With the blessing of Fr. Herman Abcede, the Provincial Superior, through the efforts of the Sector of Formation, Religious Life and Pastoral Care for Vocations of the St. Matthew Province, headed Fr. Ariel Tecson, in close collaboration with Fr. Viktor Emmanuel Aurellana, both of whom are part of the Ad Hoc Committee which organizes a series of activities in celebration of the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Life, the annual Meeting of Formators, Superiors, Deans, Prefects, Vocation Promoters, Postulant Director, Novice Master, Prefect of Discipline, Assistant Prefects and Spiritual Directors was held at the Tonying’s Place in Binduyan, Puerto Princesa on February 12-16, 2018.
This encounter which hopes to be a moment of Formation, of Celebration and of Legacy, has the following as its objectives: a) integral renewal of values, mind-sets, behavior and life-styles; (b) humble service as servant leaders after the Heart of Jesus; and (c) review of the ways of formation in seminaries in collaboration with the laity towards the building up of God’s Kingdom and in the work of vocation promotion and accompaniment.
It has been a moment for our ongoing Formation and aggiornamento, through which the group listened to the talk of Fr. Jose Maria Ezpeleta, our Vicar General and Councilor for the Sector on Formation, on an “Overview of the Orientation of the Church on Formation to the Priesthood and Religious Life from Optatam Totius (1965) to the Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis (2016)”. His insights were enriched by Fr. Victor Emmanuel Aurellana who re-echoed the salient points the recently concluded National Conference for the promotion of the new Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis held in Cebu. These inputs were, furthermore, deepened with the sharing of personal thoughts and experiences of Fr. Herbert Magbuo and Fr. Rogie Quinga, who also participated in the said National Conference.
This meeting has been a moment of Celebration – a joyful thanksgiving for the gift of our vocation and mission as religious and priests assigned in the Rogationist formation houses. It is a celebration of giftedness at the service of various apostolates. It is a concrete expression of communion in the Eucharistic table and in fraternal salu-salo. It is a moment of friendship, camaraderie and brotherhood witnessed by the pristine beauty of Palawan.
Finally, this meeting, has been a moment that can lead to a concrete Legacy, which creates, encourages and/or promotes programs and collaboration for ongoing formation (spiritual, pastoral, personality, skills and management training) in our seminaries. It brings out the ‘best’ from renewed servant-leaders for the promotion of communion and integral evangelization.
May St. Hannibal look after his children, in its efforts to form itself according to his inspirations and examples.
Bro. Christian Allan R. De Sagun, RCJ
