October 2014 - Servants of Charity

NEWSBITS
OF THE
GUANELLIANS
IN THE
PHILIPPINES
The Servant of
Charity
CELEBRATING LIFE AND LOVE
OCTOBER 2014
The Harvest of Happiness lies in Giving not in Receiving
“Give
Bread
and the
Lord.”
ST. LUIGI GUANELLA
The words of Pope Francis (right) were also true in the life of our Founder, St. Louis Guanella. As
Servants of Charity (Guanellians), we exclaim, along with Mother Church, joy in inaugurating
the centennial anniversary of the death of our Founder, St. Louis Guanella, who embraced love
in its dignity, poor and neglected people in their fraternity, and orphans in their solidarity. He
lived as a saint of the poor in those days where miseries, sufferings and neglect were at their peak. The
man born in the small village of Fraciscio, Italy became the illumination and light of the people; especially those who cry “I have no one.” His complete
surrender to Divine Providence is a magnifying exhortation of his life’s glorification. That’s why “his works
are sustained by the spirit of trust in providence, of
work and of sacrifice that is holiness and work. The
only things we should fear in regard to the life of our
Houses are sin and lack of trust in the Lord.”
“We are united with each other principally by the
bond of charity intended by the founder to be the life
of God poured forth into our hearts by the Spirit and
by the love of individuals who enjoy living and working together.” (Con. 12) This bond is the source of our
progress and perfection, which sustains us in the mission of our Founder. The theme of our Provincial
Chapter invites us to be in fraternity, having a sense of belonging and surrendering oneself for
fraternal correction. “It is not my will but let thy will be done” (Mt 26,39) was the act of surrender by Jesus when he was in pain and agony. Though everyone deserted him, his trust in his Father never wavered. He committed and convicted himself in the kenosis of His Father’s mission.
Therefore, the world is drawing us into a mess; mesmerizing advertisements, unquenchable
consumerism, fascinating and fabricating ideologies, tricky principles of division, magna carta of
political arenas, edifying and enriching social mass media and a spiritual dryness and vacuum in
the hearts of people takes humanity away from the heights of heaven. There is need of living
well, but there is even more need of dying well. A good death is everything, especially today
where people think only of things and enjoyment here on earth, rejecting eternity says our
Founder. So we are invited to bear the burden of one another (Gal 6,2) and to show filial surrender to our brethren and work for the alleviation of suffering taking on the program of our founder, “Pray and Suffer.” As this month is dedicated to the Divine rosary, let us take all our petitions and prayers to our Divine Mother so that she may obtain for us all the necessary graces.
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched; they must be
felt with the heart says Hellen Keller.
FR. SOOSAI RATHINAM, SDC
Provincial Superior
CELEBRATING LIFE AND LOVE
Page 2
3rd Annual GLM Conference: A Re-Awakening, A life of Faith and Love
It was a meaningful and touching experience for the
Guanellian Lay Cooperators (GLC) who attended the 3 rd Annual
Guanellian Lay Cooperators’ Conference on September 6-7, 2014
at the Augustinian Contemplative Nuns Monastery Carmel Farms,
San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. The Cooperators are becoming
more involved in the activities of the Guanellian family as they
continue to study and learn more about the Guanellian spirituality
and mission for the poor.
Inspired by the theme - YEAR OF THE LAITY: CALLED
TO BE SAINTS, SENT FORTH AS HEROES” the Conference
focused on the importance of family, its influence in our faith,
how it affects our relationship with God and neighbor, and prayer
as a relationship.
Invited speakers were interesting Guanellian Cooperators couple,
Pol and Nena Repotente, who shared their thoughts based on their lives experiences on the session “Growing in Love,
Growing in Sanctity in My Family.” Reflecting on the truth, that we did not choose our families but that it is a gift from God
and that we have a mission. We are not merely a family by blood but a family by faith called upon to listen, live and act on
God’s word, for the word is God, and be sent to fulfill our mission with God and with others. When we experienced God’s
love, we just could not contain it within us, this love will flow out by our service to others. ”. In addition, the talk delved
into the influences of parents on our faith which changed our lives as we grew deeper in relationship with God and passed
this faith to our children. Deep relationship with God means longing to stay with Jesus (John 1:37-39), doing the will of the
Heavenly Father and thus becoming Jesus’ mother, sister, brother (Mathew 12:48-50), and partaking in the eucharistic table of the body and blood of Jesus (Mathew 26:26-28). And so, rooted in God, we grow in love and sanctity in our family.
But love rooted in God is not only confined in our families but extends outwards and thus, we are “send forth as heroes”
into the world – evangelizing and spreading the good news of love as the saints did.
Sr. Claudine, an Augustinian Contemplative Nun, gave an inspiring talk about “Prayer as a Relationship.” As citizens of
heaven, prayer is the call of every Christian. Prayer is a relationship because it is an act of faith, “heart that speaks to another
heart. “ “God speaks thru the great silence of the heart.” Contemplative prayer is prayer of the heart, it is going back to our inner self, not bound by what is going on in our environment such that even noise become part of our silence. Alone in prayer, a
person can either think of nothing but be in the presence of God or silently communicate to God his innermost soul. Through
prayer, you think not only of yourself but of other people and their well-being and thus, in effect, you are relating with them even
if you are not physically in front of them. Prayer starts when we want to live a life of prayer. It is not so much of the quantity but
the quality of prayer. Prayer should also lead us to service. To love God and to love our neighbor – “to see how Jesus would see
and do how Jesus would do.” “Humility is the only path to prayer.” Every act one makes during the day is an expression of communion with God. Even when sleeping, a person is always in communion with God. Thus, prayer is a 24-hour activity. She
also said about techniques in “mantra” prayers like inhaling as you say “Jesus” and exhaling as you say “Have mercy on me”
especially when one is distracted while praying. The inspiring words of Sr.
