Documenti di Didattica
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Charis
The Barnabites in the Philippines is growing!
The historical event which took place last February 13
attests to this. Five confreres of the community of St.
Paul Scholasticate were ordained to the Sacred Orders:
two for the priesthood and three for the diaconate.
Indeed, such event is a gift, in Greek “charis,” of God
for us all. For this gift, the community of St. Paul
Scholasticate is thankful to God as it is a sign of His
blessing to them, to the entire Congregation and to
the whole Church.
The Sacred Orders is a gift and a vocation to
share in the priesthood of Christ. Receiving such charis
entails becoming a charis to others, to the people of
God. This means that an ordained minister is to be a
blessing and a gift to others by making God present in
and to the community. He is to carry out his whole
ministry in persona Christi capitis (Presbyterorum Ordinis,
“O risen Lord, all praise to thee, 2). This demands dying to oneself so that Christ, the
Who from sin has set us free, Eternal Priest may reign in one’s heart. It is only in
That we may live eternally: Alleluia!” such way that the ordained will be able to become a
The Lord is Risen! true gift to and for the community.
Easter is the season for rejoicing. It is
Alleluia! Alleluia!
celebrating Christ’s resurrection— a reassuring event
To all our confreres, that God’s gift of salvation to mankind is fulfilled. As
friends and readers we receive this greatest gift of God in Christ, may we
HAPPY EASTER! learn to become a gift to others as well. Let us make
May the Joy and Peace of the Christ present and alive in our hearts and to others by
Risen Christ be with you. becoming witnesses of the Gospel and proclaimers of
His resurrection. Happy Easter!
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BEHOLD THE SERVANTS OF THE RISEN LORD!
The Ordination to the Priesthood of José Nazareno and Arvin
and the Ordination to the Diaconate of Clyd, Jonathan and Thomas
mark another milestone in the life of the Barnabites in the Philippines.
By Brs. Mark Anthony Pondoc and John Paul Osip
The newly ordained priests and deacons pose with the bishop and priest-concelebrants.
to the Merciful Sisters and the Hospitaller Sisters Seminary Choir, under the direction of Fr. Jimmy
of Mercy who offered rooms and meals for the Anastacio, CRSP, provided the music and the
families of the ordinandi. A total of almost professed brothers and some altar boys assisted
ninety rooms were opened for the guests. as liturgical servers. The altar was beautifully
The event was also graced with the and artistically decorated thanks to the kindness
presence of Most Reverend Father Giovanni M. of the Caburlotto Sisters and some friends from
Villa, CRSP, Superior General of the Barnabite the San Isidro Labrador chapel, Buho-Amadeo.
Fathers. Also present at the celebration were the The sisters also provided the priests’ stoles, the
parish priest of Fr. Arvin from the Archdiocese best chasuble for the bishop and other materials
of Zamboanga, priests from the Congregation of necessary for the ceremonies.
the Hearts of Jesus and Mary (Eudist Fathers),
the Zaccarian family in the Philippines namely
the seminarians of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria
Seminary in Marikina, the Barnabite postulants
and novices, the lay affiliates of the Barnabites,
the Angelic Sisters of St. Paul, and of course, the
Filipino Barnabite fathers presently assigned in
the communities of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria
Parish, Silangan, San Mateo, Rizal and St.
Anthony Mary Zaccaria Seminary in Marikina.
Numerous sisters from the various religious
congregations in Tagaytay also came to witness
the ordination. The St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria The ordinandi prostrate for the litany of the saints.
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Fr. José “Joens” Nazareno Solijon Gabato,
CRSP was born on the 5th of September 1979. He
hails from Cortes, Bohol, Diocese of Tagbilaran.
He is the youngest of the nine siblings of the late
Catalino Gabato and Ereberta Solijon. He joined
the Barnabites in 1998. He obtained his
baccalaureate in Sacred Theology from the
Divine Word Seminary (DWS), Tagaytay City.
