GOLDEN JUBILEE

On January 5, 2008, at 9:00 a.m., six Sisters celebrated at La Consolacion Convent, San Juan their Golden years of fruitful and meaningful journey with God and with His people through the Augustinian way of life. The Thanksgiving Mass was presided by Most Reverend Socrates Villegas, D.D., Bishop of Bataan, together with Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, D.D. from the Diocese of  Caloocan  and   other Con-celebrating Priests namely;  Fr.  Albert  Delvo,  Fr. Jess  Hechanova, CICM,  Fr. Manny Cruz,  Fr. William Araña, OSA,  Fr. Peter Casiño,  OSA, Fr. Roger Positar, Fr. Horacio Rodriquez, OSA, Fr.  Larry Faraon, OP, Fr. Francis Carson, Fr. Peter from Vietnam and  Fr. John Therapong from Thailand.  In his homily, Bishop Socrates Villegas invoked the role of Mary in the life of the Golden Jubilarians; Sr. Cecilia Maceren, Sr. Catalina Ayalin, Sr. Eduarda de San Jose, Sr. Emiliana de Jesus and Sr. Martha Geroche.  With humor, the good Bishop affirmed that the Jubilarians were more beautiful that Jubilee day than the past ordinary days as he saw in them a glow which was exceedingly and very naturally flowing from their faces. As inspired by the Blessed Virgin Mary, the event was indeed a celebration of the FIAT – a YES to the Lord which the Jubilarians first pronounced fifty years ago.  

RUBY JUBILEE

“We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe in God’s Transforming Presence in our Life.” This was how the ten Sisters expressed their innermost feelings after forty years of faithful journey with God and with His people during their Ruby Jubilee celebration on January 19, 2008, 9:00 a.m. at La Consolacion Convent, San Juan. The celebration was graced by the presence of Fr. Eusebio Berdon, OSA (Provincial Superior, Sto. Niño  Cebu Province) as Main Presider and Homilist, together with other seventeen Con-Celebrating Priests namely: Msgr. Pete Getigan, Fr. Tony Lumukso, OSA, Fr. Jojo Gonzales, OSA, Fr. Elmer Empenado, Fr. William Araña, OSA, Fr. Nic Echeveria, OSA, Fr. Rex BAngcaya, OAR, Fr. Roger Positar, Fr. Danilo Carrido, OSA, Fr. Noni Dolor, Fr. Anthony Zhang, OSA, Fr. John Adiphong from Thailand, Fr. Edrian Magnait, Fr. Albert Swatingco,  Fr. Peter Casiño, OSA, Fr. Gener Garcia and Msgr. Ben Paderes. The Jubilarians; Sr. Caritas Evagelista, Sr. Madeleine Mendoza, Sr. Lina Despojo, Sr. Consolata Dalisay, Sr. Anabelle Italia, Sr. Oliva Elisan, Sr. Fidelis Paderes, Sr. Rosalina Novis, Sr. Nilda Echeveria, Sr. Ofelia Ayalin  were grateful for the loving support and accompanying presence of the Sisters in the different Communities where they had been assigned. One in praising and thanking God for the bountiful blessings bestowed upon the Jubilarians, all ASOLC Communities from Metro Manila and suburb were represented in the celebration, together with their families, relatives, friends, lay partners in the apostolate who in one way or another had touched the lives of the Sister Jubilarians.

    Fr. Berdon ended his homily by challenging the Ruby Jubilarians to remain faithful to the Call, to the Covenant, to the author of the Beatitudes and to the transforming presence of the Spirit at all times thru a prayer from St. Augustine “Lord, accomplish in us what you have promised, bring to a happy ending what you have started, maintain the blessings which you have bestowed on us, and let the seeds you have planted flourish in us” (Commentary on John 40,10)

    On the other hand, Sr. Celia Bayona, OSA (one of the Ruby Jubilarians assigned in Rome) celebrated her 40th Anniversary of her Religious Profession through a Thanksgiving Mass in Rome, Italy on January 6, 2008 with Fr. Michael Sequio, OSA as presider. According to Sr. Celia, she had prepared herself through retreats and recollections similar to what her group mates in the Philippines had experienced – a moment of solitude, reminiscing the past, revitalizing the spirit and preparing for the future challenges. Her Jubilee culminated with a simple but meaningful “home-n-family” Eucharistic Celebration.