Mid-Year Gathering

Forty-five (45) diocesan priests registered for the Mid-Year Gathering held at Water Gran Resort, GSC, on June 6-8, 2011.

This Mid-Year Gathering started on Jun 1-3, 1992 at our Lady of Perpetual Help Seminary.  Aims: (1) improved interpersonal relations; (2) stronger fraternal bonding; (3) rest and recreation.  Later on business meeting was added to tackle burning social issues and matters pertaining to diocesan priests only.

Two parts: a) formative; and b) business.

 

PART ONE.  FORMATIVE

Facilitator was Fr. George Carin.  Focus was Golden Jubilee of the Diocese of Marbel from the perspective of the history of suffering.

Four points: (1) history of suffering; (2) interruptions; 93) dangerous memories; (4) solidarity.

Fr. George’s role was to set the tone for the small-group sharings afterwards.

(1) History of suffering.  Revisit the past personal and communal experiences.  Include the context: the Sufferings of the poor, victims of injustices.  Look at the past through the eyes of a compassionate God who “suffers” with His creation.

(2) Interruptions.  They are processes to help us “interrupt” the vicious cycle of consumerism, domination and being comfortable.  This Mid-Year is an interruption, according to Fr. George, of our dangerous memories.  Jesus’ coming was an interruption in a culture of violence and structural injustice.  The Victim has interrupted history!

(3) Dangerous memories.  They are interruptions that question our conscience.  Jesus’ dangerous memories inspired victims to hope.

(4) Solidarity.  Blessed John Paul II challenged everyone to engage in a common effort that involves sacrificing the position of wealth and power, towards the common good.

Most of the clergy in the Diocese of Marbel had sacrificed time, talent and treasure to help the poor, deprived and oppressed, liberate themselves from poverty and injustices and promote the integrity of God’s creation.

If this call for solidarity is lacking in our priestly commitment, it is because we succumbed to materialistic culture.

Conclusion.

We reaffirm our common belief in the God of revelation, a compassionate God who suffers with those who suffer.  We recognize that dangerous memories of suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus have interrupted history.  In our solidarity with our suffering people let us be true servants of the poor.

Five guide questions for the small-group sharing are based on the 4 points plus images of hope.

PART TWO: BUSINESS MEETING, JUNE 8^TH

1.  Priests’ Assignments.  Fr. Joy Peliño, Diocesan Director, Social Action.  Fr. Ricky Legario, Acting Parish Priest, Glan.  Fr. Herminio Hongayo, Jr., Chaplain, NDDU.  List of assignments of Parochial Vicars is in “Communications”, n. 617.

2.  Priests on Sabbatical Leave, July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012.  Fr. Sinon Alcarde.  Fr. Romeo Catedral, Fr. Jonathan Sarcon.

Priests on Sabbatical Leave, July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013: Fr. Ariel Destora; Fr. Robert Feguro; Fr. Elpidio Marintes, Jr; Fr. Ruben Ocino.

SSS and Philhealth contributions of priests on Sabbatical Leave are paid by the PWP.

3.  Elected Board Members of the Priests’ Welfare Program: (1) Fr. Joseph Benitez; (2) Fr. Joel Sunga; (3) Fr. Elpidio Marintes, Jr.; (4) Fr. Jefill Callego; (5) Fr. Ronald Plomillo.  They will elect their own officers.

4.  Membership in “Pag-ibig”.  Membership for priests is optional.

5.  Elected officers of the Sabbatical Leave Program were: President – Fr. Allan Catigday.  Secretary – Fr. Rodrigo Gegone.  Treasurer – Fr. Rey Joloro.

6.  PWP and Sabbatical Leave will be part of the Mid-Year Gathering agenda, not of the Annual Meeting of the Presbyterium.

7.  Golden Jubilee Culminating activities: Nov. 19 – Youth.  Nov. 20 – Indigenous Peoples (day).  Nov. 20 – (evening) – “Parangal”, South Cotabato Gym.  Nov. 21 – Closing Mass – Cathedral.