Fr. Arvin Alvarez Dagalea, CRSP was born on
2nd December 1976 in the city of Zamboanga,
Archdiocese of Zamboanga. He is the 8th in the
brood of eleven children of Bienvenido Dagalea
From left: Fr. Frank Papa, Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle,
and the late Asuncion Alvarez. He entered the Fr. Giovanni Villa and Fr. Joselito Ortega at table.
congregation in 2003 some years after finishing
college. Born on 19 July 1979 in Talibon, Bohol, the celebration. He likewise expressed his
Diocese of Tagbilaran is Rev. Clyd Sumayo gratitude to their families and friends and to all
Autentico, CRSP. He is the sixth child of Mr. and the fathers who accompanied them in their
Mrs. Ernesto Autentico. Rev. Jonathan Galope formation. Fr. Joselito Ortega, delegate superior
Ramoso, CRSP is from Kinoguitan, Misamis of the Barnabites in the Philippines, also
Oriental, Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro. He conveyed his message of appreciation to the
was born on the 25th of June 1983 and he is the bishop and to all who came for the celebration.
second son of Jeanito Ramoso and Claudia And finally, Fr. Giovanni Villa announced the
Galope. Lastly, Rev. Thomas Federick Salvador assignments of the newly ordained priests. He
Tabada, CRSP is the youngest son of Avelino and his council in Rome had decided to assign
Tabada and Enriquita Salvador. Born on October Fr. José to the Barnabite North American
19, 1983, he grew up in Cebu City but his family Province while Fr. Arvin will remain in St. Paul
is now based in Trinidad, Bohol, Diocese of Scholasticate community to finish his last
Talibon. The three newly ordained deacons semester of theological studies at DWS. The new
joined the Barnabites in 2000. They have just deacons will likewise stay in the same community.
finished their third year of theological studies at After the two-hour Mass, a simple dinner
the Divine Word Seminary. was shared by all those present in Fr. Luigi
Before the bishop imparted the final Caburlotto School Gymnasium located at the
blessing, Fr. Arvin Dagalea, on behalf of the right side behind the chapel. Bishop Tagle also
newly ordained, thanked all those present for stayed and spent some time with the fathers.
The community of St. Paul Scholasticate
expresses its heartfelt appreciation and thanks to
the Caburlotto Sisters for their generous and
kind help, to the Merciful Sisters and the
Hospitaller Sisters of Mercy who opened their
convents to the families and guests of the
confreres, to all the Barnabite confreres and
friends who offered their prayers for the newly
ordained and to all those who contributed in any
way possible to make the affair memorable and
successful. To all of you, maraming salamat po!
To the new priests and deacons, congratulations
Fr. Arvin and Fr. José celebrate their first Mass and God bless you in your ministry!
with the bishop while the deacons assist.
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Diaconate: A Gift and Service “Dying to Myself”
Rev. Deacon Jonathan Ramoso, CRSP Rev. Deacon Thomas Federick Tabada, CRSP
I was shocked when my rector told me that I I received the
would receive the Order of deacon in the month of ordination to the
February. I had mixed feelings when I heard it—feelings of diaconate last February
joy, fear and anxiety. I did not know if what I heard was 13. It is an Order that
real or simply an illusion. A part of myself told me to entails service. It is not
accept it wholeheartedly while another encouraged me just any form of service
not to. To make the dramatic scene short, I said my “Yes” but a humble service.
to the Lord—with “tears” of joy and acceptance to what it This service involves
entails and including the responsibility it bears. I found dying to myself to
two words that best describe the Order of deacon: GIFT enable me to be
and SERVICE. available for others. It is
I remember one time during our class with Bishop in this availability that I
Tagle on Grace, he reminded us that we cannot demand will be able to give a
our rector to approve our ordination because no one can spontaneous and pure service to others. This spontaneity
find oneself worthy, unblemished and “called by God”. and availability require from me genuine love. If in
We should not say: “Ordain me now!” because vocation is rendering my service I am compelled by obligation and not
a gift, gratuitously given to us by God. Perhaps, this may by love then my service to the other is superficial. It is the
be the underlying reason that when I begged my rector for love of the other that should compel me to serve others at
“another time” for the ordination, he just said, “accept it all cost. I give my service to you because I love you and I
wholeheartedly because God makes us worthy.” Now, I’m see Jesus in you. It is not because I can benefit from you
cherishing and would continue to cherish this gift of later or I expect something in return to the service I
vocation of being a deacon. And because it is a gift, I will rendered. Indeed, if a deacon serves while expecting
treasure it. This is a treasure not to be kept to my own something, what makes him different from a daily worker
self‐advantage but above all, it is God’s gift to me for who exacts his services through his salary?
