On his way from Ireland to Australia, Fr. Stephen Foster, MI, Provincial of the Anglo-Irish Province, stopped over in Manila.  He arrived on Sunday afternoon, February 18, and then flew to Sydney on Tuesday evening, February 20.

Fr. Foster’s barely 48-hour visit was packed with movement from one community to another.  From the airport, Fr. Boy Guinit and Fr. Mike Gimena brought him to Makati for a quick hello to the community at Our Lady of La Paz Parish.  From there, they drove to the Provincialate, where accommodations awaited Fr. Foster.

The following day found Fr. Foster constantly on the go.  Fr. Ivo toured him around the Provincialate compound and then accompanied him to Camillus Medhaven, St. Camillus College Seminary and St. Camillus Polyclinic-Pasig.  In the late afternoon, after a brief breather, Fr. Evan drove him around the sprawling university campuses on Katipunan Street.  And in the evening, he celebrated the Eucharist with the Scholasticate community.

On Tuesday morning, he took in a few glimpses of the sights and sounds of Manila with Fr. Ivo.  After lunch, it was packing time again and a long ride back to the airport for his onward flight to Australia, where he was to visit his two Irish confreres.

It was upon the invitation of Fr. Ivo that Fr. Foster included Manila in his itinerary.  His appearances in the places he visited were like fleeting visions.  But the memories will linger long.  For those who saw him, shook his hand, exchanged a few words with him received Anglo-Irish blessings, one of which is the blessing of connection.  Fr. Foster, a British national, fostered the awareness that Filipino Camillians are connected with British and Irish confreres.  That fraternal bond is neither just spoken word nor printed matter nor website information. It is real. Fr. Foster in the flesh made it real.

St. Camillus Scholasticate in a Blaze of Service

Last Feb. 11, 2008, the whole Catholic Church celebrated the 16th World Day of the Sick. In line with this, the Scholasticate community conducted a weeklong series of home visitations to sick people in Our Lady of Pentecost Parish. It was one way of making the Camillian presence felt in the vicinity.

What we did, as inspired by this year’s World Day of the Sick, marked a new experience in the history of the scholasticate community. For at last, we carried out the first ever medical mission that our community spearheaded, planned, initiated and conducted in the parish. With enthusiasm and zeal, we ministered to the physical and medical needs of the people in Daang Tubo UP, Diliman, Quezon City.  We offered them medical check-up and consultations, laboratory procedures and medicines all for free. We accommodated a total of 405 patients.  Because of this huge crowd, one day did not suffice to finish the whole task. So we used our weekday apostolate schedule to render service to all those who had registered.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all.  Don't forget to send your mom and girlfriend a nice 'I love you' valentine card.  Only kidding about the girlfriend.

On a sad note - we lost another priest to Moslem violence.  Oh sure, it was the extremists but why no outcry from the Moslem population of the Philippines?  You figure it out.  I guess being a Christian in some parts of our country is an object of scorn and a target for liquidation. Why can't we all live peacefully?

On a more pleasant note - the goal of planting 5,000 mahogany trees has been superseded by our next goal - 10,000 mahogany trees.  The only problem is that it takes 20-25 years for the trees to mature before the chainsaw boys can slash them down.  But hey, that's money in the bank for the Province.

The 'big boys' almost dealt another blow to the poor by promoting a tax on text messages.  Thank the Good Lord that it was shot down.  My underground reporters in Manila say they smell another tax coming.  What tax?  A tax on CR use - public and private.  The only problem with that is who will be the CR watchers?

Health Notes

Because of the abundance of rain and cold weather here, colds and fevers are running wild.  Not a good deal for the people, but E-vat does really well when the poor have to add 12% to their medicine purchase.  Where are the social justice groups on this issue?

While watching the news on TV, I was struck by an interview of the head of a medical association who said the doctors of his group would boycott any bill that lowers the price of medicine or promotes generic drugs. Wonder why?  Could it be that there would be no more perks from the multinational drug companies?

