MAY PILGRIMAGE - BOHOL

VIVE LA COMPAGNIE!

We were tasked to help prepare the venues for the night camps. We left Gensan on May 16, after the 10:00 AM Mass. We took a 3-hour afternoon bus ride to Davao, attended another Mass there while waiting for the night trip, then took a 5-hour night bus to Cagayan de Oro. There we spent the day with Kuya John Solangon and his family who kindly welcomed us in their home and gave us refreshment. God bless them for their generosity to poor, dirty, noisy pilgrims! We had the privilege of teaching catechism songs to a very smart girl, the daughter of Kuya John. At nighttime, we embarked on a 12-hour boat ride from Cagayan de Oro to Jagna in Bohol, and then took a 3 hour land trip from Jagna to Tagbilaran. We arrived in Tagbilaran at about 8 AM, Tuesday. We were kindly received by Ms. Rose Fullido. May God bless her kindness to us.

We happily did our tasks in cleaning the schools where the pilgrims were to camp out at night. The French girls, Mathilde and Sylvia (volunteers from ACIM-Asia), helped us gladly and joined our antics, sharing in our laughter and joy.

It was our pleasure to bring home the Most Lively Group award, and the Most Organized Group award. Our representatives in the catechism quiz bee won the third place in the contest participated by the mass centers from all over the country.

At the folk song contest, we sang a serenade for Mathilde. Happy Birthday, Math! We forgot to announce to the crowd that it was a birthday song and a farewell song and a friendship song all rolled into one. We were all there for you, Mathilde, though it was only one voice you heard. Haha.

Vive l'amour! Vive la compagnie!
Babay Mathilde! Remember us in France! Istoryahe...simud!!!

2010 Feb - May

CONSOLATION IN OUR LABORS
By the great goodness of our good God who waters the seed sown by years and months of labors, we were privileged to assist in
the Baptism of 8 adults and 13 children.
the First Communion of 17 chidren.
the rectification of marriage of 2 couples.
the Extreme Unction for 4 dying patients.
We were also blessed to have been given the chance to assist 2 persons in their last agony, and to be so near them when they breathed their last.

VISIT BY HIS EXCELLENCY, BISHOP BERNARD FELLAY
His Excellency Bishop Bernard Fellay came to Gensan on March 8.
We welcomed him at the airport together with other faithful from Gensan and Davao. We assisted ACIM-Asia patients who welcomed him with an ethnic dance.
He visited one mission area of ACIM-Asia where we had done some intensive catechism mission. The children sang Ave Maria and Christus Vincit for him.
We prepared the venue for his conference and Mass and invited friends to come.

HOLY WEEK
We were more organized this year, because we had matured a little bit. So we knew our roles more, and did our parts more confidently. We cleaned the chapel, prepared the Altars, washed and ironed linens, cassocks, vestments, served and sang at the various ceremonies. It was a peaceful holy week for us without distractions as we worked on the preparations. DEO GRATIAS.

FLORES DE MAYO!!!
May is back and again we rounded up children for the daily catechism and floral offering to Our Blessed Mother. We had 5 catechism areas and about 80 children. In the middle of May (May 16), 10 children from our different catechism areas received their First Communion. Blessed be God for He has visited His people and set them free!

2010 February: Mass of the Angels

We assisted at the wake of a special patient of ACIM-Asia and taught catechism to the children and their parents during the wake. Then we assisted at his burial and at the Mass of the Angels celebrated by Fr. Ghela at St. James Chapel.

A number of children from his neighborhood attended the Mass for the Angels. After the Mass, his mother asked Father to baptize her. Also, a number of women asked Father if he could also baptize their children.

Blessed be God in His angels and in His saints. St. Louie Jay, pray for us!

2010 January: Happy New Year!!!

Action-Packed New Year!
Jan 1: The longest New Year's day ever! We spent the eve at ACIM-Asia office, to prepare for the farewell dinner with the French volunteers who had become our very dear friends. Magali, one of the French, was the "ninang" of Judith and Maricar and the "dear maman" of Kitz, and the very dear friend of Ate Yolly. Perrine and Blandine had shared with us many, many stories and lessons about singing, French culture, French language... jokes... and, like Magali, had become dear to us.
After dinner, the group went to the chapel to pray the Holy Rosary and sing the Veni Creator Spiritus and Te Deum to welcome the new year. Then back to the office, there was singing until 4 AM. Then we woke up at 5:30 AM to send off the French volunteers at the airport. We had lunch together and then finally had our rest.

WEDDING!
Jan 2: Wedding of former AoM San Miguel clan (Marbel) member: Ann Demafeliz. We assisted as choir and servers.

PROLIFE LECTURES
Jan 16 and 23: Bioethics lectures for students from the National Science High School. Jan 20: Bioethics lecture for High School students of Notre Dame of Dadiangas University IBED - Lagao campus.

CATHOLIC ACTION CONFERENCE
Rev. Fr. Daniel Couture came and gave a conference on the Social Kingship of Christ and the need for Catholic Action. We got busy preparing the chapel and inviting participants.
We also assisted as Fr. Couture gave a special blessing for the sick (about 30 sick people lined up for the blessing. Father also enrolled some of them to the brown scapular. It was very special.

2009 December

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!

Six children were baptized on December 5, and AoM members were the sponsors.
After the months and years of catechism efforts, finally we have the joy of bringing the children to the Church. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for He has visited His people and set them free!

CATHOLIC ACTION LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Ten high school students, three health workers and one member of the Militiae Sanctae Mariae attended the series of conferences for Catholic Action that ACIM-Asia organized at Samaria Cursillo House on December 26 until December 28. We served as cooks, cleaners, guards, errand runners and bonfire and games facilitators... The conferences were about the attacks against the sanctity of human life and the obvious need for Catholics to practice and promote the Catholic principles.

The dark nights were funny, because we could hear many sounds on the roof and outside the windows, ohhh great spooks! It was nice to discover that the mango trees were the culprits, because they were laden with mature fruits, and the heavy branches swayed with the wind, making creaking sounds as they swayed and scraped on the walls and roofs. And some fruits fell off every now and then... that we picked and ate in the mornings... thank you, ghostbusters!

2009 November

CONFIRMATIONS

Surprise! H.E. Bishop Mallerais was coming to Mindanao!
And what's more, he was coming to Gensan!

So we got busy rounding up the catechism pupils, made home visits around Gensan, Polomolok, and Sarangani Province, among AoM contacts and ACIM-Asia patients, and also the children of the faithful, and exhorted them to participate in the catechism review and examination in order to identify those qualified to receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Every free hour we could spare was dedicated to meeting the children - about 40 of them, and every free day (3 in all) was spent on catechism review and quizzes.

Finally, 15 passed the evaluation and were confirmed on Nov. 16 along with 12 others from Marbel and Davao. Te Deum laudamus! DEO GRATIAS!

Onward brave soldiers of Christ! Christus Vincit!