Category SCJ Philippine Region

Dec 1 2006

SCJ Memorial Day in Cagayan de Oro

On November 26, 2006 – the Dehonian Family in Cagayan de Oro celebrated the 3rd already SCJ Memorial Day. The celebration started at 5:30 pm with the concelebrated Holy Mass and was followed by a simple supper.

The main celebrant, Fr. Indra Pamungkas in his introduction, explained the importance and reason for this celebration, which was picked-up and continued by Fr. Francis Pupkowski – the homilist.

In his homily Fr. Francis connected the Solemnity of Christ the King with the commemoration of SCJ Martyrs, who through their martyrdom became witnesses to the Gospel and Christ’s Kingdom. To be a martyr and missionary was a dream of Fr. Leo Dehon, the founder of the Congregation, which was fulfilled by his followers in different parts of the world. To be a witness to the Gospel and Christ’s Kingdom is the everyday challenge for every member of the Dehonian Family, which means openness to the signs of the times, especially to the poor and needy.

Oct 2 2006

Dedication of the New Theologate in Manila

On September 29, 2006 took place the ceremony of dedication of the new SCJ Theologate in Manila. The new building was blessed by the Bishop of Diocese of Novaliches, Most Rev. Antonio Tobias. Bishop Antonio Tobias is the one who in 1989 accepted SCJs into his Diocese in Pagadian.

The date of this event is connected with the end of the SCJ Asian Zone Conference on the “Postulancy Program” which took place in Manila from September 27 to 28, 2006.

Besides the delegates from Indonesia and India, attending this formators’ meeting, were also present the General Councillor Fr. Claudio Weber from Rome, the Mission Secretary from Germany Fr. Edwin Rombach and the Provincial Superior of the US Province, the main sponsor of this project, Fr. Richard MacDonald.

Among the other invited guests were priests, sisters, religious and lay people connected with the apostolate of our Congregation, including some of the top benefactors.

The celebration started at 6:00 pm with the blessing of the house and was followed by the Holy Eucharist, Power Point presentation of our SCJ District, distribution of plaques of appreciation and finally by the common supper.

Even the ceremony took place just one day after the strong typhoon passed through the Philippines, causing many damages, the celebration was nice and very well prepared.

Aug 13 2006

First Profession of Vows

On August 12, 2006, Novice Francis Xavier Thai Tran Duc professed the vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience in the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart in the Philippines.

The ceremony took place in the chapel of the Holy Infant Seminary in Pagadian City. The vows were taken in the presence of SCJ confreres, priests, religious and lay people and were accepted by Fr. Rino Venturin, scj, the District Superior of the Philippines.

Jun 21 2006

New SCJ Filipino Priest

On June 20,2006, Deacon Arthur Palamine Guevara was ordained a priest. He received the sacrament of Holy Order from the hands of Most Reverend Emmanuel Cabajar, CSSR, DD, the bishop of the Diocese of Pagadian. The Ceremony was held in the Sacred Heart Parish in Cagayan de Oro City, the parish of Fr. Arthur and was attended by all SCJs, his relatives, friends and many priests and religious from different dioceses and congregations. Fr. Arthur P. Guevara, “Tong”, is the second SCJ Filipino priest.

Fr. Arthur, was born on January 22, 1972 in Cagayan de Oro City. He is the second of three children of Benjamin Guevara and Ophelia Palamine. After finishing his elementary school at Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City and high school at Liceo de Cagayan University, he went to Marawi City, where at the Mindanao State University, he graduated as Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, major in Accounting. It was a time when he got deeply involved in the activities of Singles for Christ, a Catholic, charismatic movement widely spread in the Philippines, and when he started to think seriously about the priesthood, giving up his dream from his early childhood to become a military man like his father.

After completing his studies, for two years he worked in the Philippine National Bank in Cagayan de Oro City. During this time he met an SCJ members working in that area. As a result of these contacts, on April 16, 1996, he joined our SCJ Congregation.
First, he finished his philosophical studies at Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro, after which in 1998 he started his 14 months Novitiate in Dimataling, Zamboanga del Sur. After taking his first vows, he went back to Cagayan de Oro to study theology at St. Vianney Theological Seminary, which he finished in March 2003. At the moment he is assigned in San Isidro Parish in Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur.

Jun 14 2006

Blessing of a New Boarding House for the Higaonon Students

On June 11, 2006, Fr. Francis Pupkowski, scj, blessed the new boarding house for the Higaonon students.

Thanks to this, the students from the Higaonon tribe can live there and attend their classes at the National High School in Mambuya.

The newly constructed house is a part of a social project, run by the SCJ community in Cagayan de Oro, providing the indigenous students with High School scholarship. The house was built with the cooperation of the parents of the students.