others’ good, the “poor” people who are worthy and The ministry to deaconate does not expect any
deserving of a generous service without payment. return and does not choose people to whom a deacon
I admit that “service” is a beautiful word to hear but offers his service. This ministry was given to me
at the same time difficult to do. “Lip service” is a lousy gratuitously so that I would also give my service to people
service. A service offered during the Mass is a “Part One” gratuitously. This is the result of the free gift given to me
of the vocation of deacons like me. Service becomes by God through our congregation. I am really blest and
challenging when one “walks the talk”, reaching out and thankful to God for giving me this gift. I am really humbled
touching people’s lives and crying out on their behalf. to accept this gift. This is a gift that entails responsibility as
Personally, I prefer to assist in well as accountability. I am indeed accountable to God, to
Masses outside our seminary. I our congregation and to the faithful in my words and
truly admit it: I am hesitant to actions. Thus I am responsible to them. I hold this gift with
preach and utter words which utmost care and love. If ever I fail to perform my ministry
I do not live out inside the of service to others, I hope that no one would hesitate to
seminary with my confreres. remind me of my ministry for I know that is a task to be
This is a reality and a challenge fulfilled in love.
for me as a deacon. At the
end, I hope that the joy of my Quis nos separabit a caritate Christi?
being a deacon will bloom and
be fully realized.
Thank you Lord for your
precious Gift and Love!
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Our Indonesian and three Filipino confreres share
their experiences in the Eternal City.
Viva la Vita Romana!
Being here in Rome would mean a lot to everyone I am grateful to God for the blessings that He has
even to non-Christians. There are many things to see and given me. My stay here in Rome has given me a lot of op-
enjoy and for me there are three most important things. First portunity to discover my self deeply. Being with others with
is the experience of being with the Barnabite community not different cultures, mentalities, and behavior are God’s gifts
only here in Rome but also with the other communities here to me. They have become my “teachers”, “co-journeyers”
in Italy. Second is to see the Vatican and the Holy Father. and inspiration—my teachers because they have taught me
And third is to visit historically important churches. many things indispensable to my life as a seminarian and
We had visited our communities in San Felice and religious. They have taught me how to be patient, under-
the two communities in Naples. We are also scheduled to standing and responsible. Being my co-journeyers they have
visit places where the Barnabites are present here in Italy. I helped me to journey towards God better. They are my in-
am particularly excited to visit Milan where we can find the spiration because they have inspired me in my endeavours.
remains of our holy Founder St. Anthony Zaccaria. We These good things that happened in my life cannot be re-
have been staying here in Rome since November 3 last year. placed by anything else.
In all these communities that we have visited, I’ve been con-
soled from my nostalgia by the welcoming and fraternal
spirit of our Barnabite fathers and brothers. My experience
with them has helped me a lot to love more the congrega-
tion and the spirit of the Holy Founder.
My Vatican experience was so exciting especially
that of seeing the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. The first
time I saw him was last December 8 in Piazza Spagna. I
remember how my heart beat knowing that I will see the
successor of Peter. There was a woman beside me shouting
"Viva il papa!" I was not able to say any word, I stood in awe,
clapping my hands with the biggest smile I ever had. Every
Sunday when there is free time, I am always present in the
Vatican for the Angelus. It is very consoling to see people of
different races gather together to pray with the Holy Father.
