Apr 24 2018

Remembering Bishop Iti…

On April 19,2018, at the Butuan Doctors’ Hospital, passed away Most Rev. Zacarias C. Jimenez,D.D, an Auxillary Bishop-Emeritus of the Diocese of Butuan, and big friend of SCJs (Dehonians) in the Philippines.

Born on November 5, 1947, in Inabanga, Bohol in the Philippines, Bishop Jimenez was ordained to the priesthood on April 17, 1973, at the St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Tagbilaran. He was consecrated as bishop on January 6, 1995, at the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

He served as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pagadian, Philippines, from December 2, 1994 to June 11, 2003. He then served as auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Butuan, Philippines and as titular bishop of Arba from June 11, 2003, until his death.

After suffering from two strokes, he died due to the acute respiratory failure.

Fondly called as Bishop Iti, served as the parish priest of the Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish in Butuan City. As a longtime seminary formator, was seen as a gentle, slow to anger, reasonable, nonjudgmental, and Spirit-abiding person. He was not only a good pastor and follower of Christ, but also true believer of Christ’s humility and compassion.

He was like a father to all SCJs, especially during the time of kidnapping of Fr. Giuseppe Pierantoni, SCJ, (October 17, 2001 – April 8, 20012) in Dimataling, Zamboanga del Sur, working tirelessly for the release of Fr. Beppe.

As we thank God for the gift of his presence in our lives, we ask God to accept him into His Kingdom. Requiescat in Pace!

Apr 23 2018

Archdiocesan Vocation Jamboree

On April 21, 2018, more than 750 youths coming from different parishes of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro attended the Vocation Jamboree prepared by the Directors/Directresses of Vocations in the Philippines (DVP) Cagayan de Oro Chapter, headed by the Rev. Fr. Roger Gabac, SSJV, the Archdiocesan Vocation Director with the cooperation of the members of DVP represented by different Religious Men and Women that works in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro.

The activity started at 3:00PM with a Pilgrim Walk from Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Camaman-an going to the venue at Saint John Vianney Seminary covered court. Upon arriving at the venue there were opening salvo to animate the participants while at the same time registration was going on. At around 6:00PM dinner was served .

Right after dinner, Bishop-elect Raul Dael, SSJV gave a talk about vocation in general. All throughout the talk,  the participants were  attentive to the speaker.  After, the talk on vocation , the big group was divided into three groups for another talk on Married Life, Priestly, Religious and Single Blessedness. After each talk, the youths were given time to interact by encouraging them to ask questions to the speakers.

The vocation talk was followed by the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. While the adoration was going on, priests, religious men and women  around the venue  were conducting counseling, to those who were willing and needed it.  At 5:00AM the Vocation Jamboree was concluded with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist celebrated by Bishop-elect Fr. Raul Dael, SSJV and concelebrated by all priests who attended the activity.

By: Fr. Joseph Butlig, SCJ

Apr 17 2018

Episcopal ordination of Fr. Heiner Wilmer, SCJ

The date of the episcopal ordination of Fr. Heiner Wilmer, SCJ,  the 10th Superior General of the Dehonians, has been announced.

Msgr. Heinz-Günter Bongartz invites you to the celebration, which will take place at the Cathedral of Mariä Himmelfahrt in Hildesheim, on September 1st at 10:00 a.m.

Fr. Heiner will become the 71st bishop of the diocese.

The presider and ordaining bishop will be the archbishop of Hamburg, Msgr. Stefan Heße. Other concelebrants are to include Msgr. Franz-Josef Bode (Osnabrücker) and Msgr. Norbert Trelle (bishop emeritus of Hildesheim). The papal bull will be presented by Archbishop Nikola Eterović (apostolic nuncio).

Apr 17 2018

Meeting of the SCJ Formators in Rome

From April 16 – 20, 2018, the Dehonian formators, particularly the rectors of the scholasticates, are meeting in Rome to discuss the needs and challenges of formation at the stage of Theology.

The Philippines is being represented by Fr. Delio Ruiz, SCJ, the head of the formation team and rector of the Dehon House in Manila. We entrust this meeting to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Apr 13 2018

Pilgrimage in Celebration of Jubilee Year of the Diocese of Maasin

This year 2018, the Diocese of Maasin is celebrating its Golden Jubilee as a diocese. On this occasion, besides the different activities and celebrations, each parish is encouraged to make a pilgrimage to the heart of the diocese. Heading this call by the Most Rev. Precioso Cantillas, SDB, DD, the parishioners of Medalla Milagrosa Parish in Talisay, Hilongos, on April 9, 2018, went to Maasin. On the way to the Cathedral they also visited: San Roque Parish in Macrohon, Monte Cueva and Divine Mercy Shrine in Matalom.

The Diocese of Maasin was canonically erected on August 14, 1968, through a papal decree issued March 23, 1968. In June of the same year, the Most Reverend Vicente T. Ataviado, D.D. who was up to then a parish priest of Masbate, Masbate Island, was appointed as its first bishop. He was consecrated on August 8, 1968, and installed as the First Bishop of Maasin on August 14 at Our Lady of Assumption Parish Church in Maasin, the capital of Southern Leyte.

From 1595 to 1910, the area which now comprises the Diocese of Maasin belonged to the diocese of Cebu. From 1910 to 1937 it belonged to the Diocese of Calbayog. From 1937 to 1968 it came under the jurisdiction of the Diocesan of Palo in Leyte. Today it is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

The diocese comprises the entire province of Southern Leyte, and the towns of Matalom, Bato, Hilongos, Hindang, Inopacan and Baybay in the province of Leyte, with the Maasin Parish Cathedral as the seat of the diocese. Distributed within its 2,505 square kilometers of land are 38 parishes and 1 quasi-parish. To facilitate administration these parishes have been grouped under 6 vicariates.

The province of Southern Leyte is located in the southeastern portion of the island of Leyte. And the small island of Limasawa off its southern coast is historically significant as the place where Magellan landed, after having sailed from the island of Homonhon in Samar, to celebrate the first Catholic mass in the Philippines. The chieftain of Limasawa, Kolambu and his men, with Magellan and his men, attended that first mass celebrated by Father Pedro Valderrama on March 21, 1521 . Until 1960, the island of Limasawa belonged to the island province of Leyte.

Leyte and Samar were once considered one single political unit by the Spanish government, falling under the administration of the government of Cebu. They were separated from Cebu in 1735 but still remained as a single province until 1768, when they were finally split into two provinces, with Tacloban as the capital of the entire island province of Leyte. In 1960 Southern Leyte was made a separate province with Maasin as its capital.

The population of Southern Leyte is made up mostly of Cebuano-speaking people because of its closeness, geographically, to Cebu and Bohol. This population has now reached a total of 558,804, of which 90 per cent are Catholics.