FILIPINO MISSIONARY FROM ECUADOR VISITS DWRH-BAGUIO CITY

On September 4, 2011 Fr. Nereo Joseph Artienda, SVD shared some of his mission expereinces in Ecuador to the DWRH Sunday Mass attendees. Fr. Artienda left the Philippines to his first mission assignment soon after his priestly ordination more than twenty years ago. During his missionary stay he has undertaken various congregational responsibilities in the Society of the Divine Word including having been elected as a Provincial Superior. After a deserving Home Leave, he will be going back to his mission in Ecuador toward the end of October. We accompany with our prayers and support!

 

Dear Mission Collaborators, 

            Greetings of peace and love in the Divine Word!

September is here once again to remind us of the task and urgency of mission. This SVD Mission month, however, as his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI reminds “… is not isolated moment in the course of the year, but a precious occasion to pause to reflect on how we respond to the missionary vocation; an essential response for the life of the Church…the mission of Christ Redeemer, entrusted to the Church, is still far from being accomplished … a global look on humanity shows that this mission is still at the beginning and that we must commit ourselves with all our energies in its service” (John Paul II, “Redemptoris Missio,” No. 1). We cannot remain tranquil in face of the thought that, after two thousand years, there are still peoples who do not know Christ and have not yet heard his message of salvation.” (Pope’s Message for World Mission Sunday 2011)

As the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) celebrates its 136^th Foundation Day on September 8, 2011 we invite you again our mission Collaborators to join us in praying, remembering and in raising funds for the 134 Filipino Divine Word Missionaries working in 46 countries worldwide, for mission animation activities and for formation of future missionaries who are financially poor but deserving seminarians. I am saying this in the light of the Holy Father’s call, “Attention and cooperation in the evangelizing work of the Church in the world cannot be limited to some particular moments and occasions… the missionary dimension of the Church is essential and, therefore, …it is important that every baptized person as well as the ecclesial communities be interested not only in a sporadic and irregular way in the mission, but in a constant way, as the way of Christian life.” (Mission Sunday 2011)

Hence, as it has been done every year, the brown mission envelopes are available for cash donations and as others have done prayer requests/intentions may also be enclosed. In anticipation, my heartfelt thanks for your generous and unending support for the global mission of the Church. May God continue to shower you and your loved ones His choicest blessings!

Devotedly yours in the Mission of the Divine Word,

 

Fr. Emil B. Pati, SVD

PHN Mission Secretary

SSpS PRE-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS

On January 15, 2011, the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) one of the three Religious Missionary Congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen remembered with gratitude the birth of the Congregation almost one hundred years ago in Tayum, Abra, Philippines. The highlight of the day’s celebrations was the offering of the Holy Eucharist, presided over by his lordship Leopoldo Jaucian, SVD,DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Bangued. Concelebrants in the Mass were  Msgr. Artemio Rillera, SVD,DD (former Bishop of Bangued)  the Clergy in the Diocese and other SVD guest priests. Other Religious men and women also were present to join the Holy Spirit Sisters who came from many parts of the country in this memorable occasion. The laity were joined by some of the Province’s high ranking officials. After the Holy Mass, there was a Parade around town followed by a   Cultural program show casing the early beginnings and the apostolic involvement of the Holy Spirit Sisters in the progress of the Church in Abra since then. Equally significant in today’s event, it is also the 99th Foundation Day of the Holy Ghost School-Tayum. The school was turned over to the Diocese’s management  only a couple of years ago.

The Holy Spirit Sisters in processional entrance to the Church…           

"Precious is the life given for Mission..."

"The Holy Eucharist is the source of everything we need to do God's mission effectively and fruitfully...!

MISSION HOLY MASS AT COLLEGE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT-TARLAC

On October 1, 2010,  after having been invited by Sr. Ester Polo, SSpS, the High School and Elementary Department Principal,  Fr. Emil Pati, SVD, (PHN Mission Secretary) celebrated the Holy Eucharist for Missions. As it was the Feast Day of St. Therese of the Child Jesus she was given a very special honor being a Patroness for Missions. Indeed, it was a very encouraging mission encounter together with the Holy Spirit Sisters, Staff, Faculty Members, Students and some parents. The Photographs (more pictures on the Pages section)below speak in a many thousand ways…thank dear Sisters for the opportunity of mission collaboration with you! God bless you and all!

