OCTOBER 14-17, 2018 SCHEDULE – HEART RELIC OF ST. PADRE PIO – VISIT TO DAVAO

Photo Credit: DXGN

 

OCTOBER 14, 2018 (Sunday)

10 am – Arrival at Davao Airport / Motorcade to Ateneo de Davao University- Matina

11 am – Eucharistic celebration at Ateneo de Davao University- Matina

1:00 pm – Public Veneration

5:00 pm – Conference

7:00 pm – Procession to San Pedro Cathedral

8:00 pm – Public Veneration

 

 

OCTOBER 15, 2018 (Monday)

6 am – Eucharistic Celebration

12 nn – Eucharistic Celebration

5:30 pm – Eucharistic Celebration

 

There will be a continuous public veneration which will be interrupted only by the celebration of the Holy Mass as scheduled.

 

 

OCTOBER 16, 2018 (Tuesday)

6 am – Transfer to REMASE, Catalunan Grande

8 am – Start of Activity which is exclusive for priests and consecrated persons

4 pm – Return to San Pedro Cathedral

5:30 pm – Eucharistic Celebration

6:30 pm – Public Veneration

 

 

OCTOBER 17, 2018 (Wednesday)

6 am – Eucharistic Celebration

8 am – Motorcade to Airport

 

 

 

 

October 11-14 Schedule – Heart of St. Padre Pio – Visit to Cebu

Archdiocese of Cebu Schedule

 

THIS IS THE SCHEDULE FOR THE VISIT OF THE HEART OF ST. PADRE PIO IN CEBU

(OCTOBER 11-14, 2018)

 

DAY 1: OCTOBER 11 (THURSDAY)

10:30 am – Welcome Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral (Archbishop Jose Palma, DD, Archbishop of Cebu)

12:15 pm to 7 pm – Regular Masses

7:45 pm – Procession around the block of the Cathedral

9:00 pm – Holy Mass with Healing Session (Fr. Joselin Gonda, Parish Priest, National Shrine of St. Padre Pio

 

VENERATION AND CONFESSIONS OVERNIGHT

 

 

 

DAY 2: OCTOBER 12 (FRIDAY)

5:30 am – Regular Masses (5:30 am – 10:30 am)

10:30 am – Farewell Mass (Msgr. Ruben Labajo, Team Moderator, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral)

12:15 pm – Departure for IEC Pavilion

12:00 nn – Registration for the Recollection of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons in the Visayas

1:00 pm – Conference: The Person, Priesthood and Spirituality of St. Padre Pio (Fr. Joselin Gonda, Rector, St. Padre Pio National Shrine)

2:00 pm – Conference: Renewed Servant Leaders (Clergy) for the New Evangelization (Msgr. Buenaventura Famadico, DD, Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on the Clergy)

3:00 pm – Conference: Renewed Servant Leaders (Consecrated Persons) for the New Evangelization (Sr. Joy Carmel Jumawan, Executive Secretary of the Commission on Mutual Relations between Bishops and Religious)

4:00 pm – Reflection and Prayer

4:30 pm – Break

5:00 pm – Holy Mass with Renewal of Priestly Promises and Religious Vows

 

(The IEC will be closed for the re-arrangement and cleaning of the venue)

 

9:00 pm – Holy Mass with Healing Session (Msgr. Buenaventura Famadico, DD, Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on the Clergy)

 

VENERATION FOLLOWS

 

 

 

DAY 3: OCTOBER 13 (SATURDAY)

6:00 am – VENERATION

8:00 am – Holy Mass sponsored by St. Padre Pio Communities in the Visayas

9:00 am to 3:00 pm – VENERATION

3:00 pm – Holy Mass sponsored by World Apostolate of Fatima (Msgr. Ruben Labajo, Spiritual Director of WAF-Cebu)

4:00 pm to 9:00 pm – VENERATION

9:00 pm – Holy Mass with Healing Session

10:00 pm – VENERATION

12:00 mn – Anticipated Holy Mass (Fr. Jonald Concha, Vicar for the Clergy of Cebu)

 

 

 

DAY 4: OCTOBER 14 (SUNDAY)

6:00 am – Farewell Concelebrated Mass (Msgr. Dennis Villarojo, DD, Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu)

 

 

 

October 5-11 Schedule – Heart Relic of St. Padre Pio – Visit to the Philippines

Photo Credit: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila website

October 5, 2018 (Friday) –  Arrival at NAIA; Evening Motorcade to the Shrine; Welcome liturgy and Holy Mass

 

October 6-7, 2018 (Saturday and Sunday) – National Shrine of St. Padre Pio; concelebrated Mass at 9 am; veneration and confession

 

Photo Credit: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila website

October 8, 2018: Day of the Clergy and Consecrated People

10 am – Arrival of the Relic and welcome liturgy, conferences, reflection, prayers and veneration (exclusive for the clergy and the religious)