Histories of these parishes: Alabel, Malapatan and T’boli are not yet submitted.

Those who have served continuously in parish/parishes will be awarded plaques.

Mrs. Rose “Nene” Patigdas-Ranara is composing songs for the Jubilee Mass.

Sub-themes for the 9-day Novena masses in parishes will be taken from the readings of the day.

Prayer for Golden Jubilee to be recited in parish masses starting on June 12 – Pentecost Sunday.

Streamers in all parishes contain the logo of the Diocese and the logo of the Golden Jubilee.

The words “LOCAL CHURCH OF MARBEL CELEBRATES GOLDEN JUBILEE CANONICAL ERECTION – DECEMBER 17, 1960”.  Theme: “GRATITUDE AND HOPE”.

Closing activities: June 19-21, 2011.

Youth will have camp and vigil on the 19^th.

8.  Pledges for Jubilee celebration from 18 parishes, includingLakeSebu, total P545,000. We expect Tantangan, Bula, OLPGVP, Calumpang, Kiamba, Maasim and Milbuk to send to Fr. Bonifacio Ampoyas their financial support.  Malungon will spend for all the decorations.

Source: Notes of Fr. J. Morallon

Jubilee Coordinating Team (JCT) Meets

Eleven of the 14 members of the JCT met on 14 March 2011 at the Bishop’s residence at 10:00am.

a)      Gabi ng Parangal.  Sequence: invocation, national anthem, blessing of food, dinner, awarding and cultural presentation during dinner, acknowledgement, closing song.

b)      Liturgy – CDs of songs composed by Mrs. Rosabella Patigdas – Ranara will be distributed to all parishes.  Joint practice sometime in November.  T’bolis will dance during the presentation of gifts, B’laans will do a thanksgiving dance after communion.

c)      Indigenous peoples’ exhibit and cultural show will be at the NDMU gym.  Parishes and students are urged to attend.

d)     Parishes are encouraged to serve light snacks after the mass on Christ the King Sunday.

e)      “NATURES” program will be for 3 years.  Existing programs, such as sustainable agriculture, solid waste management, advocacies against open pit mining and coal-fired power plant, seminars on earth spirituality, etc. will be incorporated into the “Design”.

f)       Dinner on Sunday, November 20, and lunch on Monday, November 21, will be at the South Cotabato Gym.

g)      Title of  Historical Souvenir Book “Journey of Faith”.

Coordinating Jubille Team Meets

Team members met on 7 February 2011, Bishop’s Residence, to report on team’s activities.

“Gabi ng Parangal”, a one-hour cultural presentation, c/o religious men and women and awarding of faithful servants”, c/o Fr. Romeo Buenaobra will be integrated with the dinner on November 20, 2011, 6:00pm, South Cotabato Gym.

Historical Souvenir  Book Data will be gathered by Fr. Romeo Buenaobra and Fr. Gillarme Joy Peliño.  Editor: Fr. Andy Magallanes.

Fr. Joseph Benitez reported on the plan for the simultaneous parish celebrations of Christ the King.  Main features: a nine-day novena;  procession, benediction, consecration, mass, light snacks on the Feast of Christ the King, Nov. 20, 2011.

Fr. Gillarme Joy Peliño reported on awareness campaign through mass education, family daily prayers before the image of Christ the King at 6:00pm, tarpaulins, T-shirts, production of modules for recollections.

Fr. Louie Fuentespina and Fr. Bonifacio Ampoyas to recruit 12 couples – 6 inGeneral Santos City and 6 in South Cotabato be trained as facilitators of the Marriage Encounter Week-end Seminars.  A 7 member facilitating team from Capiz will conduct the training on April 8-10, 2011, probably at the Trappistine Monastery.

Details of the culminating Liturgy on November 21, 2011 were presented by Team Leader Fr. Romeo Subaldo.

Fr. Romeo Catedral will assist Mr. Stimson Pino, team leader of NATURES – a 7-program plan.  Priorities: reforestation (N), ecological education (E), advocacies (anti open-pit mining and coal fired power plant) (A), Spirituality (S).