Claudine on how to pray and being with the Nuns in the Morning Prayer and
meeting them were so heartwarming making the Conference truly meaningful
and memorable.
The Conference ended with a call for commitment and challenges us on the
need for a follow through in our life. Several questions were laid down to
guide us that seek for actions, where do we go from here—as a Christian
community and as a Guanellian Lay Cooperator.
Fr. Charlton Viray, SdC has cited the virtues of St. Louis Guanella
where we can draw our inspiration. His life and faith and total trust in Divine
Providence is an example of a man of charity. Like St. Louis Guanella, Pope
Francis has touched many lives by his simplicity and humility, a man also
worth emulating as our model of love and charity for the poor.
CELEBRATING LIFE AND LOVE
Page 3
ANNUAL FUND RAISING DRIVE
DINNER FOR A CAUSE YEAR 4
24 October 2014
Friday
7:00 pm
FERNWOOD
GARDENS
69 Cenacle Drive,
Sanville Subdivision
Quezon City
₱ 1000
for tickets or
sponsorship,
call Bro. Gerry
at 931-5549
In our Guanella Home for Special Children, twenty abandoned persons with
disabilities receive daily assistance and care for physical and occupational
therapy, special education classes, skills training, value formation,
recreational, socialization and spiritual activities.
The Servants of Charity Seminary at present has sixteen seminarians in
formation. The help that you extend to our young men will enable them to
pursue their missionary vocation of serving God, the Church and the poor.
Your contribution can help
achieve our mission.
Congratulations Fr. Loyola!
Last September 14, 2014, newly ordained priest Fr. Loyola
celebrated his Thanksgiving Mass at Guanella Center. Fr. Loyola
was sent to our community as a Deacon and served by helping the
Formation Program of the Seminary. The Thanksgiving Mass was
attended by our regular Sunday Mass goers, members of the different ministries of Guanella Center, our mission partners, the Guanellian Lay Cooperators, and different religious communities such as
the Carmelite Missionaries, Caritas Sisters of Jesus, Sisters of St.
Dorothy and other invited members of the consecrated life.
We are grateful for the songs during the Mass of our
Guanellian Youth Ministry, Carmelites Missionaries, Caritas Sisters
and Servants of Charity seminarians. A short program of songs and
dances followed after the Mass displaying their talents and gifts for
our new priest.
Fr. Loyola will be helping in the Formation Ministry and Administration as Assistant Treasurer. Congratulations Fr. Loyola!
You can count on our prayers and support for you!
“The
priesthood
is the love of
the heart of
Jesus.”
St. John Vianney
NEWSBITS
OF THE
GUANELLIANS
IN THE
PHILIPPINES
The Superior
Servants of Charity
Centerville
Subdivision, Pingkian
Road, Bgy. Pasong
Tamo, Tandang Sora,
1107,
Quezon City
Telefax: 931-5549
456-8550
E-mail:
[email protected]
We’re on the Web!
www.servantsofcharity.org
SERVANTS
OF CHARITY
PHILIPPINES
Celebrating
God’s love in
the footsteps of
St. Louis
Guanella
PWD PILGRIMAGE in Lipa, Batangas
Fifteen pilgrims from Guanella Center (nine persons with disabilities and six assistants) participated in the Second Pilgrimage for Persons with
disabilities in Batangas organized by Faith and
Light and Let the Children Come to Me Group. It
was held at St. Francis de Sales Major Seminary in
Archdiocese of Lipa, Batangas last September 27,
2014. Through the invitation and generosity of
Archbishop Emeritus of Archdiocese of Manila,
His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, the
pilgrimage was a success on its second year.
Upon arrival, participants were warmly welcomed
by the seminarians and priests of the seminary,
followed by a short program, procession, Marian
Prayer then seminar workshops in small groups.
After Lunch, another program in celebration of
Faith and Light’s 30th Anniversary was held. The
concluding activity was the Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Cardinal Rosales with six
concelebrating priests from different groups.
Welcome Fr. Charles & Bro. Mauro
Two new confreres will bless our community with their presence this month: Fr.
Charles, a newly-ordained Indian priest
who will be assigned at Guanella Center as
a collaborator and as the Coordinator of
Guanella Home for Special Children and
Bro. Mauro, a perpetually professed
religious brother who will help our community and our ministry for persons with disabilities. Bro. Mauro is an Italian confrere who was assigned in Congo, Africa for quite some time. With our two new
confreres, we hope to do more and better services for our special children, all for
God’s greater honor and glory! Welcome confreres!
The growing number of indigent
and disabled children entrusted by
theVOCATION
Lord to our care make us seek
FREE
The poor
and welcome any help and
SEMINAR
are waiting
expression of solidarity.
For male graduating high
for Good
you are interested
schoolIfstudents,
college in sharing our
Samaritans.
mission
as a cooperator or
students,
or young
benefactor, you may write, call or
professionals
Are you
address.
Every 2nd weekendvisit
of theour
Month
Sat 9:00 am to Sun 5:00 pm
For more information:
0915-648-0362
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answer
HIS call?