4:30 pm – Short procession to Plaza Mayor, Mass (open for all); Presider: Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Caloocan and CBCP Vice President

After the Mass, veneration will be open to the public overnight at the Santissimo Rosario Parish

 

October 9, 2018

7:30 am – Farewell Mass and eventual transfer to Manila Cathedral (The Manila Cathedral will be open 24 hours to allow many devotees to venerate the relic. Confessions will also be available)

9:00 am – Arrival of the Relic and Welcome Mass

12:10 pm – Holy Mass

6:00 pm – Holy Mass

 

October 10, 2018

7:30 am – Holy Mass

12:10 pm – Holy Mass

6:00 pm – Holy Mass

October 11, 2018

6:00 am – Farewell Mass and departure of the relic to the Archdiocese of Cebu

 

Silsilah in Jolo to Rebuild Hope

Photo Credit: “Oasis News” of Silsilah Dialogue Movement

Disclaimer: The author is  Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME (center, above photo) – known as the founder of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement. Touched by an experience of conflict between Muslims and Christians in Mindanao and inspired by God’s dialogue with people of all cultures and religions, Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra PIME, with a group of Muslim and Christian friends, started the Silsilah Dialogue Movement in Zamboanga City on May 9, 1984. Silsilah is an Arabic word which literally means “Chain” or “Link”. It is used by the (Muslim Mystics) to describe a process of attaining an experience of the Divine. The same root word is used as “genealogical tree” which implies a spiritual chain of humanity as created by the same God. Thus, “Silsilah” in the Movement is taken as an inspiring and key concept to describe Muslims, Christians and other people of living faiths who are moving together towards a common vision and mission of dialogue and peace.

 

———–

 

Jolo has a long history.  It is in the Southern part of the Philippines along the Sulu Sea going toward Borneo and Indonesia. It was in that area that Islam   arrived in 1380 and Jolo was the center of the first Sultanate organized in the peninsula before the arrival of the Spaniards in the sixteenth century. In more recent times, Jolo became the center of the movement of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a revolutionary movement that emerged in 1972. The sultanate of Jolo still now claims part of Borneo offered to Jolo then in the past.  These important events in the history of Jolo brought us to reflect: What is happening to Jolo now?

 

 

Many attribute this situation to the presence of the Abu Sayyaf and new groups similar to Abu Sayyaf, others to the strong polarization of power in the hands of a few, others also to a strong presence of radical groups. I believe all these elements are contributing to make Jolo today a difficult place for all, especially for the Christians who, before, reached   10% of the population maintaining good relations among Muslims and Christians. But now the Christians are only 1% over a population of more than two hundred thousand. The Catholic cathedral is always guarded by the military and the Christians now are the favorite targets of bad elements. For this reason the Christians are leaving Jolo. This situation makes good Muslims in Jolo   ashamed because  it was not this way before. Muslims, Christians and Chinese in Jolo used to respect each other. Now, even good Muslim families who wish to live peacefully are leaving Jolo or have their houses also in Zamboanga City or other parts of the country.

 

Photo Credit: “Oasis News” of Silsilah Dialogue Movement

 

I was there a few days ago to meet the alumni of Silsilah. During my visit, I went to   the capitol where the Silsilah Forum built a Harmony Post ten years ago as a sign of hope and harmony in Jolo.  I also went to pray in the cathedral where in the little garden inside the fence of the church, there is the tomb of Bishop Ben de Jesus, killed in front of the church in 1997. He was a friend and an alumnus of Silsilah. When he was elected bishop of Jolo, he came to see me and asked to attend the Silsilah courses to be ready to face the reality of Jolo. The memory of Bishop Ben is still alive in the hearts of many Christians and Muslims in Jolo; he was loved by the people. During this last visit to Jolo, I also visited the victims of the recent fire in one area.  It was a big fire that affected more than three thousand   families.

 

I went to Jolo to share solidarity and to meet especially the leaders of the Silsilah Core group of Jolo. More than twenty arrived and it was a long sharing. I listened to painful stories, but also joyful ones and I realized that there is still hope and commitment in the midst of the reality of Jolo.   One experience that touched me most was the sharing of a young Muslim teacher who said: “ I  teach in a rural area near Jolo and  often  we hear   bombing in the near  area.  The children are afraid, but also we teachers are afraid”. Another said: “For us bombing is becoming familiar in Jolo.”