FR. PROVINCIAL CELEBRATES GOD’S GIFT OF LIFE!

On the evening of September 30, 2010, confreres and friends of Fr. Jerome Adriatico, SVD, PHN Provincial Superior were gathered together to thank God for the gift of fifty seven years.  A thanksgiving that was filled with the spirit of joy and frienship…of deep sense of collaborative commitment to God’s mission. Thanks to birthday celebrations, they remind us that wether we are serious about it or not, we have a mission in life.

A toast for LIFE! (more photos on page: IMAGES)

SEPTEMBER IS SVD MISSION MONTH

Dear SVD Friends and mission Collaborators,

Greetings of Peace from the SVD-PHN Mission Office!

The mission poster of this year’s SVD Mission Month (September), bears the theme, PRECIOUS IS THE LIFE GIVEN FOR MISSION. Alongside with our very own Sisters of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) on the occasion of their forthcoming Centennial (1912-2012) celebration let us focus our reflections and activities on the above mentioned theme. History of Abra Mission reminds us that on January 17, 1912, almost 100 years ago, the first batch of Holy Spirit Sisters arrived and settled in Tayum, Abra. Barely a month later, the Sisters opened Holy Ghost School. Since then, inspired by a common Founder, St. Arnold Janssen, the Society of the Divine Word  (SVD) Brothers and Fathers hand in hand with the Holy Spirit Sisters continue to witness “…the call to mission as a call to collaborate with God’s mission.” (St. Arnold) So important is mission that so many early missionaries stayed on in the country until their last breath. And how precious those lives were…very precious indeed is the life given for mission…God’s mission.

The Holy Father Benedict XVI in his message for World Mission Sunday 2010, strongly affirms that, “the awareness of the call to announce the Gospel not only inspires every individual believer, but all the diocesan and parochial communities, to an integral renewal and to an ever greater openness to missionary cooperation among the Churches, to promote the proclamation of the Gospel in the heart of every person, every people, culture, race, nationality, in every place.” In the spirit of global mission, our lay mission partners respond to this call when in their own individual or communal ways participate actively in doing as well as promoting Church mission. In its best, collaboration with God’s mission can be actualized with three “Ps”. We Pray for Missionaries, Promote missionary Vocations and support the mission with our Purse. Very well said and it’s true, “No one is so poor that he/she has nothing to give, as no one is so rich that he/she has nothing to receive.”

On behalf of the SVD Mission Philippines, I wish to acknowledge and thank you for your involvement in the SVD mission fund raising activities. Your prayers and support would mean a lot to our Missionaries who are out there! I am always touched when mission-minded people asked how to lend a helping hand to our Missionaries financially. Among other ways, I tell them about the idea of adopting a Missionary, of sponsoring a Seminarian, and of course the brown envelopes readily provided which many find more practical when it comes to sharing God’s manifold blessings. On their behalf therefore, here I am once again appealing into your generous heart: our Missionaries need your three “Ps”!

May God who “loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7),” continue to shower you and your loved ones his choicest hundredfold blessings.