I was also happy during the day of consecrated life last Feb-
A rare experience ... Snow in Rome!
ruary 2. I was seated near the papal altar! Every Sunday, I go
to the Vatican to attend the Vespers. I also enjoy so much Being here for five months now, I have been to
visiting the churches when we have a spare time. Those some famous places which many dream to see. Visiting St.
which I’ve known only through books and the internet have Peter’s Basilica is one of my experiences that I can boast of.
come alive in my eyes! I go there every Sunday evening to participate in the Vespers
I have learned many things here in Rome not only in Latin. I met there many religious men and women. Some
from our formators and from the things I have seen but also of them were Filipinos so I grabbed the chance to know
by listening to the stories of other people especially that of their experiences and sacrifices. Listening to their stories, I
the Filipinos. I met people of different races with rich stories had learned things that are beneficial to my life. I’ve also
to tell. Now that I have experienced being with Italians my known some lay Filipinos working here. They too have their
personal view of them has also changed; it is far better than own stories to share. I had learned something from them
what I thought. As for the Filipinos here, I am very much which I never encountered in my study of Theology. Their
humbled by their faith and by the sacrifices they do for their experiences of being here for many years, the problems that
families. I was surprised to know that almost all the churches they encountered with their employers, the reality and cul-
in Rome have a Filipino community. They celebrate Mass in ture here in Rome have somehow widened my horizon and
Pilipino or English. The Centro Filippino is the chaplaincy perspective in life.
for the Filipinos here in Rome. I have also personally seen the pope. My heart
I thank God for all these graces. I thank my exalted with joy the first time I saw him! I sensed the
Barnabite community for our very enriching experience “aroma” of holiness and simplicity. I once attended the Ves-
here in Rome. I thank my formators for their kindness and pers he presided and a lot of people were present. I was
fraternal love. Salamat po! (Br. Joseph Bernales, CRSP) touched the moment he passed by the aisle. People were
No. 3
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shouting exultantly and some were also crying. That particu-
lar moment had given me a special feeling because of the
different expressions of faith by the people.
I have also learned from the good example of our
fathers. They are very understanding. They have been al-
ways encouraging us to speak Italian. At first, I had difficulty
to communicate with them because I can only speak little
Italian and they speak little English. But little by little,
through constant effort and daily communication with them,
I finally learned the language. The more mistakes I commit-
ted, the more I learned. They have also taught me to be
humble and simple. Father General, Fr. Villa is the one who
would drive the van whenever we go to some places here.
Other priests have also helped us greatly through their good
words, actions and example.
My stay here in Rome is a great help to my forma-
tion as a seminarian and religious. It has given me a lot of
lessons and insights which are very essential to my life as a The nine (9) tremesanti or candidates for solemn
Barnabite. Everyday I nourish myself with the word of God. profession pose with Barnabite Bishop Andrea Erba and
For me, this is a very good remedy to fight lukewarmness. Fr. Villa, the assistants general, the provincial superiors
Even our founder St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria encourages us and delegate superiors during the general assembly
his children to fight lukewarmness. However, I also encoun- held in Rome last 24-26 February.
tered challenges here but it neither hindered nor bothered blessings you have given me and the trials that make me
my love to serve the Lord. Instead it helped me a lot to ma- what and who I am now. May your power guide me, your
turity. As a soldier of Christ, I always love challenges. For it might uphold me, your wisdom teach me and your eyes
is in the challenges that I can see myself and apply what I watch over me all the times.”
have learned. The more challenges I have encountered, the Apart from visiting historic places, we are being
more I have grown in my faith in the Lord. (Br. Pat Golis, molded to truly become Barnabites someday. We have class
CRSP) everyday. We also have time to pray. I remember that
prayer is an open line to the Father in heaven. No card to
90 DAYS: A SPRITUAL JOURNEY use. No low battery problem. No charging. Signals are al-
ways good. And all messages are sent. So, I make prayer a
“A heart in tune with God will truly sing His praises habit. I never forget to pray, to thank God for all the bless-
even in the midst of trials. I believe that God is always good ings He has given me. No matter how good and bad, there is
even when life is not. It is because I live not for life but for always a reason and it is always for the best. In fact, here in
God.” Ninety days in Rome are my spiritual journey. It is a Rome I saw with my own eyes what snow looked like. It was
sign of God’s true love for me that never ends. It is also a a blessing!
