Official Newsletter of Verbum Dei Catholic Missionaries Quezon City Issue 9 2013

Welcome: This is our ninth edition of our newsletter. .. If you have any feedback or you would like to ask questions about our activities or mission please email us on: verbumdeiqc@gmail.com OCtober Mission in Cebu: In October 2012, to celebrate Mission Month in the Church, the formation course journeyed to Cebu to take part in the mission there. It was a chance to meet and catch up with the disciples there, help out the missionaries in Cebu with their apostolate and help prepare activities and work on some of the infrastructure of Verbum Dei in Cebu. A highlight of the month was a concert called Young Man Get Up! in which Br Jonas and Br Luis sang, Pedro was the MC and Br Steve shared a testimony. Visit of Married Couple Missionaries During October and November 2012, Poncho and Adriana, married couple missionaries from Mexico, came to the Philippines. They visited the different communities and explained how they met the community, joined as missionaries and how they live as missionaries, especially how they juggle the different demands of working, raising children and being dedicated to the mission. They also held a retreat for couples discerning a missionary vocation in Cebu. Exciting news is that they will be back here in June 2013 to start a formation course for missionary married couples in Cagayan De Oro. Hiking Trip to Mt Makiling: The Verbum Dei communities of Tagaytay, Quezon City and Manila organised a hiking trip to Mt Makiling in November 2012. Buses took the group to the beginning point and from there the large group hiked up to the top of the mountain, stopping halfway to rest a little and say some prayers at a little shrine. At the top, after lunch was eaten, games were played and mass was celebrated. On the way home the Quezon City community played games and prayed the rosary.

Diaconal Ordination of Br Vic: On December 9, 2012, Br Vic Caritos was ordained as a deacon in Santa Maria Della Strada Parish in Quezon City by Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao Diocese. His parents and family flew to Manila from Cebu to celebrate with him. As part of the preparations, a vigil was held the night before with a rosary, dynamics and testimonies. After the ordination Mass, a short celebration was held in honour of our new deacon. Congratulations Reverend Vic!! Christmas Party in Tagaytay: On December 16, 2012, Verbum Dei Manila, Tagaytay and Quezon City joined together for a Christmas party and mass in the Verbum Dei retreat house in Tagaytay. It was a day filled with games, Christmas presentations and gift giving along with the holy mass where the homily was given by our newly ordained deacon, Reverend Vic Caritos. Simbang Gabi Masses: The traditional novena of dawn masses or Simbang Gabi is a popular custom here in the Philippines. Fr James, Fr Gerson and Rev Vic celebrated these in the local area. For Fr Gerson, it was the first time to celebrate these masses in Tagalog and for Rev Vic, it was the first time to give nine homilies straight as a deacon. Christmas Outreach: Leading up to Christmas, many organisations express their desire to help those who are less fortunate to celebrate the Christmas season. As Verbum Dei work with children from the poorer areas of Quezon City, it is possible to facilitate outreach events for many children and their families. For Christmas 2012 two activities were held that enabled the children to remember the birth of Jesus as well as receive gifts, play games and take home much needed food for their families. Verbum Dei Quezon City would like to thank all the people and organisations that helped make these outreach events possible. Christmas in Cebu: On Christmas Eve, 2012 the formation course travelled to Cebu again to celebrate Christmas with the community there. They stayed until after New Year. The trip included a Christmas outreach and mass with the neighbours, an outing with young men and a retreat over New Year. The outing was to Tiburan on the west coast of Cebu Island.

Human Trafficking & Prostitution Forum: In January 2013, for the 2nd year running, Verbum Dei facilitated a forum on Human Trafficking & Prostitution for the Exodus Inter-congregational novitiate program. This time however, the forum was held over two days rather than one, so the novices present were able to hear from more speakers. These speakers included a speaker from the International Justice Mission (who work to prosecute individuals and companies who traffic women and children), Samaritana (who work to encourage women to leave prostitution and gain skills to build a new life), Professor Simone Lorenzo (an expert on Pope John Paul IIs Theology of the Body), the Sisters Adorers (a religious congregation who also minister to women in prostitution). Br Steve also gave a talk on the response of the vow of chastity to these realities, Br Pedro and Br Jonas organised a praise and worship session and the final mass was celebrated by Fr James. Lenten Retreat: A Lenten retreat combining disciples from both the Verbum Dei Manila and Quezon City apostolate was held on February 24 in the Verbum Dei Apostolate house in Quezon City. Over 100 people attended. It was a chance to discover how fasting, prayer and almsgiving help us to come closer to God and to prepare well for the celebration of Easter. 50th Anniversary Celebrations: Verbum Dei celebrated 50 years since its foundation in Mallorca Spain on January 17, 2013. All the missionaries in Manila, Quezon City and Tagaytay gathered together for a mass and dinner on that day. The whole Verbum Dei community in Luzon celebrated with a mass and lunch on March 10.

Easter Encounters: In 2013, Easter Encounters were held in Tagaytay, Cebu and Cagayan De Oro. The theme this year was For You. There was a semi-silent retreat in Tagaytay, where Fr Gerson, Br Steve, Br Darwin, Br Iwao, Br Pablo and Br Luis helped out. In Cebu, there was a semi-silent retreat from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday followed by a silent retreat for 4 more days. Fr James and Br Jonas helped out in Cebu. In Cagayan De Oro there was a 7-day silent retreat. Deacon Vic, Br Jojo and Br Dan took part there.

Youth Camp: In Tagaytay the Verbum Dei missionaries held a youth camp immediately after Easter at the Verbum Dei Retreat House. The theme was Now is the Time. Unlike last year, this was a boys-only event. About 40 young men came. They enjoyed the activities which include prayer dynamics, an obstacle course, swimming, pineapple picking, visits to a drug rehabilitation centre and a home for the mentally handicapped and a fiesta. ACIL Retreat in Baguio: Also following Easter, Br Steve, Br Pablo, Sr Malou and Eva, a disciple from Verbum Dei Manila gave a retreat for young student catechists from Ateneo De Manila University (ACIL). During the last school year Pablo, Steve, Pedro and Iwao have given formation to this group and have joined in some of their activities. The participants had a strong retreat experience with the risen Lord. Verbum Dei hopes to continue their association with ACIL in the future. Graduation of Pablo & Cecilia: In March, Br Pablo submitted his final thesis and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Loyola School of Theology with a licentiate in Biblical Theology. Sr Cecilia passed her comprehensive exam and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Santo Tomas. Verbum Dei would like to congratulate them both on their results and the hard work they have put into their studies. The world will benefit greatly from all their efforts. Reassignment of Missionaries: Many changes have happened recently among the missionaries in Verbum Dei Quezon City. As Br Pablo has finished his studies he has now been reassigned to Rome, Italy after almost 11 years in the Philippines. Br Pedro has decided to continue his vocational discernment outside the fraternity, in Portugal. Br Steve, Br Jojo and Br Dan are almost finished their formation course and will commence Philosophy studies in June, in Quezon City. Br Jonas and Br Luis will complete the second year of their formation course in Santiago, Chile. Br Darwin has been reassigned to Cebu. We ask you to pray for all of our brothers as they begin the next step in their missionary journeys.