I'm sure that's not the case.  They only want to protect their patients from the 'bad effects' of cheap medicine and generic drugs.  How's that for baloney!

Brother Joseph Do Duc Phu, was ordained to the Diaconate in Rachaburi, Thailand last February 3, 2008.   The ordination took place at St. Joseph Church within the Eucharistic celebration that began at 5:00 PM.  The Most Reverend John Bosco Panya Kricharoen, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Ratchaburi, was the ordaining Prelate.  

Brother Joseph, a Vietnamese, completed his formation in the Philippines.  Two Thai confreres were ordained with him.  In the company of their confreres, family members, and many friends, the three new deacons in the Order of the Ministers of the Infirm celebrated the occasion with “great joy and profound gratitude” for the gift of their vocation.

SCH-Mati Heads Join Managing for Results Workshop

The administrators and different department and section heads of St. Camillus Hospital-Mati participated in a five day Managing for Results Workshop facilitated by HR Consultants of St. Camillus Polyclinic—Mr. Rollie Buencamino, PhD and Atty. Lilibeth Ribaya-Buencamino.  From February 11 to 15, 2008, facilitators and participants shared significant  experiences at the Chapel of the Camillian Martyrs located near the hospital entrance.

The workshop was part of the series of activities intended for the human development of the hospital staff and personnel.  It was held in coordination with the Office of the Director of the Camillian Health Care Institutions headed by Fr. Rolando J. Fernandez, MI.  With all-out support, Fr. Rolly accompanied the facilitators who flew in from Manila.

A timely step toward the tertiary status of the hospital, the workshop includes values assessment and formation.  It also professionally defines management in terms of functions, types, areas, directions and systems.

Seeing the need for empowering the employees, Fr. Rolly Fernandez aptly cited in the introduction of the workshop manual that “a new breed of global managers who practice a new kind of dynamic leadership-for-results realize that in an increasingly competitive and system-oriented business world, the fundamentals are their secret and highly potent arsenal of quality performance.”

Majority of the participants realized that traditional management like “bahala na” no longer produces impact. Thus, the Managing for Results workshop was a very well-timed activity as it led them to the very roots or basics of managing their jobs. They took advantage of the opportunity to be in tune with the rest of the professional managers of the world who adopt a systematic and logical approach that guarantees tangible results in their respective departments and sections.

The hospital administration and the rest of the participants expressed much gratitude for the facilitators' altruistic sharing of their expertise in management. They look forward to the facilitators’ return for some other  future workshops in management.

At present Camillus Medhaven offers 44 beds for long term nursing care for the elderly.  Come 2009, 60 more beds will be in place to respond to a growing list of inquiries, referrals, and appeals for accommodation.

The proposal for the expansion of Camillus Medhaven was presented by Fr. Sam Cuarto, Medhaven director, to a special ad hoc commission that studied and deliberated the matter.  Upon the commission’s recommendation, the Provincial Council approved the proposal.

The go signal opens the way for the construction of two more buildings: one will serve as another home for the elderly with a 60-bed capacity and the other will function as the central dining area and kitchen.  The Taiwan Delegation has graciously agreed to shoulder the budgetary requirements of the construction project.

The eight member special commission, headed by Fr. Ivo Anselmi, met last January 29.  Half of the commission flew in from Taiwan: Fr. Giuseppe Didoné, Delegate of the Taiwan Delegation, Fr. Jacob Wong, Taiwan Delegation Procurator, Dr. Hung-Chi Lue, Director of St. Mary’s Hospital, and Mr. Huang, Lung-Kuan, Special Assistant of Fr. Didoné.  Fr. Ivo, Provincial Superior, Fr. Rolly Fernandez, Province Procurator, Fr. Sam Cuarto, Camillus Medhaven Director, and Dr. Edwin Labro, St. Camillus Polyclinic-Pasig Director, represent the other half.  At the meeting, three other Provincial Councilors were present: Fr. Evan Paul Villanueva, Fr. Bong Pamintuan, and Fr. Rey Sentillas.