blessing to share. It is a special moment to remember. It is life! It is from B to D, Birth to Death. Do you
I left the Philippines on the 29th of December 2009 know what is between B and D? It is C! What does it sig-
and arrived in Rome on the next day. I was alone! I did not nify? This C stands for Christ! He is the centre of every-
know who and what was on the way. But God gave me thing. He is my Lord, in whom I trust. That is why I never
somebody to be my friend. God showed me the way. He give up in following Him. Life must go on whatever hap-
was like a single bulb that illuminated a dark room. And I pens. If I give up on the coldness of the winter, I will surely
also trusted myself—I have a good heart that tells me where miss the promise of spring, the beauty of summer and the
to go. I entrusted everything to God because whenever He is fulfilment of the fall. I never let the pain of one season de-
involved in my life, everything is fine. For He has a beautiful stroy the joy of the rest. I will not judge life by just one diffi-
way of bringing the good music out of broken chords. cult season. Instead, I must persevere. For this reason, I ask
In Rome, my confreres and I visited historic places God’s wisdom to know what to do. I ask Him to cultivate
like the basilicas of St. Peter, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Ma- my skills, so that I would know how to do something. I ask
jor and others. When I visited those places, I felt I were in Him to enable me to know the virtues that would lead me to
Paradise. Maybe God has set a place for me in His heart, do His will. I can accomplish all these beautiful things
not in this world. I believe that because this world is tempo- through the help of His Son, Jesus Christ.
rary but in God’s hands, I am saved and blessed forever. It is my experience! I want to enjoy, to live and to
And I realized that behind every event is God’s purpose. At make each moment of my life beautiful. It is because each
times, what I consider a trial is simply His way to make my moment of my life is a picture which I have never seen be-
life more meaningful. God has a reason for allowing things fore and which I will never see again. That is why in order to
to happen. “Thank you, Father, for the love and for all the make my life count, I spend it on things that count. It happens
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with the help of God. I will walk in His ways and truly I ap- The weather of the place is another difficulty that a
preciate all the days that He gives me. Life must continue person will face when he is in a foreign land. The winter
whatever happens. “Lord, when I am tired and weary, please season in Rome was an unforgettable experience for me. I
give me rest. When I am weak, may you be my strength. grew up in a tropical country. There’s no such thing like
When I am disappointed, help me to trust in you alone. winter or snow in the country from which I came. The
When I am hurting, heal me. When I lose sight of life, re- winter cold in Rome was really a tough test for me. For
store your spirit within me. When things seem impossible, more than four months I had no choice but to wear thick
let your will be done.” clothes, and when I was in bed, I used to cover myself with
In the end of my spiritual journey, I want to thank layers of woolen blankets for the heating system in my room
all of you who helped me in my journey towards Him. I will was not in good working condition. However, such difficulty
never forget you! You make my life colourful and worth was compensated when for the first time in my life I
living. For that, I just pray for God’s power to guide you, His experienced the awesome beauty of the winter snow. Snow
might to uphold you, His wisdom to teach you and His eyes is almost unknown in Rome, and even on the coldest days in
to watch over you at all the times. And Jesus is the best winter, the sun usually makes a generous appearance. I was
friend you will ever have. He will walk with you every step of fortunate!
the way. I may not be there for you, but He is there always
to take care of you. “There were doubts and fears that were lurking inside
Ninety days are over. I flew back to the Philip- my heart and mind before I left my homeland.
pines. I left Rome on the 29th March. It was like a dream: a But I courageously conquered such mixed feelings;
dream to be with Jesus forever. It is my song that plays not because I had no other choice, but rather, I
memories across hidden screens behind my eyes. God needed to surmount it for the greater glory of God.”
bless! (Br. Yohanes Koten, CRSP)
BARNABITE PENANCES
by Fr. Giovanni Scalese, CRSP
Fr. Giovanni Scalese, former rector and father Master of St. Paul Scholasticate, shares with us the Barnabite tradition on penances.
Penance is one of the essential elements of religious life. One of the first documents of the
post-conciliar renewal, the motu proprio “Ecclesiae Sanctae” (1966) stated: “Religious should devote
themselves to works of penance and mortification more than the rest of the faithful.” And another sub-
sequent document about “The Contemplative Dimension of Religious Life” (1980) added: “Religious
communities must be manifestly praying and also penitential communities in the Church, remembering
the conciliar guideline that penance ‘must not be internal and personal only, but also external and so-
cial’ (SC 110).”
