NOVEMBER 2013 HIGHLIGHTS

Rogate: Living the Spirit of Christ’s Kingship. Jesus Christ is King…dressed in royal attire, with a crown of gold and bejeweled scepter? Such is a usual but often misplaced image of Christ’s Kingship, most especially in a context where a few powerful elite feast upon the portions of the poor. This November, 2013 in which we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, it is good to reflect on the fact that an indispensable aspect of Jesus’ kingship is social justice (see Mt 25:31-46). In connection, Pope Francis in his encyclical, Lumen Fidei (the light of faith, says: “…God wants to make everyone share as brothers and sisters in that one blessing, which attains its fullness in Jesus, so that all may be one. The boundless love of our Father also comes to us, in Jesus, through our brothers and sisters. Faith teaches us to see that every man and woman represents a blessing for me, that the light of God’s face shines on me through the faces of my brothers and sisters.” (LF#54) This is a dimension of the Rogate which SHEC aims to continue spreading.

Jesus Heals…at SHEC! Part of Jesus’ Lordship is his power to set people free from the bondage of physical illness. Thank and praise God for this ministry continues at SHEC through the gift of healing Jesus has bestowed upon SHEC executive director, Fr. Dexter M. Prudenciano, RCJ. With Mama Mary’s intercession, Fr. Dex, in the context of the praying of the rosary, conducted a healing session at St. Hannibal Subdivision, Phase 2 last November 9, 2013. Kudos, Apo Dex for being chosen by Jesus as instrument of His healing ministry!

Happy Anniversary, SHaCC Phase 17! One year is a big step in the progress of SHaCC Phase 17, something which the community’s leaders and members, as well as applicants from Barangay 182, Pasay, with the leadership of Fr. Orville Cajigal, RCJ have celebrated last November 10, 2013. The celebration was also meant to strengthen the bond among the community members, and to inform the landowner about the development of the Land Acquisition and Housing project of SHaCC Phase 17. Moreover, said step is surely a sign that the Kingdom’s mustard seed of justice, reflective of Christ’s Kingship, is continuously growing.

St. Hannibal Rest and Retreat Center Blessed. A refreshing sanctuary is again available as the group of SHEC led by Fr. Herman Abcede, Fr. Bong Patiag, Fr. Orville Cajigal, RCJ and Fr. Arlene Gumangan, RCJ, blessed the St. Hannibal Rest and Retreat Center last November 21, 2013 at Sta. Cruz, Laguna. Also, the group took time to be oriented on the nature and operation of the center.

Happy Priestly Anniversary, Father Arlene! The whole family of SHEC, SHaCC, PABANAL, the family and relatives of Fr. Arlene and some typhoon Yolanda survivors rejoiced with Fr. Arlene as he celebrated his sacerdotal anniversary last November 26, 2013. The occasion was also graced with the presence of Bishop Teodoro Bacani and some Rogationist priests. Congrats, Fr. Arlene! The Kingdom ministry is blessed through faithful ‘laborers in the vineyard’ like you.

Congrats, Recollection Participants! Last November 30 to December 1, 2013, at the St. Hannibal Retreat Center, Sta. Cruz, Laguna, leaders and members of the Rogate Youth Ministry, SHEC Chapter participated in a recollection which was facilitated by Fr. Orville Cajigal, RCJ and Fr. Arlene Gumangan, RCJ. The blessed moment was meant to give the youth an opportunity to reflect on God’s Word, to know themselves better and to deepen their prayer life.

OCTOBER 2013 HIGHLIGHTS

Rogate: A Marian-Inspired Spirituality. October is a month which is again Marian in tone. Pope Emeritus Benedict VI’s thoughts on Mary may serve well to continue inspiring us. According to Benedict, Mary is a complete Christian in the sense that she has remained faithful to Jesus not only in the joyous moments of the incarnation, but also in the most trying moments at the foot of the cross. Faithfulness through thick and thin—this is also the spirit that moved St. Hannibal as he continued to serve the poor despite seemingly impossible circumstances. Also, it is a Marian-inspired spirituality which SHEC continues to live as it carries out its Kingdom mission.

Stakeholders’ Meeting. As shelter is essential in integrated human development, SHEC continues to push through with its housing program. Part of its ongoing progress was the meeting with the stakeholders regarding the relocation of informal settlers’ families (ISF) living on top or along the waterways of Metro Manila. The meeting was conducted last October 9, 2013 at the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Office, EDSA, Quezon City.

Vote Watch. Part of the Kingdom mission is to see to it that justice saturates all strata of society. Accordingly, for proper guidance regarding the Barangay Elections so that fairness may be secured at least in the best way SHEC volunteers can carry out, Orestes Idanan and Gemma Ortega of SHEC had a meeting with the staff of the DILG at Violeta Compound, F.B. Harrison St., Pasay City last October 10, 2013.

Child Rights Formation. Symbolic of worthiness in the Kingdom is the concept of the child. This and other reasons inspire goodhearted people to work for the rights of the child especially in our times where child abuse is rampant. To contribute to the advocacy for the welfare of the child, 57 leaders and members off the Rogate Youth Ministry, Shec Chapter (RYMSC) led by Fr. Arlene Gumangan, RCJ, conducted a formation about the rights of the child last October 13, 2013 at the St. Hannibal Training Center, Pasay City.

Staff Recollection. A quality time with the Lord always inspires and refreshes Kingdom workers who are prone to burn out because of tiring apostolate and exposure to human miseries. Accordingly, the admin and staff of SHEC had their recollection at the St. Hannibal Eco-Retreat Center, Norzagaray, Bulacan last October 30, 2013. Kudos for the time well spent with the Lord!