Category SCJ Philippine Region

Jun 26 2016

New SCJ Presence in Diocese of Antipolo

bukal1On June 26, 2016, the Holy Cross Chapel located in Sitio Bukal, Barangay Tandang Kutyo, Town of Tanay in Rizal Province, was officially declared a parish. The Bishop of the Diocese of Antipolo, Most Rev. Gabriel V. Reyes, DD., entrusted this new parish to the SCJs.

img1466916232700The Holy Cross Parish is composed of ten (10) chapels, and formerly was a part of San Idefonso de Toledo Parish in Tanay.

The ceremony of erection and induction of the new Parish Priest took place during the Holy Eucharist presided by the Bishop Coadjutor, Most Rev. Francisco M. De Leon, DD. At the start of the Mass, the Parish Priest of San Idefonso de Toledo Parish, Rev. Fr. Noeh E. Elnar, read the decree of erection and of appointment of Rev. Fr. Marcial C. Aguirre, SCJ, as a Parish Priest, which was followed by the “Profession of Faith” by Fr. Marcial.

img1466916466148The new Parish Priest will be accompanied by a Deacon Rev. Dennis Macasero, SCJ, and a seminarian on exposure Fra. Justreel Tuburan, SCJ.

The celebration was flocked by many parishioners and guests, including the Mayor, Vice Mayor and Barangay Officials of Tanay. The SCJs were represented by members of the Dehon House Community, Bagong Silang, and the Regional Superior Fr. Francis Pupkowski, SCJ.

Jun 18 2016

Installation of New Parish Priest in Bagong Silang

DSC02330The Ceremony of Induction is an occasion when a new Parish Priest is formally presented to the parish in a liturgical context. The ceremony is so arranged to remind priest and people of their responsibility together before God to serve Christ in his Church, and by their holiness and the example of their lives, individually and as a local community, to promote the mission of their Lord.

On June 17, 2016, the Bishop of Diocese of Novaliches, Most. Rev. Antonio R. Tobias, DD, has installed Fr. Elpidio Luza Jr., SCJ as a new Parish Priest in San Roque Parish in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City. Fr. Elpidio, who has already served for one year in the parish as an Assistant Parish Priest, replaced Fr. John Karl Cabaluna, SCJ. 

The ceremony took place during the Holy Mass and was attended by many parishioners, who came to say “thank you” to the outgoing Parish Priest and welcome the new one. Several SCJs and some other religious and diocesan priests were also present. Fr. Elpidio will be accompanied by his two assistants: Fr. Marlo Piloton and Fr. Sergio Matumoto.

At the end of the Mass, Fr. Francis Pupkowski, SCJ. the SCJ Regional Superior wished all the best to the new Parish Priest and thanked Fr. “Nonong” for his work and all accomplishments, especially for his “compassionate heart” for the poor, sick and abandoned. Among many different projects started by Fr. John Karl are the feeding program, providing lunch six days a week for almost 200 children and elderly people, and kindergarten for more than 40 children.

Jun 18 2016

Dehonian Youth Mission 2016

13256273_1086263954764092_3742855200275738128_nIn celebration of the Jubilee Year of Mercy and in unity with the Dehonian Youth Meeting 2016 in Poland, this year’s annual Dehonian Youth Missionaries (DYM) summer mission was mainly centered on the theme: “Lord make me an instrument of your mercy.” With open hearts and joyous spirits, 34 young missionaries (Filipinos and Vietnamese) responded to the call to meet God through serving His people in the mountainous areas of Tignapoloan in the Jesus Nazareno Chaplaincy, Dansolihon, Cagayan de Oro City.

The activity started with a 3-day stay-in formation seminar on May 14-17, 2016 at the Sacred Heart Formation House in Aluba before the missionaries were sent forth to the mission areas of Lower and Upper Tignapoloan on May 17, 2016.