Actually, especially in the past, “monk” was considered as a synonym of “ascetic”. Some reli-
gious orders were renowned for their special penances: the Carthusians for their continuous silence;
the Minims for their fourth vow of vita quadragesimalis (“Lenten life”), which implied perpetual absti-
nence from meat.
Even our Founder, in his draft of Constitutions (never approved by the Church), turns out to be
very strict: he allows to eat meat only on the most important solemnities of the year, and prescribes
fasting from All Saints’ Day to Easter and, in the rest of the year, on Wednesday and Friday. But in the
chapter “On the Formation of Novices” we find a revealing provision: “Let him [viz. the Master] teach
the novices to observe silence and other exterior ceremonies … and seriously consider the reasons
why such ceremonies have been established, rather than view them as a goal.”
The first approved Constitutions (1552) decree fasting during Advent, Lent and on Friday in the
rest of the year (except in Eastertide), and abstinence on every Wednesday of the year.
The definitive Constitutions (1579) devote chapter seven of the second book to “Fasting and
Other Bodily Penances,” where the discipline established in the previous Constitutions is taken up. A
general rule is added: “Let everybody try, in imitation of our Saint Paul, to chastise his body and bring
it into subjection (1 Cor 9:27), so that it may not be a hindrance to the spirit, but serve it, and so they
may present their bodies a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1).” The 1579 Constitutions introduce a new possi-
bility: “In order to renew the remembrance of the Lord’s passion, we commend those who, for instance
once a week, will scourge themselves (the so called ‘discipline’). But, when they want to do it, they are
to ask the Superior’s permission, and act according to his instructions.” This prudence, this balance,
this moderation have always been characteristic of our Congregation; they were referred to with the
Latin term discretio (“discretion”). It should also be noted that for the Barnabites obedience is more
important than penitence: as Scripture says, “Obedience is better than sacrifices” (1 Sam 15:22).
In the same book of the 1579 Constitutions there is another chapter (the fourteenth) about si-
lence. This should be observed in certain places and moments (in the
choir; during community meetings or “chapters”; in the refectory during
meals; after compline until morning).
After Vatican Council II these Constitutions were replaced by new
ones (1983). In the Congregation’s present statutes, articles 27 to 31 are
devoted to “Life of Penance and Asceticism.” Number 30 gives us a few
examples of mortification: “The spirit of penance commits us to the prac-
tice of various forms of spiritual asceticism which animate religious life,
such as: continuous and extended prayer; search and acceptance of
God’s will; acceptance of other people; offering to God our limitations;
interior and exterior silence; custody of the heart and discipline in using
earthly possessions.” As you can see, there is no special prescription; but
what is of the essence is not lacking.
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Easter Reflection
"I've never seen such a crowd in church", a woman once exclaimed. The number of people who had
come to a particular church over the Easter period apparently impressed her. Then as she was shaking hands
with the pastor at the door, she added, "Do you suppose it will make any difference?" Before she could get away
the pastor quickly asked, "What do you mean? Will what make any difference?" "Easter!" she shot back. Will
Easter make any difference for all these people, or will life tomorrow be the same as it was yesterday?"
This little incident at the church door starts us thinking. The woman's question is a very important one.
Will Easter make any difference? We celebrate Easter with so much enthusiasm and gusto. We sing those
beautiful Easter hymns. We hear the Easter message once again. For people who worship over Easter, will life
go on "as usual", as this unknown person asked, or will there somehow be a difference? Will Easter make a
difference to each of us?
A quick glance at what happened to the disciples after Easter reveals that the events of that weekend
did make a difference in their lives. We hear how the disciples were cowering in fear behind locked doors on
Easter Day. And they were even more terrified when Jesus suddenly appeared before them. It is only after Jesus
had told them to look at his hands and feet and watch him eat a meal that a difference was made in their
outlook. We are told that "they were full of joy and wonder."
The disciples became different people because their Lord was not dead but alive. They were in the
presence of the living Lord. An example of the change the resurrection made to people’s lives is seen in those
two men who were walking to Emmaus on the afternoon of the resurrection. The person on whom they had
pinned all their hopes was dead. They had given up
everything to follow him. They had seen him on the cross,
and what is more, now his body had vanished. They are
feeling depressed and confused. What are they going to do
now?
