APC Friends of Jesus Good Shepherd
Provincia Filippine - Australia - Saipan - Taiwan
Inserita il: 08/08/2018
5 commentario(i) ...
A Gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church in the Philippines
“I, am Yahweh, . . . I will make the dry tree bloom. (Ez. 17:24a)
I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Gen. 28:15)
The long waiting of many years in prayerful and hopeful anticipation is over. The Lord has finally fulfilled his promise as he has said. He has initially gifted our Province on the Centennial Celebration of the Association of the Pauline Cooperators with eleven parish collaborators of the Pastorelle Sisters from St. Joseph Cathedral Parish, Alaminos, who made their promise in March 2018. They were later followed last July 29, 2018 by nineteen members from the Epiphany of the Lord Parish, Lingayen, Pangasinan, and five members from St. William Cathedral Parish of San Fernando La Union. The latter Groups took their promise as APC Friends of Jesus Good Shepherd in the presence of Sr. Arsenia Estrada, SJBP Provincial Superior, and Sr. Veronica Gungon, SJBP Provincial APC Coordinator.
Most of the members of the second Group from Lingayen started their monthly formation in February 2016, while the rest began in 2017. Sessions are held every 3rd Sunday of the month in Alberione Formation Center under the supervision of the Pastorelle Sisters. Each Sister from the respective communities took turn in conducting the formation until the time when a Sister in Charge in the person of Sr. Veronica has been appointed as Provincial APC Coordinator.
After having expressed their sincere desire in a written letter of intent to become official members of the APC Friends of Jesus Good Shepherd, they were recommended by the Community and have been accepted to the Association of the Pauline Cooperators.
Both Groups were given the orientation on the Prayer of Spiritual Discernment prior to the selection of the four APC Officers (Coordinator, Asst. Coordinator, Secretary and Treasurer) from among themselves.
Since the spiritual life of every Christian begins with an encounter with Christ, prior to their Promise of Commitment, each Group also had a day of Recollection to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to their heart anew as they deepened in silence everything that they have received in two years of formation, particularly on the deeper meaning of the word “promise”. This is to make the members better understand and appreciate the commitment they were to make which gives a different color not only to the living out of their day to day activities, but also to the pastoral ministries they are currently involved.
The day of Recollection facilitated by Sr. Veronica from Pope Francis’ Encyclical, “Gaudete et Exsultate” on the ’Call to Holiness’, of Fr. Victor Francis Julaton’s homily on the feeding of the multitude, and the message delivered by Sr. Arsenia on the outstanding qualities of our Founder, Blessed James Alberione, can be summarized into one and the same challenge of our present time: to live a life according to the Spirit like Jesus Good Shepherd - blessed, broken and freely shared to the suffering humanity no matter how little we may have.
Gifted with much satisfaction and abundance at the end of the day, with joyful spirit and grateful hearts for the grace of having been chosen among the many who were called, each APC member has but pure thanks and blessings to give to the Lord:
• “It was indeed a great day of rejoicing with the Lord , an awesome experience of feeling loved!”
• “I felt like a Nun being consecrated--‘couldn’t help but marveled!”
• “It was truly a day of learning, and many other undoing yet to make!”
• “Despite our age gap, I stay because we’re a family!”
• “Thank you Lord, for the love around; finally, I found a family!
• “Where there seemed to be no way to make it, God made the way for me to show me I am meant to be an APC!”
• “How true it is that when the Lord calls, he also provides!”
• “I have always been a Pauline by heart even if I did not make it to the religious life!”
• “I am happy to find new friends from the other APC’s, am eager to attend again next Pauline event!”
• “Enlightened, I feel I am now better prepared to face the world anew!”.
• “What a solemn promise; thank God, I made it!”
“As I, the Lord, have spoken, so will I do.” (Ez. 17:24b)
Pastorelle Sisters of Lingayen Community
Leggi i commenti
Sister Estelita
21/09/2018 | 03:19
It is a joy to have you with us in the Pauline Family dear Cooperators and Friends of Jesus Good Shepherd. May we support each other in our journey towards the path to a holy life, through our ministry in the church. Kiss of peace to you all,hugs to all the sisters who accompany you in your formation.
sr Brenda Balingasa
16/08/2018 | 12:01
Well done dear sisters! Congratulations to all dear cooperators and welcome to the Pauline Family. My prayers are with you.
Lily Ann delos Santos
09/08/2018 | 10:56
I praise and thank the Lord for the gift of the person of each Sister in the Province, particularly those behind the scene who joyfully bring up to the Lord each day their silent offering of good works, prayers, and suffering, so that Jesus Good Shepherd may be better known and loved by many others.
Sr. Candida Australia
09/08/2018 | 06:40
Dear Sisters and Cooperators, Congratulations and well done! It is good to give thanks to Jesus Good Shepherd because all of us are called for a Mission and you a doing that. Let us pray together for you generosity and perseverance. God bless all of you and your desires.
Rita Ruzzene
09/08/2018 | 02:04
What joy and sentiments of thanksgiving to have such a dedicated grougp of Friends of Jesus Good Shepherd collaborating in Pastoral ministry with the Pastorelle, Church Leaders and members the Faith Community, sharing in the marvellous vision of Father Alberione as part of the Pauline Family.
