Scholastics instituted to the ministry of lectors;

1. Eliseo Navarro, MI
2. John Jay Magpusao, MI
3. Michael Jaya, MI
4. Jayson Labrador, MI
5. Rowel Centeno, MI
6. John Paul Alvarado, MI

Scholastics instituted to the  ministry of acolytes;

1. Rodolfo Cancino. MI
2. Roderick Tampis, MI
3. Edgar Tuballa, MI
4. Brian Vincent Rances, MI

In his homily, Fr. Ivo explained the development of minor orders (which consists of porter, lector, exorcist and acolyte) into the ministry of lectors and acolytes. He said that in 1972 Pope Paul VI in Ministeria Quaedam abolished the minor orders and replaced them with the ministries of lector and acolyte, which are not considered orders at all.

Fr. Ivo also emphasized the meaning of the term ministry which derives from a Greek word diakonia, which connotes offering a service to the community to further the kingdom of God.

Fr. Ivo also highlighted the spirituality to be lived and witnessed to by lectors and acolytes. The spirituality of the lector hinges on the community and the word of God. He also  stressed that the acolyte as a minister of the Church must have a firm commitment and love for the Christian community and he must show a keen interest in the local Church and be ready to be in the service of all its members, especially the weak ones; the poor, the sick, the disadvantaged.

Truly, as the word ministry suggests, we who are instituted as lectors and acolytes should be at the service of the church loving and living the word of God and the Eucharist as expressed in our daily lives. May these words remind as always of what we are called to as lectors and acolytes and inspire us as we perform our ministry with great love and devotion.

Health Forum in theScholasticate Community

The Scholasticate community held its third series of health fora in the St. Camillus Pastoral Health Care Center last September 18, 2008 at 2:30 p.m.  The forum, spearheaded by the apostolate and Vocation committee, was about HIV/ AIDS awareness. Sch. Dan Cancino, MI presented an overview about HIV/AIDS. He stressed the proper knowledge of how the virus Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is transmitted through sexual, parenteral and perinatal means. And of course, he also singled out the need for confidentiality and the call for non-discrimination. He pointed out that people living with HIV/AIDS suffer most of all not from having the virus but from the stigma.

The community was blessed with the participation of two people with HIV/AIDS. They shared their testimonials about their experience.  We are deeply grateful to Kuya Bernard of Pinoy  and Ate Elsa of Babae (not their true names) for trusting us and enlightening our awareness of how we can be of help to people living with HIV/AIDS and how we can join the advocacy of combating HIV/AIDS by disseminating proper information about the sickness to people from all walks of life.

Moreover, we are also grateful to the Daughters of Charity sisters who shared their rich experiences their ministry of serving and helping people living with HIV/ AIDS.  Many thanks to Sr. Mae Alere, DC (who worked before with HIV/AIDS patients), Sr. Amelia Torres, DC (presently working with HIV/AIDS in San Lazaro Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Manila) and Sr. Teresita Laguna, DC (currently working with migrants HIV/AIDS programs), for showing us some ways by which we can also extend our help to people living with HIV/AIDS. I do believe that this forum helped us a lot as Camillians to be more active in our step of ministering to people with HIV/AIDS.

We also thank Fr. Ivo Anselmi, MI and Fr. Rolando Fernandez, MI for actively participating in the health forum. Thanks too to our younger brothers from the St. Camillus College Seminary who came together with their formator Fr. Renato Maliwat, MI. Many thanks also to our very energetic moral theology professor in Maryhill School of Theology, Dr. Agnes Brazal, for making it to the forum. We also extend our gratitude to the Camillian Sisters and postulants, to the Franciscan Missionaries of the Infant Jesus, to the Positive Action Foundation of the Philippines Institute (PAFPI) and, of course, to all scholastics who participated in the forum and worked hard for the realization of this activity.

Hepa B Vaccination

Many thanks to the health and food committee for spearheading the successful second phase of Hepa B vaccination last September 20, 2008.  The procedure was held in the Scholasticate community. Congratulations anyway, though it really hurts you know…

‘Till next!!!