February 2004
On January 6, 2004, the two nearby communities of Dumalinao and Kumalarang joined together for a common recreation at the Tukuran beach, Zamboanga del Sur. It was not only a time of rest, after all Christmas and New Year activities, but also a time of sharing and being together.
Fr. Donald Barnd is an American SCJ from Villa Maria in Hales Corners. From January 16 - 21, 2004, he visited the Philippines as a part of his around the world trip. Being limited by his itinerary he visited only two of our communities: in Manila and in Cagayan de Oro City where he celebrated his 82nd birthday.
Fr. Donald is a very lively and energetic person. Before he entered the Congregation in 1950 for six years he served in the US Navy. As a religious and priest he worked in different hospitals as a chaplain and also in the missions in Texas and South Dakota. Now he is retired. Last June 2003 he asked his Provincial to allow him to go around the world. The answer was very positive "Just do it". It took him six month to arrange this trip. He arrived in the Philippines on January 16, 2004 from Tokyo, Japan, where he almost missed the plane. From the Philippines he went to Indonesia. His further plan is to visit Australia, South Africa, Brazil and Europe. The last place he will visit will be Ireland, the place of his origin.
The novices in Manila and students in Cagayan de Oro City liked him very much. In each place he got a new nick name; in Manila "Fr. Don-Don" and in Cagayan "Super Lolo". The first one, which he likes very much, is derived from his name "Donald" and the second one in the local language means "Super Grandfather".
On January 19, 2004, Fr. Donald celebrated his 82nd birthday. It happened it Cagayan de Oro. During the Holy Mass in the afternoon he told the students about his work and experience during 54 years in the Congregation. He was very much impressed by the singing of the students. In the end of the Mass, when all of them started to sing "Happy Birthday", he was so excited that started to dance beside the altar. The celebration concluded with the nice supper. The following morning Fr. Donald had to leave for Manila and then for Indonesia. What is sure about this celebration that both Fr. Donald and the students will remember it for a long time.
On January 22, 2004, our Deacon Arthur Guevara was celebrating his 32nd birthday. The celebration, held in Kumalarang, was very simple and it was attended by members of Dumalinao and Kumalarang commu-nities and some of his friends.
As announced before, this coming February 24, 2004, one of our two deacons John Karl Cabaluna will be ordained as a priest. The celebration will take place in his hometown in Margosatubig, Zamboanga del Sur at 9:00 am. He will be ordained by the Bishop of Marawi and Administrator of the Diocese of Pagadian, Mons. Edwin dela Peņa. The celebration will be attended by the General Superior Fr. Jose Ornelas Carvalho and General Councillor Fr. Andreas Madya. Deacon John Karl is to be the first Filipino SCJ receiving the Sacrament of Priesthood. Let us support him with our prayers.
- Priestly Ordinations in India
- Two SCJs from the District of India:
Louis Mariano Fernandes and Placido Rebello were ordained priests last
January 26, 2004 by Rt. Rev. Fellipe Neri Ferrao in Chinchinim,
Salcete, Goa. Unfortunately, our official representative of the
Philippine District, Fr. Lukas Hadi Siswo Sasmito was refused to get a
visa to India. Congratulations on this occasion to the newly ordained
priests and the whole Indian District.
- Beatification of Fr. Dehon getting closer
- According to the latest news, the Commettee of Cardinals for the Cause of the Saints approved the cause of beatification of Fr. Dehon. The next and last step will be the approval by the Holy Father.
-
- Vacations together
- From February 2 - 8, 2004 all SCJs from the Philippine District are planning to spend some days together on one of the Philippine Islands - Siquijor. It will be time of rest, enjoyment and final preparation for the Annual Assembly in March 2004.
- "Pearl of the Orient" - No. 2
- The Editorial Staff of the "Pearl of the Orient" is informing that the second issue of the official newsletter of the Philippine District was sent out to all subscribers in the beginning of January 2004. In case of any comments, suggestions or inquiries please contact: scjpearl@yahoo.com .
Father Robertus Sutopo is an Indonesian. He was born on February 12, 1969 in Yogyakarta in Central Java. Like many of our SCJ confreres from Indonesia, he has a Moslem background; his father was a Moslem. When he was a little boy, he used to be an altar boy in a small chapel not too far from his house. Since at that time there were not too many priests in that area, and the parish priest visited their chapel very seldom, the wish to become a priest became very strong.
After finishing his studies in a technical high school, in order to find a job, he had to transfer to Palembang in the south of Sumatra. While working in a furniture factory, he met some SCJ priests who invited him to their place, where he could learn more about the religious life and congregation. It was the time when he took his final decision to follow Christ as a priest of the Sacred Heart. Supported financially by his Moslem brother he entered the formation program of the Congregation. On July 20, 1990 he made his First Profession after which he went back to Yogyakarta to study Philosophy and Theology. On November 27, 1997 he was ordained as a priest and assigned in one of the parishes in the Diocese of Palembang.
In July 2000 he joined the international SCJ Mission in the Philippines. At the moment he is assigned in San Isidro Labrador Parish in Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur.
St. Francis of Assisi
2 0 0 4
February
March
|
|
