Student recreation

Would anybody like to guess, who is the best singer in our community? Some might say Fr. Cruz, Arnel, Jong, etc. But after our Sunday recreation last July 19, we knew that any guess was wrong because John was the best singer in our community, based on our Karaoke Machine.. If anyone would like to know, how good he was, please ask Boy since he had experience practicing with John during our rehearsal for carolling last December. On that night aside from singing, we also had a little party, this was the way one of many means we used to strengthen our bond of brotherhood in our community. During the party most of us enjoy very much except those who would have medical check up on the following day. They could not drink or eat a lot since they had to fast. Next time brothers… there is always another chance for everything… one day it will be your turn…

(-Bird)

A Day out in the Sand

Last July 13 the Redemptorist Davao Community with the whole staffs and their families went to Gulf View Resort at Bago in Toril, Davao City. We had the common rest and recreation as one apostolic community. We departed from Bajada around 8 AM and arrive at Gulf view around 9:30 Am. It was a fun day since we have different games for all ages. We also divided ourselves to different committees before going to Gulf view. We had the program committee, the food committee, and the physical arrangement committee. As we arrive at the area, the food committee immediately prepared and cook the food. While the program committee started with the games.

What catch most of the attention was the games prepared for the children of the staff specially the shoot the straw game and pass the glass. Yet Nanay Betty’s granddaughter stole the whole show when she started to dance to the music she hears. The girl has a bright future ahead of her as most of the people would say. Then later, the young and young at hearts have their own games. The staff with the CSsR Students and Senior community was divided into 5 groups. Each had fun while playing the gagaw game, the community walk and the catch the egg. Afterwards it is straight to the water for those who really loves to swim.

By 12 noon we have a festive lunch. It was blessed and shared as it was always been. All eat out their hearts at the big banquet that awaits them. Afterwards the physical arrangement was busy in washing all the dishes. Some went to sing some songs while others went to small groupings for stories. Still some hit again the beach. While others relax by playing cards and listening to the music in their players. Yet other CSsR students can’t be contented wide enough. They played beach soccer while the others became their expectators. After a couple of rounds of play they went to showers and prepared to go home. We left gulf veiw around 4 PM.

There was still lots of food left. We had a fun day and a relaxing one as a whole community.

[-Jun ]

We are Party Animals

[Fr Cruz and Fr Bebot, the birthday boy...]


[the live performance]

A true blue Redemptorist will never reject an occasion to celebrate.

So it was a superbly eventful day for us on 6th July. The students had their recollection early in the morning. Later in the afternoon, we had the “unofficial” sending off of our 3rd year students to their overseas mission, and finally… while our dearly beloved Fr Rector was working his brains off in Spain trying to solve the magnanimous problem of global restructuring of the Redemptorist, our every so loving Centennial group decided to defy all odds and ‘storm’ our premises to hold yet another one of their oh-so-famous celebration cum party. Of course, they did it under the noble cause of celebrating our new Parish Priest Fr Bebot’s birthday. Hmmm…. So who are we to go against our second nature and make any comments? Everyone just decided to place all reasons and logics behind and just LET THE PARTY BEGIN!!!

Well, of course, with the newcomers and some guest lecturers everyone was well behaved and was at their best behavior in the beginning. After a few sips everyone started to get more relaxed and let their hair down. Highlights of the night of course were song performances by our Centennial members, and to top it off, we requested our own talent Br. Joseph to entertain the crowd. Well, let’s just say the entertainer in Br Joseph got the better of him once the microphone was in his hands as soon we realized that there was no way anyone can pry the mic out of his hands. His melodious singing continuously echoed through the whole seminary and graced the hearts of everyone.

At this point of time yours truly was already long gone from the party ground (dealing with the onset of yet another medical disaster), but later news indicated that there were some decoy involved in finally signaling to Br Joseph that the party is ending and have everyone heading back.

Well, I am sure everyone is looking forward to yet another celebration ahead. From the phantomlike singing heard in the common toilets I believe Br Joseph is already prepared for his up and coming performance. Man… there is just no dull day here.

[Fr Senen and company]
(-Terence)

loving ang living the call

The students had their first ever recollection on the 6th day of July. The day’s moments of sharing and reflection did not only gave us an opportunity to be still and prayerful but also offered us an occasion to relive and remember the uniqueness of each other’s vocation story.