Fr. Ricardo Pajarillo, Jr., Team leader (youth) presented a comprehensive plan on youth activities, November 18-19, 2011.

Fr. Romeo Catedral, Team leader (Indigenous Peoples) presented initial activities: exhibits and cultural show.

Fr. Bonifacio Ampoyas, Team leader (Finance, Accommodation and Transportation) presented initial plans for FAT.

Next meeting, CJT, March 14, 2011, Bp.’s Residence.

Talk On Hope And Gratitude

Fifty priests, including two Dominicans, made their February recollection on 8 February 2010 at Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, Cannery, Polomolok, South Cotabato.

Fr. Ronald Plomillo, AB, STB, MPM, D. Min, Rector, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Seminary talked on “Gratitude and Hope”, the theme of the Golden Jubilee celebration, Diocese of  Marbel.

“Gratitude”, said Fr. Ronald, “is a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgement of a benefit that one has received or will receive.

“Gratitude is experienced if people perceive the help they receive as (a) valuable to them, (b) costly to their benefactor, and (c) given by the benefactor with benevolent intention”, he added.

“Other than love”, he continued, “gratitude is ‘the basic Christian attitude’ and also referred to as ‘the heart of the gospel’”.

Biblical passages on gratitude.  Examples: “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart” (Ps. 9:1),” “…forever” (Ps. 30:12), “for He is good…” (Ps. 107:1).

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15), “…for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor, 1:4).  “Thanks be to God who always leads us in His triumph in Christ” (2 Cor. 2: 14).

“Gratitude in Christianity”, he concludes, is an acknowledgement of God’s generosity that inspires Christians to shape their own thoughts and actions around such ideals.”

Fr. Ronald then spoke on hope.  “Hope is the belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one’s life”.

“Hope in Christian Faith”, he continued, is “the theological virtue defined as the desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with God’s help.”

“It is trust and confidence in God”, he concluded.

Fr. Ronald concluded his exposition by sharing his personal experiences of gratitude and hope.  Grateful to God for graces received; to priests for inspiring him to become a priest; to the early missionaries for founding and building up the Local Church.  He hopes our seminarians would become holy and capable priests; for the Diocese to become zealous in its mission of building a more humane, just and free society – for Christ to reign!

Thank you, Fr. Ronald.  Thank you: Fr. Frank Romano, parish priest; Fr. Art Pancho, parish vicar; and parishioners.

History of the Diocese of Marbel

Fifty-four priests (40 diocesan, 11 CP, 1 OFMCap., 1 OP, 1 Comboni) met at the Bishop’s Residence on 11 February 2011 for the monthly recollection and meeting.

Topic: “History of the Diocese of Marbel” by Fr. Romeo Buenaobra.

Marbel was erected Prelature Nullius on December 17, 1960.

Prior to this date Marbel was served by the Jesuits (1933 – 1938), Oblates of Mary Immaculate (1939 – 1958).

The Passionist Fathers arrived on January 21, 1958.

Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez arrived in Marbel on February 5, 1981 as co-adjutor bishop with right of succession. He succeeded Bp. Reginald Arliss, CP as Prelate Ordinary on October 1, 1981.

Marbel became a Diocese on November 15, 1982.

Before Marbel was erected into a Prelature Nullius there were only 11 parishes. Now there are 25.

There was no diocesan priest in 1960. Now, 60 active priests in and out of Marbel.

Added to the catechetical and liturgical ministries are the Kriska, Family and Life, Youth, GKK. The Social Action apostolate was added with these program: Justice and Peace, Indigenous People, Health, Sustainable Agriculture, Advocacy, Women and Children. All with updated formation programs. Based on 1,000 BECs it is safe to estimate 15,000 empowered lay leaders.

Recognized organizations and movements were reoriented towards the Diocesan Vision-Mission-Thrust aimed at personal conversion and social transformation.

Ministries were formally organized with annual or bi-annual diocesan general assemblies.

