Formal Opening of the New Academic Year 2017-2018: HOLY SPIRIT MASS

It has been a tradition at St. Luigi Orione Seminary to start the academic year with a Holy Spirit Mass. The Steering Committee, with the approval of the Formation Team headed by Fr. Stan G. Achi, fdp decided to align the Eucharistic Celebration similar to the celebration of the Pentecost. Since it was the opening of the Academic Year, the prayers, intentions and petitions centered on requesting the good Lord for the graces of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Truly, it is only through the help of the Holy Spirit that everything can be restore in Christ. That’s why, Inside the celebration as well, in front of the tabernacle and priests, the newly elected officers of the Steering Committee of the Seminary had their oath-taking, with Fr. Stan as their inducting officer. It was witnessed by several friends and visitors.

June 29, 2017: A wonderful three-fold celebration in Montalban

3 in 1 (three in one) that is what one could say of the celebration which took place in the Community of the Sons of Divine Providence of Montalban, in the Philippines.

We celebrated today in the solemnity St. Peter and Paul the pillars of the Church, the Pope’s Day, the official entrance in the Novitiate and the Installation of the newly appointed superior of the Community of Montalban.

This has been the agenda of this June 29, 2017, in the Community of the Sons of Divine Providence of Montalban. Starting early this morning with the Morning Prayer, 15 young men, 4 from Kenya, 5 from the Philippines and 6 from India made their entrance to the Novitiate.

The words of Don Orione addressed to the emblematic Novice Master of the Congregation, Don Cremaschi resounded at the feat of the Rolling Hills. It gave to our 15 new Novices to know the meaning of the school in which they enrolled today. “The novitiate is in any case a test, the novitiate is a school of religious virtues, it is a holy forge where every novice must fashion himself, according to the Holy Gospels and the Congregation's own spirit.  It is a place where he must separate himself from the world and from every vain, secular and worldly habit; where the novice must, with strength and generosity, detach his soul from everything, and not only from the people most dear to him - loving them only in the Lord - but, with Divine help he must detach himself even from life, even from his own self.  If he cannot do this he will not be a good religious.

Yes, ‘Fiat, Eccomi!’ in renouncing to oneself for Christ.

In a world which is run by selfishness, self-centered, egoistic, and at the limit full of indifferences, to choose to renounce to oneself for Christ is a miracle. And we were called to witness such a miracle this day, May 31, 2017 through the first Profession of the Evangelical Counsels of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience in the footsteps of Don Orione in imitation of Christ. Six (6) Novices from the Philippines, Jeric B. BATAS, Antero C. MEHOS Jr., Jose Antonio O. OGARDO, Randy N. PASUENGOS, Czar Lawrenz B. PONAYA, Nestor T. TAROY Jr.), two (2) from Kenya, (Simon MUGURO, Vincent MUNGAI) and six (6) from India, (Vijay BALREDDY, John DAISTON, Devid KERKETTA, Petrus KULLU, Vijaya BHASKAR, Christopher RAYMOND) are have made the first profession of religious vows in the Congregation of Saint Luigi Orione, into the hands of Rev. Father Anthony Eucinei DESOUZA, FDP, taking the place of Rev. Father Tarcisio gregorio VIEIRA, FDP, Superior General of the Congregation. And this was in the Chapel of the Saint Luigi Orione Seminary.

Lucena - DON ORIONE CUP 2017: 1st EDITION And Exposure among the Badjao

Last April 10, 2017, Holy Monday until Holy Tuesday, the Sons of Divine Providence Community in the Philippines gathered together in Lucena City, Quezon Province for the first ever sports conference participated by Montalban Community (seminary and novitiate) and hosted by Lucena community. The Sports conference is named “Don Orione Cup 2017”, a friendship football game aims to promote brotherhood and sportsmanship. The event was joined by seminarians, novices, temporary professed brothers and priest of the Congregation. The cup started at 3 o’clock in the afternoon and finished at 6. There are four competing teams namely, Team Priests, Team Brothers, Team Novices and Team Seminarians. Each team would compete consecutively for 15 minutes each round. The team which has the most number of score is declared champion. Awarding of trophies and medals culminated the Cup. The champion is the Team Priest, 1^st runner-up, Team Novice; Team Brothers is on the 2^nd runner-up. Team Seminarians placed 3^rd runner-up. This first edition of Don Orione Cup was filled with enjoyment and animated by camaraderie as a community among the religious and aspirants.

Buon Viaggio caro Don Stefan Bulai, FDP

Sons of Divine Providence, Philippines, after eight years and ½ of mission, Rev. Fr. Stefan Bulai,FDP has said goodbye to the Island of Beauty. He has left Montalban last April 06 for his province of origin, ‘Madre della Divina Provvidenza’, Italy.

Father Stefan Bulai, FDP,  from Sabaoani Reamt, Romania, Son of Divine Providence, ordained priest on May 24, 2008, arrived the first time in the Philippines on January 31, 2009. He was assigned in Payatas Community. On May 16, 2010, he moved to Montalban where he had the charge of Novice-Master, with five (5) Novices.

September 1, 2011, he is called to join the newly opened reality of Lucena, to begin a new religious Community, ‘Mother of the Church’, together with Fr. Martin Mroz, FDP, Fr. Joseph Van Cu, FDP and Gene Inigo, Ralph Plaza and Jayar Opinion, at the former Agnus Dei Convent, in Alupaye.

Rev. Father Noeh Elnar in the Cottolengo Filipino

A beautiful and comforting visit. That is all that one can say of it. The community of the Sons of Divine Providence of Montalban, composed of the Saint Luigi Orione Seminary, the Novitiate and the Cottolengo has got the joy of a heart-warming fraternal visit of Rev. Father Noeh Elnar, newly appointed Parish Priest of the Saint Raphael Archangel Parish of Montalban, Rizal.

Upon invitation of the Superior of the Community, Rev. Father Anthony Eucinei De Souza, Father Noeh accepted to come and celebrate with us the Holy Eucharist this Wednesday, March 15, 2017, 6am. The Mass was held in the Chapel of the Seminary, concelebrated by Fr. Anthony Eucinei, FDP, Novice Master and Superior, Fr. Stefan Bulai, FDP, Director of the Cottolengo and Fr. Stan, FDP, In charge of Seminary. Fr. Justin Bamouni, FDP was absent for schedule in the sisters of St. Anne’s community. The whole Community welcomed with great joy Father Noeh.

February 2nd in Montalban.

For years, since 1997, the church dedicates the liturgical celebration of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple (February 2) as special occasion to remember and pray for the consecrated men and women, who live and try to incarnate in the church the form of the personal life of Jesus in poverty, Chastity, obedience, in community and in other forms monastic and secular life.

In 1997, Pope John Paul II, now St. John Paul II, instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day; the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples.