Provincia San Matteo (Filippina)

Eight religious students were ordained Deacons through the imposition of the hands of Most Rev. Jesse E. Mercado, D.D., Bishop of Parañaque. Seven deacons are from the Rogationists, namely Rev. Marselinus Koka, Rev. Paulo Sambile, Rev. Arthur James Paciente, Rev. Frederikus Yorius Ndawi, Rev. Yoseph Emanuel Rua, Rev. Jeffren Tugbo, and Rev. Paul John Mapacpac, and one deacon is coming from the Mary’s Little Children Community (MLCC), namely Rev. David Ezikeigwe. The whole celebration was livestreamed at the Fr.

The St. Matthew Province has opened the new formation year 2020-2021 with the entrance of new aspirants to its seminaries in Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Despite the crisis brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, though with many challenges, the Lord of the Harvest has granted the Church and the Congregation with the gift of vocations.

(Vietnam) The Rogationist community has recently opened its second Bread of St. Anthony Station located in the Diocese of Phu Cuong adding to the one introduced in the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh last year. The Bread of St. Anthony is distributed to the poor in the area for an extremely low price. The initiative is in partnership of the lay collaborators who are especially devoted to St. Anthony of Padua.

(Pasay City, Philippines) The official turn-over of the housing units to 65 families marked a milestone in this year’s celebration of the Rogationist Mission Day in St. Matthew Province. After 10 years of preparation, the 5-storey apartment building is now a reality for the 65 families of the St. Hannibal Homeowners' Association, Phase 17, Malibay, Pasay City. God is faithful indeed even amidst the pandemic.

St. Matthew Province celebrates the annual Rogationist Mission Day on the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. This year’s celebration is special because the beneficiary of the Mission Day Project is the Mission Youth Center in Davao, Philippines.
Fr. Bruno Rampazzo sent a video message for the occasion. Similar video messages were also sent by Fr. Orville Cajigal, the SMP Provincial, and Fr. Francis Escano, the Superior fo St. Anthony’s Boys Village in Davao.

(Maumere, Indonesia) The Formation Institute of Saint Hannibal (FISH) begins the school year 2020-2021 with the opening mass on September 2 at Aula Susteran ALMA Wairklau presided by the Mons. Edwaldus Martinus Sedu, Bishop of Maumere, and concelebrated by Fr. Ferdinandus Tanga, RCJ, FISH main coordinator. Present too were formators and formands from about 20 female and male Congregations in Maumere who attend the program at the Institute.

(St. Matthew Province) Here is the letter of Fr. Herman Abcede, Superior and Prefect of the Center of Studies of St. Matthew Province, asking for prayers for the confreres who will be ordained deacons on September 14, 2020. There are seven candidates, four from the Philippines and three from Indonesia.
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August 21, 2020
To: Superiors / Responsible of the Houses and all Confreres
Re: Request for Prayers and Support for the Diaconal Ordination

The Novitiate of St. Matthew Province in Silang, Cavite, Philippines celebrated the Feast of St. John Berchmans who was declared Patron of the Novitiate of the Circumscription in 1980. St. Hannibal Mary proclaimed the young Jesuit Religious student as a Heavenly Rogationist on August 13, 1916.

The Aveni Foundation, named in honor of Fr. Joseph Aveni, RCJ, was founded in May 2018 by Dr. Erlinda Gordon, MD. in Santa Monica, California (USA). It is an IRS sanctioned 501C3 public charity whose mission is to expedite the development of tumor and gene-targeted technologies for cancer and other unmet medical needs.

A Memorial Mass for the late Fr. Cesare Bettoni RCJ has been organized by Saint Matthew Province at the Seminary in Manila on July 14, on the occasion of his birth anniversary. Fr. Dexter Prudenciano, Vicar Provincial, presided over the liturgy that will be in live streaming via the Facebook page of the Seminary at 5:00PM Philippine time (11:00 AM Italian time).

For this occasion, the Province has produced a collage of photos that paint the colorful Rogationist Missionary life of Fr. Cesare. It is available on YouTube.