharistic Adoration
3:00 pm                        - Vespers / Concluding Prayers
                                    - Break / Snacks 
4:30 p.m.                      - Program /Awarding 
6:30 p.m.                      - Dinner 

CONSOLIDATE HELP FOR THE CAGAYAN AND ILIGAN typhoon victims

I have noticed that many of us and of our community have tried to assist in their own way (big or small) the victims of the recent calamity in Cagayan city and Iligan city. Some of us have inspired so many people through our ministry of preaching to make their Christmas more authentic by extending help to the victims of the devastating flood. Some on the other hand wanted to help but unaware on how to concretize it.

As practiced in our PHILIPPINE Q-Province we solicit each community to share or help and we gather together amount every community would like to give and then send the said amount/s to the diocese/s where such calamity happened. Thus I appeal to everybody to share. Make a needed sacrifice or help even in the solicitation for this gesture. Then the amount saved and gathered will be sent to the Philippine Q-Province and we will give them directly to the responsible agency/ies of the dioceses of Cagayan and Iligan. 

Our little sharing if put together might be a great help for our brothers and sisters who are in grief this Christmas season.

Please let everybody disseminate this appeal. If you happen to read this inform immediately your superior/resposnsible so that immediate action be done....

Let's make our Christmas more meaningful with this concrete gesture.

FR. HERMAN ABCEDE, RCJ
Major Superior

Ordinazione P. Vincent Dumdum

On October 29, 2011, in the Parish Church of St. Francis Xavier Parish, Balamban, Cebu, Rev. Vincent Victor Escanilla Dumdum was ordained to the priesthood through the laying on of the hand of His Excellency Msgr. Julito Cortes, D.D., Auxillary bishop of the Archdiocese of Cebu. The celebration started at 10:00 in the morning in which several priests from the diocese and from the various Rogationist communities in the Philippines came to concelebrate and witness the said event. The big Church which was on the process of renovation was filled with people coming from the various parts of Cebu and the whole Philippines.  The ordination was so solemn and very touching knowing that the “ordinandus” is already an orphan since few years ago. At 3:00 O’clock in the afternoon the “First Mass” was held in the same Church which served as a thanksgiving offering of the newly ordained priest for the gift of priesthood and a gesture of gratitude for all those who supported him and accompanied him in the journey towards priesthood. Then a short but meaningful dinner program was offered to everybody which was prepared by the former high school classmates of Fr. Vincent. Congratulations to the newly ordained rogationist priest.