Everyone was listening attentively to each other’s share of both the peculiarity and banality of how we ended up in the religious life. Ours was a story of seeking and finding, patient listening to God’s call and attentive response to God’s overflowing love.

The richness in the day’s recollection can never be summed up in a sentence or two. But let me share some quotable quotes that will define how affluent and profound our vocation journey had been. The story of our individual vocation may not always be a product of a purified motive – some started with a sense of “nothing-but-trying”, others have childhood calling as clear as running water.



“I never left anything behind; I gained everything in the seminary.”
“The Redemptorists are always charming. Maybe you should join them.”
I asked my father what option will I take in life. He said, “It’s up to you.”
“I want to become a good Redemptorist…not a good priest.”
“My father said: If you want to be a diocesan priest, I will say no. But if you want to become a Redemptorist, I will say yes!”
“There are always changes in me when I am in mission.”
“I have a dream. I dreamt of becoming a priest.”
“My mother has a very strong vocation.”
“I just want to be an altar server, but I ended up becoming a religious.”
“When I told my friends that I want to be a missionary, they told me “Are you crazy?” My mother had the same response.”
“My father called me to be a priest.”
“God is the hardest commodity to sell.”
“My vocation started with my mother. But I am still here because I found meaning in what I am doing.”
“Religious life is leaving somebody to find some more.”
“I was an “out-standing” catholic before.”

That’s the wonder of God’s call; it is always between the person and his God. What matters now is that we responded to the call and we are continuously living in love with our God.

(-RJ)

Go Tell Everyone…

The day almost ended normally just like any other days if not for the community mass that we had in the late afternoon. What was special in this mass was that we incorporated the rite of sending off of our seven young zealous missionaries. They are the first batch to undertake the new immersion year program wherein students will be sent to a foreign mission. So after weeks of intensive course on Missiology II, now they are ready to roll. JM and Richi are going to Thailand; Jing2, Gary, Raymond, and Leomar are going to Indonesia, and Neil is going to Dalat, Malaysia, alone! (Good luck, man ^ ^")The rite was done informally because they would have the real and solemn rite of sending off again in Baclaran church, Manila, before they actually leave the country - a few weeks from now.

The funny thing, however, was that when everything was set and everyone was ready to begin the mass, our young missionaries were no where to be found. Only JM was there. The rest were probably on their way heading back (or perhaps they were too zealous that they had already gone to mission!). After waiting for a few minutes, they eventually showed up and immediately hustled to the new AV room where the mass was held. Since they didn’t have time to change, JM was the only one who was fully dressed up in habit. The others were in their smart casual. During the mass, Raymond was too excited that after spending some time at the ambo, he still could not find the right reading until Bro. Ryan finally came to his rescue (So you see how informal it was ^__^).

Anyway, the highlight of the mass was after the homily, when our seven brothers were given the cross of a missionary as a sign of their mission to proclaim Christ to people. Go, then, my brothers, and tell everyone the news that God’s kingdom has come.

(-Boy)

MOA

It was supposedly an uneventful day, July 3, 2009. Most of us had no class that day and some even went out, for those who were left at home, the news hit us. We were informed that there would be visitors from Ateneo de Davao University for the signing of the memorandum of agreement between SATMI and the latter. Some people were scrambling to arrange the place and some classes were cut short so that students and professors will be able to attend the momentous event.

Those who were present were Fr. Antonio S. Samson, SJ who is the current president of Ateneo de Davao University; Dr. Jess Manuta, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and some teachers were present for the Ateneo de Davao University side and Sr. Miriam Alejandrino, OSB, Dean of SATMI; Fr. Ben Ma, C.Ss.R. superior cebu province and other Redemptorist priest for the SATMI side.

The funny thing was that as soon as Fr. Samson was about to sign the document it was found out that the document prepared was the same document that was signed years before. So, they had to wait for the proper documents to be reprinted.

There were actually two major provisions which prompted for the memorandum to be re signed; first was that of SATMI would be able to accept lay as enrollees. Another provision was with regards to subjects or curriculum. It seems days before they deliberate the subjects to be taken up, which we learned later that Ateneo graciously subtracted the subjects to be taken up on their side.

After the signing we all went to the refectory and had lunch, after which life in the institute and the house went back to normal.

(-Natz)