 

 

After listening to these and other stories with many details I asked the group: “What do you do in this situation?”Many suggestions came up from their sharing.  They are determined to be more active and united. They also suggested to reopen the Silsilah Center in Jolo, and also to have   training on trauma healing, things that we have done in the past to help. They also suggested to  restart  the formation for Madaris gurus, the teachers of Islamic  schools, and  for the Catechists, for  the Christian teaching and  also to reactivate  the group of the  Inter faith  Council of Leaders. These and other sharing made me realize that the spirit of dialogue is still alive there, like the fire under the ashes that needs to be reactivated and  we decided to  do all that is  possible. In fact soon, we will re-open the Silsilah Center in the center of the city, a place offered by the bishop of Jolo. I saw the coordinators of the Silsilah Forum Jolo regaining courage.

 

We never stop to hope in Silsilah. We will reactivate the presence of Silsilah in Jolo in spite of the alarming news that make us realize that Silsilah is indeed called to move “with hope in the midst of divisions and conflicts.”

 

Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME
Founder, Silsilah Dialogue Movement

 

——–

 

N.B. I am an alumnus of Silsilah Dialogue Movement in Zamboanga. 🙂

SVD is now 143 Years Old

Photo Credit: Fr. Semei Rebayla, SVD

Early this morning, the SVDs of the Philippine Southern Province (PHS) gathered for their General Assembly at the Michael Richartz Hall of the Talamban campus of the University of San Carlos. Fr. Eugene Docoy led the Bible enthronement assisted by the campus ministry.

Fr. Eduardo Rocha and Fr. Jun Rebayla talked about the highlights of the General Chapter that recently concluded in Rome. The former informed us that at present, the PHS has 124 members. Prior to the General Chapter, the PHS lost two members -Fr. Herman Suico and Fr. Dino Ariola but was also blest with the arrival of four new members, namely – Fr. Felipe Muncada, Fr. Narciso Cellan, Fr. Franlou Bardon and Fr. Jonathan Ortalla.

A development plan of the Divine Word Formation Center was also presented by Fr. Dennis Testado.

Photo Credit: Fr. Semei Rebayla, SVD

To the delight of the confreres, Fr. Muncada showed us the demographics of the SVDs worldwide. He reported that the SVD climbed one place higher from its 7th spot in 2005 among the top 10 male congregations in the Church in terms of membership. In 2017, our congregation already occupied the 6th place. Using the congregation’s Arnoldus Nota data on the death occurrences of the SVD, he revealed that the average age of departed SVDs is 63 years old. The average span from final vows to death for the Filipinos is 36 years.

In the afternoon, two speakers were invited: first was Fr. Fidel Orendain of the Salesians of Don Bosco who talked about the Clergy and Consecrated People: Genuine Communicators; second was Bishop Arturo Bastes who gave an in-depth talk about religious life.

The General Assembly successfully ended with a Holy Mass and fellowship dinner at the Pink Sisters.

The Heart Relic of Saint Padre Pio is Coming to the Philippines!

The heart relic of Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina is coming to the Philippines from San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. This is for two reasons: First, because of the saint’s golden death anniversary and the centenary of his stigmata. Second, the Philippines is celebrating the Year of the Clergy and the Consecrated Persons for which the CBCP chose St. Padre Pio as the model for priests and religious.

Schedule of the Visit

 

This visit aims to offer hope for a despairing people and light in the midst of darkness in our country today. This is also a call to a deeper faith and fervent prayer to God as inspired by intense devotion to St. Padre Pio, Mama Mary and the saints. Also, it aims to inspire among devotees authentic charity and selfless service to the poor, the needy and the outcast.

 

Among its objectives is to bring St. Padre Pio closer to priests, religious and lay people by knowing him and eventually owning and imitating his holiness. Also, to form and inform people about the person, priesthood, religious life and holiness of St. Padre Pio; enhance devotion to the humble, beloved and holy saint and reach out to as many faithful as possible with the Heart relic and inspire them to be more united as a true Catholic Christian community.

 

 

Truly B.I.G. (Be Intimate with God)!

Be Intimate with God

The launching of the B.I.G. (Be Intimate with God) at the International Eucharistic Congress Convention Center – Mabolo, Cebu was well-attended. This is start of the monthly prayer meeting and healing session together with the families and support communities of those recovering from addiction of any forms from various rehab facilities and recovery communities like Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, LaBang (Lahat Bangon), Women in Recovery, and others.

Photo Credit: Fe Barino, Commission on the Laity

BIG DAY is an outreach of SuGod (Surrender to God) and the 32-member religious charismatic communities (Archdiocese of Cebu Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services).

 

The day consisted of praise and worship, evangelization, healing session, confession, and agape. Lectures on recovery, drug prevention and relapse was also were also given. The Holy Mass was presided by Archbishop Jose S. Palma. More than 500 people came.

Photo Credit: Fe Barino, Commission on the Laity

According to Ma’am Fe Barino of the Commission on the Laity, the response to this event was overwhelming. “These people used to hide and suffer in silence as they struggle to recover from the disease of addiction.  They came up to witness that Recovery is real and possible and that killing is not the only solution to the drug problem in our society,” she said.