The mission proper started in the afternoon of May 17, 2016, respectively. The missionaries visited the Christian households in the areas, blessed their homes and had BEC session or faith sharing with the families. They also conducted activities in the chapels like Flores de Mayo for the kids, animation, community building, catechesis and recollection for the youth; BEC input and catechesis for the adults. They also facilitated Taizé prayer with confession, and celebrated the Eucharist. One of the greatest challenges was to help strengthen the leaders and reorganize the youth.

What actually inspired the missionaries most was the warm welcome and hospitality of the communities. However, as missionaries, we also embraced the community life selflessly; that regardless of diversity, we achieved unity. We became missionaries not just to the people there, but as well as to each of our brothers and sisters in our respective groups, living to be instruments of mercy to one another. Thus, this became a true manifestation of the inspiration learnt from our founder, Ven. Fr. Leo John Dehon – the SINT UNUM we Dehonians ought to live by.

Vivat Cor Jesu!

By: Rexell Grace R. Gaa
Dehonian Youth Missionary

Jun 13 2016

Warm welcome in the Diocese of Maasin

Expansion of the SCJ presence to the middle of the Philippines, particularly in the Visayas area, was one of the top priorities of the Philippine Region since many years ago. It would serve not only as a link between the two big islands of Luzon and Mindanao, where the SCJs are present, but also it could become a source of new vocations.

After some research and consultations, the Bishop of Diocese of Maasin, Most Rev. Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD, has offered to the Congregation a part of a big parish in Hilongos, Southern Leyte, to be developed into a new parish.

On June 11, 2016, two SCJ priests, Fr. Arthur Guevara and Fr. Christopher Alburo were very warmly welcomed  by the people of Talisay, from the St. Pope John Paul II Southern Mission Territory, a part of Immaculate Conception Parish in Hilongos.

The concelebrated Mass was presided by Msgr. Antonio M. Gaviola, PC, the Pastor – Moderator of Hilongos Parish. Among the concelebrants were: Msgr. Marnito B. Bansig, Fr. Conrado C. Saavedra, Jr., the co-pastors and Fr. Francis Pupkowski, SCJ and Fr. Khoa Nguyen, SCJ from the Priests of the Sacred Heart. During his homily Fr. Francis, introduced the SCJ Congregation and explained the reasons of the SCJ presence in the area.

The welcome party was not only attended by many parishioners, but also by the Mayor of Hilongos, Hon. Albert Villahermosa and all barangays capitans of the future parish.

The new SCJ community is composed of two SCJ priests and one seminarian on exposure, Fra. April Jhon Magarzo, SCJ. The challenge to start a new presence is very big, the living conditions of the community are very simple, but the priests assigned there are happy and the people are very excited and supportive.

Jun 5 2016

Benefactors’ Day

Almost every year, on Sunday after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, the formation community of Cagayan de Oro invites benefactors from the area for a special Thanksgiving Mass. In this way, the Priests of the Sacred Heart want to say “Thank you” to those who support them spiritually and financially. For benefactors it is always an opportunity to learn more about the spirituality and different projects of the Congregation. This year the celebration of the “Benefactors’ Day” was held on June 5, 2016. The Eucharist scheduled at 10:00 AM was preceded with a short video presentation prepared on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of SCJ presence in the Philippines and was followed by a lunch together. Fr. Francis Pupkowski, SCJ, in his homily, based on the Sunday’s Gospel, told the congregation how much God loves and cares for each person on the example of Jesus, who gave back to his mother her son, after raising him up from the dead. “As His followers, we are invited to be like Him, he said, to be people of heart and of compassion, to be concerned and involved. We may not perform miracles as Jesus did, but we can show compassion in various concrete ways like assisting a needy person.”  He continued, “Without your support we can do very little, but together we can do a lot.  And for all this I want to thank you, for your open and compassionate hearts. Because of this, many people could feel that ‘God has visited His people!’  As someone once said that the money and the riches we give away are the only riches that we bring to eternity.”