Very truly yours in His mission,

Fr. Emil B. Pati, SVD

SVD-PHN Mission Secretary

DIVINE WORD MISSION SECRETARIES MEETING

As it is written on the picture above, a meeting of Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) Mission Secretaries of the Asian-Pacific Zone was held at the One World Srvice Center, Dapinglin, Taipei County on February 12-14, 2010. On the photograph were those who attended: First Step/Row: Fr. Tiburtius Denggor(Indonesia), Fr. Baptist Michael D’Sousa(India), Fr. Charlton Plateros(Hongkong), Fr. Sergio Edwards(Meeting Coordinator/Taiwan), Fr. Odilon Yoo Yong Duc(Korea), Fr. Paul Nguyen Thien Trong(Australia) Second Row: Fr. John Regalado(Philippines), Fr. Emil Pati(Philippines), Fr. Isagani Ehido(Philippines), Fr. Hermanus Sigit Pawanta(Indonesia) Third Row:  Fr. Anthony Nguyen Xuan Hue(Vietnam), Fr. Florentinus Gekeng Making(Indonesia),  Fr. Hubertus Tenga(Indonesia),  Fr. Pio Estepa(Mission Secretary General/Rome) Last Row: Fr. Lorz Estomo(Encoder/Taiwan), Frt. Johannes(Novice), Fr. Josef Roszynski(Papua New Guinea), Fr. Dominic Emmanuel(India) Fr. Jose Jacob Kuzhikkattuthazhe(India), Fr. Joy Joseph Maveliparambi(India), Fr. Bill Burt(ASPAC  Zonal Coordinator) and Fr. Michael Lindstrom(Japan)

The following collage shows some highlight activities during this very enriching and encouraging meeting:Fr. Pio Estepa, General Mission Secretary came all the way from Rome to give the key note on Mission…

In between the  sessions  exchange of experiences, ideas and activities were shared and expressed to encourage everyone…

During the coffee or tea breaks, the Mission Secretaries continue to share and encourage one another…

…there are a lot to learn from one another…

…there are interesting ideas…people…places…circumstances…in the mission fields…

And the SVD mission goes on and on….

JOYFUL CHRISTMAS AND A GRACE-FILLED NEW YEAR!

Dear Co-missionaries,

Wishing you the light of hope

That keeps the future bright,

Wishing you a Christmas

Grace with God’s eternal light.

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

In the Divine Word made flesh,

Fr. Emil

NEW PRIESTS! NEW MISSIONARIES!

Please click: PEOPLE-EVENTS-PLACES...for the full account…thank you!

SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATION IN LUBA, ABRA

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish (Priests, PPC, Religious Organizations, LGU, Parishioners) and Luba-Tubo Catholic High School, Luba, Abra did it again! Twenty five years ago on January 6, 1984, I came home to celebrate my Thanksgiving Mass and through the well coordination between the above mentioned Parish and the school it was very memorable and missionary invigorating.  The late Fr. John Heer, SVD was then the Parish Priest and Mr. David Asencio the school Principal. The memory accompanied me through the twenty six years of missionary life which half of it was spent in Botswana, Africa and the other half here in the Philippines, SVD PHN North in particular. On November 26, 2009, I went back to offer my belated Silver Jubilee Thanksgiving Mass…once again the parish (Priests, PPC, Religious Organizations, LGU, Parishioners) and school    (Administrators, Faculty, Staff and Students) showed the undying cultural bond of working together (without compensation) and demonstrated unequaled cooperativeness from the time of preparation until the last item of the so many activities. Indeed, the celebration of the Holy Mass was very solemn and the cultural program that followed right then show casing some of the ageless cultural dances and rituals of the Maeng Tribe of Abra was something one can never forget in a lifetime. This time, Fr. Sylvester Wada, SVD, is the Parish Priest, Fr. Bernard Nzuli, SVD, Parochial Vicar, Mr. David Asencio, PPC’s Chairman and Mrs. Rhoda Asencio, the School Principal. My profound gratitude to all the above and to all the people who have contributed in one way or the other to the success of all the activities. For all the prayers said, gifts and donations, offering of different kinds and most especially personal presences, thank you so much. To the OFWs in Hong Kong, thank you for you spiritual and material support. Ti Apo ti mangbendisyon kadakayo amin.Then the most awaited day came with cloudless sunrise on the 26^th November.  This time the Thanksgiving Mass was held at the parish church unlike the Thanksgiving Mass I offered twenty five years ago which was held under the shade of a big mango tree. The parish church now which was built few years ago is standing on the same foundation the old church stood before. Confreres who took their time to come and to concelebrate with me for this memorable day were: Rev. Fr. Jerome Adriatico, SVD, SVD PHN Provincial Superior; Fr. Manolito Barona, SVD, Abra SVD District Superior; Fr. Sylvester Wada, SVD, Parish Priest; Fr. Bernard Nzuli, SVD, Parochial Vicar; Fr. Rod Ardaniel (Diocesan); Fr. Lunes Tao-il (Diocesan); Fr. Antonio Alagao, SVD; Fr. Felipe Flores, SVD; Fr. Edgardo Mendiguarin, SVD; Fr. Yakobus Sanbiko, SVD; Fr. Rodel Abanto, SVD; Fr. Gil Dulay, SVD and Fr. Yohanes Bala, SVD. Other Religious men and women whose presence I appreciate very much too were: Br. Valentin Gruener, SVD, Br. Ephrem Ilogon, SVD, Sr. Emily Calixto, DSFS, Sr. Crispina, SSpS and Sr. Trinidad, SSpS. Also some of our Diocesan sister Auxiliaries have come too.  DZPA and Abra Today people were present too. All of them, all other guests, relatives and friends from the Maeng Tribe communities in and outside Luba and Tubo… Their presence made the event special to me and to my family.On the preceding evening a dinner (Palanos) was served at our mother house in Sabnangan (Omli) where all of us, the children of the Sagmayao Pati-Linday Baculi marriage were born and brought up. Fr. Manolito Baroña, SVD, the District Superior of Abra SVD District was among the first ones to arrive with our own SVD Service Office Staff Mr. Ronnie Centeno. Few minutes later, Fr. Edgardo Mendiguarin, SVD, Sr. Emily Calixto, DSFS, arrived. Soon after, Fr. Sanbiko Yakobus, SVD, Fr. Rodel Abanto, SVD, Fr. Yohanes Bala, SVD, Fr. Gil Dulay, SVD, Fr. Bernard Nzuli and other lay guests from Cagayan and Bangued arrived too. There was supposed to be a welcome program for the guests but due to unforeseen conflict of activities some of the supposedly presentations were waived for the following day. Right after the celebration of the Thanksgiving Mass, a cultural program followed at the place where similar program was held twenty five years ago when I had my first Thanksgiving Mass. I noticed that a big branch of the mango tree that used to provide huge shade no longer there. The different presentations made me realize that my own people (Luba and Tubo)are still very concious of their cultural heritage and they are preserving them well and at all cost. I felt proud being a Tinggian, a member of the Maeng Tribe.  

DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES COMMON JUBILEE 2009

Every year the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) assigned in the northern part of the country (PHN) gather together for a common jubilee celebration. This year’s (November 12-13, 2009) gathering started with a basketball game between the Junior (15 years and below in perpetual vows) and Senior( 16 years and above) SVDs.  The final score showed that the older missionaries are ahead not only in wisdom but in ball shooting. In the evening, before the so-called socialization, a prayer service in front of the SVD Provincial House was led by Fr. Jesus del Rosario, SVD, a Jubilarian. Then it was followed by the blessing of the newly constructed Cagutongan “grotto”  of St. Arnold Janssen and St. Joseph Freinademetz, SVD.

The solemn celebration of the Jubilee Mass at the Chapel of the Carmel Monastery, Pindangan, commenced with the introductory remarks of Fr. Jesus del Rosario, SVD. At the Sanctuary are this year’s Jubilarians: Fr. Agripino de la Cruz, SVD (40 years in Vows and is the main celebrant), Fr. Reynaldo Jimenez, SVD ( 25 years in Ordination and the Homilist), Fr. Macario Apuya, SVD (40 years in Vows), Fr. Jesus del Rosario, SVD (50 years in Vows), Fr. Joseph Taschner, SVD,(60 years in Ordination) Bro. Vincent Silug, SVD (50 years in Vows) and Fr. Dante Venus, SVD (a former Provincial and a guest Jubilarian). Fr. Albert Van Leuween, SVD and Fr. Fr. Rodel Arellano, SVD did not make it for the occasion. During the renewal of vows, Fr. Emil Pati, SVD who was in Rome when his classmates celebrated their silver jubilee last year joined in as Fr. Jerome Adriatico, SVD, the present Provincial led the ceremonial rites. 

After the Holy Mass everybody moved from the Carmelite Monastery Chapel to the  SVD Provincial House for lunch.  (To view some photos please go to Page on Birthday, Jubilee and other Celebrations)