CEBU CITY—Fray Julius Marcos situated the whole day activity with his reflection on healing during the holy mass. He narrated some stories of people including his mother who shared with him about the graces of healing that they received from God through the intercession of Saint Ezekiel Moreno.
As he developed his homily, Fray Marcos was able to tackle on the redemptive value of suffering as part and parcel of human life that Jesus Christ Himself embraced. He concluded his homily by saying that “we must be ready to accept suffering and pain especially in our religious life as our act of solidarity with the passion of Jesus and the plight of our suffering brothers and sisters.” In conclusion, he posed three reminders to the delegates: “First, we have to deny ourselves and become self-sacrificing like Jesus. Second, we try our very best to carry our crosses everyday with joy. Third, we follow Jesus towards the cross with love.”
The Proceedings of the Day
The morning sessions opened with a prayer at 8:30AM. The messages to the Chapter were read by Fray René Paglinawan. Discussions on yesterday’s deliberations were continued. Fray Jose Ernil Almayo, chairman of the Commission on CommunicationsRecoletos, made his report making use of strategic management’s 7S Frameworknamely, Shared Vision, Structure (General and Provincial), Systems, Strategy, Style, Staff, and Skills. Questions and clarifications were raised regarding the works of the Commission that received generous applause from the delegates.
Fray Rommel Rubia, the head of the Commission on History, Culture and HeritageRecoletos, presented the compliance of the Commission in looking into the ordinances of the previous Chapter. He treated the completion of the Mausoleum project of the Province, the publication of the different OAR materials and books for devotion, the reintroduction of the devotion to Our Lady of Health, the Preparation of the Celebration of the 4th centenary of the arrival of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the Philippines, the ongoing cataloguing of the archival materials, and the documentation of the belongings of the dead religious. He proposed that the members of the Commission during the succeeding quadrennium come up with a manual ofregulations and procedures as well as the Standard Operating Procedures during the passing away of a brother religious.
Fray Amado Emmanuel Bolilia gave an update on the San Sebastian Basilica Conservation, Foundation, Inc. He cited that the Diagnostic and Publication phase were already done. Due to be implemented next year would be the Design and Construction phase which would require adequate financial resources.
Fray Bernabe Dosdos updated the delegates on the Mausoleum project in Antipolo novitiate house. He revealed to the delegates that the approval of the City of Antipolo to issue the special use permit for the construction of the mausoleum is still on process.
Having completed the information phase, Fray Lauro Larlar distributed a copy of the Primary Goal of the 7th Provincial Chapter to all the delegates, which was submitted by the Provincial Council, for the consideration of the next phase of the Chapter: the Commission phase. The delegates took a break at 10:00AM.
After the break, Fray Dionisio Selma imparted to the delegates the proposed three elements of the Priority Goal for the quadrennium, namely, creators of communion (encounter), prophets in daily life (accompaniment), and men of hope (discernment). Suggestions and discussions on the three elements were deliberated at the session hall.
After the delegates organized themselves according to their commissions, they formulated the Primary Goals that would set the direction of the next four years. The Midday prayer was prayed at 11:45 AM and it was followed by lunch at the refectory.
The afternoon session started at 3:00 PM. The voting machines and buttons were tested before the messages and prayers for the Chapter were read. The Minutes of the February 14, 2018 were read, corrected, and approved.
The brainstorming regarding the Priority Goal commenced subsequently. The different Commissions took turns to present the outcome of their group discussion during the morning session. Almost all groups presented varied adaptations and improvements of the proposed statement by the Provincial Council. A short break was called at 3:45 PM to give way for the Chapter Officials to discuss the mechanics of the voting process. The session resumed at 4:00 PM. It was deliberated and voted upon by absolute majority that the Primary Goal of the next quadrennium is: “Placing all our trust in God’s mercy, we, the Augustinian Recollects of the Province of Saint Ezekiel Moreno, desire to be creators of communion and witnesses of the Gospel values through our consecrated life and service to humanity.”
The sessions ended at 5:00 PM. The delegates rested for two hours to do their group exercises before the praying of the Vespers and Complines at 7:00 PM. Dinner was served at 7:30 PM.