But look at the difference in those men when they
realized that the very person with whom they were talking
was the risen Lord Himself. You can see the resurrection
peace take over their lives. They are no longer confused and
troubled, worried and anxious, but filled with the joy and
confidence that the presence of the living Lord in their lives
gives. They know that Jesus had not just died as any other
man, but that He had restored fellowship with God and had
destroyed sin and death. When they raced back to the other
disciples they found that they too had exciting news. I can
imagine the joy as they shouted to the travelers from
Emmaus as they entered the room, "Hey guys! We have seen
Jesus. He has risen from the dead!" But what difference does
the resurrection make to us today? Does Easter still have the Easter breaks down the barriers
same effect on people today as it did back then in those early
centuries?
between God and us ...
I know we have heard the Easter story many times. Because of Easter we are able
It’s not like we have heard it for the first time and so are all to have fellowship with God,
excited about the amazing resurrection of Jesus from the
dead. But this doesn’t change the fact that Easter does make
or perhaps it is better to say,
a difference to people even in the 21st century. The events of GOD is able to have fellowship
Good Friday and Easter tell us loudly and clearly God has with US.
left no stone unturned to save all people, including us today.
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The wonderful results of Jesus' death and resurrection are
passed on to us at our baptism and when we celebrate Eucharist
together. In these sacraments God gives to us the forgiveness Jesus won
for us on the cross. He gives us eternal life and the promise that we too
shall rise from the dead. We are His people. We are His forgiven,
resurrected people. We belong to Him; we are members of His family.
Do you see what is happening here? Because we share in the
forgiveness and the resurrection of Jesus, because we have been
reconciled with God and all believers are at peace with God, God brings
us close together. God has put His chosen, forgiven, resurrected people
together in the one holy Christian Church made up of Jesus’
disciples. You see, Easter breaks down the barriers between God and us.
Easter gets rid of the sin barrier that prevents us from enjoying the
privilege of approaching God's throne in prayer. Easter gets rid of the
sin barrier that would prevent us from entering heaven. Easter gets rid of everything that stands between God
and us. Because of Easter we are able to have fellowship with God, or perhaps it is better to say, GOD is able to
have fellowship with US.
How many times does the resurrected Jesus approach His disciples with the words: Peace be with you?
It’s true He wanted to calm their fears that He wasn't a ghost, but He was also conveying to them a much deeper
truth, that is, His death and resurrection have brought true peace to the relationship between God and His
people. And because we have peace and fellowship with our heavenly Father and we have been joined together
in Christ through our Baptism, it follows then that we, the forgiven and the resurrected, have fellowship with
one another. When I say "fellowship" I don't just mean that we have a bring and share meal every now and then
or a church picnic or invite people from the church around for a meal or afternoon tea. These kinds of events are
important and help us to get to know one another, but Christian fellowship goes much deeper than that.
Christian fellowship has its beginnings in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Just as barriers have been broken down between God and us, so also walls come down between those
who are forgiven and resurrected. Relationships are restored and recreated and built up. That is the beginning
of true fellowship between Christians. We have true fellowship with one another because we have all been
united with Christ. The apostle Paul says to the Colossians, "You have died with Christ … you have been raised to
new life with Christ… you are the people of God. Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe
yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each
other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the
most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the
peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace" (Col 3:12-
15).
Paul here is describing what it is that builds up fellowship between Christians. We have died with
Christ and so have the selfishness, unkindness, lack of consideration for others, back stabbing, unkind criticism,
failure to understand and be compassionate – all these have died with Christ on the cross. We have been raised
to new life. As Paul said, "Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us" (Col 3:11). This newness and the fact
that Christ lives not just in me, but in all of us, has serious implications for us as the people of God. And we
need to be reminded of this especially in this day and age when there is such an emphasis on the individual and
the meeting of the individual’s needs over and above the needs and rights of others. Listen again to the words
Paul uses: “tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgive the person who offends you, you must
wear love, be bound together in perfect harmony, live in peace.” (Col. 3:12-15) Every one of these says that the new
me, the Christ in me, makes a difference. I am not concerned chiefly with my needs and wants but I am more
concerned how I treat those with whom I have been united in Christ.
The New Testament talks a lot about "sharing" and "participating" together, "having things in common"
as his people. In fact, in the original language of the New Testament, to "share" and to "have fellowship" was the
same word. We share forgiveness when we hurt and get upset with one another. We share care and concern
when there is need and we’re happy to give someone a hand when they aren’t coping. We share our love where
there is sadness and setback. We share the gospel of hope and forgiveness with those who are struggling with a
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particular sin, or need help to sort through some
Is there any sense to rejoice despite the sad events that occur in our daily lives? Are there valid reasons to smile
and be happy when life appears to be a series of ups and downs? Yes, there is sense and there are valid reasons to be happy
and to rejoice even if life becomes burdensome. Counting one’s blessings and looking more at the bright side of life would
surely give one the reason to rejoice.
Another seminary year has just passed and, we, in the St. Paul Scholasticate community cannot help but “rejoice
and be glad” for another blessed year. It has been a year filled with fun and excitement, full of surprises and gifts wrapped
in many ways, a year bursting with many blessings. It has been a year of crosses and crowns, of sadness and joys. And we
have concluded the academic year thankful and very grateful to the Lord and to the many persons who have accompanied
us.
We recall the many happy events of the seminary year 2009-2010. We remember the visits of the VIPs of our
congregation: first, Fr. Giuseppe Bassotti, former superior general; second, Fr. Peter Calabrese, superior of the Barnabite
community in Lewiston and councilor of the Barnabite North American Province; and of course, the most important was
the visit of the most Reverend Fr. Giovanni Villa, our superior general. The St. Paul Scholasticate community had truly
been blessed by the presence of these confreres. Friends and relatives of our confreres also came to experience the joy of
the scholasticate community. Regina Reale and her daughter Kristen, both from the U.S. and friends of our fathers stayed
with us for a four-day visit. It also became an opportunity for our young confreres to know new persons and new friends.
The past year has been blessed with the gift of vocations. We rejoiced at the first profession of vows of ten
confreres, indeed, a record-breaking number! We witnessed the solemn profession, diaconal ordination and the priestly
ordination of five confreres. In the academic side, our confreres studying at the Divine Word Seminary have been
consistent achievers. Three brothers made it to the prestigious Dean’s List and the results of the final comprehensive
exams have been very satisfactory. Two confreres had earned their academic degress in Theology. The dean of studies
and the professors likewise praised the perseverance and hard-work of our seminarians. They proved that they could
become the next Aquinas and Ratzinger! Many, too, have been achievers in the field of sports. Let us rejoice in the Lord!
Community activities, both inside and outside the seminary, have also been plentiful. The fathers and brothers
engaged themselves in various activities that strengthened the esprit de corps and community living. Even the simple
conversations and laughters during meals and leisure times have been a cohesive force among the seminarians and fathers.
Hindi matatawaran at tunay na walang sukat ang tawanan at kwentuhan sa loob ng seminaryo!
The past year has also been a difficult one for us all. Moments of trials and sadness have been part and parcel of
our life. We experienced the pain of losing a confrere who had decided to leave the seminary and religious life. The
demands of the academic life had exerted so much pressure and stress on our brothers. Conflicts and strained relations
among the brothers, and between them and their rector had also been the headlines of news. But the spirit of brotherhood
and charity had healed all these. Indeed, our community living has been like a fire-tried gold that is tested for its
genuineness.
The community of St. Paul Scholasticate has,
therefore, many reasons to rejoice. The Lord has been so
good to us and His blessings have truly been so abundant.
As we celebrate the Lord’s triumph over sin and death, we
offer Him all these good things we have received. We offer
Him both the good things and bad that we have
experienced and thank Him from our hearts. And of
course, we thank all those persons and groups of people
who continue to support us in many and varied ways. For
my part, it is my prayer and hope that our student-
confreres would continue in their perseverance and hard
work, and in living out the spirit of charity so that true
brotherhood would endure in our religious community. It
is my fervent desire that they live the Pauline spirit of our
founder St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria. For all these we say
with gratitude and joy our the Risen Lord:
Sia lodato Gesù Cristo!
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Lacordaire
Quis nos separabit a caritate Christi?
An gladius?