The radio station DXCP (1971) was improved in terms of programming, personnel and equipments.

Educational institutions: 4 tertiary (2 universities), 18 secondary and about 30 elementary contribute to the formation of leaders: credible (saints), competent and committed to social transformation.

Golden Jubilee Plan (Precis)

Theme: “Gratitude and Hope”

1)      Objectives, Activities, Team Leader (TL)

1. Individuals, institutions, corporations responsible for building up the Local Church of Marbel are recognized.  “Gabi ng Parangal”.  TL: Fr. Romeo Buenaobra.
2. Publication of Historical Souvenir Book.  TL: Mr. Andres Magallanes.  Members: NDMU Community.
3. Parish financial resources are shared.  Fund generation.  TL: Fr. Bonifacio Ampoyas.  Asst. TL: Mrs. Teresa Ruby J. Peralta.
4. Simultaneous  parish celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King as immediate preparation for the Diocesan celebration, Coordinated activities. TLs: Fr. Joseph Benitez (South Cotabato); Fr. Rolando Japitana (SarGen).
5. Public appreciation of the History of the Diocese of Marbel whose Titular is Christ the King and commitment to future challenges.  Dissemination through Media.  TL: Fr. Gillarme Joy B. Peliño.
6. Design of programs based on the acronym “NATURES” of the diocesan consultation on November 21-22, 2009.  Data gathering.  TL: Mr. Stimson Pino. Co-TL: Sr. Susan Bolanio, OND. (N-atural agricultural practices.  A-dvocacy.  T-otal waste Management.  U-nited actions.  R-eforestation.  E-ducation.  S-pirituality).
7. Enriched Christian Families.  Weekend Marriage encounter Seminars.  Joint TLs: Fr. Louie Fuentespina, CP and Fr. Bonifacio Ampoyas, Ph.D.
8. Meaningful culminating liturgical celebration (closing liturgy).  Special Rites.  TL: Fr. Romeo Subaldo.  Members: Mrs. Rosabella “Nene” Patigdas-Ranara; Ms. Inday Jamero; Ms. Lucille Despo.
9. Youth and Indigenous People (IP) are given importance.  Youth vigil and camp-in.  IPs exhibits.  TL (Youth): Fr. Ricardo Pajarillo, Jr. TL (IP): Fr. Romeo Catedral.  Members: Fr. Herminio Hongayo, Jr. (SCM) and Fr. Rey Ondap, CP (AM)

2)      Others

1. Cultural presentation, “Gabi ng Parangal”, Nov. 20^th (Sunday). c/o AWRSC
2. Invitation.  Fr. Romeo Buenaobra, V.G.
3. Accommodation and transportation.  Fr. Bonifacio Ampoyas.
4. Appreciation “gifts” to Bishops and visiting priests. ‘Gifts’ sourcing: Fr. Rolando Japitana
5. Photo – Documentation.  Fr. Joel Sunga (TL) and Fr. Rey Joloro (member).
6. Budget – Fr. Bonifacio Ampoyas.
7. Jubilee Prayer.  Fr. Joe-an Paez.
8. Jubilee Logo and Song.  TL: Fr. Ricardo Pajarillo.

3)      Coordinating Team (CT)

Bp. Dinualdo Gutierrez                      Fr. Romeo Buenaobra

Fr. Bonifacio Ampoyas                       Fr. Romeo Catedral

Fr. Louie Fuentespina, CP                  Fr. Romeo Subaldo

Fr. Joseph Benitez                               Fr. Rolando Japitana

Fr. Gillarme Joy Peliño                       Fr. Ricardo Pajarillo, Jr.

Mr. Andres Magallanes                       Mr. Stimson Pino

Sr. Pres., AWRSC                              Sr. Susan Bolanio, OND

Meeting, CT, February 7, 2011, 10am, Bishop’s Residence.

Agenda: 1) Presentation of Action Plans; 2) Budget.

This plan was approved by the Bishop and 54 priests on January 11, 2011, Bishop’s Residence