Provincia San Matteo (Filippina)

Dearest Confreres, On March 19, 2018, the Feast of St. Joseph, the Model of Interior Life, the Sideia Mission Center, PNG, released the first issue of Sailau for this year. Please continue to pray for our mission as we prepare for the upcoming Parish Fiesta on May 27 and in preparation for the special issue of Sailau in view of this celebration. May everything we do be always for the greatest consolation of the Heart of Jesus. God bless us all...

On March 13-16, 2018, Fr. Herman Abcede, the Provincial Superior, did his Canonical Visit to the Quasi Parish of the Holy Family in Talobatib, Labo, Camarines Norte. Including in his itinerary, a visit on foot to its farthest chapel, he made sure to spend time in dialogue with the religious community, together and individually. He also had an opportunity to meet the Parish and Barangay Pastoral and Finance Councils. Bro.

• On March 5, 2018, the new leaders of St. Anthony's Boarding for Boys had their induction at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish. The care of the boarding boys in the Mission Station is under supervision of the Rogationists, while the care of the boarding girls are under the supervision of the Salesian Sisters.
• St. Mary’s Boarding for Girls welcomed 57 female students from Grade 3 to Grade 8 (12 Grade 8, 10 Grade 7, 11 Grade 6, 7 Grade 5, 7 Grade 4 and 10 Grade 3 students.

The tribute commenced early in the morning of March 10, 2018 with a simple prayerful rite, followed shortly by a motorcade from the site where the tragic death of the young priest happened – where now stands St. Hannibal Mary Di Francia’s statue, to the St. Francis Xavier Parish, where he spent the last moments of his priestly and missionary life. The celebration of the Holy Mass was presided over by Fr. Niptale Frogosa. In the afternoon, there was a sharing of testimonies about Fr. Diego delivered by those who encountered him first hand.

        The St. Matthew Province organized a memorial day tribute to Fr. Diego Buscio on the 40^th anniversary of his death, on March 10, 2018 in the Rogationist Parish in Parang, Bagac Bataan. This is one of the initiatives of the Family of the Rogate in the celebration of the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons, presenting Fr. Diego as exemplar of missionary zeal and religious consecration.

In an inspiring fraternal spirit, Fr. Herman Abcede, the Provincial Superior, did his Canonical Visit to the Fr. Hannibal Formation Center and the Rogationist Seminary College – Parañaque on March 5-8, 2018. In this visit, Fr. Abcede prioritized encounters with the religious community, as a group and even individually. He also had the chance to talk to the seminarians and the staff of the Formation House and the Seminary College. He met the members of the Union of Prayer for Vocations as well. Bro.

February 27, 2018

Rev. Ferdinandus Heldi Tanga, RCJ

February 24, 2018—Almost 200 Altar Boys gathered for the Annual Encounter of Altar Servers, with the theme: “Sacristan Ako, at si Hesus ang Lodi Ko”, held at the Father Di Francia Center of Studies. These boys come from the 13 parishes where the Religious Students go for the weekend apostolate.

Sixty-seven “Fr. Hannibal’s Children” received the 1^st Communion on March 4, 2018 at Fr. Hannibal Formation Center, presided by Fr. Herman Abcede, St. Matthew Provincial Superior and assisted by Fr. Ryan Jimenez, Prefect of the Seminary.  The 1^st Communion is an annual event that concludes the pastoral year at the Seminary Oratory which is frequented every Sunday by around 1,000 children who come from the poor areas around the Seminary.

On February 23-24, 2018, Fr. Herman Abcede, the Provincial Superior, did his Canonical Visit to the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, during which he met the community and had dialogue with each religious. This fraternal encounter included as well the meeting with the Parish Pastoral Council and the staff of the Parish. Bro. Nilo Pelobello, the Provincial Treasurer, also took the opportunity to check on their economic status. The entire affair was documented by Bro.

Fr. Herman Abcede, the Provincial Superior, just completed his Canonical Visit to the Fr. Di Francia Center of Studies (FDFCS) and the Rogationist College - Parañaque (RC-P) on February 19-22, 2018. Bro. Christian Allan De Sagun, the Provincial Secretary, after checking on the archives of both institutions, documented the entire affair, whose focus was the Superior's encounter with the community and the individual religious. Fr. Abcede also had the opportunity to talk to the employees of the FDFCS and the enterprises linked to it, like the Rogate Spring, the Rogate Bakery, and the Obolo.