Valentine Ball: Caritas Christi Urget Nos

The story of love transpired again in Montalban community. The 13^th of February became the most romantic event of the seminary together with the invited benefactors and friends. In connection to the monthly commemoration for St. Luigi Orione, our Orionight was aligned to the Pre- Valentine Ball with the theme, ”The Love of Christ urges us on…” St. Valentine introduced the worldly understanding of heart’s day as a common celebration of lovers. In order not to remain untouchable in a semi- monastic life, we also shared in the festivity of love by making the night sparked by singing and dancing.

Indulging into the City of Dreams: An Orionine Educational Escapade

The Feast of San Pedro Bautista last Saturday, February 6, 2016 was filled with awesome and meaningful moments spent as a community of Priest, Brothers and Seminarians of Don Orione. Thru the initiative of Fr. Stan, our pragmatic rector, we attempted to inculcate our young minds into an educational journey by knowing more the culture and heritage of the Pearl of the Orient Seas- the Philippines.

Early in the morning, showers and faucets in the lobby were booked by seminarians who steered themselves preparing for the morning liturgy. We highlighted the trip by attending the Eucharistic Celebration presided by Fr. Stan, fdp. After receiving the blessing, the flock of blue men came into pictorial before the St. Luigi Orione Chapel.

January 2016 Recollection: Holy Eucharist, food for the Lenten journey

From today on, in two weeks coming, our Mother Church will invite us to make a special journey of spiritual and human preparation in order to revive and live worthily the mystery of our salvation, the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus-Christ.

In this regard, I wish to put our recollection of this month of February under the theme of LENT and HOLY EUCHARIST.

The combining of these two topic is also inspired by the 51st International Eucharistic Congress 2016 which have just been held in Cebu, current of this week.

Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter.

In the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday marks the FIRST DAY, or the start of the Lenten season, which begins 40 days prior to Easter (Sundays are not included in the count).

Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of Fasting, Repentance, Moderation (in many aspects of life) and Spiritual Discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection.

Br Ramon Rosin Padilla FDP: reception of the Ministry of acolyte in Kenya.

Here are some good news from the formation house, Nairobi, Kenya.  On Saturday 23rd January during Mass in the formation house chapel at 6pm, Br Ramon Rosin Padilla FDP received the ministry of acolyte in the presence of all the confreres in Nairobi and the philosophy students.  Fr Paul Mboche Mwangi FDP, superior of the formation house, presided at the Mass and conferred the ministry to Br Ramon.  

Fr Malcolm gave the homily, saying that the Eucharist is the Body of Christ which also builds up the Body of Christ, the Church, in which all of us have our place and our role, including the ministry of acolyte.
Afterwards, all gathered in the theology house for a fraternal meal.  Br Ramon expressed his gratitude to God for the gift of this ministry and to all present and to all in the Philippines.
Br Ramon is in the third year of theology at Tangaza College and is the most advanced of the theological community.
Best wishes and prayers go to Br Ramon who is moving towards perpetual vows when God wills.

Malcolm Dyer SDP

Responsible for Theological students

Sons of Divine Providence - Nairobi - Kenya

Live Christ, Share CHRIST!

The New Year in Montalban Community was filled with great enthusiasm and thanksgiving in commemorating monthly the memorial of the Founder, St. Luigi Orione. It was a providential way indeed that we are also entering into the journey of the Silver Year in the boldness of charity that Don Orione imparts through the serving Christ and the poor.The 1^st Orionight for this year were joyfully celebrated last Saturday, January 16, 2016. Inspired by the communion of the bishops, clergy and the religious on the 26th in Cebu City for the International Eucharistic Congress, the seminary culminated the celebration of love and culture gifted to the country, the Philippines, in the 495th Jubilee of its Christianization.

“ORIONIGHT: Live Christ, Share Christ!”- taken from the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines Pastoral Exhortation on the Era of New Evangelization-was the theme of the event. The Conference of Bishops instilled by the clergy in all local churches, have declared the Year of the Eucharist and of the Family. They are acknowledging the faithful to culminate the living remembrance during the Last Supper-the Eucharist to be the fountain of sacramental values for vocations and evangelization.

Deacon to be at the service of the poor

Today December 12, took place in Payatas, Philippines in Our Lady of Divine Providence Parish the Diaconate Ordination of Brother Justin Bamouni fdp. It was a beautiful, more family colored ceremony than a parochial one. Attendance were the confreres of Montalban, one confrere from Lucena, the host community of Brother Justin, the confreres of Payatas, Father John Castillo fdp, parish priest, and Father Julio Cuesta fdp, Director of the Community, and our sisters of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity together with their aspirants and postulants. Father Julio Cuesta has not missed saying humorously that "the parish church today is dressed all in white" referring to the fact that it was composed almost entirely of our seminarians in Philosophy, accompanied by their rector Fr. Stan Achi fdp, our brothers Novices with their Father Master and Coordinator of the Mission in the Philippines, Father Anthony Eucinei fdp, the religious brother in tirocinium and only few faithful parishioners.

In his homily, the Most Reverent  Antonio Tobias, Bishop of Novaliches Diocese and great friend of the Congregation, explained the merits and the meaning of diaconal service and invites brother Justin to stay Deacon-Servant forever, that is to say, never tiring serving and especially to be servant of all and of the poor and the needy.

The Mass was beautiful, simple but solemn because of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the Patronesses of the Philippines.

Montalban, 1st Orione Youth Day, OYD 2015

"Youth are the sun or storm of tomorrow." Inspired by this prophetic thought of our dearly beloved Founder Saint Luigi Orione, our seminarians and the Novice have organized for a great first here in Montalban "the Orione Youth day".

The idea came from the Sunday apostolate and Catechesis groups. Their intention, was how to help the young people they do meeting every Sunday to discover one of our charismatic identity, the love of Don Orione for the youth and the prominent place he gives them.

So our Seminarians have therefore solicited the cooperation of the Friendship of Don Orione, an association of lay people on the way to become the Orionine Lay Movement (MLO) here in Montalban. The coordinator of this association of Orionine lay people, Ken Ramilla Formanes Bonotan, called Kuya Ken, with the help of his collaborators and members has done “hands and feet” to see this activity become a success. Planned at the beginning for only some thirty or fifty young from the chapels where our youth go for the apostolate, this activity has turned to become a real Youth Day. One hundred and thirty and beyond, according to the official listing were the youth who have responded to the invitation. The compound of the Saint Luigi Orione Seminary was for two day transformed in a camp site with youth running everywhere.